Professional Development

Frequently Asked Questions

The following page provides answers to our most frequently asked questions. Be sure to check out our Registration Information as well as our Directions page for other useful information.


When will the next course be offered again?
If you are unable to attend one of our currently scheduled courses or wonder when the next time a course will be offered, be sure to join our e-mail list. Members of our e-mail list are the first to be notified of new offerings. Or, if you need a more immediate answer, contact UIC External Education at (312) 355-0423 or e-mail externaledu@uic.edu.

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Are there any assignments to complete before the first day of class?
Depending on the course or instructor, there may be pre-class assignments distributed to help you prepare for class. Students will be provided with any pre-class materials as early as possible.

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What is the usual class size?
The average Professional Development class size is typically 18 -22 students.
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Are there textbooks for Professional Development courses?             
If a course requires the use of a textbook, it will be provided to you at the first class. If the course meets online, the textbook will be mailed to you prior to the start of class. The Professional Development course registration fees include all required materials. 

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Is there an attendance policy for Professional Development courses?
Although the College of Business Administration's Professional Development courses are non-credit and no letter grades are officially assigned, students are expected to attend class regularly. Regular attendance is critical to the learning process and necessary in creating an active learning environment.
Those courses for which an award or letter of completion is issued require that the student attend a minimum of 75% of the total class sessions. For example, if a course has a total of 8 class meetings, students are required to attend at least 6 of the 8 meetings in order to receive the award or letter of completion.
Additional criteria may be required in order to receive the award or letter of completion, such as completing assignments. Please check with the instructor(s) on the first day of class.

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What discounts or financial aid options are available for Professional Development courses?
To view the available discounts and the financial aid options visit the Financial Aid and Discounts section of our Registration Information page.

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How do online courses work?
All online courses rely on asynchronous discussion and collaboration as the principal form of communication. Course content is broken into weekly modules. Via a Web-based system (Blackboard), class members interact extensively with one another and the instructor(s). Students may participate anytime day or night, when their schedule allows while still meeting due dates for weekly assignments.

Explore the online course experience by launching this interactive overview.

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I’ve never taken an online course before. Will I be prepared?
To accommodate the many students who are new to online learning, students are given access to online course sites prior to the first day of class. During this time, students are expected to complete an online orientation which allows them the opportunity to become familiar with the course Web site and menu options. Orientation also gives students a chance to get to know each other through the development of personal home pages and other introduction exercises.

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Will the project management courses help me prepare for the PMP Exam?
Yes. Both the classroom and online project management courses utilize the PMBOK textbook which is authored by the Project Management Institute. It is important to note, however, that sample PMP Exam questions and strategies for passing the exam will not be provided during the Project Management courses. Students enrolled in the Project Management courses will be taught the terminology, tools and core principles to prepare them to take the exam.

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How do I apply for the PMP exam? What are the requirements?
Applications for the PMP exam are processed by the Project Management Institute. At the time of application, candidates must pay an application fee and meet requirements in the areas of educational background, project management experience and project management education. The project management courses fulfill the 35-hour education requirement.

For additional information regarding the PMP exam, visit the PMI Web site.

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Do the project management courses meet the PMP Exam education requirements?
Yes, completion of either the UIC Project Management course or the UIC Project Management Online course fulfills the 35-hour project management education requirement for Project Management Institute's (PMI) Project Management Professional (PMP) exam.

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Can I take the PMP exam at UIC?
No. UIC does not offer testing for any PMI exams. To find a testing location, contact PMI directly.

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After completing a real estate course, can I sit for any licensing exams?
No. In order to sit for the Illinois salesperson or broker licensing exams, you must complete pre-licensing courses. An approved list of pre-licensing course providers is available on the Illinois Department of Professional and Financial Regulation's Web site.
UIC is approved as an IDPFR continuing education provider, which allows us to provide continuing education credit (not pre-licensing credit) to already licensed salespersons or brokers.

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Will the real estate courses help me prepare for the licensing exam?
We offer real estate courses in the areas of Development, Chicago Market, Appraisal and Finance. Aspects of each of these courses will provide you with key terms and concepts for the licensing exam, but these courses are not the pre-licensing courses required to sit for the exam.

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