Sales Engineering Academic Programs

The University of Akron’s certificate is a focused add-on for engineering students who want formal training in the commercial side of technical work. Its core is three upper-level sales courses covering professional selling, negotiations, and advanced professional selling, then one technical elective keeps the program tied to engineering practice. The elective list spans fields such as construction, biomedical engineering, communications, and design, so the certificate can align with different technical interests while still emphasizing sales capability.

Built in response to employer demand for graduates with both technical knowledge and professional selling skills, this minor combines coursework in strategic sales, negotiations, pricing and B2B decision-making, and either sales management or customer success strategy. It also includes an applied component through ProSales or a sales practicum, so the curriculum is not purely classroom-based. Students outside the Huntsman School can pursue it, though the minor has GPA requirements and some courses or experiences require prerequisites, permission, or application.

Rather than a full minor or degree, this is a targeted course for engineering and computing students who want formal training in professional selling. It focuses on communication, negotiation, and explaining technical concepts to non-technical audiences, making it relevant even for students who do not plan to work in sales. The course can also satisfy elective requirements in several engineering and computing majors, and it fits into USC’s 4+1 engineering-and-MBA pathway with the Darla Moore School of Business.

The Business Communication and Influence (BCI) Program helps engineers, sales engineers, and technical professionals develop communication, influence, customer engagement, business leadership, sales, and product management skills. Participants build competencies in listening, speaking, planned engagement, pricing, pitches, proposals, and presentations, and receive a joint professional development certificate upon completion.

This certificate is organized as a five-course continuing education program with three required courses and two electives, and students can complete the courses in any order over a three-year period. The curriculum goes beyond basic selling to cover consultative sales, pipeline management, presentation delivery, performance measurement, and negotiation strategy. Its workshop-based format makes it a practical option for technical professionals who want more structured training in customer-facing commercial work.