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Miami Regionals is first university to offer ICAgile-accredited courses

Written by Mary C. Dillon, Marketing & Communications

A woman using a whiteboard and Post-it notes to get organized using AGILE.

Miami University Regionals is the first university in the country to offer ICAgile-accredited courses for certification as part of its coursework in the department of computer and information technology.

As an international accreditation and certification body, the International Consortium for Agile -- or ICAgile -- accredits courses against comprehensive and proven learning objectives, developed by worldwide thought leaders. By successfully accrediting its courses with ICAgile, Miami University Regionals is ensuring their students are learning the core values and principles of agile and are building skills and competencies that help corporations build organizational agility. 

“ICAgile applauds Miami University’s efforts to integrate these globally recognized agile learning programs into the CIT curriculum,” said Shannon Ewan, managing director, ICAgile. “Students who follow the ICAgile accredited pathways this early in their journey will be extremely well positioned relative to their peers.”

According to Donna Evans, chief academic adviser in CIT, earning an ICAgile certification also gives students a leg-up on the competition when entering the workforce.

“Employers want to make sure new hires bring skills, fresh perspectives and the ability to work well with others. As a result, students are seeking ways to differentiate themselves through certifications,” said Evans. “Agile certifications earned in specific Miami University courses provide important opportunities to students during their college experience and deliver significant advantages to them as they navigate the job market.” 

The principles of self-organization and autonomy are the cornerstones of Agile. Teams get to decide how they will work, with each member taking responsibility for what they do, how they do it and the ultimate outcome.

There are three courses in Miami Regionals’ Agile course sequence: 

    • CIT 205 for ICAgile Certified Professional (ICP) certification: Students learn and apply the values, principles, and practices of Agile while working in multi-disciplinary, international teams. 
    • CIT 306 for ICAgile Certified Professional in Agile Product and Delivery Management (ICP-APM) certification: Students learn core components of agile project management and are equipped with strategies and techniques for successful Lean and Agile project implementation.  
    • CIT 307 for ICAgile Certified Professional in Agile Project Ownership (ICP-APO) certification: Students learn about value-driven project delivery, the accompanying mindset, and key Agile practices designed to emphasize customer value. 

The project was led by Andrea Hulshult, assistant professor, and Eric Luczaj, associate professor, both of whom are ICAgile Authorized Instructors.

“We started the Agile concentration in 2019 and have been gratified to see recent graduates return wanting to earn it,” said Hulshult. “We have also had local companies inquiring about students that have completed the coursework.”

“This is quite an accomplishment and I would like to congratulate everyone involved in putting Miami University Regionals in a leadership role in offering this certification,” said Cathy Bishop-Clark, dean of Miami University Regionals. “This is a fantastic addition to an existing degree or it works great for workers who want to update their skill set.”

For more information, contact the department of computer and information technology at citinfo@MiamiOH.edu.

About ICAgile

Founded in 2010, ICAgile is a leading global agile accreditation and certification body that helps organizations design learning experiences that cultivate an agile mindset and enable sustainable organizational agility. ICAgile's approach is not tied to any specific agile methodology, thus giving people the flexibility to blend flavors in a way that makes sense for their reality. Learn more at icagile.com.