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Accreditation & Certification
Written Exams for Basic Accreditation or Sports science & Medicine exams. Oral Exams Ratings Requirements
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The PSA Official Rating System is for coaches who want to validate their skating skill and teaching experience. Ratings are an assurance to clubs, rinks, skaters, parents, and the general public that the coach they hire is technically qualified to instruct at the level in which they are rated regardless of background and skating achievement. More and more coaches are required to become rated and many are choosing to do so because it is so beneficial. Ratings are offered in Free Skating, Figures, Pairs, Dance, Group, Program Director, Synchronized Team, Free Dance, Choreography, and Moves in the Field. They are offered at the Registered, Certified, Senior and Master levels. Ratings consist of both written and oral examinations. Once a rating has been earned, a coach must maintain a minimum of 28 educational credits over a three-year period through attendance at educational events. Attending a PSA State Workshop, Nationwide Seminar, Conference, PACE, completing an E-Learning course or PSA Apprentice Program, all accumulate educational credits. An affidavit must be sent to the PSA office so that the credits can be recorded. |
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The first step to earn a rating is to apply to take the Basic Accreditation (BA) rating exam. The requirements that must be fulfilled before taking a Basic Accreditation exam are:
When a candidate applies to take the exam at a proctored PSA educational event, a study guide will be emailed to them. Written exams are usually given at the end of the educational event. After passing the BA exam, the candidate can apply to begin taking the Sport Science & Medicine rating exams. The first exam is the Registered Sport Science & Medicine exam, followed by the Certified, Senior, and Master.
When the candidate registers for the exam they will receive an email stating their exam is "waiting for approval." This means a PSA web administrator must check to see if the requirements have been met before approving the exam. Once approved the candidate will be able to access the exam the next time they log in. After passing the Registered Sport Science & Medicine exams, a discipline can be chosen and an application completed to take the first of four oral exams (Registered, Certified, Senior and Master) of that discipline. Two oral exams may be taken at a site. A candidate may take Registered and Certified exams in the same discipline. The exception to this policy is Pair, Choreography, Synchronized Team and Program Director disciplines, where any two levels may be taken in sequential order. Master exams are offered only at Conference and at the November Oral Rating Zone site. Guide to Sample Questions can be purchased from the PSA office for each discipline. They are not included in the oral rating application fee.
Procedures and Requirements for online CER exams The U.S. Figure Skating Continuing Education Requirement (CER) courses are available on the e-learning platform of the PSA website. Once registered for a course the coach will have access to the reading materials for up to one year. The first set of courses must be completed by July 1st, 2010, and a new set will be required by July 1st of each succeeding year. Once the exam is entered it will be available for 90 minutes.
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