Purchasing Certificate Courses

Online Certificate in Purchasing: Purchasing Education & Training

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Schedule Outlook | Required Courses | Textbooks

Purchasing Certificate Program Review – Spring 2025 Update
To ensure the highest quality and relevance for our students, as of Spring 2025 we will be conducting a review of the Purchasing Certificate Program. During this review period, we will not be accepting new student registrations for the program. However, the program remains open to those actively working to complete the current certificate requirements. Thank you for your understanding as we work to keep the program up-to-date.

The term for a particular class is based on when the class ends, not when it begins. For example, a course beginning in April and ending in July is a summer class, and you will find it in the summer schedule. Please check the current term plus the next term to determine all of your schedule options. The Purchasing Certificate must be completed within 3 years of taking your first class in the program.

Online Course Schedule

* Schedule and costs subject to change at any time; consult with instructor for specific date details | Updated 12/20/24

Updated Start Date & Registration Deadline

Spring 2025

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Live Online Course Delivery

 Note: All classes for this program are LIVE ONLINE. This instructor-led program utilizes our campus' Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) available directly at https://canvas.csudh.edu, as well as through our student portal, MyCSUDH. Live virtual class sessions are conducted at the day/time indicated in the program schedule. Attendance and participation via Zoom at all class sessions is required.

For students using corporate/government/restricted access devices: Please check with your organization's IT services to ensure that you'll be able to access CSUDH's Canvas, Zoom, and Toromail resources prior to your first class session.

Be sure to get your password and instructions to access MyCSUDH and other CSUDH online resources when you register, and download/print materials for the first week prior to course start.

  For questions regarding technical issues, please contact the CSUDH IT Helpdesk at 310.243.2500 and/or https://csudh.service-now.com/ ►

Course Descriptions

Courses are offered via the Internet three trimesters each year. Courses start in January, April, and September. Each course is 13 weeks in length.

You must take the PRX 200 foundation course first and then the remaining four courses.

PRX 200-41 | Purchasing Fundamentals
PRX 310-41 | Cost-Price Analysis and Negotiation
PRX 330-41 | Public Sector Procurement
PRX 340-41 | Advanced Purchasing Concepts
PIX 351-41 | Supply Chain Fundamentals

PRX 200 | Purchasing Fundamentals (Foundation Course)

3 Units
The course examines the fundamental elements of purchasing. Emphasis is placed on current business trends and their impact on the purchasing profession. Fundamental concepts, methods, and techniques used to evaluate requirements for purchasing goods and services are discussed. Case studies allow for application to real-world situations.

Required text: Proactive Purchasing in the Supply Chain (1st Edition), by Burt, Petcavage and Pinkerton, ISBN 978-0-07-117061-3

 Lecture Live Stream Broadcast Schedule:
Tuesdays, 6:30–9:30pm PST • Recorded lectures may be viewed at a later time on Canvas

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PRX 310 | Cost-Price Analysis and Negotiation

3 Units
Course Pre-requisite:  PRX 200 Purchasing Fundamentals
The course provides an overview of the tools and techniques required for determining the reasonableness of cost and price, the relationships between the two, and establishes the basis for negotiating a final contract between buyers and sellers.

Required text: Proactive Purchasing in the Supply Chain (1st Edition), by Burt, Petcavage and Pinkerton, ISBN 978-0-07-117061-3

 Lecture Live Stream Broadcast Schedule:
Thursdays, 6:30–9:30pm PST • Recorded lectures may be viewed at a later time on Canvas

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PRX 330 | Public Sector Procurement

3 Units
Course Pre-requisite:  PRX 200 Purchasing Fundamentals
The course examines the relative aspects unique to Public Sector Purchasing as well as comparing and contrasting the legal and regulatory considerations inherent to this environment with those of private sector procurement.

Required texts:

Proactive Purchasing in the Supply Chain (1st Edition), by Burt, Petcavage and Pinkerton, ISBN 978-0-07-117061-3

Public Procurement and Contract Administration – A Brief Introduction (2nd Edition), Jorge A. Lynch,
ISBN-10: 1520977638 | ISBN-13: 9781520977638
Available in Kindle and paperback through Amazon

 Lecture Live Stream Broadcast Schedule:
Wednesdays, 6:30–9:30pm PST • Recorded lectures may be viewed at a later time on Canvas

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PRX 340 | Advanced Purchasing Concepts

3 Units
Course Pre-requisite:  PRX 200 Purchasing Fundamentals
Through the detailed examination of case studies, students explore the real-world application of purchasing concepts, including specification, standardization, simplification, supply, legal and ethical issues, partnering, total quality procurement, and logistics.

Required text: Proactive Purchasing in the Supply Chain (1st Edition), by Burt, Petcavage and Pinkerton, ISBN 978-0-07-117061-3

 Lecture Live Stream Broadcast Schedule:
Wednesdays, 6:30–9:30pm PST • Recorded lectures may be viewed at a later time on Canvas

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PIX 351 | Supply Chain Fundamentals

3 Units
The course provides an overview of the field of Supply Chain Management and its role in the functional nature of organizations.

Required text: Introduction to Materials Management (9th Edition), Steve Chapman, Tony K. Arnold, Ann K. Gatewood, Lloyd Clive, ISBN 10: 0134156323 | ISBN 13: 9780137565504, Publisher: Pearson, 2022
Available through the APICS website or the CSUDH University Bookstore

 Lecture Live Stream Broadcast Schedule:
Thursdays, 6:30–9:30pm PST • Recorded lectures may be viewed at a later time on Canvas

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Purchasing Course Schedule Outlook: 

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