College of Law’s graduate certificates in compliance re-launched as online program

July 6, 2017 | News, UToday, Law
By Staff



Starting fall semester, The University of Toledo College of Law’s Graduate Certificates in Compliance Program will be available as an online, part-time program, allowing students to learn about compliance and law in a more flexible manner.

Bringing each graduate certificate in compliance online means the program is more accessible to working professionals or those wanting to launch a career in compliance, according to Kirsten Winek, director of communications, special programs and financial aid in the College of Law.

“The online course work is asynchronous, meaning that it can be completed even if one travels for work, can only study in the evenings, or has a variable schedule,” she said. “Adding to this accessibility is the fact that course work can be completed in 10 to 12 months on a part-time basis.”

The program allows students to choose one of three graduate certificates in compliance — higher education compliance, health-care compliance and general compliance — that range between 15 to 17 credits. However, regardless of program, all students take a 14-credit core of foundational compliance course work in areas such as ethics; organizational governance; statutory and regulatory interpretation; privacy and data security; compliance education; and auditing, investigating and reporting.

Agnieszka McPeak, assistant professor of law, teaches Privacy and Data Security. “Individuals and companies interact with technology daily, and my goal in teaching privacy and data security is to show how this topic affects our personal and professional existence,” she explained. “We therefore cover the practical and technical background as well as the legal and business dimensions of privacy and data security, drawing on real-world, current examples and our own personal experiences.”

The remaining credits include course work specialized to each certificate, such as higher education law, health-care law, or a faculty-supervised research project for students enrolled in the certificate in general compliance.

Working professionals enrolled in the program have found the course work valuable and can fit the program into a busy schedule. “My course load has been manageable each semester, and I have had great opportunities to learn not only from the professors, but also from the other students within the course,” said student and UT Residence Life Area Coordinator Brad Ledingham.

Christine Wile, a student who is an administrative assistant in admissions in the UT College of Medicine and Life Sciences, added, “I found the program to be a win-win for individuals looking for an edge to advance professionally and academically. The courses are relevant and applicable in today’s complex work environments because the law professors and professionals in the compliance field teaching the classes are at the cutting edge of today’s issues.”

For more information on this program, contact Winek at kirsten.winek@utoledo.edu.

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