NCBELS - CPC FAQ

Frequently Asked CPC Questions - Determination of Credit

Q. What types of activities are acceptable for CPC credit?

A. In order for a continuing education course or activity to meet the Continuing Professional Competency requirements it must have a clear purpose and objective which will maintain, improve, and expand the skills and knowledge relevant to the licensee’s field of practice.

To uniformly interpret the requirements and provide guidance to licensees, the following attributes serve as indicators that a course or activity complies with the CPC Rules adopted by the Board: (While not all of these attributes are necessary to show compliance, there is little question that the intent of the Rules are met if all are met.)

1. The course or activity is taken through an “Approved Sponsor.”

2. The licensee can substantiate that the course or activity has maintained, improved and expanded their skills and knowledge relevant to their field of practice.

3. The activity will enhance the licensee’s ability to provide engineering/surveying services in a professional and competent manner and better protect the health, safety and welfare of the public.

4. The subject matter of the course or activity is related to the licensee’s professional practice.

5. The course or activity is aimed at engineers/surveyors and is of a technical nature.

6. Completing courses, seminars, instruction, in-house programs, or training of engineering/surveying content that relate to the licensee’s field of practice.

7. Attending a technical or professional society meeting when an engineering/surveying topic is presented.

8. Except for full-time faculty, teaching a course related to professional practice for the first time or teaching of a course previously taught if substantial time was spent in updating material.

9. Completing advanced computer courses to be used in professional practice.

10. Completing Internet based, correspondence, televised and audiotape engineering/surveying courses where an examination is required at the end of the course.

11. Completing college courses related to the licensee’s field of practice.

12. Authoring published papers, articles, or books related to the licensee’s field of practice.

13. Active participation in professional or technical societies, when the licensee was an officer or actively participated in a committee of the organization.

14. Patents

15. Authoring exam questions accepted for use on the engineering of surveying examinations.

The Board has final authority with respect to approval of courses, sponsors credit, PDH value for courses, and other methods of earning credit.

Q. What are some examples of courses/activities that present potential problems in qualifying for CPC credit?

· Business (unrelated to the practice of engineering/surveying)

· Accounting

· General office management

· Leadership

· Continuing education related to other licenses, professions and trades (e.g. real estate, home inspector, contractor, etc.) unless clearly applicable to engineering/surveying

Q. What types of courses or activities are not acceptable for CPC credit?
A.

· Executive Coaching

· Estate or financial planning

· Basic computer/software (e.g. Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.)

· Sight-seeing and tours

· Visiting vendor/exhibitor displays

· Sales presentations or sales seminars (e.g. increasing sales, maximizing profitability, marketing, etc.)

· Language

· Self-study

· Personal improvement

· General business meetings

· Real estate licensing or real estate development courses

· Regular employment activities

· Research

· Company procedure and policy workshops

Q. Do online courses qualify for CPC credit?

A. Yes, online courses do qualify for CPC credit as long as there is some record from the organization of your attendance and an examination is administered at the conclusion of the course.

Q. Do I have to take courses from sponsors approved by the Board?

A. You can attend courses/activities offered by non-sponsors as long programs contain a clear purpose and objective, and result in the maintenance, improvement, and expansion of skills and knowledge relevant to the licensee’s field of practice.

Q. What is the benefit of taking courses from sponsors that are approved by the Board?

A. The Board approves CPC sponsors that have provided detailed information regarding the instructor’s qualifications and sample course/activity content. This information is reviewed to insure that the sponsor understands and will comply with the CPC Rules adopted by the Board.

Q. Does the Board pre-approve courses?

A. No, the Board does not pre-approve courses.

Q. I’m a dual licensee do I need to get 15 PDHs for each profession?

A. Dual licensees are required to obtain a minimum of one-third of the total PDH requirement in each field. The remaining one-third requirement may be obtained in either field at the sole discretion of the licensee.

Q. What is the conversion of other units of credit to PDHs?

A.

1 College or unit semester hour
45PDH

1 College or unit quarter hour
30PDH

1 Continuing Education Unit
10 PDH

1 Contact hour of professional development in course work, seminars, or professional or technical presentations made at meetings, conventions or conferences. Contact hours equal the actual time of instruction and shall be credited to the nearest one-third of an hour.
1 PDH

For teaching in the preceding items, PDH credits are doubled. Teaching credit is valid for teaching a course of seminar for the first time only. Teaching credit does not apply to full-time faculty, as defined by the institution where a licensee is teaching.

Each published paper, article or book.
10 PDH

Active participation in professional and technical society. (Each organization)
2 PDH

Each patent 10 PDH

Each exam question used 2 PDH