IABC ACCREDITATION
Why should you go for the ABC?
If you are an established professional communicator, IABC’s accreditation program enables you to gauge your career progress in the field of organizational communication against that of recognized experts in the field.
The accreditation program is aimed at the skills-practicing manager or the person who has developed the well-rounded professional expertise to move into communication management. Earning your IABC accreditation demonstrates to your fellow communicators, to present or prospective employers and clients, and (perhaps most importantly) to yourself, that you have attained this important milestone in professional development.
The ABC designation recognizes personal and professional achievement. Each year, the value of accreditation as a measure of professional accomplishment becomes more evident to placement firms, communication managers and others who make hiring decisions.
Many candidates find that the accreditation process itself is highly valuable - the application, qualification, which involves preparing a portfolio, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses, and reviewing the principles and practices of organizational communication.
You are a candidate for accreditation if you are a professional communicator with a minimum of five years of experience in the profession and a bachelor’s degree, or a total of nine years of combined post-secondary education and/or experience.
Full-time experience Degree or years of
post-secondary education
Nine years None
Eight years One year
Seven years Associates of Arts
degree/two years
Six years Three years
Five years Bachelor’s degree or higher
You must also have a reputation for abiding by the principles of accuracy, truthfulness, sensitivity and IABC’s Code of Ethics for Professional Communicators.
For more information, visit the Accreditation Section of the IABC International web site. If you have questions, want advice, or are interested in being mentored as you work your way through the accreditation process, feel free to contact our Vice President of Educational Relations, Dan Hicks, ABC, at 502.587.0348 or idahomissed@bellsouth.net.
IABC Accreditation Offers Group Discount
Do you have members who are considering accreditation but need a little push? Make it a group effort! The Accreditation Partnership program offers discounts on accreditation fees and select resources for communicators who undertake the accreditation process as a group. The accreditation program welcomes groups from corporations, agencies, universities, IABC chapters or anywhere you can find five or more people who meet the entry requirements. Save from 10% up to 45% off the accreditation entry fee depending on the size of the group.
The New Accreditation Forum- Now Online
IABC accreditation is a journey that is marked by dozens of questions and as many experiences as there are accredited professionals. The Accreditation Council invites you to join our dialogue so that our accredited colleagues can smooth your journey to accreditation through some navigational markers.
Come visit the new Accreditation forum today. It’s open to all questions and comments regarding IABC accreditation.
Still not convinced this is for you? Then be sure to read:
The ABC’s of Accreditation
by Anne Dullaghan
ABC: More Than Just Another Designation
by Scott H. Cytron, ABC
Why Consider Accreditation?
by Michael Deas, ABC