Why recertify?
You took the time to study for the exam by attending NURAP’s CRA courses, reviewed materials, and quizzed yourself. All that time and hard work paid off because you passed! You’re now officially a CRA! It’s so exciting to have accomplished this goal! Whether you’ve been tracking your continuing education hours or not, after 5 years, you’re probably contemplating recertification. This article will help you decide whether recertification is right for you.
There are several benefits to keeping your CRA certification. For starters, being a Certified Research Administrator (CRA) is a great way to designate your expertise and knowledge about research administration to colleagues, outside institutions and current/future employers. If you’re still working in a related field, it looks great on your signature block in an email or on a resume.
If you’re on the fence about recertifying, this route only requires participation in continuing education and avoids re-taking the exam. It’s also more economical to recertify as opposed to retaking the test should you let the certification expire, recertification currently costs $195 (or $295 for a late application) whereas retaking the exam is $395.
Recertification may be something you know you want, or it might be something you’re still considering. Either way, you’re probably wondering what all is involved so you can make an informed decision. Let’s break this down:
What are the requirements?
The number of contact hours of continuing education needed for recertification is 80. It may sound overwhelming, but when you break it down over 5 years, it’s definitely doable.
Recertification applicants must also include information on their continued participation/ employment in the field, a list of educational activities either taken or taught, and 3 questions for use on a future certification examination.
Recertification application contact hours are accepted on the “honor system” and Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC) will randomly audit 10% of the applications.
Examples of Recertification
Hours can be earned by attending seminars, conferences, classes, or even volunteering for NURAP. Here are some examples of recertification hours
1. By attending conferences such as NCURA or SRA.
2. Participating in pre-award or financial training
3. Presenting pre-award or financial training
4. Being a member of the NURAP Steering committees
What are the due dates?
At the end of each five-year period, recertification will be required to continue to use the CRA® designation.
o For certifications expiring in June, the deadline is May 31
– Late applications are accepted up to august 31
o For certifications expiring in December, the deadline is November 30
– Late applications are accepted up to February 28/29
Are there any resources available?
Of course! You can always reach out to NURAP via Teams or email at nurap@northwestern.edu. Also, check out these links:
o 2020-recert_tracking-template.xlsx (live.com)
o RACC_Contact-Hours_Tracking_Log_GeneralAndSpecialty1.xls (live.com)
o https://cra-cert.org/recertification/
By: NURAP Continuing Education Subcommittee