Frequently Asked Questions

What is an executive certificate?

Each online executive certificate program – Negotiation, Leadership and Management, and Business Administration – is a comprehensive professional development series that covers today’s most in-demand topics. The Executive Certificate in Negotiation is an excellent way for professionals with little or no formal business education to obtain a concise overview of the art of business negotiation. The Executive Certificate in Leadership and Management benefits professionals at all levels – from team leaders focused on a specific project, to managers of work groups and departments, to executives who determine an organization’s strategic direction and culture. The Executive Certificate in Business Administration provides professionals with a broad-based business perspective spanning all of the core MBA topics and trains them to translate business theory into practical applications.

back to top

How long does it take to complete each course?

The total estimated completion time for each certificate program is approximately 25-30 hours, including up to 12 hours of streaming video presentation plus independent exercises and mastery exams.

back to top

Is there a time limit that I must complete a course within?

Yes. You have eight weeks to complete each certificate course. Students who complete all three certificate courses in a program will receive an Executive Certificate in Negotiation, an Executive Certificate in Leadership and Management, or an Executive Certificate in Business Administration.

back to top

What kind of materials will I receive?

You will receive a set of video CD-ROMs and a study guide to complement the lecture materials. The video CDs are provided to ensure that you will be able to see the video lectures regardless of your Internet connection speed. If you have a broadband connection, please try the streaming video option first. If your connection speed is under 56K, or if you wish to view the videos offline, you may use the CD option.

back to top

What type of interaction can I expect from this program?

The online learning format offers an excellent way to meet, collaborate and network with professionals from across the nation and around the world. Online faculty support offers extended interaction with program faculty and classmates through virtual office hours, faculty-monitored chat rooms, message boards and email, ensuring an engaging and rewarding educational experience.

In fact, many students will find that they are actually learning, participating and enjoying themselves more in this online program than they ever did in a traditional classroom! Students in the Negotiation program participate in online negotiation exercises. In the Leadership and Management program, students engage in a variety of self-assessments. Business Administration students analyze case studies and explore business models through practical exercises.

back to top

Will I have assignments or exams?

In order to receive your certificate, you will be required to complete all assigned exercises as well as an “open book” set of questions you must answer online. Move at your own pace and review the lectures and study guide materials as many times as you want – the materials are yours, so take your time!

back to top

Why should I consider earning a professional certificate?

Earning a professional certificate sets those with the credentials apart – or above – those without it. For many, gaining new skills becomes a personal professional goal. A professional certificate from a highly respected, accredited university also adds prestige to your résumé. Furthermore, a professional certificate can be an aid to career advancement and help you earn a higher salary.

back to top

Is there any credit given for completing an
executive certificate?

Students who complete all three courses in any program will earn 4.8 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and receive a total of four certificates – three course certificates and an Executive Certificate in Negotiation , Leadership and Management, or Business Administration – from the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business.

back to top

Can I earn college credit for completing an
executive certificate?

Some of Notre Dame’s online courses qualify for college credit through the American Council on Education (ACE); see below for details. In addition, you will earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for all courses, so you may be eligible for tuition assistance from your company. Contact your company’s human resources department to confirm whether their tuition assistance policy covers continuing education programs.

back to top

Which courses are recommended for college credit
with ACE?

The American Council on Education (ACE) has recommended college credit for the following Notre Dame online certificate courses: Negotiation Essentials, Advanced Negotiations, Strategies for Conflict Management, Effective Leadership, Leading Teams and Organizations and Executive Leadership Strategies. Notre Dame’s newest courses – Principles of Business, Disciplines of Business and Applied Business Strategies – have not yet been evaluated/approved for college credit recommendation by ACE.

back to top

What is ACE? How does ACE benefit students in Notre Dame’s online programs?

The American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT) has evaluated and recommended college credit for six of Notre Dame’s online courses. The American Council on Education, the major coordinating body for all the nation’s higher education institutions, seeks to provide leadership and a unifying voice on key higher education issues and to influence public policy through advocacy, research and program initiatives.

For more than 30 years, colleges and universities have trusted ACE CREDIT to provide reliable course equivalency information to facilitate their decisions to award academic credit. For more information, visit the ACE CREDIT website at www.acenet.edu/acecredit.

Benefits to University of Notre Dame online students include:

  1. ACE credit recommendations allow many students to utilize corporate tuition assistance programs to pay for these programs.
  2. ACE credit recommendations also give successful students the potential to apply college credit to a formal degree program.

back to top

Will my school accept ACE credits?

ACE credits give you the ability to either transfer earned credits to an accepting university or apply them to educational or training programs. Universities accept ACE credit recommendations based on their own policies and requirements. Contact the American Council on Education (ACE) at www.acenet.edu for more information. To access a complete listing of ACE cooperating colleges and universities, click here.

back to top

Does Notre Dame accept these credits?

These professional development programs were created with the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. All programs are based on the same information and instruction found in existing degree programs, but have been repackaged as open-enrollment certificate programs. Notre Dame does not accept these credits because there are currently no existing classes in any degree curricula that precisely match these professional development programs.

back to top

What should I do to obtain ACE credits for my Notre Dame online certificate course?

Students wishing to earn ACE credits will be required
to do the following:

  1. Pay an additional administrative fee of $100 per course.
  2. Request, and return, a proctored exam selection form.
  3. Complete the exam and return the applicable forms. There is an additional one-time $35 fee required by ACE for registry.

Note: Transcripts are $35 for the first and $10 for each additional. Transcripts will be sent directly to the university or your employer.

Please contact your program representative at 800-441-5620 for more information.

back to top

How much does an executive certificate program cost?

Click here for tuition and discount information.

back to top

When does your next session begin?

Classes start on the first of each month. Because there is no lengthy application process for these professional development programs, students can usually begin the month immediately following the month they register.

back to top

How does earning a course certificate work?

Once you complete a course – including all lectures, assignments and tests – you will be awarded a course certificate and Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business.

back to top

Who is the University of Notre Dame?

Founded in 1842, the University of Notre Dame has established itself as one of the premier universities in the country. Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business prepares men and women for careers in business and meaningful, productive lives in service to others and is home to more than 2,200 students engaged in undergraduate, graduate and executive studies. Notre Dame is currently ranked #18 among the best national universities by U.S. News & World Report. The Mendoza College of Business is currently ranked #3 among the best undergraduate business programs by BusinessWeek.

back to top

Are the University of Notre Dame and the Mendoza College of Business accredited?

The University of Notre Dame has received a full, 10-year accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA). The Mendoza College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), which is the primary accrediting association for American schools of business.

back to top

Will I actually learn from the same faculty who teach at the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business?

You will watch and learn from the very same professionals who teach at Notre Dame's world-renowned Mendoza College of Business as they deliver lectures and course material online – when and where it's convenient for you! Online streaming video lectures bring your PC to life and the classroom to you, offering an educational experience that no other Internet program can match!

back to top

When do I have to register for the program?

You can register anytime and begin your chosen course(s) on the first of the month. You then have eight weeks to finish each course.

Call 800-441-5617 or + 1 813-612-5304 today for more information!

back to top

What are the minimum system requirements?

Click here for more information.

back to top