Skip to main content
Penn State Behrend
Report a Concern Contact Us Visit Us Apply Now
  • Academics
    • Majors and Minors
    • Graduate Programs
    • Open Lab Learning
    • Research Opportunities
    • Black School of Business
    • School of Engineering
    • School of Humanities and Social Sciences
    • School of Science
    • Nursing Program
  • Admissions
    • About Penn State Behrend
    • First-Year Students
    • Transfer Students
    • International Students
    • Change of Campus Students
    • Adult Learners
    • Graduate Students
    • Applying to Behrend
    • Tuition and Financial Aid
  • Student Life
    • Commuter Life
    • Residence Life
    • Dining on Campus
    • Athletics and Recreation
    • Clubs and Activities
    • Diversity and Belonging
    • Student Services
    • Safety on Campus
  • Information For
    • Future Students
    • Current Students
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Alumni
    • Donors & Friends
    • Business & Community Partners
    • Visitors
Full site navigation menu

This dialog contains the full navigation menu for this site.

Penn State Behrend
Enter the terms you wish to search for.
Search type:
Report a Concern Contact Us Visit Us Apply Now
  • This is Penn State Behrend
    • About Penn State Behrend
    • Behrend as an Open Lab
    • Behrend: A Best Value
    • Vision of a Behrend Graduate
    • College Calendars
    • College Leadership
    • People and Departments
    • Visit Behrend
    • Give to Behrend
  • Academics
    • Majors and Minors
    • Exploratory (Undeclared)
    • Adult Learner Programs
    • Graduate Programs
    • Academic Advising
    • Career Services
    • College Registrar
  • Admissions and Aid
    • Penn State Behrend At A Glance
    • Undergraduate Admissions
    • Graduate Admissions
    • Visiting Behrend
    • Applying to Behrend
    • Tuition and Financial Aid
  • Student Life
    • On-Campus Housing
    • Off-Campus Housing
    • Commuter Resources
    • Dining on Campus
    • Fitness and Recreation
    • Student Activities
    • Safety on Campus
  • Athletics
  • Research and Outreach
    • Research
    • Faculty Research
    • Student Research
    • Outreach
    • James R. Meehl Innovation Commons
    • Knowledge Park
    • K-12 Education Outreach
    • Pennsylvania Sea Grant

Find Information For:

  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Faculty & Staff
  • Alumni
  • Donors & Friends
  • Business & Community Partners
  • Visitors

Helpful Links

  • Campus Map
  • Virtual Campus Tour
  • Directions to Campus
  • Parking on Campus
  • Safety on Campus
  • Behrend Blog
  • Calendars
  • Directories

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok
  • YouTube
  1. Home
  2. Community and Workforce Programs
  3. Continuing Education Programs

Public Pension Professional Certification

Program Overview

Is your Pennsylvania retirement system meeting its obligations to employees and their families? If you’re in a decision-making role on behalf of your PA retirement system plan, it’s your legal responsibility to ensure that decisions are being made in the best interests of plan participants and beneficiaries. What’s more, as a fiduciary you may be personally liable for the decisions made by the plan. With increasing news headlines and legal and regulatory pressure on public retirement plans, now is the time for comprehensive fiduciary education.

With that in mind, the Certified PA Public Retirement Plan Professional program offered by Penn State Behrend and the Pennsylvania Association of Public Employee Retirement Systems (PAPERS) is an ideal way to better understand your fiduciary role and how to carry out fiduciary responsibilities.

The certification program provides participants with exposure to a diverse and comprehensive curriculum of fiduciary and plan management topics in a three-part process:

  • Complete an online introductory fiduciary process course developed by Penn State Behrend and PAPERS. 
    The course is divided into seven chapters: Governance, Fiduciary Matters, Ethics, Benefits Administration, Actuarial Matters, Investment and Risk Management. At the end of each chapter, students will complete a knowledge check. The online class is approximately 1.5 hours, and participants will have 30 days to complete it. Participant will be provided instructions to create an access account upon registration. Participant will receive a certificate upon successful completion of the course.
  • Attend program sessions at PAPERS conferences focused on regulatory updates, plan management best practices, and service provider due diligence.
  • Meet continuing education (CE) requirements with additional online education modules and content library resources.

Who Should Attend

Pension trustees, pension administrators and staff, as well as industry professionals who work closely with pension systems.

  • Understand your important role and responsibility as a plan fiduciary.
  • Discover strategies for implementing an effective and prudent fiduciary decision-making process.
  • Learn how to select and work with qualified advisors, consultants and service providers.
  • Apply best practices for managing and overseeing your retirement system.
  • Receive updates on PA retirement system legal and regulatory changes.

Dates: Ongoing; students will gain access to Canvas for up to six months to complete 1.5 hours of coursework to receive Certificate of Completion. 

Price: $499

Find Out More

Want to learn more about our Public Pension Professional Certification? Email [email protected] 

Continuing Education Programs

  • AI Essentials for Professionals
  • AutoCAD Training
  • Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®) Exam Preparation
  • Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) Certification
  • Change Management
  • Developing Leadership Excellence
    • Developing Leadership Excellence Course Descriptions
  • Logistics and Operations Management Certificate
  • Process Instrumentation and Control Certificate
    • Process Instrumentation and Control Outline
    • Process Instrumentation and Control Instructor
  • Project Management Certificate
  • Project Management Office (PMO) Fundamentals Certificate
  • Project Management Professional (PMP)® Exam Preparation
  • Project Risk Certificate Program
  • Public Pension Professional Certification
  • Six Sigma Black Belt Certification
  • Winemaking Certificate
    • Winemaking Certificate Program Course Numbers & Descriptions
Pennsylvania map showing Penn State's campuses with Penn State Behrend highlighted

Penn State Behrend

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, offers the learning opportunities of a major research university in a welcoming, student-centered campus environment.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok
  • YouTube
Contact Us Visit Us Apply Now
  • This is Penn State Behrend
    • Behrend At A Glance
    • Vision of a Behrend Graduate
    • College Calendars
    • College History
    • College Leadership
    • College Strategy
    • Employment
    • People and Departments
  • Academics
    • Majors and Minors
    • Graduate Programs
    • Advising Center
    • Bookstore
    • Career Services
    • Center for Learning Excellence
    • College Registrar
    • Lilley Library
    • Student Success
    • Study Abroad
  • Admissions
    • Undergraduate
    • Graduate
    • Adult Learners
    • Change of Campus Students
    • International Students
    • Transfer Students
    • Veterans
  • Research/Outreach
    • Research
    • Faculty Research
    • Student Research
    • Outreach
    • Community and Workforce Programs
    • James R. Meehl Innovation Commons
    • Knowledge Park
    • Pennsylvania Sea Grant
    • Plastics Training Academy
    • WPSE Radio
    • Yahn Planetarium
    • Youth Outreach
  • Student Life
    • Dining on Campus
    • Housing and Residence Life
    • Commuter Student Resources
    • International Student Services
    • Equity and Diversity
    • Athletics and Intramurals
    • Student Leadership and Involvement
    • Student Services
  • Academic Schools
    • Black School of Business
    • School of Engineering
    • School of Humanities and Social Sciences
    • School of Science
    • Nursing Program
  • Tuition and Financial Aid
    • Tuition and Costs
    • Financial Aid
    • Aid Opportunities and Deadlines
    • Financial Literacy
    • Grants
    • Scholarships
    • Veterans Benefits
  • Helpful Links
    • Campus Map
    • Virtual Tour
    • Directions
    • Parking
    • Safety
    • Behrend Blog
    • Calendars
    • People and Departments
Penn State University
4701 College Drive, Erie, PA 16563 814-898-6000

Footer Legal Menu

  • Privacy
  • Non-discrimination
  • Accessibility
  • Copyright
  • Map
  • Website Feedback
  • The Pennsylvania State University © 2025
  • We Are Penn State