Finance Certification Programs

The Financial Systems Specialist Certification Program will provide 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 Financial Systems Specialist Outcomes Outlines. 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 Systems Specialist 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 SAP
• Has the approval of their supervisor to participate

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

• Mandatory completion of the online orientation session
• Demonstrate 80% proficiency on all End of Course exams
• Demonstrate 80% proficiency on a final Certification Exam, encompassing all curriculum-relevant material
• Completion in stated amount of time for the individual certification program
• Minimum length of one year of Duke employment before the certificate is awarded*

*Applies to employees new to Duke

1. The candidate pre-registers for the Financial Systems Specialist certification.
2. The Curriculum Leader assesses eligibility.
3. The Curriculum Leader then sends a Contract of Enrollment to the candidate and his/her listed supervisor. Also included are expectations for both employee and supervisor.
4. The Supervisor and Participant will then sign and return the Contract of Enrollment for program participation. The submission of signed contract verifies confirmation of registration information and agreement to terms of participation.
5. The Curriculum Leader will enroll the candidate in the Financial Systems Specialist program and will send a confirmation notification to candidate and supervisor.
6. The Participant will be emailed a verification notice and commitment expectations reminder.

Enrollment is not guaranteed until a candidate has received a Confirmation of Enrollment 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 Systems Specialist 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

The Financial Systems Specialist 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 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 Course Exam may take the exam a second time if they score above a 50% competency. If the participant fails to pass the exam 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 Course Exam, 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.

A Financial Systems Specialist Certification Exam will be offered two times per month and an 80% passing grade is required to attain certification upon completion of the FCP program. This test will be held in a designated computer lab and will be open to all certification tracks (each certification track will have a different exam relevant to that track). 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.

Course material (does not includes course quizzes) may be brought to Final Exam for reference. For copies of the most recent course material, please contact your Curriculum Leader.

Certification in the FCP is valid for one year. Certification will be renewable by participation in a general session designed to ensure that certified individuals across Duke remain aware of recent changes in the relevant subject matter. Certification will be revoked if a participant does not maintain appropriate renewal credits on an annual basis.

The Financial Systems Specialist Certification is renewable by attending the required annual update workshop as well as one course offering of any financially related subject matter offered by the Administrative Systems Management group or Learning & Organizational Development.