Professional Development General Information

Campus Information

Class Location

Check the monitor in the building's lobby for your course room location.

Emergency Closings

Stay informed of delays and cancellations by signing up for our PSUAlert system. A Penn State Great Valley closing also applies to off-site locations. Note that your instructor may elect to cancel class due to weather issues even though the campus is officially open. You will be notified via email if that is the case. In all cases, students are advised to check their email prior to traveling to class.

If class will not be held due to instructor illness or other unforeseen emergency, you will be notified by email. Check your email before leaving for class. If you do not have access to email during the regular business hours, contact the Professional Development Office with an alternative notification method.

Hours

Professional Development Office hours are: Monday – Thursday, 8:00 a.m.–6:15 p.m., and Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Parking

Free, accessible parking is available on campus.

Course Information

Canvas Course Management Tool

Most continuing professional education (CPE) courses utilize the Penn State University Course Management Tool (Canvas), which enables students to electronically view assignments, access team journals, receive group mail, participate in discussion forums, etc. You will receive instruction on using this tool during your first class. If you do not remember your User ID or password, or have any other issues with logging into the Canvas group, please contact the IT Service Desk at 814-865-4357Option #1.  

CEUs

The continuing professional education unit is a nationally recognized unit of measure used to accumulate a standardized permanent record of an individual’s participation in noncredit continuing professional education programs conducted under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction. Units are awarded based on a standard of one unit per ten hours of instructional contact.

Class Size

A maximum class size is established for all courses. Class size is determined by the facility resources. Register early to ensure a seat, and call the Professional Development Office if you want to register for a class that is "closed". You will be notified if a seat becomes available.

Course Cancellation

The University reserves the right to cancel classes because of insufficient enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances. Full refunds will be given in these instances. In such an event, you will be notified prior to the beginning of class either by telephone, mail, or email. It is important we have up-to-date addresses and phone numbers to contact you.

Course Substitutions

You may substitute a higher level course for a required course if you are already competent in an area. Contact the Professional Development Office for pre-approval. A maximum of two courses may be substituted in a certificate program.

Grades

An official grade report will be mailed to you within three weeks after classes end. Grade letters are not issued for pass/fail courses. Contact the Professional Development Office if your employer requires a grade letter for a pass/fail course. Please be aware that it is against University policy to release grades by telephone, fax, or email.

Prerequisites

  • Certificate Programs: If a course is not listed as a “required” course, it is NOT applicable toward a certificate. Please check with the Professional Development Office if you have any questions about prerequisites
  • Individual Courses: You must complete all prerequisites required in the course description before taking a course. You may meet requirements either through course work or work experience. Instructors can evaluate work experience. Contact the Professional Development Office if you have a question. Please review our withdrawal/refund policy. No accommodations will be made if you attempt to take courses without complying with prerequisite requirements.

Program Certificates

Students who have successfully completed all required program courses will receive a program certificate. Program certificates will be sent to the student name and address in our University system. It is your responsibility to advise the Registration Office of any changes in your contact information.

Textbooks

Students can find information about required textbooks for their upcoming class by going to the Penn State Great Valley bookstore webpage, and supplying the required semester/course information under "Textbooks/Find Textbooks".

Transcripts

Official transcripts must be ordered from University Park with a Transcript Request. Penn State Great Valley administrators are not allowed to request a transcript on your behalf.

Unexpected Class Cancellation

Unexpected class cancellations will be announced via email. Please make sure the email you provide when you register is one you have access to during regular business hours. If you do not have access to email during business hours, please make arrangements with the Professional Development Office and your instructor for alternative means of notification.

Accounts

Penn State ID

All Continuing Professional Education (CPE) students will receive a Penn State student ID (9-digit number beginning with 9) which is assigned when you register.

This is the primary way to identify you as a Penn State University student. If you attended classes previously, you already have a Penn State ID. It is your responsibility to retain this number and safeguard its confidentiality. You should have only one Penn State ID.

Your social security number (SSN) will be used by the University to verify your identity for official record keeping. If you choose not to supply your SSN, certain services (transcripts, Act 48 reporting, etc.) may not be available to you and Penn State cannot guarantee a complete academic record for you. Your SSN is stored confidentially in a central system.

If you do not remember your Penn State ID, please call the Outreach Non-credit Office at 814-867-4973.

Penn State Access Account - Limited

Students will sign up for a Penn State Access Account in a Limited state upon registering for a CPE course. A limited account can only be granted access to a restricted number of Penn State resources. You will use your Penn State Access Account user ID and password to log in to Canvas, the course management system (not all courses use Canvas). When setting up your Penn State Access Account, be sure to create security questions, to facilitate resetting your password in the event it is forgotten.

Penn State Access Account - Standard

If you are enrolled in a computer course, your existing Penn State Access Account that you will sign up for when registering for a CPE course will be elevated from the Limited to a Standard Sponsored Account. A standard account is eligible to be granted access to a wide variety of resources. This account gives you access to Penn State computers and will expire when the course ends.

Course Costs

Professional Development courses are payable upon registration. Courses may be paid for by check, money order, American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa, or may be billed to an employer with an accompanying Letter of Authorization. Make checks payable to: The Pennsylvania State University. Online registration is available for those paying with a credit card. NOTE: When using corporate cards, "education" purchases must be allowed by the card. Also, some cards require an approval code that cannot be accepted by our system. In both these circumstances, the cardholder needs to contact their card-issuing bank to remove these controls. Find out more about registration options and the withdrawal/refund policy.

Employer Billing

Employer billing is for students whose employer will pay for their course(s). A letter of authorization must accompany your completed registration form. The letter must be on employer letterhead referencing the student, course title, and course fee. It must be signed by the person responsible for payment and include the complete billing address.

Withdrawals/Refunds

If you cannot attend a course, you may receive a full refund by notifying the Professional Development office at 610-648-3281 before the first night of the course. There are no refunds once the course has begun. Refunds will not be issued for classes missed as a result of illness, personal emergencies, or any other event beyond the University's control. No refunds will be made to students who attempt to take courses without complying with prerequisite requirements.