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Product Management

Program at a Glance

  • Complete in 6 months
  • Fully online with a blend of self‑paced learning and live virtual sessions
  • Project‑based learning with portfolio‑ready deliverables
  • Digital badge awarded upon completion 
  • $6,000

Enroll Now

Lead Strategy. Build Better Products. Drive Impact.

If you’re a mid-career professional in a product-adjacent role seeking to pivot into product management or update and expand your product management capabilities, this program equips you with the skills and confidence to take the next step. Through an intensive, hands-on learning experience, you’ll quickly gain in-depth product management knowledge, the use of AI tools in the product workstream and real-world application.

What You’ll Get

  • Flexible, customized, self-paced learning from top universities and companies, followed by the opportunity to cement your knowledge and practice skills with an expert instructor in live virtual sessions
  • Project-based learning that progresses from simple-case to a full-complexity project for a corporate client
  • Portfolio development to showcase your work to employers
  • Networking opportunities with peers and industry collaborators

Product vs. Project Management: What's the Difference?

While both careers involve leadership and collaboration, they focus on different outcomes. At UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education, our programs are designed for different career goals and learning styles: 
  • Product Managers focus on building products people want by guiding strategy, customer experience and product direction. Our Product Management Program is a six-month online experience that combines flexible learning, live sessions and hands-on projects to build practical skills in product strategy, user research and agile product development.
  • Project Managers focus on executing timelines, budgets and deliverables. Our Project Management Certificate Program offers a structured, course-based online format that prepares students to lead projects through practical training in planning, execution and operational leadership.

A Cohesive Learning Experience

This program is delivered fully online through an integrated learning experience that combines Coursera and Riipen. Together, these platforms enhance both academic quality and career relevance.

  • Coursera provides access to high-quality content curated and sequenced by UC Davis instructors to support core concepts and foundational knowledge. Learners engage asynchronously, making it easy to progress on a flexible schedule while using interactive and AI-supported tools to deepen understanding.
  • Riipen brings applied learning into the program by connecting students with real-world projects from companies and nonprofit organizations. These projects are embedded in the curriculum and give learners the opportunity to work on actual business challenges, often in team-based settings with direct exposure to industry clients.

Together, this experience moves learners from foundational knowledge to practical application. Students build job-ready skills, gain hands-on experience, develop professional confidence and create portfolio-ready work they can showcase to employers.

What You’ll Learn

In this program, you will build the core skills needed to succeed in product management, including:

  • Product strategy and vision development
  • User research and product discovery
  • Market and competitive analysis
  • Product roadmapping and prioritization
  • Agile product development practices
  • Stakeholder communication and cross-functional leadership
  • Data-driven product decision making
  • Product launch and growth strategy

Courses Open for Enrollment

Course Title Online Enroll Start Date
Product Management Information Session check mark Enroll Now
Product Management Professional Program check mark Enroll Now

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who is this program for?

  • This program is designed for professionals working in product‑adjacent roles who want to transition into product management or strengthen their product leadership skills. 

    • Designers and UX professionals

    • Customer success and support professionals

    • Data analysts, business intelligence professionals

    • Engineers and software developers

    • Marketing and product marketing professionals

    • Project and program managers

    • Quality assurance and operations professionals

    • Sales and business development professionals

  • Do I need prior product management experience?
  • No. The program is designed for professionals from related roles who want to transition into product management.
  • What type of project work will I complete?
  • Participants complete a hands‑on product project that demonstrates their ability to apply product management frameworks in practice. Project artifacts may include product vision statements, user research reports, competitive analysis, product roadmaps, prototypes and go‑to‑market strategies.
  • What types of products does the program focus on?
  • The program focuses primarily on digital products such as software platforms and applications while also introducing frameworks applicable to physical and technology‑enabled products.