International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)

CEU Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide consistent, clear guidelines that can be applied by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) Education Committee when determining whether to approve or deny Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

Eligibility for CEUs

CEUs may be granted to the following types of educational events herein referred to as “course/seminar”:

• Academic classes (offered by an accredited academic institution, usually a college or university)
• Tele-classes (both live and taped)
• Online classes
• Seminars (live – not videotaped)
• Learning Course
• Workshops

CEUs will only be granted to course/seminars whose content covers one (1) or more of the current Core Competencies for which the applicant is seeking CEUs. Course/seminar content must be based on current, scientifically valid principles. The IAABC reserves the right to request additional information regarding the validity of the content. Additionally, professional development courses/seminars that fall outside the Core Competencies, but meet all other CEU requirements are allowed. These Professional Development CEUs are limited to six (6) per recertification period.

Alternative Methods for Acquiring CEUs

• Presenting a course/seminar that meets the subject matter and scientific qualifications outlined above. Animal training classes regularly offered to the general public as part of a Member’s animal training and/or behavior consulting business do not qualify for CEUs.
• Authoring an article published in an animal industry or peer-reviewed publication which meets the subject matter and scientific qualifications described above. An animal industry publication is defined by The IAABC as the distribution of printed or electronic reproductions by an industry organization for sale to the public or as a benefit of paid membership.

Calculation of CEUs

The following will receive 1.0 CEU per hour of instruction/participation:

• All auditing or non-working participants in live animal hands-on courses/seminars.
• Courses/seminars that do not include hands-on work with a live animal.
• Professional development course/seminars.

LIMITATIONS:

• All multi-speaker courses/seminars lasting more than three (3) days in length will not be granted more than 30 CEUs.
• All single-speaker courses/seminars regardless of length will not be granted more than 21 CEUs.
• Members may use no more than 21 CEUs per presenter, per recertification period. This limit does not apply to multi-speaker courses/seminars.

The following will receive 1.5 CEUs per hour of instruction:
Hands-on or Working Participants in a live animal, hands-on course/seminar.

Limitations

• Multi-speaker courses/seminars lasting more than three (3) days in length will not be granted more than 30 CEUs.
• Single-speaker courses/seminars regardless of length will not be granted more than 21 CEUs.
• Members may use no more than 21 CEUs per presenter, per recertification period, unless as part of a mullti-speaker course or seminar.
• To earn CEUs as a Presenter, presenters may apply and receive CEUs only once per presentation, per certification period regardless of the number of times they may present the same presentation within that certification period.

To earn CEUs as a Presenter, presenters may apply and receive CEUs only once per presentation, per certification period regardless of the number of times they may present the same presentation within that certification period.

The following will receive 2.0 CEUs:
Authoring an article in any animal industry or peer reviewed publication.

LIMITATIONS:

An author may only request CEUs once per article regardless of the number of publications in which it was published.

Book Authorship and CEU’s:

12 CEUs may be earned for a book whose target audience is other animal behavior professionals. 8 CEUs may be earned for a book aimed at the general public. No more than 21 CEUs can come from a single source or presenter (as currently stated in the CEU policy). No more than half of CEUs earned (18 CEUs) can come from a consultant’s own work, for either presenting seminars, lectures, etc., or authoring a book.

Verification of Attendance

Who may request CEUs:
An individual or organization hosting a course/seminar (“Host”) may request CEUs prior to the date of the course/seminar.
If the Host did not request CEUs, a Member may request CEUs for a course/seminar they attend.

Hosts will provide to attendees a pre-approved course/seminar "event code" that IAABC members enter into their user accounts. Attendees should also receive an official Approved CEU Form provided by IAABC that should include the IAABC logo, host name, presenter/seminar name, course/seminar date and location, and participant name. A Host signature is also required. We recommend that such forms be provided within the final three (3) hours of the course/seminar in order to prevent attendance fraud.

For webinars, teleclasses, or online courses/seminars (whether live or previously recorded), Hosts shall give two (2) code words to verify attendance. The first word should be given in the first fifteen (15) minutes of the course/seminar. The second word should be given in the last fifteen (15) minutes of the course/seminar. Participants must submit the code words correctly to the Host for verification of attendance. After such proof has been received, the Host may provide Members with their Approved CEU Form.

For webinars, teleclasses or online courses/seminars that are live, Hosts may take attendance during the first and last fifteen (15) minutes of the course/seminar to verify attendance. Hosts may also submit alternative methods for verification of attendance to The IAABC before the course/seminar.

When applying individually for CEUs, Members must provide a receipt for the course/seminar or other information that provides proof of attendance.

How to request CEUs:
Anyone requesting CEUs must submit their request on the CEU Request Form as found on the IAABC website

Appeal for Denied CEUs:
In the event that a CEU application is denied, the applicant may appeal to the IAABC Board of Directors at info@iaabc.org. The applicant must submit evidence and information in support of the application in writing to support the appeal. The IAABC Board of Directors may, at its sole discretion, request additional information prior to ruling on the appeal. Approval of an appeal requires a 2/3 majority to pass. If the appeal is not granted by the IAABC Board of Directors, the applicant may not reapply for CEUs for the same course/seminar unless the course/seminar content has been significantly altered.