What is a “professional certificate” program and what can it do for me?
The professional certificate programs offered through SDSU Global Campus are designed to help you gain specialized knowledge in a particular field or industry; these non-degree programs focus on preparing you for the workforce and can be completed in a much shorter period of time than an academic degree.

After successfully completing their required courses, students in our professional certificate programs receive an official certificate of completion from San Diego State University; you can also request to have a letter of completion from SDSU sent to your employer when they finish their program. If you’re completing the comprehensive Construction Supervision program, you can also earn a certificate of completion from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC); we encourage you to contact the AGC directly regarding certificate requirements as there are changes to the AGC requirements that are expected in the coming year.

If this is a non-degree program, will I earn any credit for my coursework?
You’ll earn three units of professional development credit from SDSU for each course they successfully complete. Other institutions may or may not accept this for academic credit; please confirm with these institutions that SDSU's courses are transferable prior to enrolling in our courses.

How are these courses graded?
To pass each course, you need to receive a score of 70% or higher.

Percentage
100–90%
89–80%
79–70%
69–60%
≤ 59%
Grade
A
B
C
D
F

 

How long will it take me to complete a certificate?
Each course (other than the self-paced) is 10 weeks and requires five to seven hours of student commitment each week. How quickly a certificate can be completed depends on how many courses total are required for your specific certificate program, the upcoming schedule of when required courses will be offered, and how many classes you plan to take each term. For all certificate programs, however, you’re expected to complete the required courses within two years of starting your program. For more details on program course requirements and upcoming schedules, please consult your specific program page on our website. Our program coordinator can also assist you with planning your coursework once you've decided on a program.

Can I take individual construction classes without completing a certificate?
Definitely! Courses can be completed in any order, and there are no prerequisites. If completing a full certificate program is not an option for you right now, you may enroll in the classes that are most relevant to you, and you can still earn a certificate in the future by completing any additional required classes.

How much do classes cost?
For classes in our online construction certificate programs, the course fee is $690 per class. Our introductory courses cost $230. Textbook costs are additional and vary by class, but are generally in the $100-150 range. (For detailed textbook information, see the “Course Descriptions and Schedules” PDF available from the individual construction certificate program web pages.)

What kind of financial aid is available?
Federal financial aid does not generally apply to our online construction programs, but you may qualify for other private loans from lending institutions, or employer-based tuition reimbursement programs. Please see our Financial Aid Information page to learn more.

Will I receive a refund if I drop a class after I've enrolled?
Refunds for online construction courses are granted according to the SDSU Global Campus refund schedule. Please note, however, that once you log into the online course web page using the password provided by your instructor, no refund will be issued; there are no exceptions.

What kind of career services are available to me?
SDSU Global Campus does not provide formal career services as part of the online construction program. From time to time, employers contact us expressing interest in recruiting our students; in these cases, we can forward job position announcements to graduates of our programs. Additionally, many of our students report they've found valuable networking opportunities via their interactions with other professionals in their online classes.

How many classes should I take each term?
SDSU Global Campus does not restrict the number of classes you can enroll in each term. You should plan to spend five-seven hours per week (per course) on your classwork; we encourage you to evaluate your existing professional and personal obligations and enroll in classes accordingly.

How do online classes work?
You’ll have access to your online classroom for the full ten weeks of the term in which you are enrolled. New materials and class discussions are posted regularly, and there may be set deadlines for particular assignments or quizzes, but you’ll be able to log in during the hours and on the days that best work for your personal schedule. We invite you to tour an online construction classroom.

What if I will be traveling or have limited Internet access during part of the term?
You can log onto the course from any computer with an Internet connection. If you plan on being away from the Internet, we encourage you to complete the week's work either before you leave or as soon as you get back. You can work on the current lesson for an 8-day period without being counted late for anything. If you are late with some assignments, a small grading penalty is assessed but that should not affect your overall grade if you keep up with your work throughout the course.

What computer/technical requirements are there for these online classes?

  • A computer or tablet (Mac or PC) with a stable Internet connection
  • Basic computer skills: the ability to email, use the Internet, and create/use basic word processing or spreadsheet documents
  • Adobe Reader for PDF files (free download available)

How accessible are instructors if I have problems or questions?
Very! You’ll have full access to several online classroom tools (message system, bulletin boards, chat room), email, or telephone to interact with your teacher.

How do I register for class(es)?
SDSU Global Campus is currently revising our registration process. Please check back for updates.

You can also register for courses by secure email. Please call our Registration Office at (619) 594-5152 or email enrollment.global@sdsu.edu for a secure email link.

Starting fall 2022, we will be switching to a post-pay model, meaning you may enroll in classes without a payment required. You will need to submit your full payment in the my.SDSU portal after your registration has been submitted. You will receive an email notification and login information once you have registered. If you do not submit your payment within the specified time frame, you will be dropped from your classes. Click here for more information.

After I have registered for my construction class, how do I gain access to the online classroom?
Passwords and information to log into your online classroom are sent by email, directly from the instructor, approximately one week (occasionally up to 48 hours) before your class starts. Because some students have problems receiving these automatic instructor-generated emails, we recommend that you put ConstructionClasses.com (the domain from which the emails will be sent) on your email "white list," as well as regularly check your spam folder.

Which textbooks will I need, and how much will they cost?
Textbooks for current term classes are stocked by the SDSU Bookstore. You can choose to have your books shipped directly to your address using the convenient ship-to-home option on the bookstore website. Most textbooks are available in either new or used format, and some are even available for rental.

For classes not offered in the current term, you can view a comprehensive list of required construction textbooks. Detailed textbook information for each certificate program is also listed on the “Course Descriptions and Schedules” PDF available from the individual construction certificate program pages.

What options are available to me if I need to push back my start date, or if I am unable to complete my course?
Please reach out to Lisa Thibodeaux at lisa@constructionclasses.com or your Program Manager for more information.

Will my previous coursework count towards any of your courses?
Please forward your unofficial transcript and syllabus for the coursework in question to your Program Manager for review.