Program Overview

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Introduction to Pitt Law's Online Corporate Compliance Certificate Program

Pitt Law's Online Corporate Compliance Certificate program is designed for U.S. and foreign corporate employees who already work in the corporate compliance field, or wish to make a career move to focus on this area of business. This certificate program is perfect for paralegals, lawyers, and other compliance professionals in finance, internal audit, human resources, and environmental sustainability.

Program Benefits

• Learn on your schedule with asynchronous classes
• Certificates can be completed in 11 months
• Learn from experienced, working legal experts who teach and practice corporate compliance
• Gain access to a valued and diverse network of colleagues and mentors within the Pitt Law and broader Pitt communities
• Learn how to establish an effective corporate compliance program
• For non-lawyers, build concentrated expertise to work more knowledgeably with lawyers

New Accreditation Recognition

Pitt Law's Corporate Compliance Online Certificate Program is now officially accredited by the Corporate Compliance Board (CCB), the accreditation arm of the Society for Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE). This accreditation means students are eligible to sit for SCCE's certification exams for compliance professionals.

Meet the Program Director

The program director, Max Laun, is a seasoned corporate counsel with extensive experience. He emphasizes the indispensable role of ethics and compliance expertise in today's business landscape, highlighting the program's pivotal role in shaping the next generation of industry professionals.

Program Objectives

The Corporate Compliance Certificate program was developed to meet the growing need for compliance professionals. Busy professionals will build a strong compliance foundation by learning how to:

• Understand the fundamentals of corporate compliance
• Design a compliance program from the ground up, as well as related policies and procedures
• Evaluate the effectiveness of ethics and compliance programs
• Work with third-party mechanisms to report misconduct and seek advice
• Audit for compliance and ethics risks
• Manage other issues around public company disclosures and compliance programs
• Understand the nuances of the different potential clientele students may work with, such as individuals, for-profit and nonprofit corporations, and hybrid and governmental entities

Ideal Candidates

The Corporate Compliance Certificate is ideal for:

• U.S. and international professionals who work in a corporate environment and are focused on, or looking to focus on, securities compliance, antitrust issues, and other compliance-related activities
• U.S. and international non-lawyers, including paralegals and other business professionals who work closely with lawyers day-to-day, including financial, insurance, and legal support professionals
• U.S. lawyers who wish to expand their knowledge and practice portfolio of corporate compliance
• Foreign-qualified lawyers seeking a flexibly obtained U.S. credential that does not require residence in the U.S.

Career Opportunities

Position yourself for leadership in:

• Corporate compliance and ethics
• Regulatory affairs
• Compliance program training
• Policy development, including corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social and governance (ESG)
• Auditing and monitoring
• Financial fraud
• Environmental and other corporate compliance

Curriculum

The Corporate Compliance Certificate consists of five courses totaling 15 credits:

Introduction to Corporate Compliance (3 credits)

This course provides an introduction to corporate compliance programs for U.S. and foreign lawyers, as well as non-lawyers. Topics covered include:

• Importance of a compliance program
• Importance of ethics, organizational culture (vision and values), and a code of conduct
• Understanding the key issues of an organization's compliance policies and procedures
• Understanding which policies and procedures should be covered in a compliance program
• Incorporating compliance and ethics standards in contractual arrangements

Ethics and Compliance Programs (3 credits)

This course introduces students to creating an ethics and compliance program. Topics covered include:

• Framework: U.S. Department of Justice Sentencing Guidelines and Guidance on corporate compliance programs
• How to create an effective ethics and compliance program
• Conducting a risk assessment to determine the greatest risk facing an organization
• Creating a culture of integrity
• Effective drafting of compliance policies and procedures
• Effective drafting of a code of conduct
• Drafting a gifts and entertainment policy
• Integrating the ethics and compliance program into the organization

Designing, Measuring Effectiveness, and Auditing Compliance Programs (3 credits)

This course introduces students to designing and measuring effective audit compliance programs based on the Department of Justice Sentencing Guidelines. Topics covered include:

• Administering an effective compliance program
• Defining the authority and role of ethics and compliance professionals
• Creating an annual ethics and compliance work plan
• Ensuring that the organization has processes in place to assess key areas of risk
• Compliance lines and other telephone or online reporting mechanisms
• Communication, education, and training of a compliance risk program
• Monitoring for organizational misconducts
• Monitoring ethics and compliance-related activities and risks
• Conducting a risk-based assessment of the compliance program

Conducting Investigations and Risk Assessments (3 credits)

This course introduces students to conducting investigations and risk assessments and teaches them how to conduct an internal investigation. Topics covered include:

• Representing the company, not the interviewee
• Purpose of the interview
• Legal and ethical considerations of internal investigations in foreign jurisdictions
• Responding to governmental inquiries and investigations and voluntary disclosures to regulatory agencies
• EU Dawn Raids and other unannounced governmental investigations
• Conducting periodic risk assessments
• Use and development of risk assessment methodology

Special Topics in Compliance Seminar (3 credits)

This seminar allows students to take an in-depth look at special topics in corporate compliance, including:

• Securities Compliance, including SEC Disclosures
• Antitrust Compliance
• Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
• UK Antibribery Act
• Joint Ventures
• Enterprise Risk Management
• Financial Compliance
• International Trade and Export Compliance
• Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Compliance

Tuition

The total estimated tuition for the Online Corporate Compliance Certificate program is $12,990, which includes a $112-per-semester technology fee. Tuition rates are subject to change and should be confirmed on the University's official tuition listing.

Next Steps

Certificate students who successfully complete a graduate certificate program with a 3.0 GPA have the option to pursue the Master of Studies in Law degree at Pitt Law.