Choose The Format That Fits You Best
Self-Paced
For maximum flexibility, convenience, and autonomy with zero pressure.
Learn More.
Do you want to experience the program with no strings attached?
Click here and start your free trial today!
Guided Cohort
Complete the entire program over seven sessions, staggered across 3 months, working together with a cohort of your peers. This format allows you to share insights with fellow professionals and expand your network in a community learning environment. Learn more.
Welcome to the Professional Director world!
This is about your, and your organization’s, success!
The Professional Director Certification Program® helps you reach your full potential as an executive, organizational leader, or board member, by teaching you those essential governance skills.
When you decide to start your journey through the Professional Director Institute® you will have access to a wide array of content and expertise covering all areas of governance best practice.
The Professional Director Institute
As an Institute, we are able to issue Professional Director® students a Tuition and Enrolment Certificate and Summary form for tax purposes.
What You'll Learn
Over the course of this program, you’ll gain:
- The skills and competence required to fulfill your role as a board member
- An excellent understanding of corporate governance and how it operates within your business, sector and organizational structure
- Practical working knowledge of business finance with the tools and know-how to use financial information strategically at the board level
- Deep awareness of your own personal strengths and weaknesses, and how you can add unique value in the boardroom
Program Structure
This program includes six online modules and a final exam. After passing the exam, you’ll be a certified Professional Director® and free to use your new Pro.Dir designation.
Module 1 | Governance & Strategy
Module 2 | Governance & Risk
Module 3 | Governance & People
Module 4 | Governance & Board Effectiveness
Module 5 | Governance & Resources
Module 6 | Governance Culture & Behaviour
Final Examination
The Approach
You’ll learn through a mix of teaching techniques, with an emphasis on experiential learning. Over the course of the program, you will:
- Analyze case studies
- Make use of a highly skilled faculty that includes experienced Chairs, CEOs and board members
- Enhance your understanding of boardroom behavior, culture, processes, and dynamics
- Tackle a series of scenarios and decisions that affect the outcome of a proposed problem
Certification
As a certified Professional Director®, you will enjoy internationally-recognized status as a graduate of one of the world’s leading director education programs. Certification for this non-credit program is provided by Professional Director Inc., a private director education and certification corporation.
Of course, the value of your certification depends on the consistency and quality of the Professional Director Education & Certification Program®. As such, the educational and academic quality of both the program and exam are overseen by an Oversight Committee that includes a strong academic presence.
Fantastic instructors, a wealth of knowledge was passed on to the students and all o...
Your first session is FREE!
Start earning your ProDir® designation today with a free introductory session – no obligation or credit card required. You’ll instantly see the value and be one step closer to internationally-recognized certification!
Individual modules can be taken at your own pace.
The Self-Paced format gives you maximum flexibility, convenience, and autonomy with zero pressure. Review your course materials and complete assignments for all six modules at your own pace, while still knowing that a faculty member is just an email away if you should have questions.
This format is comprised of six core modules (which earns you a Pro.Dir® designation) and a mandatory comprehensive exam, all available entirely online. Each module includes a collection of instructional videos, reading material, and a quiz to show you’ve mastered the content
Module 1: Governance & Strategy
Expectations are extremely high for any board member. Meeting and exceeding them starts with fully understanding your fundamental role and the skills required to effectively keep your organization on track.
Self-Paced, $995.00
Module 2: Governance & Risk
As a board member, you have a legal responsibility to provide oversight and accountability for your organization. From resources and risk oversight to effectively communicating results to shareholders, this module ensures you’re fully prepared to fulfill these roles as a board member.
Self-Paced, $995.00
Module 3: Governance & People
People are your organization’s most important asset. This module will help you ensure board and management work together to lead more effectively. You’ll learn the essential role of the board in people management practices, such as overseeing the board’s relationship with the CEO, to succession planning, setting human resource policy and the art of aligning CEO performance, evaluation and compensation.
Self-Paced, $995.00
Module 4: Governance & Board Effectiveness
Overseeing management is only the beginning. The best boards also work to optimize their own effectiveness. From building the optimal board to evaluating performance, you’ll learn how to make the most of your time in the boardroom.
Self-Paced, $995.00
Module 5: Governance & Resources
Financial literacy is a must for any board member. From key financial indicators and forecasting to variance and gap analysis, this module will show you how to use the financial statements to ensure your organization has wise, reasoned financial oversight and is fully resourced.
Self-Paced, $995.00
Module 6: Governance Culture & Behavior
Even the best governance structures can falter if the boardroom culture is unhealthy. This module will help you eliminate dysfunction in the boardroom and foster a constructive, engaged board dynamic that leads to healthy relationships, better decisions, and enhanced growth.
Self-Paced, $995.00
Your first session is FREE!
Start earning your ProDir® designation today with a free introductory session – no obligation or credit card required. You’ll instantly see the value and be one step closer to internationally-recognized certification!
Guided Cohort
The ultimate team-building exercise!
Complete the entire program over seven sessions, staggered across 3 months, working together with a cohort of your peers. This format allows you to share insights with fellow professionals and expand your network in a community learning environment.
Tuition
Six modules and an exam are required to earn your Professional Director certification. The cost varies depending on whether you opt for the self-paced or guided cohort option. See here or below, for details.
If you choose the self-paced, a one-time exam fee of $395 will be charged when you register to complete the exam. For the guided cohort option, all module and exam fees are included.
All fees are in CAD, subject to applicable taxes and payable upon registration.
Cancellation Policy
Should you find it necessary to cancel your registration for a particular module or the exam, you will receive a full refund minus a $150 administration fee for any cancellation received in writing within 30 business days of registration. After 30 days, the registration fee is non-refundable.
Our Guarantee
We are completely confident you will be satisfied with The Professional Director Education & Certification Program®. If you are not, we will refund your tuition in full.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you choose the self-paced or intensive option, modules can be completed in any order you choose. However, taking the course in numerical order is recommended if you don’t have prior experience as a board member. If you choose the guided cohort option, all modules will be completed in the prescribed order.
No, as long you have internet capabilities and access.
All versions of the Professional Director Education & Certification Program® are delivered entirely online. While the self-paced option offers you maximum flexibility, the guided cohort and week-long intensives are live online sessions with predetermined dates and times.
Each program requires six modules plus a final exam for certification but the time and cost varies as follows:
Self-Paced
$995 per module (6 total) + $395 exam fee
How long it takes is entirely up to you. Most self-paced students complete the course in roughly six months but you may take up to three years, if needed.
Week-Long Intensives
$1,595 per module (6 total) + $395 exam fee
Each module is completed in a single week (6 non-consecutive weeks total).
Guided Cohort
$9,995 (includes all modules + final exam)
Over 19 weeks, you’ll go through all six modules of the program, working together with the same cohort of peers.