Welcome to University of Denver's Manufacturing Frontline Manager Leadership Certificate Program!

The Manufacturing Frontline Manager Leadership Program is designed for aspiring and first-time frontline leader managers within the manufacturing, transportation, and/or logistics environments. The core concepts for this course include strengthening one’s own leadership skills and building strong relationships with others, professional communication skills (oral, written, listening), delivering and receiving feedback, transitioning from a peer to a leader/manager role, building and motivating a high-performance team, and effective performance management strategies. Students will leave this program with a professional leadership development plan for implementation in their management roles.

The Anderson Academic Commons on the University of Denver campus

Program

The Manufacturing Frontline Manager Leadership program consists of a single 12-week course titled: LOS 1000 Manufacturing Frontline Manager Essentials.

The course is built around four modules that will help you develop your leadership and management capability through different perspectives.

  • Module 1 helps you understand yourself as a leader manager, including techniques to help you transition from an individual contributor to a manager
  • Module 2 focuses on how you can better understand and connect with members of your team and communicate effectively
  • Module 3 helps you build, motivate, and manage high-performance teams
  • Module 4 explores developing a service mindset and growing yourself as a leader manager, including developing a personal leadership development plan

Importantly, the course includes several one-on-one coaching opportunities with your adjunct faculty coach. During these bi-weekly, 30-minute coaching sessions, your adjunct faculty coach will help you put into practice the concepts and techniques you learn in the course, and they will also provide career counsel and mentorship. After the course ends, you may opt-in for three additional one-hour coaching sessions over the following eight weeks.

There are no required books! All course content will be provided to you in the course.

Course Description and Learning Outcomes

The course delivers foundational leadership and management skills necessary to succeed in a first management position in a manufacturing, transportation, and/or logistics environment and incorporates extensive one-on-one learner coaching. The core concepts for this course include the following: Understanding oneself as a leader, including styles of leadership; strengthening relationships by understanding others, including diversity, equity, and inclusion; professional communication skills (oral, written, listening); delivering and receiving feedback and coaching employees; transitioning from a peer to a leader/manager role, developing a robust and inclusive team culture; building and motivating a high-performance team; and hiring, onboarding, and individual performance management. Practical experience and application of content in manufacturing, transportation, and/or logistics settings form the student experience. Students leave with a professional leadership development plan for implementation in their front-line manager roles.

  • Apply principles of self-awareness, reflective practice, and emotional intelligence to inclusive leadership and managerial practice
  • Communicate effectively across a range of communication channels, audiences, and situations
  • Develop high-performing individuals and teams using leadership best practices
  • Apply an internal customer service orientation to improve business performance

Foster a workplace culture of continuous improvement and individual and team development

Certificate of Completion

Upon successfully completing the course, you will be awarded a Certificate of Completion in Manufacturing Frontline Manager Essentials from the University of the Denver.

Course Credit
The course awards five quarter hours of undergraduate academic credit. You may use this credit toward an undergraduate certificate in leadership and/or bachelor’s degree at the University of Denver, or transfer the credit to another university.
Program Start Dates

You may choose from one of the following start dates:

  • April 6, 2026
  • June 22, 2026
  • September 14, 2026

Important Dates

September 2025 Dates and Deadlines

Event Date
Application Deadline March 30, 2026
Course Start and End Dates April 6 – June 26, 2026
Last Day for Full Tuition Refund April 13, 2026
Certificate of Completion Delivery July 10, 2026

January 2026 Dates and Deadlines

Event Date
Application Deadline June 15, 2026
Course Start and End Dates June 22 – Sept 11, 2026
Last Day for Full Tuition Refund June 29, 2026
Certificate of Completion Delivery Sept 25, 2026

April 2026 Dates and Deadlines

Event Date
Application Deadline Sept 7, 2026
Course Start and End Dates Sept 14 – Dec 6, 2026
Last Day for Full Tuition Refund Sept 21, 2026
Certificate of Completion Delivery Dec 20, 2026

Application Requirements

Application to the program is easy and there is no application fee!

Simply complete the short online application, click submit, and you’re done! Once we receive your application, a member of our team will contact you to proceed with the process within five business days.

Apply Now

Your Success

Supporting Your Success

You will enjoy individualized support to help ensure your success in the Manufacturing Frontline Manager Leadership Program. This includes extensive support with items like technology use and time management before the course begins and ongoing support with assignments throughout the course.

Your Academic Advisor

Your academic advisor, who specializes in supporting students in the Manufacturing Frontline Manager Leadership Certificate Program, will walk alongside you during the course and help ensure you are successful.

Student Success Onboarding

Once you are registered for the Manufacturing Frontline Manager Leadership Essentials course, we invite you to participate in our highly effective onboarding program to ensure your success in the program! This includes a variety of short sessions that provide you with an overview of the program and answer your questions. You also have access to Student Success Onboarding, which is a short online module to prepare you to be successful in the course. Your academic advisor will share more information about Student Success Onboarding once your registration for the course is confirmed.

Your Faculty Coach

Your adjunct faculty coach is skilled at teaching and coaching first-time leader managers and will support you throughout the course and help ensure your success…both in the course and your career!

About The University of Denver

Founded in 1864, the University of Denver is a top-ranked university as ranked by U.S. News & World Report that enrolls nearly 13,000 students in a range of undergraduate and graduate programs.