Association for the Coaching and Tutoring Profession
Certifications
The ACTP offers different certification pathways for academic coaches and tutors to assist in professional development and innovative practices for our members.
Tutoring Certifications
Tutor and Tutor Trainer certifications provide guidelines with which to explore the philosophy and application of tutoring. The ACTP certification demonstrates that individuals have engaged in developing skills and strategies aligned with best practices. Practical tutoring and training skills, a professional practice, and knowledge of underlying theory all support facilitation of learning for students and tutors.
Coaching Certifications
Academic Coach and Peering Coaching Program Certifications provide individuals and institutions with topics and guidelines to form the foundational knowledge needed to be successful in the field. Training topics for all certifications are centered around the five core competencies of coaching: Fundementals, Screening and Orientation, Approaches for Individuals, Assessments, and Ethical and Professional practices.
Select Your Certification Interest to find out more
Tutor Certifications
Tutor certification requirements include tutor experience, training and recommendations. Tutor training topics are aligned with best practices, and include not only a focus on practical skills, but professional practice and underlying theory, which provide a basis for ongoing independent development and learning.
The ACTP certification demonstrates to students, staff, faculty, parents, and university officials the recipient has:
- Met standardized training requirements
- Obtained practical tutoring experience
- Demonstrated application of tutoring skills
- Awareness of professional and ethical practices
- Commitment to continuing education and dedication to the tutoring field
ACTP offers three levels of certification
Level I – Apprentice Tutor requirements provide opportunities to develop an understanding of foundational principles, theories and ethics for a collaborative tutor practice, and core skills to facilitate a successful tutorial.
Apprentice Tutor
Requirements-
10 Hours of Training
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25 Hours of Experience
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1 Recommendation Letter
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ACTP Membership
Level II – Advanced Tutor requirements provide opportunities for more in-depth exploration of theories and principles that can inform strategies and approaches to meet the specific needs of the tutee and promote independent learning.Â
Advanced Tutor
Requirements-
20 Hours of Training
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50 Hours of Experience
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1 Recommendation Letter
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ACTP Membership
Level – III Master Tutor requirements provide opportunities for advanced understanding, and ability to apply theories, skills and knowledge in a specialized area.
Master Tutor
Requirements-
30 Hours of Training
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75 Hours of Experience
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2 Recommendation Letters
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ACTP Membership
Recertification for all levels requires an additional 5 hours of training and 10 hours of experience
Qualifying
Activities
and Documentation
Training
Each level of certification requires 10 hours of training in three areas: Professional Practice, Theory & Domains, Practical Application. Acceptable training documentation includes: Attendance/completion certificates, transcript, or other documentation of content and hours for courses, trainings, seminars, webinars, workshops or ACTP Annual Conference session attendance.
Tutoring Experience
Each level of certification requires 25 hours of tutoring contact with tutees.Acceptable tutoring experience documentation includes: Tutor logs, center scheduling reports, or other documentation of hours for individual, group or synchronous online tutoring, or in-class tutoring assistance
Recommendations
Each level of certification requires letter(s) of recommendation speaking to the tutor's capabilities and experience. Acceptable reference(s) include: A supervisor, ACTP Tutor Trainer, or other individual that has trained/observed/ supervised you and your tutoring practice.
Certification Process
Ready to Apply?
Click the button below to begin the application process today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Each application will be reviewed by 3 ACTP certified Master Tutor Trainers and/or the ACTP tutor certification coordinator.Â
The certification for all levels is valid for a 3-year period.Â
The certification process requires logging into our member area. If you need help retrieving your log in credentials, please go here.
Recertifications should be submitted 3 – 6 months before the expiration of your current certification.Â
Recertifications will be accepted up to 3 months after the expiration of the current certification. In this instance, the effective date of the recertification will be retroactive to uninterrupted certification status.
Yes, however, all prior level certification requirements must be met and documentation submitted
Individuals may apply for a higher level of certification at any time during an active certification period.
The new certification level will be valid for 3 years.
If you have questions about the certification process or need clarification, please contact us.
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Alternatively, if you plan on attending our Annual ACTP Conference, there are a couple of opportunities to learn more about and assist you in the certification process. A session to learn more about requirements and documentation is always scheduled during the conference. In addition, there will be additional opportunities to consult one-on-one with a certification committee member.
Training Topics
*indicates a required topic
Tutor Certification Chair
Tutor Trainer Certificates
We offer two levels of certification
Tutor Trainer certification requirements include tutoring and training experiences, professional development, and recommendations (recommendation letters are not required for recertification within a year of prior certification end date). Tutor Trainer professional development topics are aligned with best practices and include not only a focus on practical skills, but professional practice and underlying theory, which provides a basis for ongoing independent development and learning.
Level I – Associate Tutor Trainer requirements provide opportunities to learn skills and knowledge that allow for the facilitation of engaging, effective training, and to effectively coordinate tutors and tutoring programs.
Level II – Master Tutor Trainer requirements provide opportunities to delve deeper, apply theory and pedagogy, develop and facilitate engaging, effective training and training programs.
Tutor Trainer Certification Requirements
Qualifying Activities and Documentation
Training Conducted
Tutoring Experience
ContinuingEducationCredits
Recommendations
ACTP Membership
CertificationFees
Steps to Certification
CEU Topics
Frequently Asked Questions
Continuing Education Units (CEU)
Examples of CEUs include conference workshops acquired at the ACTP annual conference, CRLA, NCLCA, NADE or other applicable conferences including state and local events. CEUs may include training or sessions attended at the home institution but must be approved by the ACTP certification committee. Please provide documentation of session attendance with certificates or copies of agendas or conference programs.
Each application will be reviewed by 3 ACTP certified Master Tutor Trainers and/or the ACTP tutor certification coordinator.Â
The certification for all levels is valid for a 3-year period. During this time, individual may submit higher level certifications which will restart the 3-year timeline.
The certification process requires logging into our member area. If you need help retrieving your log in credentials, please go here.
If you have questions about the certification process or need clarification, please contact us.
Â
Alternatively, if you plan on attending our Annual ACTP Conference, there are a couple of opportunities to learn more about and assist you in the certification process. A session to learn more about requirements and documentation is always scheduled during the conference. In addition, there will be additional opportunities to consult one-on-one with a certification committee member.
Ready to Apply?
Click the button below to begin the application process today!
Tutor Certification Chair
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Academic Coach Certification
ACTP certifies professional coaches who wish to expand expertise in academic coaching. The certification exemplifies a higher standard among professional coaches in higher education. Certificate completion indicates an academic coach has met a level of expertise otherwise not noted.
The ACTP certification demonstrates to students, staff, faculty, parents and university officials the coach has:
- Met educational and training requirements
- Obtained experience in the field of coaching
- Gained noteworthy training from experienced professionals
- Accountability to an enforceable ethics code
- Commitment to continuing education and dedication to the coaching field
Academic Coach Certification Requirements
Requirement Details
Click a topic to learn more.
Hours of Training
Certification requires 30 hours of training at the annual ACTP Institute
Hours of Experience
Coaching can take a variety of forms: individual, group, or online. </br></br>Hours must be in a professional setting, logged, and signed off by a supervisor.
Supervisor Recommendations
Two letters of recommendation are required.</br></br>1) A letter from a direct supervisor.</br></br>2) An individual with first-hand knowledge or observation of your coaching in practice.
ACTP Membership
ACTP Membership is acquired through one of two methods:</br></br>1) Attendance at the yearly conference confers membership for one year from the conference date.</br>2) Membership can be purchased directly through our membership page.
Hours ofTraining
Hours of Experience
Supervisor Recommendations
ACTP Membership
CertificationFees
Steps to Certification
Academic Coaching Competiencies
The ACTP’s Core Competencies were developed to support greater understanding about the skills and approaches used to support academic coaching and current best practices. Â
These competencies and the ACTP’s definition of coaching were used as the foundation for the development of the competency grid. The ACTP defines coaching as a working alliance with students in a manner that supports their academic and life success. The Competencies are grouped into five clusters and are weighted based on the percent of hours a certified coach requires.
Training Topics
- The difference between counseling, coaching, and mentoring
- Coaching Foundation
- Five Habits
- 7 Pillars
- Emotional Intelligence
- Arthur Chickering
- Ethics
- Partnership Roles
- Informed Consent
- Cognitive Behaviorism
- Appreciative Inquiry
- Solutions-Focused Coaching
- OSKAR
- Positive Psychology
- Disarm – Recognizing the importance of first impressions, create a safe, welcoming environment for students.Â
- Discover – Utilize positive open-ended questions to draw out what they enjoy doing, their strengths, and their passions. Listen to each answer carefully before asking the next positive question.Â
- Dream – Help students formulate a vision of what they might become, and then assist them in developing their life and career goals.Â
- Design – Help students devise concrete, incremental, and achievable goalsÂ
- Deliver – The students follows through on their plans. The advisor is there for them when they stumble, believing in them every step of the way and helping them continue to update and refine their dreams as they go.Â
- Don’t Settle – The advisor challenges the student to proactively raise the student’s internal bar of self-expectations
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- Confidentiality
- Code of Ethics
- Documentation
- Tracking
- Profession Development
- Coaches Self-Assessment
- Student/Coach Assessment
- Outcomes
- Building Trust
- Active Listening
- Nonverbal behaviors
- How to Ask questions
- Goal-Setting
- Strategies in Working With Diverse Populations
- Establishing Trust and Rapport
- Beginning and Ending a Session
- Collaborative: Working in partnership with the client. A partnership within which style is quiet, accepting, attentive, respectfully curious, and directive rather than overtly persuasive.
- Evocative: Listening than telling; eliciting rather than installing. Motivation to change is found within the person, and it is the practitioner’s role to elicit this.Â
- Respectful: Respecting the person’s autonomy, resourcefulness, and ability to choose.Â
- MBTI
- Holland and the SDS
Frequently Asked Questions
Continuing Education Units (CEU)
Examples of CEUs include conference workshops acquired at the ACTP annual conference, CRLA, NCLCA, NADE or other applicable conferences including state and local events. CEUs may include training or sessions attended at the home institution but must be approved by the ACTP certification committee. Please provide documentation of session attendance with certificates or copies of agendas or conference programs.
Each application will be reviewed by 3 ACTP Certified Master Coaches and/or the ACTP Coach Certification Chair.Â
The certification for all levels is valid for a 3-year period. During this time, individual may submit higher level certifications which will restart the 3-year timeline.
The certification process requires logging into our member area. If you need help retrieving your log in credentials, please go here. (coming soon)
Bulk certifications may be be purchased by institutions by contacting the tutor certification chair.
Benefits for coaching programs that wish to certify multiple coaches simultaneously:
Purchase memberships, pay certification fees, and fill out a single supervisor recommendation form.
With EACH of your coaches, review the certification worksheet (coming soon) and provide the coach with supporting documentation or access to supporting documentation for training and coaching hours.
You will be provided registration codes for each of your tutors along with instructions for beginning the submission process. Ask each of your coaches to submit their own individual application with the supporting documentation form through our application portal (coming soon)
If you have questions about the certification process or need clarification, please contact us.
Â
Alternatively, if you plan on attending our Annual ACTP Conference (hyperlink to ACTP conference page), there are a couple of opportunities to learn more about and assist you in the certification process. A session to learn more about requirements and documentation is always scheduled during the conference. In addition, there will be additional opportunities to consult one-on-one with a certification committee member.
Ready to Apply?
Application for Certification begins with attending our Institute!
Coaching Certification Chair
