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Be Effective


For leaders in business technology, success begins with the right tools.

Chief Information Officer (CIO) Certificate


Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College is consistently ranked #1 in Information and Technology Management for a reason. 

CIO program sealYou don’t need to be a full-time graduate student to benefit from our faculty’s world-renowned expertise. The CIO Certificate Program will prepare you for next generation technology leadership in less than a year.

Through impactful coursework and a strategic hands-on project with members of your cohort, the program provides you with the skills and insight you need to be an effective CIO in an increasingly digitized world.

This six-month program—now delivered in a hybrid format blending synchronous distance learning with on-campus sessions to form deeper connections with your cohorttakes an interdisciplinary approach to information and technology management. It is designed for CIOs, CTOs, CSOs, other executives with IT oversight responsibilities, and their direct reports.

All students admitted to the CIO Certificate Program will have at least seven years of relevant experience managing projects and/or people, giving you the chance to collaborate with similarly experienced peers and build exciting new relationships and networks with your cohort.

I would urge technology leaders who have been given the chance to enroll in Carnegie Mellon University’s Chief Information Officer Certificate program to take advantage of this incredible opportunity. The knowledge I have gained and the development in both my growth mindset and operational strategies has allowed me to dive even deeper into my career and provide a different and more refreshed leadership approach. Michael Smetana | Chief Innovation & Technology Officer | Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc.
Participating in the CIO Certificate Program has had a profound impact on my life and my career. The collaborative and enthusiast environment created by the faculty allowed for real-world experience through student-involved curriculum and sessions. I benefited so much that I am now enrolling in the Carnegie Mellon CISO Certificate Program to continue the experience. Gary Simms | CTO | Culturefy

CIO Certificate Program Information

Program Costs

  • $18,750 for the entire program

  • $15,000 discounted rate for Carnegie Mellon alumni—including CRO, CISO, CDataO, and CDigitalO programs—U.S. government employees, veterans, and employees of non-profit organizations

  • Fee includes program materials and daily continental breakfast, lunch, and refreshments during on-campus sessions.

  • Optional credit card installment payment plan is available

Please note: Due to the non-credit bearing nature of the CIO Certificate Program, students are unable to apply for tuition assistance, scholarship, or VA benefits.

 

Apply Now

Deadlines

  • Deadline for Cohort 9 is April 9, 2024. Please submit your application as soon as possible for consideration.

  • If space remains, we will accept applications on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

Cancellation/Refund Policy

A non-refundable, non-transferable deposit of 1/6 of the total program cost is required to reserve a seat in the program.

Should a student withdraw from the program after the deposit has been paid but prior to the program start date, students may have 5/6 of the program costs either refunded to them or transferred to the following cohort of the program.

After the program start date, no refunds will be issued. However, under extenuating circumstances and with program director approval, students may petition to postpone their attendance to a future cohort and have 5/6 of the program costs applied accordingly. 

Details


Applications are currently being accepted for Cohort 9, which begins April 2024.

  • Cohort 9 (Spring 2024) Dates & Schedule

    Virtual Orientation: 12:00 - 5:00 p.m. EDT
    April 16-18, 2024

    Virtual Modules: 4:00 - 9:00 p.m. EDT
    (Note: all virtual class dates are Wednesdays)
    May 1, 8, 15 (2024)
    June 5, 12  (2024)

    Mid-Session: 9:00am - 5:00 p.m. EDT (Pittsburgh, PA; virtual option available)
    June 25-27, 2024

    Virtual Modules: 4:00 - 9:00 p.m. EDT
    (Note: all virtual class dates are Wednesdays)
    July 17, 24, 31 (2024)
    August 14, 21, 28 (2024)
    September 4, 11 (2024)

    Practicum: 9:00am - 5:00 p.m. (Pittsburgh, PA; virtual option available)
    September 18-19, 2024

    Please note: Students must complete all modules in sequence.

CIO Curriculum


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Future Modules benefit

Graduates of the CIO Certificate Program will have access to new CIO Program modules created in the future, providing you with continuing education after the program ends. Approval is required.

Please note: This benefit does not extend to future CISO, CRO, CDataO, CDigitalO, or PITC program modules, unless the student is also a graduate of those programs.

MSIT Program Discount

Students who complete the CIO Certificate Program and who subsequently apply for and are admitted into the Heinz College MSIT Degree Program are eligible for a tuition discount scholarship. Program costs that have been paid for completing any or all of the Heinz College Executive Education certificate programs (up to $40,000) by the individual student or their sponsor/employer will be matched with a tuition discount from the MSIT program—reducing the cost to complete the MSIT degree by up to $40,000.

In order to be considered, applicants to the MSIT program should indicate their enrollment status with the CIO, CISO, CRO, CDataO, CDigitalO and/or PITC program(s) on the Application for Admission.

Please note: The tuition discount is only available once a student has completed all of the certificate program’s requirements. Completion of a certificate program does not guarantee admission to the MSIT program.