Routes to Certification
Individuals, who apply for Certification, are required to pass an exam. Exam questions are based on topic areas directly related to the skills and knowledge required for a specific category. Exams will test the comprehension of topics central or mainstream to the candidate's daily professional practice. Questions may be in the form of multiple choice, fill in the blank or True/False.
Acquiring Certification
Complete the online PRC application and applicable fees. Candidates applying for PRC must satisfy the educational and practical requirements established by the Certification Board. Please review the Eligibility Criteria for more details.
- Payments will include an application fee and an exam fee. You must include your application fees with your application. Application fees are non-refundable. Applications will be reviewed for eligibility by the administrator. All information provided to MRA is confidential, kept secure and used for the sole purpose of the certification process.
- You must submit the Certification application at least eight weeks prior to your preferred exam date.
- Please allow four to six weeks for processing. Upon approval, notification will be sent via email along with your PRC exam registration form.
If you meet all criteria, an exam registration form and the appropriate exam fee must be submitted two weeks prior to your preferred exam date. You will have one calendar year after application acceptance in which to take the examination.
Maintaining Your Certification
Once you have acquired Professional Researcher Certification for your current position, you will be expected to demonstrate ongoing professional commitment to the field by earning Contact Hours in your discipline. A contact hour is one clock hour of interaction in a structured educational and/or training environment for personal or professional development in which participants are assumed to have previously attained a basic level of education, training, or experience. It is also used to describe education and/or training beyond the basic education, training, or experience required for a license, certification, degree, or beyond the entry-level position of a job. Contact hours involve your attendance at such a program and proof thereof.
Advancing to the Next Level - Earning Contact Hours
Individuals who have earned Certification in their current position and who wish to work toward advancement to the next level are required to satisfy all of their Contact Hour requirements for their current level, and pass an exam in the advanced discipline. An individual must provide notice of their intention to work toward advancement and provide documentation of their earnings throughout the process.