NAMU® Certification Programs
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Are you accredited?
Yes. NAMU® is registered with the National Association of State Boards
of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.
are namu® certification programs state or federal Issued?
No. All NAMU® certification programs are for “professional development” purposes only, and are NOT to be considered a license, nor a State or Federal issued certification.
Do employers recognizE NAMU® certificatIon?
Yes. However, it’s important to note you’ll inevitably encounter employers who feel a certification is “just a piece of paper” since it does not factor in a candidate’s professionalism, employment track record, enthusiasm, interpersonal skills, etc. Having said that, according to a survey conducted by Indeed.com, regarding NAMU®-CMMU certification: 1) 57% of job seekers said the "help my career progression" was the biggest reason for earning their Certified Master Mortgage Underwriter, 2) 71% said earning their Certified Master Mortgage Underwriter helped them make more money, 3) 43% said earning their Certified Master Mortgage Underwriter helped them get a job and 4) 86% said they would recommend a family member or friend earn their Certified Master Mortgage Underwriter.
If your goal is to find a mortgage job or obtain a promotion at your current job, we can say our “professional development” certification can help to make you more marketable. In fact, over the years we have worked with most of the major banks & lenders across the United States to train/certify their internal staff, and we consistently receive positive feedback — with a high rate of returning customers. Furthermore, many recruiters and hiring managers value our certification because it helps to validate a candidate is updated on mortgage guidelines/regulations and has acquired the necessary underwriting skills needed to make a smooth transition into the mortgage profession. From our perspective, we feel without getting updated on mortgage regulations/guidelines and without obtaining mortgage underwriting knowledge from a targeted training/certification program, you’ll often risk being viewed as a non-plug ‘n go candidate by prospective employers.
what is your refund policy?
No refunds or credits will be issued if a student and/or customer has logged into any recorded/“live” webinar course or has requested a Certificate of Completion for the course/certification/bootcamp/bundled package purchased. If a student and/or customer has not logged into a recorded/“live” webinar course or has not requested a Certificate of Completion, the customer is entitled to a full refund (minus a $75 administrative cancellation fee) provided a refund request is received in writing or via e-mail by NAMU® within (5) calendar days from the date of purchase. If a refund is issued to a customer, the customer will not be permitted to purchase any NAMP®/NAMU®/CampusMortgage® product/services from NAMP®/NAMU®/CampusMortgage®, or its affiliate resellers. NOTE: there are no refunds on corporate sponsorship packages that include advertising, “brand awareness” initiatives, email marketing, banner ads, etc. Before purchasing any NAMU® certification program, we recommend you thoroughly read our Refund Policy & Terms of Use.
What are the SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS?
You will need the following: 1) a Computer, 2) Internet, 3) Computer Speakers and 4) Webcam/Microphone. Please check beforehand to make sure these items are working properly.
do i need to get recertified each year?
Yes. You must recertify each year to keep your NAMU® Certification active, and as such, you will have the option each year to renew your NAMU® Certification. If you choose to do so, a $299 recertification charge will apply each year; at which time, you will be required to take a new timed 1-hour online proctored exam. The $299 recertification charge will provide you with 90 days access to an updated version of the required NAMU® Certification training classes conducted by CampusMortgage®. Note: Given the discounted price of recertification, you will NOT have the ability to ask questions directly to the instructors during the 90 days access. Also, the updated version of the required NAMU® Certification training classes conducted by CampusMortgage® typically only contain minor changes from the previous year since mortgage regulations, laws, forms, guidelines, etc. do not necessarily change from year to year.
Can I Ask Questions Directly to the Instructor?
No. We do not permit Students to ask questions directly to the instructors. However, we do include source links within each presentation, so Students can gain further clarity on particular topics and get updates throughout the year on new rule/guidelines changes, etc.
how often do you update course materials?
Yearly. Mortgage regulations & guidelines can change throughout the year. With that said, we make every effort to keep our Students updated and do this in a variety of ways. We start with an annual review of each course to determine if full, partial or no revamping is needed, and will revise the course(s) once a year accordingly. We also include source links within each presentation, so Students throughout the year can get updated on their own. We may also put together a supplemental “update” webinar when a MAJOR rule change occurs. For example, we published an “update” webinar when the DODD/FRANK Act first came into law because the new law required major guideline changes which affected the entire mortgage industry. Finally, we post weekly training videos and articles within our weekly e-newsletter, The Mortgage Standard, which often cover breaking mortgage news & proposed legislative changes.
what happens if I fail a NAMU® Certification exam?
Each NAMU® certification exam is a timed 1-hour open-book online "proctored" (via WebCam) 30-question exam (multiple choice/true & false). You must get 75% or higher to pass the exam. NOTE: you may re-take the exam up to 3 times with a 2-week "cooling off" period in between each failed exam. If you fail the exam three times, you must wait 1 year before you can re-register for the same NAMU® certification program -- the 1-year waiting period will start from the date of the third failed exam.
Do you guarantee I will find a job?
No. Aside from the current state of any given job market, there are many factors that go into a student landing a job after obtaining NAMU® certification — which are out of NAMU®’s control (i.e. a student’s professionalism, interpersonal skills, enthusiasm, employment track record, etc.). With this is mind, we do not provide job placement assistance, nor do we guarantee you will find a job.
How long do i have access to the online training portal & related services?
1-Year. Once a student enrolls, the student will have one year of access to the CampusMortgage® Online Training Portal & related services, which will start from when the student first logs into the CampusMortgage® Online Training Portal — not from date of purchase. This one-year period applies to the webinars, course materials, exams and customer support.
Do I need a webcam for the exam?
Yes. You will need a webcam & microphone for the timed, 1-hour online “proctored” NAMU® certification exam. If you do not have a webcam/microphone, you can purchase one from Amazon for around $10.
How are the Exams Conducted?
Each certification program contains a timed 1-hour 30-question (multiple choice & true/false) online proctored exam — which is administered at the end of the program, once you’ve completed all of your required training classes. You will need a webcam for the exam only and show proof of ID to the proctor at time of exam.
do you offer Job Placement?
No. For those Students who are seeking to find a job within the mortgage industry NAMU® does NOT provide job placement assistance of any kind. Aside from the current state of any given job market, there are many other factors that go into the Student securing a job after obtaining NAMU® Certification — which are out of NAMU®’s control (i.e. the Student’s professionalism, interpersonal skills, enthusiasm, employment track record, etc.). With this is mind, NAMU® does not provide job placement assistance, nor guarantee the Student will find a job.
What are your ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS?
To obtain a NAMU® Certification, the Student must meet the two (2) eligibility requirements set forth by NAMU® (as identified below), provide full payment of the NAMU® Certification fees and follow any other applicable requirements, as outlined in the NAMU® Certification handbook.
Government Issued ID: All Students pursuing NAMU® Certification must have a government issued ID which gets presented to the exam Proctor to verify Student’s identity. Note: NAMU® reserves the right to request additional documentation to verify identity.
Online Accessibility: All Students pursuing NAMU® Certification must have access to a computer (desktop or laptop) with internet access.
Written By: Stacey Sprain
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