Finance Certification Programs (FCP)

The Financial Certification Program provides the organization with stronger employee commitment, a more stable employee base, better information on which to make hiring decisions and enhanced financial controls including fewer errors entered into the financial system and subsequent error corrections. Program goals include:

• Develop a highly qualified financial user
• Encourage and ensure an atmosphere of compliance
• Contribute to a stronger environment of internal controls
• Detail accountability and expected responsibilities
• Clearly defined skills outcomes enhance hiring practices to ensure appropriate job fit for positions with financially related duties

Certified employees will exit the program with enhanced skills as outlined in detail in the Outcomes section available for each certification track. Managers throughout Duke are encouraged to use their employee-participants in value-added roles by:

• Delegating additional work and responsibilities to the participant
• Supporting employee growth and development from certification
• Seeking new hires who have completed certification

The Financial Certification Program is open to any Duke University employee who fulfills the following qualifications:

• Full-time employee of Duke University
• Employed by Duke University for a minimum of three (3) months
• Has relevant responsibilities at Duke, i.e., technical component of the job and access to the appropriate system and tools (SAP, iForms, Concur, Requisitioning, etc.)
• Has the approval of their supervisor to participate

Enrollment in the FCP does not guarantee certification. Participants must fulfill the following standards:

• Demonstrate 80% proficiency on all end of class quizzes
• Demonstrate 80% proficiency on a final Certification Exam, encompassing all curriculum-relevant material
• Completion in stated amount of time for the individual certification program

1. The candidate pre-registers for a certification.
2. In the pre-registration form, the candidate attaches an approval email from the supervisor acknowledging approval of participation in the specific Financial Certification Program.  The submission of the supervisor approval email verifies confirmation of registration information and agreement to terms of participation including supervisor and participant expectations.  
3. The Curriculum Leader assesses eligibility.
4. The Curriculum Leader  emails supervisor and employee confirming participation in the desired certification.  This email will iterate participant  and supervisor expectations.  
5. The Participant will be emailed a welcome email on or around the start date of the program

Enrollment is not guaranteed until a candidate has received a enrollment confirmation from the Curriculum Leader.

Professional development is central to Duke University's mission of excellence. Support for employee development opportunities is expected from all supervisors when the opportunities are reasonable, applicable, and manageable. The Financial Certification  Program requires:

• Respect for program guidelines
• Recognition of the time commitment involved in completing certification
• Understanding of the value to professional development for your employee
• Allowance for class attendance without repercussions. No personal time is required when employees are participating in employer sponsored professional development
• Acceptance of departmental penalty fee forfeiture for class absences in which an employee has registered

Duke's investment in your professional development and growth dictates expectations from all participants. The FCP requires that all participants:

• Commit to attend all certification classes
• Fulfill official work assignments, taking the initiative to ensure work and program classes are aligned
• Clearly communicate with their supervisor to ensure proper management of work and office absence
• Commit to taking final certification exam
• Commit to share information and ideas to help others around you
• Commit to communicate with the Curriculum Leader around changes in participation status 
• Notify Curriculum Leader within 48 hours if you are unable to attend a registered class (doing so will waive failure to attend charge)

The Financial Certification Program is based on a sequenced and structured model with time constraints for completion. Failure to attend a class for which a participant has registered and does not  results in inefficient use of instructor time and classroom space. A $100.00 fee (per occurrence) will be assessed to the department of the participant, and will be disclosed in the enrollment material online and the supervisor confirmation described above. During enrollment, the participant and/or supervisor will supply the default cost center to which any such charges will apply.

All courses have test materials at the conclusion to verify participants have command of the necessary content from the course. Participants who do not achieve 80% competency level on their end of class quiz  may take the quiz a second time if they score above a 50% competency. If the participant fails to pass the quiz on the second try, he/she will be required to retake the class. If a participant scores below 50% competency on their first end of class quiz, they must take the class again without the option of a second exam attempt.

Each curriculum has a final Certification Exam designed to demonstrate the individual's mastery of the necessary material. An 80% competency level must be achieved to pass the Certification Exam. Results below 80% will be subject to review by the Curriculum Leader to determine appropriate next steps. A participant's area of deficiency will be identified from the exam results and specific classes may need to be completed before retaking the final exam; participants who do not successfully complete the final exam will not be required to retake all courses in the curriculum.

Certification exams are offered two times per month and an 80% passing grade is required to attain certification upon completion of the FCP program.  Final exams are administered virtually, but must be completed during the designated completion window.  Failure to pass will result in review by the Curriculum Leader for the applicable certification track. A participant's area of deficiency will be identified from the exam results and specific classes may need to be completed before retaking the final exam; participants who do not successfully complete the final exam will not be required to retake all courses in the curriculum.

All testing should represent the participants individual work and participants may use class material and other resources generally available to the Duke community (websites, quick reference guides, etc.).