You have three calendar years from the beginning of coursework to complete most certificates.

Yes. To be eligible, students must be admitted to a program of study leading to a degree or certificate, be attending at least half time (six credit hours per term), and be taking courses for credit. The financial aid process takes an average of three months from application to aid disbursement.

Apply for admission to Portland State University and then submit a Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) form. To learn more about the Financial Aid process and eligibility requirements, please contact the financial aid office at 503-725-3461 or visit www.ess.pdx.edu/fao/howtoapp.htm. For information regarding other available assistance, including scholarships.

*Parking Map and Costs* - For parking costs and the daily parking map, please visit the PSU website.

*Term Permit* - evening permits for the entire term can be purchased. These permits allow parking on a space-available basis in Structures 1, 2, and 3. To obtain a Structure 1-3 term permit for evening courses, go to the parking office in the Neuberger Hall lobby (Rm 154), 724 SW Harrison Street. Bring your vehicle license information and proof of course registration.

*The Parking Office* is open Monday-Thursday, 9am-5:30pm, and Friday, 9am-5pm.

*Metered Parking* - Meters have been installed in Structures 1, 2, and 3. Limited on-street parking is available.

*General Parking Regulations* - The parking structures are for the use of faculty, staff, students, and guests of the State System of Higher Education. Everyone who parks in University-owned parking structures must display a University parking permit. The speed limit within parking structures is 10 mph. Drivers must obey all posted traffic and parking signs. Please observe all "reserved" and "disabled" signs. Complete parking regulations are available on the PSU transportation website.

It depends upon the program. Although most courses required for a certificate of completion are offered during the evening, a few are offered in more condensed day and weekend formats. For more information, check the schedule for the course or seminar.

No. For Professional Development Center programs, admission to PSU is not a prerequisite to enroll in classes. Professional Development Center classes are noncredit offerings; admission is not necessary. Where credit is optional (for an additional fee), admission is not necessary if enrolling for less than eight credits per term.

No. Given that students do not need to meet any prerequisites, courses can be taken individually. There are, however, some discounts for students who enroll for an entire certificate. See specific programs for details.

The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is a nationally recognized method of quantifying the time spent in the classroom during noncredit learning. Ten hours of instruction equal one (1) CEU. The CEU provides a permanent record of the educational accomplishments of an individual who has completed significant noncredit educational and career-enhancement experiences.

Yes, but per University policy, the tuition and fees for auditing courses are the same as for taking the courses for credit or noncredit (CEUs). Students do not earn a certificate for the course.

Unregistered participants may not sit in on courses.

If you are not sure a class is right for you, please contact a program manager to discuss your interests and needs.

Refunds are based on the following policy:

Noncredit refund: Notification of withdrawal or drop must be given, and requests for refunds for noncredit courses must be received, at least five business days prior to the first class session. Refunds are not given after this time. Withdrawal or drop must be done by email to pdc@pdx.edu or to your program manager's email address. Please allow four to six weeks for processing.

Credit refund: Refund of the credit portion of the fee only is based on the Portland State University fee refund schedule.

A full refund of credit fee is available only before the first class meeting. Please allow four to six weeks for refund processing.

If insufficient enrollment or other conditions require cancelling a course, registrants are notified as soon as possible and fees are refunded. Changes in course content, instructor, or scheduling are sometimes necessary. Participants are notified of any changes in scheduling. The Professional Development Center reserves the right, without prior notification to participants, to make whatever changes are deemed necessary for the effective operation of courses and seminars.

When you sign up for a Professional Development Center course, you might be asked to choose between a "for-credit" and a "noncredit" registration option. Here are some important distinctions to help you decide:

While the Professional Development Center does not offer degree programs, if a course is taken for credit, it might be applicable as elective credit to certain degree programs at PSU or other institutions. You need to confirm this with the administrators of the degree program that interests you, in order to determine eligibility.

Though all Professional Development Center courses help participants gain important knowledge and skills, the for-credit versions require you to demonstrate your competence in a more formal way. When you register for credit, you can expect the instructor to challenge you with a research paper or other project that asks you to apply your learning to a workplace-based situation.

A credit course is posted to the student's permanent academic transcript, which is kept on file in Portland State University Office of Admissions and Records' Office. A noncredit course results in a certificate of completion given to the participant to document their participation.

Some employers require students to take a course for credit in order to qualify for tuition reimbursement. Check your employer's reimbursement policy.

If either you or your employer has more specific expectations of our courses, such as the desire to work through a particular workplace challenge as a course project, call the Professional Development Center office at 503-725-4820. We'll inform the instructor of your needs.

Thousands of adult students nationwide have found that completion of formal training programs, such as our Professional Development Certificates of Completion, provide an important pathway to career transition. Participants list the following benefits among their reasons for choosing our programs:

• An accredited four-year university guarantees program quality and continuity.
• Cutting-edge knowledge and skills are taught by university faculty and business leaders.
• The "for-credit" option for some courses smoothes the transition to a degree program.
• Evening courses make it easier for working professionals to attend.
• Short completion time—as little as four months for some programs—is attractive when career transition is desired.
• Professional Development Certificates of Completion strengthen your résumé and indicate to others that you are a serious professional. For employers, Professional Development certificates can become an important part of a training program or criteria for in-house advancement.
• The Professional Development Center can also customize on-site Professional Development programs, allowing employers to:
  • select a series of courses that addresses specific staff needs
  • create a program that fits schedules and budgets
  • target promising employees early and prepare them for advancement

Call our staff at 503-725-4820 to learn more.

• Portland State University is a nationally recognized urban university with academic accreditation, which assures quality instruction. You have access to 600 University faculty, over 100 top business practitioners who share their knowledge through teaching, and the broadest range of subject matter to meet your training needs.
• The Professional Development Center has been meeting training needs for over 25 years. Our programs are designed to blend traditional theory with cutting-edge best practices; we use follow-up, feedback, and continuous monitoring of programs to assure fresh instruction. Our academic accreditation requires that we provide the community with quality education, and we work to uphold this standard value to employers and employees.
• The University's professional development programs and onsite training provide documentation of professional-skills growth to strengthen résumés and prepare for career advancement.
• A training relationship with PSU features access to the Branford Millar Library, housing over 1 million bound volumes, and PORTALS, an online service that combines the resources of academic, public, and private libraries in the Pacific Northwest.