Certification FAQS
Certificate (for example, Strategies For Public Sector HR Leaders Certificate Program)
- Result of an educational process
- For newcomers and experienced professionals
- Indicates completion of a course or series of courses with a particular focus
- Course content set through academic process
- Demonstrates knowledge of course content
Certification (for example, PSHRA-CP or PSHRA SCP)
- Result of an assessment process
- Typically requires experience
- Indicates mastery/competency measured against a standard – usually by exam
- Standards set through an industry-wide process
- Typically results in a designation to use after one’s name (CPA, SPHR, PMP)
- Often has ongoing training requirement (C.E.U.s)
Taking the Exam
Your exam window is 14 days from the time you pay for your exam registration fee.
You can register at any time, so we recommend you not register until you are ready to take the exam.
Exam registration fees are non-refundable.
Recertification FAQS
To provide greater flexibility, we are transitioning from a fixed December 31st renewal date to an anniversary-style renewal date.
This change means that your certification renewal date will now be based on the anniversary of when you initially earned your certification.
We understand that transitioning to this new system may require some adjustments. Therefore, we are providing additional time to recertify in order to accommodate these changes.
As an example, if you obtained your initial certification on August 1, 2023, your new renewal date will be August 1, 2027, instead of December 31, 2026. After this initial renewal, you will continue with our standard three-year renewal cycle, making your subsequent renewal date August 1, 2030.