Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common questions we get asked almost daily regarding attending our school.
Q: I am looking for Arizona Food Safety, Liquor Law, Process Server, Security Training, Discovery Detective Academy... have I reached the right company?
A: Yes. Discovery is our main company name so that is how we answer the phones. All divisions are run and branded separately to fit their licensing and industry requirements. You can go to their individual websites by clicking on their links from our home page. Each site has their industry specific links and Q & A, and all sites share the same interactive class calendar and shopping cart for ordering and choosing a class date.
Q: What are the days and class times of the Professional Investigator Master Course and Modules?
A: We meet Tu - W - Th from 8:30 am - 2:00 pm AZ time.
Q: What is the school address?
A: Our school is located at 7418 E Helm Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85260.
Q: What if I lose my certification or CE certificate?
A: We keep a copy for up to three years on all compliance courses, so we can send you a copy if you lose or misplace it. We charge a convenience fee of $5, so we recommend that you make an extra copy or keep it somewhere safe.
Q: How far is Scottsdale to other cities like Phoenix?
A: Scottsdale is in the greater Phoenix valley consisting of many cities that have grown together in Maricopa County. We are located on the NE side of the valley, close to the freeway system loop so within 40 minutes of anywhere in the valley. Cities we are close to include: Apache Junction, Mesa, Tempe, Phoenix, Good Year, Buckeye, Paradise Valley, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Sun City, North Phoenix, Cave Creek, Care Free, Anthem, Desert Hills...
Q: What is a live Virtual Classroom?
A: It is the next best thing to attending a class in-classroom. Join a class live from anywhere with a strong internet connection, webcam & microphone. Interact in real time with your instructor and other classmates that are online and in the classroom. We have webcams on the instructor and the students in the classroom. We have had virtual students ( to name a few) join from Tucson, Flagstaff, Wilcox, Michigan, Indiana, Florida, California, New York...The best thing is joining us virtually counts as in classroom for certifications and training programs that do not count traditional online courses.
Q: What classes are available virtually?
A: Most classes are available virtually. We charge $30 additional for first time virtual students to help get them logged in and their equipment tested prior to the class. When ordering on our shopping cart, pick the class and date you want, then add virtual to your order prior to checking out.
Q: If I attend a course virtually what time will I attend class?
A: Since you will be joining our live classroom in real time, if you live in a different time zone your actual class hours or days will need to be adjusted to match your time zone. Note: AZ time does not have daylight savings, which means spring - fall we are in PST and fall - winter we are on MST. Please take this into consideration when planning to attend as a virtual on-line student.
Q: If I am only coming down for a few days to take a course where can I stay?
A: We have special rates with an all suites business hotel around the block from our school - Thunderbird Suites located at 7515 East Butherus, Scottsdale, AZ 85260. To make a reservation call 800-951-1288 or go online to http://thunderbirdsuiteshotel.com/and please tell them you are attending Discovery Detective Academy to get the special rate. Rates are from $68 - $120 depending on the season. They also have a free shuttle to take you to and from anywhere within 5 miles of the hotel, though major shopping and restaurants are just a couple of blocks away. North Scottsdale is both a resort and business center, so you can take a little extra time to relax and shop. There are over 15 golf courses within a seven mile radius of the school and we are one block to the Scottsdale Quarters and Kierland Commons.
Q: Is there public transportation to the school?
A: Yes. We are 1 block off the bus line. Call ADOT to find out your best route.
Q: I want to move close to the school to attend the traditional classroom. Do you have housing?
A: No, but if you are coming from out of town, we may be able to help. Although, we do not have our own student housing, we can make recommendations and assist with which areas may be a good choice.
Q: What holidays are you closed during the school year?
A: Discovery is closed all legal holidays + 1 day, and takes off two weeks for winter holiday and up to one week for spring break.
Q: What is the age range of students at Discovery?
A: Our student body runs the gamut of ages from high school grads to octogenarians.
Q Can courses be funded by government or private vocational re-training programs?<
A: Yes, most courses are eligible for funding from most city, county, state, & federal retraining and vocational rehabilitation programs, as well as the Montgomery GI bill for qualified veterans.
Q: Do you have private funding options?
A: For students who do not qualify for training dollars and can not pay the tuition up front, we carry our own student financing to meet most student’s needs. We have payment plans ranging from no interest if paid within 7 months or a loan with up to 24 payments. We do not finance or extend payments for courses that are less than two weeks long.