Frequently Asked Questions
Certificate in Financial Planning
Professional Coach Certificate Program
Undergraduate and Graduate
Support and Resources
What online support and resources are available to me?
All students have online access to the library, writing center, and student resource center. Our commencement ceremony in August is broadcast live online and the names of online graduates are announced. The video is also available for viewing later.
Is online advising available?
Yes. Students can work with an advisor via email or live chat.
How do I get my course materials?
Textbooks and other materials are available through the online campus bookstore. More details will be provided once your registration has been processed. Your syllabus, available on your course website, will include information about the books you need. If you will need to have materials mailed, be sure to allow sufficient time prior to the beginning of class.
Online Courses
How does an online course work?
Online courses can vary by institution. Duquesne University’s courses are highly interactive. Duquesne is currently using Blackboard version 9.1 as its Learning Management System. A majority of our student collaboration occurs in the discussion forums. Instructors, or student teams, pose questions and create an interactive educational experience for all participants. Instructors actively support individualized student learning by provided relevant feedback and challenges to students. Our asynchronous format allows students the flexibility to collaborate with other students, and faculty, through their own arrangements. Many courses utilize the Wimba (Live) Classroom, which provides a real-time discussion environment full with audio/video. Our programs offer students access to wide array of research resources, as well as online videos, and webinar sessions, all of which students have reacted positively to.
Do I need to be online at a specific time and day in order to participate?
Most courses are designed so that you can complete your work at anytime and anywhere via the Internet. Some classes may require participation in a scheduled online chat session or a phone conference. Your instructor will explain this in the course syllabus.
Military
Are there programs for military service members and veterans?
Yes. The School of Leadership and Professional Advancement is honored to serve those who have served. We offer special military tuition rates for those with tuition benefits and Duquesne is also a Yellow Ribbon Program Participant. For further information view the Military Students page.
Paralegal
How long does it take the average student to complete the program?
Depending on the number of courses a student takes per an eleven-week term, most students complete the program in just over a year. Classes are offered Monday through Thursday evenings from September to mid-June. The program has three (3) terms during the evening academic year (September - December, January - March, April - June) and a full-time summer day program. A concentration certificate may take longer.
Does the program provide a choice of electives and concentration focus areas?
Students may choose to pursue one of five (5) study options: a general practice certificate or civil litigation concentration, corporate and business concentrations, estates practice concentration, and litigation technology concentration certificates. All students must complete the five (5) core courses and may choose any electives they wish as long as the particular elective course does not require a pre-requisite. It is possible to concentrate in more than one area.
What does the long-term employment landscape look like for paralegals and Paralegal Institute graduates?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has consistently rated the paralegal profession as one of the fastest growing professions in the country. Although employability depends on many factors, the Institute cannot guarantee placement but does make every effort to equip students with the skills needed to find law-related positions. Over the years, many placement firms in Pittsburgh have told us that Duquesne University Paralegal Institute graduates are the candidates of choice of the employing legal community.
Certificate in Financial Planning
What is the time commitment required for study outside of the classroom?
Depending on the student's previous experience and education, a student can expect to spend a minimum of 2 hours outside of the classroom for every hour in the classroom.
I have already completed classes in a self study program, can I transfer credit to your program?
Duquesne University will allow students to transfer up to two classes from another CFP Board-Registered Program based upon review. Please contact us at 412.396.5600 to discuss this opportunity.
Professional Coach Certificate Program
What is ICF certification?
The International Coach Federation (ICF) is the foremost accrediting body and professional networking organization for career coaches. It is the largest worldwide resource for business and personal coaches, and the source for those who are seeking a coach. The ICF is a nonprofit, individual membership organization formed by professionals worldwide who practice business and personal coaching.
How long is the program?
The program is six to seven months long and 144 training hours. The on campus portion includes 56 hours via five weekend classes (Friday evening and all day Saturday) and one capstone event on a Saturday. The remaining 88 hours are taught through online modules, teleconferences, campus courses and/or interactive online events.
What is the time commitment required for study outside the classroom?
It is estimated that students will spend four to six hours on average each week. This will include coaching activities, working with a professional coach for client experience and enlisting several coaching clients for practice coaching assignments.
Moodle
Access and Navigation
How do I gain access to a course?
Go to the website: duq.edu/courses/globalleadership. On the Welcome page, enter your Username and Password. A list of Available Courses will be displayed. Click on the course name to access the course. Contact Nancy Athanas if you do not see your course in the Available Courses list.
Why can't I log in?
There could be many reasons but the most probable is you have simply forgotten your password, are trying the wrong one or are entering it incorrectly. Some other things to think about include:
- IMPORTANT: The username and password for your Moodle course is NOT the same as your Duquesne University MultiPass
- The Username is set to your first and last name all together, lower case with no spaces. For example: Joe Smith is "joesmith".
- You will receive a temporary password at the beginning of the term. You will be prompted to change your password prior to being granted access to the course(s). Change your password and keep it secure.
- Are cookies enabled on your browser?
How do I get back to the homepage?
Use the navigation bar at the top left of the page or the button at the very bottom of the course
Course Content
Where have all the weeks/topics gone?
You have probably clicked the Hide/Show icon in the right margin of the week/topic and have hidden the week.topic. Click the Hide/Show icon once again to show the week/topic.
Emails and Forums
Why am I not getting any emails and others are?
Chances are your email address in your profile is either wrong or disabled. It could also be that you are not subscribed to the forums that are generating emails.
How can I stop all of these emails?
Emails are an essential part of the Moodle works. They are used to keep you up to date with what is going on. If you wish to reduce the amount of emails you get you could:
- Edit your profile and change your email settings to digest
- Unsubscribe from non-essential forums (although they are there for a reason!)