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Read
how one new member prepared for the examination in the article "Encouragement from a New Member."
"Archival
certification
is one of the key measurements
I use in evaluating the professional credentials of candidates for archival
positions in my department. Individuals who have sought and obtained the
CA designation demonstrate a commitment to the highest standards of the
archival profession."
Philip F. Mooney
Director,
Archives Department
The Coca-Cola Company
Learn how the
Academy creates each year's examination.
Learn
what a psychometrician does and how the Academy's psychometrician maintains
the examination in the article "How the
Exam is Developed and Evaluated."
Main Entry: psy·cho·me·tri·cian
Pronunciation: -m&-'tri-sh&n
Function: noun
Date: circa 1939
1 : a person (as a clinical psychologist) who is skilled in
the administration and interpretation of objective psychological tests
2 : a psychologist who devises, constructs, and standardizes
psychometric tests
Recertification
is one of the more important benefits of becoming a Certified Archivist,
because it is the archival profession's only system for recognizing your
continuing education and professional development efforts.
Read
a new member's view of the "real benefits" of archival
certification. The answer may surprise you.
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It is
a common misconception that becoming a Certified Archivist only involves passing a test. In fact, passing the archival certification
examination is one of three requirements candidates must
meet.
-
Applicants
must meet defined educational standards.
-
They
must meet defined levels of professional experience.
-
They
must pass the archival certification examination.
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When and where is the examination offered?
The Academy offers the examination in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Society of American Archivists. Simultaneously, the Academy holds the examination at several announced sites and at petitioned sites. Through the Academy’s You Pick Your Site program candidates may petition to hold the certification examination in additional cities of their choice (it
was held in 13 locations in 2005!).
The 2008
archival certification examination will be held in:
- San Francisco, CA
- St. Louis, MO
- Buffalo, NY
- Nashville, TN
- Salt Lake City, UT
and "You
Pick Your Site" locations around the world.
Applications must be postmarked no later than May 15 in the year of the exam..
How do you qualify to sit for the certification examination?
- Although advanced graduate archival education opportunities are increasing, applicants for certification still have several options in qualifying for the examination. Go to Section 2 in the ACA
Handbook for further information on the options, the application process, and fees.
- If you
have any questions about qualifying for the examination, please do not
hesitate to contact our Regent for Examination
Administration.
Do I need to have a master’s degree in order to take the certification exam? If so, why?
-
Yes, you must have completed a master’s degree by August 31st of the year in which you plan to take the exam. This was not always the case. The ACA decided to phase out the “petition for exception” process in 2003, making 2005 the last year one could apply to take the exam without having a master’s degree. The board decided to drop this option because most professional archival positions required the master’s at the entry level. All professions are requiring more education because of the knowledge explosion, and archives is no exception.
What does certification cost?
-
The application fee is US$50. Because the fee covers only a
portion of the expenses for processing the applications, we regret we
cannot refund it if the applicant does not qualify to take the
examination.
-
Persons who pass the examination and demonstrate the necessary
qualifying experience then pay a certification fee of US$150. Under the
"provisional membership" program, applicants have three years
in which to obtain one year of full-time professional qualifying
experience, and the certification fee is not due until after
applicants earn their qualifying experience.
-
Once you pay the certification fee and become a Certified
Archivist, annual dues of US$50 are payable starting June 1 of the
following year.
Therefore...
... you do not have to pay professional fees and dues until you have had
three years to find professional employment.
How do you study for the examination?
When will you receive your test results?
-
The test is scored by a professional testing expert and will be
reported approximately eight weeks after you take the examination. While
this may seem like an unusually long grading period for a computer
graded exam, the Academy and its members need to be assured that the
test has not only been graded for individual performance but also that
the test itself has been graded. This complicated process ensures
fairness, test worthiness and credibility of the examination.
- In
addition to the information found in the ACA
Handbook, the process of developing and evaluating the examination
is described further by ACA’s psychometrician in the article How the Exam is Developed and Evaluated
in the July 1999 News Highlights.
What if you do not pass the examination?
- While
most persons pass the test, it is not uncommon to take it more than once
before passing. To make retaking the examination as simple as possible, all
you need to do is return the shortened "renewal application"
along with the test fee. The Academy does not require persons
retaking the exam to resubmit job descriptions, evidence of degrees, or
the like.
- The
Academy never releases the names of persons who did not pass the
examination. Your privacy is very important to us.
- Even if you do not
pass the test, having the self-confidence to take it shows that you are
someone to take seriously.
Personal initiative is one of the traits employers seek most. Therefore,
you may want to mention in job interviews that you took the exam, didn't
pass, plan to take it again, and why you think it is important to take
it again.
What employer could fail to be impressed by the career planning,
professional commitment, self-confidence, and personal initiative that
expresses?
- A member
who took the examination three times describes why she thought it
important to keep trying and how she studied each time in the article
"Certification by Examination"
in the December 1998 News Highlights.
How long is the certification period?
Certification
is for a period of five years, after which recertification
is required. "Recertification"
does not mean retaking the test. Instead, it is shorthand for the same
procedure other certifying bodies more commonly call "certification
maintenance."
Certification
maintenance rewards archivists for keeping current with developments in
their field. Using the honor system, members list on a form (called a
"petition") their professional development and continuing
education activities during the previous five years. Recertification by
petition is one of the more important benefits of becoming a Certified
Archivist, because it is the archival profession's only system for
recognizing the continuing education and professional development activities
in which archivists routinely participate, such as attending professional
meetings, serving on committees, giving papers, and attending
workshops.
However, members who
prefer may recertify by simply taking the archival certification examination
again. Many archivists prefer to recertify by examination because:
- circumstances may
make it difficult for them to participate in professional activities;
- taking the test is
faster and simpler than filling out the certification maintenance
petition;
- or they wish to
take advantage of the very important self-evaluation benefits of taking
the test.
Whether
you choose to maintain your certification by petition or exam, there is
never a recertification fee.
How does the Academy recognize new members?
- Each year’s
class is listed in the final edition of that year’s newsletter.
- New Members are also listed on the
Academy’s website.
- A roll
call of the newest class is called at the Academy’s annual meeting.
This is held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Society of
American Archivists. New members are encouraged to attend this meeting
so they may stand and be recognized for their achievement.
- The
Academy's annual meeting is also an excellent opportunity to meet our
officers, the other members of your class, and other Certified
Archivists. We hope you will be able to attend and look forward to
seeing you there.
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