CRM in education is often discussed in terms of solutions to drive student recruitment, retention, and fundraising (see this month's Market Focus: Education). What many have missed, however, is the rise of CRM-specific curricula.

Yet CRM education isn�t entirely new. Paul Greenberg, president of The 56 Group and cofounder of CRM training company BPT Partners (and a CRM columnist), says that what�s been missing was an end goal, or degree. �There were courses in CRM in a few academic institutions, but they weren�t for certification,� he recalls. He adds that the entire idea of creating BPT was to reward those who kept up on CRM knowledge -- a certification respected by industry groups designed to distinguish the haves from the have-nots. Courses include CRM strategy, customer experience, customer value management, vendor selection and implementation, and social media. Upon completion, attendees are officially recognized as �CRM-certified professionals,� a designation that can be found on the CRM Association�s Web site.

Nancy Rauseo, CRM consultant and instructor at Florida International University (FIU), has taught undergraduate CRM courses for years and agrees that certification was overdue. �We needed to take it to the next level and develop professional-type programs.� Four years ago, Rauseo opened a CRM certification program within FIU�s office of executive and professional education. She then helped design an online version in order to, as she puts it, �expand the audience� beyond local recruitment. She reports that, since the online course began 18 months ago, 20 people have completed or are finishing the modules -- taking, on average, 14 weeks. (Most also have full-time jobs.) And the course reflects shifts in the industry: �I�m constantly updating the material as things change in the marketplace,� she says. �If I see new types of software coming out, new kinds of applications, obviously I incorporate that into the program.�

At North Carolina State University (NCSU), Michael Rappa, distinguished university professor and director of the Institute for Advanced Analytics, started a degree program for a master of science in analytics. �Most organizations today...collect vast amounts of data on just about everything that they do, and we have to understand and draw meaningful insights from it,� he says. �There seemed to be an opportunity to develop a very targeted program that dealt specifically with culling very large amounts of data.� The 10-month program opened in July 2007, and graduated its first class this past May.

Employers, Rappa says, want prospective workers to have a practical background in the software tools used in the real world -- not just ones that a university may have on hand. Rappa says SAS Institute -- headquartered in nearby Cary, N.C. -- has provided NCSU with tools that allow students to learn on industry-standard technology. (The program also includes non-SAS software.) �Our students graduate much more employer-ready, and can hit the ground running, which is great,� he declares.

But will certification ever become a prerequisite for getting a job or advancing in the CRM industry? Most don�t think so. �It�s [not] to the point of a requirement yet, but I do think [certifications] will distinguish the successful CRM initiatives,� Rauseo explains. �Someone who�s had this type of training will...already know -- prior to getting into any type of initiative -- what works, what doesn�t, and best practices you need to follow as opposed to walking into a CRM initiative and then learning by the seat of your pants.� 

Every month, CRM magazine covers the customer relationship management industry and beyond. To subscribe, please visit http://www.destinationcrm.com/subscribe/.