Question 2: Do IPD training participants earn Metro State credit?

A: Usually not.  However, we do have the following options:

Public Sector Supervision Certificate
This certificate can be converted to 2 credits of graduate-level work from the Department of Public & Nonprofit Leadership.

Continuing Education Units
IPD noncredit courses are rigorous and meet Minnesota State standards for Continuing Education and Customized training and issue Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) for completion. Many courses meet the standards for professional group CEU’s such as the Project Management Institute™ and the Business Architecture Guild™.  The legitimacy of Metro State University and the MN State College and University System extends to IPD; we are focused on education. 

Credit Courses and Degrees
If your organization is interested in providing employee training that leads to a Metro State University degree, please use the IPD inquiry form to indicate your interest so that IPD can start you on that path for your employees.

Documentation
IPD provides paper or digital certificates of completion for all courses. However, we’ll soon be phasing out paper certificates in favor of e-badges provided through our badging partner, Credly

Question 3: Can I record the training to view or show other employees later?

A: No.
The title, content, activities, materials, and curriculum used to train your employees is the intellectual property of the instructor and/or IPD. If you expect you’ll want to train more employees on this topic in the future, talk to us about offering multiple sessions, having regularly-scheduled trainings, providing remote training sessions, or purchasing custom curriculum.

For many training topics, IPD will write custom courses that you can offer through your own training department.

Question 4: What if there is a need to cancel a class?

A: There are many options to avoid cancellation.

Employers can, for any reason, cancel with at least 14 business days’ notice and only pay for any customized curriculum work completed to that point. A better option would be to reschedule training with IPD at no additional cost.

Question 5: What if I miss a class or part of a class?

A: There are not any make-up options nor refunds for continuing education classes.

Employers would have the option of offering additional classes at additional cost to provide make-up opportunities for employees.

Metropolitan State University reserves the right to decrease continuing education units issued for late arrivals and early departures.

Metropolitan State University reserves the right to withhold a badge or certificate from any participant that does not meet the minimum requirement for attendance based on the combination of missed classes, early departures, and/or late arrivals. Please note attendance requirements when you purchase a class or certificate.

Question 6: I took a training course through IPD years ago; how can I prove that I took it?

A: Email us at institute@metrostate.edu.

In your email, include:

• full name
• the date you took the course
• the name or topic of the course
• the organization you were working for at the time.

We can email you an unofficial, non-credit transcript that shows what courses you took. We can also email the transcript directly to an employer or potential employer.

Question 7: Can I use financial aid to pay for IPD classes?

A: Because our continuing education courses are non-credit, they do not qualify for government student loans.
Even though you cannot use loans, finding other methods to invest in yourself are worth the effort. Noncredit continuing education courses increase your knowledge and skills – which, in turn, increase your job productivity, your capacity for promotion, your resume qualifications, and your demand by employers.

IPD accepts credit card payments, or we can work with your employer to set up a purchase order.

Here is a list of common strategies that people use to pay for their courses:

Tap into Career Force
If you are unemployed, the State of Minnesota has a variety of resources to assist you with finding employment.  They have many programs that you may qualify for that could provide you with funds to take continuing education courses.  Learn more about the Career Force options.

Use Employment Services for Veterans
If you are a veteran, you may have access to funding for continuing education.  Connect with your local Veterans Employment Representative to see what opportunities exist for you.

Lobby for Employer Customized Training
If you know of several co-workers who would also benefit from the training, your employer may wish to sponsor a customized session of that course at your place of work.   This route often makes the cost per student rate lower for the course along with the benefit of the course being customized for the particular needs of your organization. Plus, you and the organization get the benefits of a cohort expanding its knowledge and skills together.

Leverage your Employer Professional Development Plan
Often times employees can help set their professional development goals with continuing education courses in mind so that an employer is willing to pay for courses that align with those goals.  Organizations may also refer to this as learning and development.  Take a look at your employer’s learning and development plans and align your own professional development to them.  Most employers are aware that employee engagement and retention is strongly connected to individual, targeted professional development.

Use Employer Reimbursement Programs:
Most organizations have a tuition reimbursement plan.  Even though most continuing education courses are non-credit, many organizations are still willing to reimburse employees for taking the courses.  Many of our courses stack into a certificate or lead to being prepared for an industry-recognized exam, and employers like to see that.  Be sure to have any credit and noncredit courses pre-approved by your employer if you’re hoping for reimbursement. Because our courses are part of Metropolitan State University, employers trust the quality of instruction you will receive, and we can provide you with a non-credit transcript and certificate to verify attendance and participation in the course.

If you need additional information on a course for reimbursement forms, reach out and let us know what you need: institute@metrostate.edu.

Additional tips for asking your employer to fund your professional development.