Noncredit Professional Development Certificates
Southern Wesleyan University professional development courses are noncredit and will lead to a certificate of recognition once all courses within the professional development track are completed with a grade of Pass (equivalent to a grade of C or higher on a standard grading scale) for each course.
Students who complete the required courses for the professional development certificate with a grade of Pass (equivalent to a grade of C or higher) for each course will be awarded a certificate of recognition and a certified letter of completion. Academic transcripts are not available for students who are seeking the professional development certificate. Certificate-seeking students who fail to complete the requirements for the certificate will receive neither the certificate of recognition nor a letter of completion.
Earn College Credit for the Courses
Students enrolled in a professional development certificate may choose, if qualified, to change from certificate-seeking status to degree-seeking status at the end of their first successful semester or upon successful completion of the graduate professional development certificate. Students enrolled in a graduate certificate program who choose to pursue a graduate degree must meet all requirements for graduate admission, regardless of grades earned in professional development certificate courses, and they must submit a graduate admission application. Students who apply for admission in a degree program must submit all transcripts from previously enrolled institutions.
Earned grades of C or higher in the graduate professional development certificate may be articulated into an appropriate Southern Wesleyan graduate degree program for a transcription fee for students who are fully admitted into a graduate program. The transcription fee is 50% of the current graduate business tuition rate per credit hour. However, the School of Business graduate school policy allows for no more than two grades below B- for students to remain in good academic standing, including grades earned in professional development certificate courses.
Degree-seeking students who successfully complete the certificate courses (required concentration courses for the degree) will receive a certificate of recognition and will receive a diploma after satisfactory completion of the entire degree. Degree-seeking students may request an academic transcript that will indicate completion of the appropriate degree and concentration. Degree-seeking students who fail to complete the requirements for the degree but who successfully complete all of the certificate courses (required concentration courses for the degree) may request a certificate of recognition. Additionally, degree-seeking students may request an academic transcript that will indicate completed coursework; however, the transcript will not indicate completion of the certificate.
Eligibility
To be eligible to enroll in graduate-level professional development courses (noncredit certificate courses) at SWU, students must have earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Because certificate courses may be articulated for graduate degree credit at SWU, certificate students are required to meet the same rigorous academic standards and outcomes as the degree-seeking students.
Certificate Program Fee
The cost for professional development courses includes access to:
- Course content and instruction
- Online learning management system
- Online SWU Library resources
- SWU email account (while actively taking courses)
- Microsoft Office 365 (while actively taking courses)
Payment
Payment will be required for one term (two courses) at a time. Course registration will not be complete until payment is made.
Credit/debit cards are the preferred form of payment. Visa, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted. Please call 864-644-5520 to make a payment over the phone.
Students who desire to receive college credit and enroll into the degree program will also need to pay the college transcribing fee (50% of the current graduate business tuition rate per credit hour).
Financial Assistance
Financial Aid is not available for SWU professional development courses.
Withdrawal and Refund Policy
To withdraw, please contact your Academic Success Coach.
If submission of appropriate withdrawal paperwork is received prior to the course start date, the student is eligible for a full-tuition credit for that course.
If submission of appropriate withdrawal paperwork is received after the course start date but before the start of the second week, 90% of tuition (whether or not the student ever attended) will be credited.
Books and Materials
Books and other educational resources can be obtained through our online bookstore.
Academic Resources and Support
Certificate and degree-seeking online students have access to equivalent academic resources and support.
Program Cancellation or Changes
Southern Wesleyan University reserves the right to make changes to the information printed in materials or on its website. Programs may be added or cancelled throughout the year. If a program is cancelled, Southern Wesleyan University will refund the program tuition in full.