Often, people mistake a certificate of completion with a professional certification. A certificate of completion states that an individual has completed a course and achieved a certain level of success in understanding the principles taught in the course. A professional certification or credential is an objective measure of the level of experience and expertise in the profession as defined by the profession as a whole. Unfortunately, many of our colleagues in the field are not aware of this distinction. Within the realm of testing and credentialing, a professional credential must be developed following rigorous psychometric protocols. These protocols dictate that an educational program, as well as other educational bodies, cannot issue a professional credential upon completion of coursework. For more information regarding this critical difference, see the Certification vs. Certificate of completion section of the website here.
