Professional Development Certificates - Frequently Asked Questions

General Certificate Questions

Can I take the entire certificate program online?

All of our certificates can be completed online. Our online courses combine the convenience of virtual connection with the engagement of synchronous instructor-led learning over Zoom. Check individual certificate pages for course formats and see the online PD course FAQ page for details on how our online courses work.

What is a certificate program?

Professional development certificate programs offer a cluster of courses that provide knowledge and training in a specific competency. The knowledge and skills you gain can be used immediately in the workplace and offer you:

• applied knowledge to help you stay current
• information to help you be an effective manager and leader
• preparation for a new field or career
• skills that position you for advancement

Completion of a certificate demonstrates:

• commitment to master a specific body of knowledge or set of skills
• breadth and depth of skill and understanding that comes from planned learning
• dedication to professional advancement

How long do I have to complete a certificate program?

Participants have four years from the date of the first course to complete a professional development certificate, after which you will need to reenroll.

Will I receive an actual certificate?

Yes. Upon completion of each course, you will receive a certificate of completion. Once you have completed all of the courses required for the certificate program, you will receive a formal certificate from the University of Minnesota's College of Continuing and Professional Studies. You can also request that an official notification letter of completion be sent to an identified employer, supervisor, personnel manager, or association.

Will I receive a digital credential?

Yes. Certificate completers will earn a digital badge to display in your email signature and on your website, blog, and LinkedIn account as verification of your accomplishment to employers and peers.

How do I get a transcript of the courses I've taken?

You can receive a PDF transcript of the professional development courses you've taken by emailing ccapsreg@umn.edu, or by mail:

CCAPS Registration Team
360 Coffey Hall
1420 Eckles Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55108

Is there a fee to enroll in a certificate program?

There are fees for the courses, but not an additional fee to enroll in a certificate. You can pay for the whole certificate at once or pay for each course individually.

Can I bring your courses to my organization?

Yes. We can bring the expertise of the U of M directly to your workplace with over 80 individual professional development courses and 12 certificate options for you, whether in-person or virtually, via Zoom. More information is available on our Workforce Development website.

What type of credit is available?

A variety of professional credits are awarded for successfully completing the entire course.

• Continuing Education Units (CEU)
  The CEU is a nationally recognized unit of measurement awarded to participants in a qualifying noncredit continuing education program. One CEU is defined as 10 contact hours. Six-contact-hour courses earn 0.6 CEUs.
• Continuing Professional Education (CPE) 
  Continuing professional education credits are frequently needed by accountants, finance professionals, and others. One CPE is awarded for every 50 minutes of instruction. Six-contact-hour courses award 7.2 CPEs.
• Professional Development Units (PDU) 
  These are required for certified project managers, business analysts, and others. One PDU is awarded for every hour of instruction. Six-contact-hour courses earn six PDUs.
• Professional Development Hours (PDH) 
  These are awarded to engineers, architects, surveyors, and related professionals. One PDH is awarded for every hour of instruction. Six-contact-hour courses earn six PDHs.

How can I access my course records, request a schedule change, and see announcements?

1. Go to learning.umn.edu (works best in Firefox or Chrome)
2. Click on the login button in the upper right corner and choose learner log-in. You might need to update your password or create a guest account. If you have an account already, click on 'continue' under 'I have a University Internet Account'. Otherwise, go to 'I am new to the University' and click 'continue.' If you have issues resetting a password or with access please call UMN IT at 612-301-4357 and explain that you are having issues with a guest account.
3. Once you are logged in, use the navigation tools on the left-hand side of the page, under Learner Profile:

FAQs About the Online Classroom

What do classes look like?

Classes will be taught using the University of Minnesota virtual conferencing tool, Zoom. You will have the ability to learn from your fellow classmates and share your experience. Sessions will be highly interactive with a mixture of lecture, small and large group activities, polls, and discussion. 

"The University did a great job offering the classes via Zoom. The instructors are great and have tailored their course content to fit the online platform. It really worked for me."
— Laurie Church, HR Generalist Certificate

How will I receive course information?

One week before your course, a welcome email with basic information is sent out to you. One day before your course, a reminder email containing your course materials and zoom link is sent to you. 

How do I use my course materials?

This depends on the class but, usually, materials are PDFs. This is because PDFs are able to be accessed by nearly everyone, regardless of their operating system or software.
 
The course materials may be read-only or give you the ability to interact with them using your PDF-viewer.

Can I use my tablet or mobile device?

Yes, but we do not recommend it. Mobile devices and tablets have limitations that impede your ability to fully participate. To ensure you have the best experience possible, we strongly recommend using a desktop or laptop computer. 

Does my internet speed matter?

It does! Your internet bandwidth can have an impact on your class experience. Slow connections result in major video delays, sound cutting in and out, a lost connection that results in being disconnected from your meeting, and so on. 
 
Zoom recommends a minimum bandwidth of 1.5Mbps/1.5Mbps (up/down). Go to http://www.speedtest.net/ to see if your internet makes the cut. Read more about Zoom’s system requirements.

Will accommodations be available for virtual courses?

Yes! If you need accommodations, including ASL interpreting services, please contact ccapspdp@umn.edu three weeks prior to your course start date. We will coordinate providing reasonable accommodations or connect your with the UMN Disability Resource Center if your request requires consultation and additional support.

We may still be able to provide you with additional support if you contact us closer to the course date but it is not guaranteed. We work closely with the UMN Disability Resource Center (drc@umn.edu) and may refer you to them for more comprehensive services, depending on your needs.
 
Please note: most of our professional development courses do not include tests or homework, so you do not need to submit requests for extended testing times in most cases. The exceptions are Certified ScrumMaster® and Certified Scrum Product Owner®; please contact ccapspdp@umn.edu if you have specific testing needs for those courses. 

Cancellation Policy

If We Cancel

All courses need to meet a minimum enrollment to be held. If we have to cancel your course because of insufficient enrollment, you will receive a full refund, made to the original method of payment. If you are enrolled in the discount option and a course is canceled because of insufficient enrollment, we will work with you to transfer you into the next upcoming course at no charge.

If You Cancel

You can cancel or transfer to a different course or course date before the start of the course you have registered for. Cancellation and transfer requests received after the first scheduled course date will not be eligible for a refund or transfer. You may complete a cancellation or transfer using self-service or by contacting us.

• self-service: learning.umn.edu
• phone: 612-625-2900
• email: ccapsreg@umn.edu

Disability Accommodations

The University of Minnesota views disability as an important aspect of diversity, and is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for all students. The Disability Resource Center (DRC) is the campus office that collaborates with students who have disabilities to provide and/or arrange reasonable accommodations.

• If you have, or think you have, a disability in any area such as, mental health, attention, learning, chronic health, sensory, or physical, please contact the DRC office on your campus (UMN Twin Cities: 612.626.1333) to arrange a confidential discussion regarding equitable access and reasonable accommodations.
• If you are registered with the DRC and have questions or concerns about your accommodations please contact your (access consultant/disability specialist).
• If you need ASL Interpretation Services please fill out the request form for your class.

Please submit your request for accommodations at least two weeks in advance to guarantee we can accommodate the request.

Additional information is available on the DRC website or reach out by email: drc@umn.edu.