What
is the value of having the CAE designation?
Becoming a Certified Association Executive (CAE) means that
you have established a level of excellence within the profession.
It also shows your commitment to your career advancement,
and an ongoing pursuit of knowledge in the association management
profession.
Among association leaders, the CAE designation has become
known and appreciated. It is a mark of distinction that
offers a wide range of benefits. Frequently, advertisements
in Association Management, ASAE's monthly magazine,
require the CEO to have the CAE designation. In a recent
survey, CAEs were asked why they sought the CAE designation.
The four top reasons reported were: professional development,
career planning and pride in work; dedication or seriousness
of purpose about career; personal belief in association
management profession; and self-fulfillment.
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Who offers the program?
The CAE Program was founded in 1960 by the American Society
of Association Executives (ASAE). The program was designed
to elevate professional standards, enhance individual performance,
and designate those who demonstrate knowledge essential
to the practice of association management. The CAE program
is overseen by a CAE Commission, separate from the ASAE
Board of Directors. The CAE Commission has compiled the
content outline for the CAE examination and administers
the exam. They have declared that they are not in the "business
of preparing people for the exam."
The Association Executives of North Carolina and other state
and local allied societies have taken on the role of helping
prepare members to sit for the exam.
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Who
is eligible for the CAE?
In order to sit for the CAE exam:
CEOs must have
- 3 years experience as a CEO plus a bachelor's degree or
higher, or
- 5 years experience as a CEO, if no degree
Staff Specialists must have
- 5 years experience and bachelor's degree or higher, or
- 7 years experience
You must currently be a full-time employee of a trade association,
professional society, philanthropic organization, individual
membership organization or association management company
You must pledge to adhere to the ASAE code of conduct and
have no felony convictions.
You must have 75 hours of professional broad-based association
management professional education within 5 prior years.
Note: Those who would be classified as
association executive members of ASAE are eligible for the
CAE program. Those classified as associate members are not
eligible for the CAE program. AENC has learned that this
includes Directors of Sales in Convention & Visitors
Bureaus. These individuals are not eligible for the CAE
exam.
Qualifying continuing
educational programs would include:
• Continuing education
programs offered by ASAE or its allied societies, or other
associations offering programs related to association or
nonprofit management. Delivery may be by face-to-face, audioconference
(with or without web casting), or online (a)synchronous.
• Video or audiotapes of conferences, workshops, seminars,
or courses are approved provided they include the reactive
discussion that occurred at the activity, and all hand-outs
distributed at the activity are be made available to the
learner.
• Credit hours are given for participation in the
Institute for Organization Management (4.5 days) offered
by the U.S. Chamber of Chamber of Commerce.
• Credit hours are given for participation in the
ASAE Annual Meeting or Winter Conference for the number
of days/half days attended.
• Credit hours are given for participation in Allied
Societies Educational Programs or Conferences.
Hours Approved: 1 hour for each clock hour, up to a maximum
of 3 hours for each ½ day program or 6 hours for
each full day program
Documentation Required in the Case of an Audit: Copy of
the program brochure listing topics and agenda (including
time spent on continuing education versus meals, breaks,
etc.)
Qualifying academic coursework would include:
• Course taken for credit (on association or nonprofit
management) at a U.S. regionally accredited college or university,
regardless of the delivery (e.g., face-to-face, independent
study/ correspondence, online).
Hours Approved: 15 hours per earned semester credit, 14
hours per earned trimester credit, 10 hours per earned quarter
credit.
Examples: A 3-credit semester course would earn 45 hours.
A 2-credit quarter course would earn 20 hours
Documentation Required in the Case of an Audit: Copy of
an official transcript and a course description
Qualifying Learning Groups would include:
• Preplanned group learning activities of in-depth
study of specific topic(s) related to association management
that include a minimum of three participants and provide
for group interaction.
Hours Approved: 1 hour for each clock hour, up to a maximum
of 20 hours for CAE application
Exclusions: Learning groups with all participants from the
same employing organization are not approved for hours.
Documentation Required in the Case of an Audit: Correspondence
identifying group participants, meeting dates, agendas,
topics discussed, and name / contact information of group
organizer
Qualifying Self-Study Programs would include
• Educational materials used for individual, self-paced
study. Examples include audios, videos, CD-ROMs, DVDs, online
asynchronous courses, print-based publications, and any
combinations of these media.
Hours Approved: 1 hour for each clock hour, up to a maximum
of 20 hours for CAE initial application. The hours approved
will be determined by peer reviewers of the individual programs.
Exclusions: All self-study programs must be prior-approved
by the CAE Commission. The Commission will include
a listing of programs as they are approved on the CAE section
of the ASAE web site and in CAE literature. Video or audiotapes
of previously held conferences, workshops, seminars, or
courses are approved under the category of Conferences,
Workshops, Seminars, or Courses and do not need to
be pre-approved.
Documentation Required in the Case of an Audit: Proof of
purchase and/or completion by the self-study provider (receipt,
test scores, etc.)
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What
are the recommended readings?
The CAE Commission's Authoritative Literature presents readings
for the CAE exam, organized by the ten domains of the CAE
exam outline. Most of these resources are available through
the
ASAE bookstore at special member prices. Several resources
contain information applicable to more than one domain,
and thus appear more than once in the Authoritative Literature.
Where possible, specific chapters have been noted to provide
further direction as to the sections applicable to that
specific domain.
The Authoritative Literature
provides a concise yet detailed guide to informative association
management books in key knowledge areas. It serves as a
valuable tool for all association professionals, especially
those preparing for the CAE. For additional professional
development resources and coursework, please contact ASAE
(www.asaenet.org
or 1-888-950-2723).
This list is intended
for use as a study aid only. The CAE Commission does not
intend the list to imply endorsement of these specific references,
nor are the test questions necessarily taken from these
sources.
For a printer friendly version of the authoritative literature,
please click
here.
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When
is the examination?
ASAE offers the examination twice annually-early May and
late November or December. For specific exam dates, contact
AENC at (919) 821-1648 or visit AENC's
certification section. There are various test sites
throughout North Carolina. Contact AENC to find the test
site nearest you or check the website as updates become
available.
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Tell
me about AENC's Study Groups.
Here's what's in store through AENC's Study Groups. Currently,
CAE-led study groups are available for the May and December
CAE exams. The meeting schedule and format change yearly
to accommodate the study group's needs. The frequency, duration,
and length of the study sessions are determined by the participating
registered candidates. The CAE preparation course will keep
you on schedule, increase your chances of passing the exam
and allow you to meet and work with other executives working
on earning the CAE designation. Click
here for information about study leaders in your area.
AENC also has a study guide available for members interested
in taking the exam for $100. Please contact AENC at 919-821-1648
or jim@aencnet.org
for information.
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How much time does
this take?
Due to the revision in the CAE program, it is difficult
to identify exactly how much time is involved. The more
you know about the association management profession, the
less time it will take you to get "up to speed"
in all ten domains.
On the average, it will
take 6-8 hours weekly to review each domain and identify
where you may need to strengthen your skills, get the additional
information, and review it.
You may find you want
to spend time with a CAE mentor. This would certainly be
time well spent to review some areas in which you find you
need extra information. You may also want to schedule some
time with other CAE candidates over the phone to discuss
progress and scenarios.
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How
much does it cost?
A fee of $500 for ASAE members and $700 for nonmembers must
be submitted with your application.
If you not a member of ASAE, it's not too late to join and
be eligible for the lower application fee. Click
here to join now.
• The $500 member/$700 nonmember application fee includes
a $150 non-refundable processing fee if a candidate fails
to meet the eligibility requirements
• Candidates have one calendar year after application
acceptance in which to take the examination the first time
as part of their original application fee, i.e. to take
the exam once during the next 2 test adminstrations without
an added fee. If the candidate does not sit for the exam
within one year (or within 2 test administrations) of application
acceptance, an additional fee of $250 will be charged to
sit for the examination the first time.
• There is a $250 fee to retake the CAE exam.
Rescheduling
and Cancellation Fees
A $25 fee will be charged if, after registering, you cancel
or reschedule with less than two weeks notice, or are a
no-show for the examination. These fees apply each time
you reschedule or cancel.
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How
do I complete the application?
So you've decided to look at the application and start tallying
up your CAE points. Congratulations! Let AENC help you.
The CAE Application documents your qualifying professional
experience, professional development activities and attestation
to uphold ASAE’s Standards of Conduct. All experience
and coursework must be completed at the time the application
is submitted, which is generally three months prior to the
exam date, although applications may be rush processed for
an additional $100 fee up to two months prior to the exam
date. Please note that your application must be received
in the CAE program office by close of business on the listed
date. Download
the application and complete it with legible handwriting
or typing.
If you receive an original
application, please make a photocopy to draft your information
before completing the actual application. Read the application
carefully. Notice that applications may be submitted throughout
the year; however, there are strict guidelines and due dates
for turning in applications to sit for specific tests. Remember
to include your current job description.
When completing continuing
education activities, remember AENC events and organization
peer groups in your field. For example, chances are you
have been involved with an organization of peers in your
type of Association such as the Council of Association Executives
in Higher Education.
Note that the CAE study course is worth 20 points. The CAE
commission reviews these applications and notifies the participants
within eight weeks whether or not they will be eligible
to sit for the exam.
If you are slightly low on points, call the AENC office.
We would be pleased to register you for an upcoming conference.
ASAE imposes deadlines
that should be identified in our schedule. Please note that
these are firm deadlines to take the exam.
If you would like to
review your application with a CAE mentor, call or email
the AENC office and we will team you up with someone.
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CAE FAQ
