Because organizations must innovate to stay alive in today's highly competitive marketplace, organizations need employees who can channel their creativity and innovation toward organizational challenges and goals.
The Innovation and Critical Thinking Certificate is comprised of four courses. It first helps you become re-acquainted with your own stores of creativity and innovation. Next, you are given a set of tools that allow you to leverage your creativity to identify and solve organizational problems. One activity then asks you how you might look at a problem from a different angle to produce a more creative result; others walk you through the process of using analogies or replacement techniques to invent creative solutions to problems.
Each 3 to 5 hour, self-paced course in this program offers an assortment of interactive exercises, videos, selected readings, case studies, and self-assessments that will engage you and help you apply your newly discovered creativity in the workplace.
Upon successful completion, you can download a printable certificate of completion for this online program. This certificate has no textbooks or prerequisites.
Students who complete the Innovation and Critical Thinking Certificate are awarded a total of 22 CPEs (1 Technical; 21 Non-Technical) and 2.2 CEUs.
The Innovation and Critical Thinking certificate consists of 4 courses, each taking approximately 3 to 5 hours to complete. Students have four months to complete the certificate.
The four courses are:
In this certificate program, students will learn how to do the following:
This certificate offers an assortment of interactive exercises, selected readings, quizzes and self-assessments. Upon completion, learners are given a summary of what they've learned for quick reference while at work.
This program has an "Ask the Expert" feature, which submits your questions directly to an expert in the field you are studying. Questions are answered within 3 business days.
This certificate requires no textbooks or prerequisites. There are some downloadable materials which students can save during the program to access for further use.
All registrants must meet the following requirements:
Admission is discretionary. The office of Duke Continuing Studies, Professional Certificate Programs, requires students be a least 18 years of age and meet minimum suitability standards. Students are not matriculated Duke University students and university student privileges do not apply to Continuing Studies students.
Duke Continuing Studies reserves the exclusive right, at its sole and absolute discretion, to withhold registration or require withdrawal from the program of any student or applicant.
Certificate Requirements
In order to earn a certificate of completion from Duke Continuing Studies, students are required to achieve an average test score of 70% and to complete all content elements in the course within 4 months (120 days).
Registration is ongoing; therefore students can begin the program when it is convenient for them!
Registration is not available June 24 - June 30 annually due to the close of the fiscal year for the university.
Note: our enrollment system is a separate system from that used for your online training, and therefore, access to the online training is not an automated process upon your registration. Please be aware that there may be a time delay of up to 5 business days before you receive the email with your access to the online program. This delay will not affect your allotted completion time for the program. Please check your spam/junk folder because sometimes the access emails end up there.
Is this program offered online only?
Yes, this program is exclusively offered online and is self-paced. No classroom programs are currently available for Innovation and Critical Thinking.
Who should take this course?
This course is designed for adult learners interested in exploring and expanding their personal and professional creativity.
Do I have to log on a certain times on certain days?
No, these courses are completely self-paced, allowing students to schedule the courses work as they so desire within the allotted access time.
When is registration open?
Students may register between July 1 and June 23 each year. Registration is not available from June 24 - June 30 annually due to the close of the fiscal year for the university.
After registering, when will students receive additional program details?
Within 5 business days of enrollment (excluding Duke holidays), students will receive an email from our program partner MindEdge with web access information.
Is access to a computer required during this program?
This is an exclusively online program and access to a reliable computer is required for the duration of the program.
How long do students have access to each online course?
Students will have access to all courses within the certificate for four months (120 days) from the date in which they receive program access.
How long does the course take to complete?
Each of the four courses of the certificate is estimated to take about 3-5 hours to complete. However, completion time will vary by student.
Are extensions granted to students who request them?
No. Sufficient time to complete coursework has been given, and therefore no extensions will be granted. If a certificate program is not finished and a student wants to re-enroll to complete it, he or she will have to purchase the program again and restart the training from the beginning.
What are the technical requirements for this program?
See the Requirements section above.
How do students ask questions?
Each course has an "Ask the Expert" feature, which submits your questions directly to an expert in the field you are studying. Questions are answered within 3 business days.
What do students do if there are technical issues while completing the course?
Students should contact the Program Manager via email to troubleshoot technical issues. Students will receive a response within 3 business days (excluding Duke holidays).
How do students earn a certificate of completion from Duke Continuing Studies?
Students who complete the program with an average minimum score of 70% within the given time frame and pay tuition in full (upon registration) will receive a certificate of completion from Duke Continuing Studies. The certificate is downloadable after the course is completed. Students will be able to download the certificate for up to six months after completing the course.
Will these courses count for credits or degrees?
No. These courses are not applicable to a degree.
What is the refund policy for these courses?
There are no refunds given for online courses.
Discount must be requested and applied during the registration process and cannot be applied in addition to any other discount that may be offered. You may be asked to verify your status as a Duke employee.
Do you have a group (Duke or non-Duke entity) interested in training? Contact the Program Manager for details.
No loans can be construed to imply any degree-seeking status for students of Duke Continuing studies. Duke Continuing Studies courses are non-credit.
Duke Continuing Studies (DCS) will not certify (approve) loan amounts greater than the amount of the tuition regardless of the amount approved by the lending agency. DCS reserves the right to reject any loan which exceeds the tuition amount. DCS will not be responsible for refunding monies in excess of the tuition. Students needing to secure loan funding for books or other items in relation to the program are responsible for making separate loan arrangements with the funding agency. No loan funds will be refunded to the student.
Should a student choose to borrow less than the tuition amount, the balance must be paid prior to the close of the registration period.
Our Professional Certificate programs are non-credit (not degree applicable); therefore, they are NOT eligible for federal education loans. DO NOT SUBMIT FAFSA FORMS for these programs. Some of our programs may offer payment plans. Please see individual program web pages for those details.
The funding options listed below may not be applicable to all programs at this time. Please contact the organization offering the funding to see if you qualify and if the funds can be used for the program in which you are interested.
To apply for this private student loan, visit Sallie Mae’s website, and click the I’m ready to apply button. The following application should populate with the pertinent information for Duke Continuing Studies.
Please note that Wells Fargo is no longer accepting new applications for their private student loans. However, students with an outstanding balance on a Wells Fargo private student loan may be eligible to be borrowers on a new private loan. See here for details.
Duke University Hospital employees may be eligible for support from the Employee Development Initiative (EDI), which helps employees pay for short-term career-related programs, workshops, and seminars. For more information, visit the Employee Development Initiative site or call Duke Hospital Human Resources at (919) 668-2170.
The WIA provides professional and basic skills training services to those who have been unable to find employment. Please keep in mind that this process can be lengthy, so plan to apply well in advance of the program start date. For more information on eligibility, the application process, or to find your local Workforce Development Board, visit the NC JobLink Career Center website.
AmeriCorps Education Awards are available only for AmeriCorps volunteers and can be used for educational expenses for non-degree courses, such as Continuing Education courses offered by qualified schools. For more information on qualified schools and programs, contact the National Service Trust at 1-800-942-2677, or visit the FAQ page of the AmeriCorps website.
Contact our registration office at learnmore@duke.edu for details on how to send wire transfers. Very specific instructions must be followed in order for our office to receive a successful transfer.
There are no refunds, cancellations, or transfers for online, self-paced courses.
No extensions will be granted. Students who require additional time to complete the course(s) they registered for will be responsible for re-registering and paying for the course in full for a second time.
Course fees and expenses are sometimes tax deductible. Please consult an accountant concerning this matter. Non-credit programs at Duke Continuing Studies do not generate 1098-T forms, in accordance with the following IRS guideline:
