About the Program

Become a Certified Student Affairs Educator by joining a group of your peers in the Level Up! Certification Exam Prep Moderated Study Program! This new cohort-based exam prep program for the Certified Student Affairs Educator (CSAEd) core credential includes twelve live, moderated study sessions that cover the testing experience, exam content, recommendations for preparation, and sample questions. 

Through this six-month enhanced exam prep program, you will connect with other prospective certificants, learn from colleagues who have taken and passed the exam, and explore a library of self-paced exam prep resources to brush up on your student affairs knowledge and skills leading up to the exam in the fall. 

Fall Exam Prep Cohort: June 12-November 13, 2024

Exam Period: November 18-December 31, 2024

The Level Up! Certification Exam Prep Moderated Study program is a MEMBER-ONLY RESOURCE available at a rate of $75 for members of ACUHO-I, ACUI, AFA, ASCA, NACA, NASPA, and NIRSA. Participants will need to create a free NASPA account and complete a short registration form in order to access the program, which is hosted in the NASPA Online Learning Community.

Program Content

Live Study Sessions

Not ready to commit to all twelve study sessions? Register separately for the first two sessions (Get Ready to Get Certified! and The Testing Experience) for free before you decide! 

Live study sessions will be held every other week at 3:00pm Eastern Time. Sessions are facilitated by members of the Student Affairs Educator Certification NASPA Advisory Group and cover the following topics:

• June 12: Core Certification Exam Prep: Get Ready to Get Certified!
• June 26: Core Certification Exam Prep: The Testing Experience 
• July 10: Foundations of the Profession
• July 24: Student Learning, Development, and Success
• August 7: Assessment and Evaluation
• August 21: Social Justice and Inclusion
• September 4: Leadership
• September 18: Talent Management
• October 2: Crisis and Risk Management
• October 16: Financial and Facility Management
• October 30: Final study session #1
• November 13: Final study session #2

Sessions will be held in Zoom with opportunities for Q&A and breakout discussions with your fellow cohort members and members of the Student Affairs Educator Certification NASPA Advisory Group. The content presentation portion of each session will also be recorded for on-demand viewing.

Discussion Boards

In addition to the live sessions, you will have access to a discussion board where you can post questions and share resources and study tips outside of the live sessions.

Self-paced Resources

Level Up! Certification Exam Prep Moderated Study also includes access to a library of self-guided exam prep resources. This hub of resources includes study guides, exam information, recommended reading lists, on-demand webinars, past conference presentations and activities, and historical student affairs documents.

Ready to Get Certified?

Live sessions will begin on June 12 at 3:00pm Eastern Time. Access to the self-paced resource library will open on June 3.

Questions? For technical assistance, please reach out to us at virtuallearning@naspa.org. For content-based questions, please email bsupple@naspa.org. 

The Student Affairs Educator Certification Exam Prep Self-Guided Study serves as a one-stop location for self-guided Core Certification exam preparation resources. This hub of resources includes study guides, exam information, recommended reading lists, on-demand webinars, past conference presentations and activities, and historical student affairs documents.

The different sections will guide you through the resources as you prepare for the Student Affairs Educator Certification Exam. Sections 1-2 contain general resources and guidance for exam prep, including tips from individuals who have taken and passed the exam. Sections 3-7 are based on the Student Affairs Educator Certification Domains, with each domain's section containing an on-demand webinar, presentation slides, and resources specific to the domain. Your registration for the Certification Exam Prep Self-Guided Study will give you access to each section, and you may complete them asynchronously, in any order, based on your own exam prep needs.

Section 1: Certification Exam Prep Self-Guided Study: Start Here

This section contains resources to give you an overview and support throughout your exam preparation experience. Resources range from student affair seminal documents to an overview of how the exam works. This section also includes the opportunity to sign up for a self-guided study group and network with others who are preparing for the exam. 

Section 2: Student Affairs Educator Certification Overview

This on-demand webinar focuses on everything you need to know to prepare for the Student Affairs Educator Certification Exam. Joseph DeSanto Jones, executive director of the Higher Education Consortium for Student Affairs Certification, and a panel of certificants who have passed the exam answer questions and walk you through their preparation and exam experience. 

Section 3: Overview of the Student Affairs Educator Certification Domains

This on-demand webinar reviews the eight Student Affairs Educator Certification Domains that form the basis of the Student Affairs Educator Certification Exam. A panel of certificants who have passed the exam answer questions about their preparation through the lens of the domains.

Section 4: Foundations of the Profession domain & Student Learning, Development and Success domain

This on-demand webinar focuses on the first two domains, Foundations of the Profession and Student Learning, Development, and Success. A panel of certificants who have passed the exam answer questions about their preparation through the lens of these domains. In addition to the webinar recording and slides, this section contains resources to help with your preparation in these two domains.

Section 5: Assessment and Evaluation domain & Social Justice and Inclusion domain

This on-demand webinar focuses on the next two domains, Assessment and Evaluation and Social Justice and Inclusion. A panel of certificants who have passed the exam answer questions about their preparation through the lens of these domains. In addition to the webinar recording and slides, this section contains resources to help with your preparation in these two domains.

Section 6: Leadership domain & Talent Management domain

This on-demand webinar focuses on the next two domains, Leadership and Talent Management. A panel of certificants who have passed the exam answer questions about their preparation through the lens of these domains. In addition to the webinar recording and slides, this section contains resources to help with your preparation in these two domains.

Section 7: Crisis and Risk Management domain & Financial and Facility Management domain

This on-demand webinar focuses on the next two domains, Crisis and Risk Management and Financial and Facility Management. A panel of certificants who have passed the exam answer questions about their preparation through the lens of these domains. In addition to the webinar recording and slides, this section contains resources to help with your preparation in these two domains.