The CBA® program was developed by and for Small Business Development Center (SBDC) advisors. For over 20 years, the Certified Business Advisor® program has been used by SBDC advisors nationwide, as well as employers of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations that support small businesses and entrepreneurs.
A minimum of 20 hours of continuing education each year following the certification is required to retain certification.
Exception: Small Business Development Center (SBDC) directors will determine the number of annual continuing education hours.
All cancellations and refund requests must be made in writing prior to the date on which an individual registrant gains access to the CBA® coursework. Once access has been granted, no cancellations, refunds, or transfer fees will be processed. Substitutions are allowable only if the original registrant has not started the coursework. Requests should be sent to Lifelong Learning at lifelonglearning@kent.edu.
Specific organizations are defined as and are exclusively limited to:
If you are a SBDC employee:
If you are a business professional:
When can I register?
Each of the three courses should take 20-40 hours to complete. Students should complete the program in 12 months, although an extension of up to an additional 12 months may be granted for extenuating situations.
The CBA® program offers a concise, yet comprehensive up-to-date curriculum designed for maximum on-the-job performance. The instructors, who are required to have business experience in addition to graduate-level teaching experience, emphasize application as well as theory.
