Certified Association Executive
Encyclopedia
Certified Association Executive (CAE) is a professional certification
sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives
(ASAE) and the Canadian Society of Association Executives
(CSAE) . Association management
professionals must meet certain educational and experience requirements and pass an examination before the designation is awarded.
. Applicants must have 100 hours of professional education related to association management in the preceding five years. Applicants must also have either three years experience as a chief staff officer or five years in an association staff role. A bachelor's degree or higher is required or, in lieu of a degree, eight additional years of professional work experience. Applicants may not have a felony conviction related to association management and must agree to abide by ASAE policies. Recertification and continuing education are required to maintain the designation.
since 1972. The designation is conferred to candidates who demonstrate mastery of the not-for-profit management competencies, whether by completing the CAE courses and professional examination or by Prior Learning Assessment Review.
To achieve the designation through the PLAR channel you must:
. All courses are delivered online and facilitated by senior Certified Association Executives – seasoned association leaders who provide support and a practical perspective. The courses are structured to reflect activities and processes that typically occur in associations and not-for-profit organizations. Each course contains current references and requires students to submit two assignments based on real-world situations for the organization in which they currently work.
Professional certification
Professional certification, trade certification, or professional designation, often called simply certification or qualification, is a designation earned by a person to assure qualification to perform a job or task...
sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives
American Society of Association Executives
The American Society of Association Executives is the membership organization and voice of the association profession. Founded in 1920 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., ASAE now has more than 22,000 association CEOs, staff professionals, industry partners, and consultant members. ASAE...
(ASAE) and the Canadian Society of Association Executives
Canadian Society of Association Executives
The Canadian Society of Association Executives is a not-for-profit professional membership organization for association executives in Canada and across the globe. There are two types of membership: Executive and Business. Executive members are individuals working in the not-for-profit sector...
(CSAE) . Association management
Association management
There are more than 25,000 national associations and 65,000 local, state or regional associations in the United States. These organizations employ more than 500,000 professionals. They are engaged in the profession of association management....
professionals must meet certain educational and experience requirements and pass an examination before the designation is awarded.
History
The CAE certification was introduced in 1960. It began as an essay exam, but eventually a psychometrically valid multiple-choice exam replaced it. In 2003, the CAE exam underwent a massive reorganization to align the concepts more closely with actual issues faced by association executives.Eligibility
In order to become eligible to sit for the CAE exam, a professional must satisfy educational and experience requirements. At the time they apply to take the exam, an applicant must be employed by an association or an association management companyAssociation management company
An association management company provides management and specialized administrative services to trade associations and professional societies using a for-profit approach that runs not-for-profit associations like businesses....
. Applicants must have 100 hours of professional education related to association management in the preceding five years. Applicants must also have either three years experience as a chief staff officer or five years in an association staff role. A bachelor's degree or higher is required or, in lieu of a degree, eight additional years of professional work experience. Applicants may not have a felony conviction related to association management and must agree to abide by ASAE policies. Recertification and continuing education are required to maintain the designation.
Examination
The CAE exam is a psychometrically valid 200-item multiple choice test that must be completed in four hours. The content of the exam is divided into ten domains (the fraction of the exam from each of the domains is in parentheses):- Strategic Management (13-15%)
- Planning and Research (7-9%)
- Leadership (11-13%)
- Administration (12-14%)
- Knowledge Management (5-7%)
- Governance and Structure (10-12%)
- Public Policy and Government and External Relations (7–9%)
- Membership (10–12%)
- Programs, Products and Services (12–13%)
- Public Relations and External Communications (6–7%)
History
The Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) has certified not-for-profit leaders in the practice of association management in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
since 1972. The designation is conferred to candidates who demonstrate mastery of the not-for-profit management competencies, whether by completing the CAE courses and professional examination or by Prior Learning Assessment Review.
Eligibility
To achieve the designation through the CAE courses you must:- have two years of experience in association management and a university degree or 5 years experience if you do not have a degree
- complete the five Certified Association Executive (CAE) courses
- successfully write the Certified Association Executive (CAE) exam
- be a member of the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE)
- agree to comply with CSAE's Code of Conduct
To achieve the designation through the PLAR channel you must:
- have at least ten years of experience in association management
- submit a portfolio of prior learning for evaluation by a panel of Certified Association Executives
- successfully complete any additional steps the panel requires (e.g. challenging the CAE examination, completion of a CAE course, etc.)
- be a member of the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE)
- agree to comply with CSAE's Code of Conduct
Courses
The CAE program is a series of five graduate-level courses based on the key competencies of association managementAssociation management
There are more than 25,000 national associations and 65,000 local, state or regional associations in the United States. These organizations employ more than 500,000 professionals. They are engaged in the profession of association management....
. All courses are delivered online and facilitated by senior Certified Association Executives – seasoned association leaders who provide support and a practical perspective. The courses are structured to reflect activities and processes that typically occur in associations and not-for-profit organizations. Each course contains current references and requires students to submit two assignments based on real-world situations for the organization in which they currently work.
- CAE 100 - Association Leadership, Change, Strategy & Structure
- CAE 200 - Association Membership Services
- CAE 300 - Association Operations I (Operations Support)
- CAE 400 - Association Operations II (Products & Services)
- CAE 500 - Developments in Association Management