Frequently Asked Questions
- What is an executive certificate?
- What is an advanced specialized certificate?
- How long does it take to complete each course?
- Is there a time limit that I must complete a course within?
- What kind of materials will I receive?
- What type of interaction can I expect from this program?
- Will I have assignments or exams?
- Why should I consider earning a professional certificate?
- Is there any credit given for completing either an executive certificate or advanced specialized certificate?
- Can I earn college credit for completing an executive certificate?
- Which courses are recommended for college credit with ACE?
- What is ACE? How does ACE benefit students in Notre Dame’s online programs?
- Will my school accept ACE credits?
- Does Notre Dame accept these credits?
- What should I do to obtain ACE credits for my Notre Dame online certificate course?
- How much do the executive certificate and advanced specialized certificate programs cost?
- When does your next session begin?
- How does earning a course certificate work?
- Who is the University of Notre Dame?
- Are the University of Notre Dame and the Mendoza College of Business accredited?
- Will I actually learn from the same faculty who teach at the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business?
- When do I have to register for the program?
- Where can I find state-specific agency information to send student complaints/concerns?
- What are the minimum system requirements?
- I have a disability; how do I request special accommodations?
What is an executive certificate?
Each online executive certificate program – Negotiation, Leadership and Management, Business Administration and Transformational Nonprofit Leadership – 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. The Executive Certificate in Transformational Nonprofit Leadership is ideal for professionals who are committed to the nonprofit sector, individuals entering the nonprofit sector, as well as managers and team leaders, all of whom aspire to lead their organizations towards creating transformational social change.
What is an advanced specialized certificate?
While executive certificates are designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of a given discipline, an advanced specialized certificate provides a more intensive exploration of a specific topic, tool or methodology within that discipline. The advanced specialized certificate consists of a single eight-week course. There are no prerequisites to an advanced specialized certificate course; however, most students will find it helpful to have some familiarity with core concepts and tools related to the area of study, either through professional experience or completion of a related executive certificate program. Notre Dame currently offers an Advanced Specialized Certificate in Intercultural Management.
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.
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, or an Executive Certificate in Transformational Nonprofit Leadership.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Is there any credit given for completing either an executive certificate or advanced specialized 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, Business Administration or Nonprofit Leadership– from the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business. And students who complete the Advanced Specialized Certificate in Intercultural Management will receive 1.6 CEUs.
Can I earn college credit for completing an executive certificate?
All 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.
Which courses are recommended for college credit with ACE?
The American Council on Education (ACE) has recommended college credit for all of the Notre Dame online certificate courses: Negotiation Essentials, Advanced Negotiations, Strategies for Conflict Management, Effective Leadership, Leading Teams and Organizations, Executive Leadership Strategies, Principles of Business, Disciplines of Business and Applied Business Strategies.
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:
- ACE credit recommendations allow many students to utilize corporate tuition assistance programs to pay for these programs.
- ACE credit recommendations also give successful students the potential to apply college credit to a formal degree program.
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.
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.
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:
- Pay an additional administrative fee of $100 per course.
- Request, and return, a proctored exam selection form.
- Complete the exam and return the applicable forms. There is an additional one-time $40 fee required by ACE for registry.
Note: Transcripts are $40 for the first and $15 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.
How much do the executive certificate and advanced specialized certificate programs cost?
Click here for tuition and discount information.
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.
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.
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 #19 among the best national universities by U.S. News & World Report. The Mendoza College of Business is currently ranked #1 among the best undergraduate business programs by BusinessWeek.
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.
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!
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!
Where can I find state-specific agency information to send student complaints/concerns?
State agency contact information for student complaints/concerns: Click here to see a list of state agency contact information sorted by geographic location.
What are the minimum system requirements?
Click here for more information.
I have a disability; how do I request special accommodations?
If you have a disability that requires a special accommodation in order to participate in an online course, you must identify yourself as a person with a disability and request an accommodation from the University. Please contact an enrollment representative to initiate the identification process. Your enrollment representative will provide further details about the process for receiving special accommodations from the University.
