Program Overview

Advanced Certificate in Research Administration

The online Advanced Certificate in Research Administration prepares professionals for careers in research administration by providing them with sufficient knowledge in the following areas:

• Financial research administration
• Clinical research administration and compliance
• Intellectual property, technology transfer, and commercialization

Career Prospects

According to national statistics, U.S. compliance managers earn salaries that range between $75,875 and $137,189 per year. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment for research administrators to grow by 9.9% by 2026. Students graduating from the Advanced Certificate in Research Administration can expect to become administrators at academic institutions, healthcare organizations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Numerous and diverse career positions within these sectors include:

• Director of sponsored programs
• Executive director of clinical research
• Research program manager
• Grants administrator
• Research finance and post-award administrator

Admissions Criteria

Applicants must possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Applicants are required to:

• Write a personal statement
• Upload a resume
• Provide one letter of recommendation The letter of recommendation may be submitted before or after submitting an application.

Application Deadlines

• Fall 2026 Priority Deadline: April 9, 2026
• Fall 2026 Regular Deadline: May 21, 2026 Please note there is no application fee for graduate applications submitted by the Priority Deadline.

Program Details

Graduates of this program are eligible to transfer into the MS in Research Administration and Compliance online degree program. Research administration expertise is needed across a diverse group of organizations, including academic institutions, research institutes and centers, hospitals, clinics, and the pharmaceutical industry.