Center for Professional Sales
Resources for Students
Combining the Professional Sales Certificate with your major provides a distinct competitive advantage in the marketplace. Enhance your prospects for immediate employment as you learn how to:
- Sell your ideas to colleagues, clients and community members
- Sell yourself to employers
- Sell a product or service to customers or clients
Sales careers span diverse industries and offer excellent compensation, varied responsibilities and outstanding long-term career growth. With ongoing support from program sponsors, the university continues to prepare the next generation of sales leaders.
Partner with the Business Community
The business-to-business sales community serves as an essential partner to university programming. The Center for Professional Sales builds collaborative relationships with local and national corporate partners to deliver a premium sales curriculum and graduate performance-ready students. To discover partnership opportunities, connect with Center for Professional Sales Director Alberto SaVinahs.
For students
Our integrated program is uniquely designed with courses in professional sales, sales management, negotiations and business-to-business marketing. Students receive personalized coaching from WSU faculty and sales managers. Top-performing students travel nationally to the country’s best sales competitions.
Graduates of the Professional Sales Program start their careers in organizations across several industries, such as information technology, financial services, rental services, pharmaceutical, industrial distribution, office furniture and more.
There are several ways to get involved with the Professional Sales Program beyond the classroom experience:
WSU Vancouver participates in three annual sales competitions. These events involve role-playing and can help advance selling skills, and in the past have led to job offers for participating students. There are three annual sales competitions:
- WSU Vancouver Professional Sales Competition – held at WSU Vancouver in late November
- National Collegiate Sales Competition – held at Kennesaw State University in February
- Western States Collegiate Sales Competition – held at California State University in April
Our annual “Meet the Firms: Professional Sales” career fair gives students the opportunity to network with potential employers about future career opportunities. Students showcase their resumes, learn important interviewing skills and talk to sales managers and executives. The event often leads to full-time employment after graduation.
Collegiate DECA is a student-driven organization that aims to prepare students for their new career by integrating classroom skills into real-world experiences. The program focuses on team building, leadership skills, and community-oriented involvement. DECA activities provide students unique access to internships, scholarships, competitions and professional networking.
A unique opportunity for business and prebusiness students to receive one-on-one coaching from a seasoned professional in their desired industry. Students and coaches meet two to three times monthly by phone or in person.
Admission requirements and curriculum
To be eligible for the Professional Sales Certificate, students must be certified in a WSU major or be a non-degree seeking student with a minimum cumulative WSU GPA of 2.00 and a minimum of 60 semester credits.
Curriculum
To earn a certificate in Professional Sales, students must complete 15 credits consisting of three required courses and two additional electives with a 2.50 GPA or better.
Required core courses include MKTG 360, 379, and 478. Two additional electives should be drawn from MKTG 450, 479, 480, ENTRP 490, HBM 480, and MGMT 485.
| Course | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Three required courses | ||
| MKTG 360 | Marketing | 3 |
| MKTG 379 | Professional Sales | 3 |
| MKTG 478 | Sales Management | 3 |
| Choose two electives | ||
| ENTRP 490 | Entrepreneurial Marketing | 3 |
| HBM 480 | Marketing Strategy & Development | 3 |
| MGMT 485 | Negotiations | 3 |
| MKTG 450 | Digital Marketing | 3 |
| MKTG 479 | Advanced Professional Sales | 3 |
Course offerings
The table below lists semesters when courses in the professional sales certificate program will be offered. Note that courses offered may change due to unforeseen circumstances, and that additional courses may also be offered at additional times not currently planned or listed below.
| Course | Description | Fall | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENTRP 490 | Entrepreneurial Marketing | Yes | No | No |
| HBM 480 | Marketing Strategy & Development | No | Yes | No |
| MKTG 360 | Marketing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MKTG 379 | Professional Sales | Yes | Yes | No |
| MKTG 450 | Digital Marketing | No | Yes | No |
| MKTG 478 | Sales Management | No | Yes | No |
| MGMT 485 | Negotiations | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MKTG 479 | Advanced Professional Sales | No | No | No |
We encourage students to take Professional Sales (MKTG 379) early in their junior year. This will allow students to get early exposure to the realities of a sales career, and give them more opportunities to participate in different sales competitions.