The below policy information applies to students enrolled in a Purdue Global undergraduate program.

Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams

Certification and licensure boards have state-specific educational requirements for programs that lead to a license or certification that is a precondition for employment. Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information.

Licensure-track programs may limit enrollment to students in certain states; please see Purdue Global’s Program Availability Information to determine enrollment eligibility.

You are responsible for understanding the requirements of optional certification exams. Such requirements may change during the course of your program. You are not automatically certified in any way upon program completion. Although certain programs are designed to prepare you to take various optional certification exams, Purdue Global cannot guarantee you will be eligible to take these exams or become certified. Your eligibility may depend on your work experience, completion of education and/or degree requirements, not having a criminal record, and meeting other certification requirements.

In addition, a GED or high school diploma may be required to take state, national, or certification exams. Furthermore, states, employers, and various other agencies may require a criminal background check and/or drug check before you take professional licensing, certification, or registration exams. If you have a prior felony conviction or serious misdemeanor, you may be denied the opportunity to take professional licensing, certification, or registration exams. You may also be denied a license or certification to practice in some states, even if the certification or licensing exam is taken and successfully completed. It is your responsibility to inquire with the appropriate agencies or authorities about current requirements prior to enrolling in your program of choice or, if your circumstances change, at that time and at the time of making application for certification or licensure.

Employment and Continued Education

The University's programs are designed to prepare you to pursue employment in your field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that you will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. While many of the University's degree programs are designed to prepare you to pursue continued graduate-level education, the University cannot guarantee that you will be granted admission to any graduate programs.

Externships and Clinical Experiences

In particular phases of study, some programs include an externship or clinical experience. The following guidelines are general; some programs have additional or different policies that are detailed in the individual school sections and supersede those listed below.

Although you are supervised by professionals at your externship or clinical site, you must continue to maintain contact with your program's Externship Coordinator on a regular basis.

In order to be eligible for an externship or clinical, you must meet the following academic requirements prior to starting the externship or clinical:

1. You must pass all required prerequisite courses, as indicated in this Catalog.
2. You may not have a grade of “F” for any major course, unless your academic record reflects that the course has been satisfactorily repeated.
3. You may not have an incomplete grade (“I”) for any major course.
4. You must have a 2.0 GPA for externships graded as pass/fail.

During the externship or clinical training, you are expected to perform in an ethical, safe, and professional manner, and to assist in all matters appropriate to the scope of practice. Failure to do so may result in course failure and dismissal from the program.

For many programs, externship and clinical hours are scheduled during the day and are typically Monday through Friday. Therefore, if you take night classes, you may need to complete externship and clinical hours during the day (please note that it may not be possible to locate a site that can provide externship or clinical hours at night, and you should take this into account when selecting a program). You should contact your program's Externship Coordinator for specific information on site availability and times. You may arrange the days or times of externship or clinical training only with written permission from Purdue Global. If you are absent from the externship or clinical training, you must inform both the site and the University.

All externship and clinical sites are carefully selected based on an evaluation of site personnel, facilities, geographic location, availability, and type of learning experience provided.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate, you must:

1. Successfully complete 100 percent of the required courses for your program of study and obtain the minimum cumulative GPA required within the maximum time frame permitted (see the Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards section for further information).
2. Attend Career Services and Financial Aid exit interviews, if applicable.

Some programs may have additional requirements that must be met. If a program has additional graduation requirements, these can be found in the individual school sections.