Frequently Asked Questions
How do I contact Boston University's Center for Professional Education?
You can reach us by phone at 617-353-4497 (Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), by email at cpe@bu.edu, or by fax at 617-353-4494. We are located at 1010 Commonwealth Avenue, 1st Floor. Many issues can be handled remotely. Please note that program directors and instructors do not have offices on campus.
Is there any financial aid available?
Financial aid is limited due to the non-credit status of our programs. Visit our Funding Options page for more information.
What are the technology requirements for taking a course with CPE?
We use a Learning Management System (LMS) for our classes called Blackboard. Upon registration you will have an account created, using your email address. Before enrolling, please check the system requirements. Most course videos have variable playback speeds: .5x, .75x, 1x, 1.5x and 2x.
How do I change my name, address, and other personal information?
Change of name: If this is a legal change of name, you’ll need to contact two offices. First, send an email to cpe@bu.edu with the information. Update BU’s Office of the Registrar through this link.
Change of address: You can do this in your CPE account.
Change of email address and/or username: This process begins by contacting CPE. It is important that you do this with our office so your CPE access and your Blackboard access do not get out of sync. Call 617-353-4497 or email cpe@bu.edu.
How do I request a transcript?
You can access your transcript from your account on our website. We issue unofficial transcripts, as our courses are all non-credit. If you started before July 2019, you can request a transcript. Find more information here.
What is the deadline to register?
Students are required to register no later than one week prior to the class start date, to ensure sufficient time for the instructor and CPE to prepare course materials. Registrations received within one week of the class start date will be subject to a non-refundable $50 late registration fee. If you know you will be registering late, please call us to make arrangements.
Are the programs eligible for student visas?
International students who do not currently have visas are not able to attain them through registration in our programs, as our programs are non-credit. International students already in the country are welcome to take our programs. International students abroad may take our online programs.
Will I receive continuing education credits for attending the course?
Participants may earn CEUs, CPEs, PDUs and other continuing education credits by attending our programs. To take advantage of this opportunity, please contact your professional association directly. Boston University's Center for Professional Education will confirm your attendance and document the number of contact hours involved in the program.
Is parking available for my on campus course?
Yes, please visit our page on parking for more information.
What is Boston University’s relationship with All Campus and MindMax?
For our online programs, we partner with outside organizations to handle registrations, payments, marketing, and some of the other administrative tasks. All academic content is developed by Boston University and all instructors are hired and employed by Boston University.
What is the difference between a "certificate" and "certification"?
Upon successful completion of most CPE programs, students will receive a certificate from Boston University identifying that they have met the academic requirements established by Boston University showing competency in their area(s) of study. Certification is granted through an outside agency. Boston University is not a certifying agency for any field.
Can I get Education Credits (American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning Credits) for my course(s) - Tax Information?
You may be able to claim the Education Credit as outlined in IRS Publication 8863. Please check with your own tax professional to determine your eligibility for this tax credit. Since CPE courses are non-credit, we do not provide 1098T forms which are used for a different kind of tax credit. Your receipt(s) will suffice. BU’s TIN is 04-2103547.
Real Estate, Evergreen, and Arts Admin students: Log in here. Go to My Account History on the left. The full information is associated with a transaction number.
Financial Planning, Genealogy, and Professional Fundraising students: Contact BostonUniversity@mindmax.net or call 617-502-8822.
Paralegal students: Contact enrollment@paralegalonline.bu.edu or call 857-700-3966.
How can I learn more about BU's Center for Professional Education programs?
We invite you to attend one of our Information Sessions, held throughout the year. Information Sessions are a great way to learn more about the program field (including career opportunities). Meet the program director and faculty, hear details about the academic curriculum and certificate requirements, and ask any specific questions you may have. We can often send you an archived version of our information sessions for review. Can't make an Information Session? Feel free to contact us.