The Certified Research Administrator® (CRA®) is a designation granted in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

by the Research Administrators Certification Council to individuals who demonstrate the knowledge necessary to serve as an administrator of professional and sponsored

research Research is "creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness t ...

programs.* To be eligible to certify, candidates must meet one of three sets of requirements (see "Requirements" below). Once a candidate passes the Certified Research Administrator® examination, they are conferred the right to use the CRA® designation. The RACC also offers Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator® and Certified Financial Research Administrator designations.

CRA® designation

According to the RACC, the CRA® designation carries numerous benefits to those who hold it, such as recognition among professionals, a sense of personal satisfaction, indication of expertise in the administration of sponsored research endeavors, greater opportunities for employment, greater opportunities for advancement, robust credibility, and the ability to serve as a role model to research peers. The CRA® designation is a registered

certification mark A certification mark (or conformity mark) on a commercial product indicates the existence of an accepted product standard or regulation and a claim that the manufacturer has verified compliance with those standards or regulations. The specifi ...

with the

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the national patent office and trademark registration authority for the United States. The USPTO's headquarters are in Alexa ...

. As of June 2, 2022, 3,296 active CRAs® are listed in the RACC's online database.

History

In 1993, the Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC) was founded as a private

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

organization An organization or organisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is an entity—such as a company, an institution, or an association—comprising one or more people and having a particular purpose. The word is derived fro ...

. Active CRAs® sit on the council and have the role of certifying that an individual possesses adequate knowledge for serving as a professional research administrator of sponsored programs, particularly federally-funded research grants and contracts.

Requirements

Candidates must meet one of the following sets of requirements:

Bachelor's or advanced degree and three (3) years of professional experience in research administration or sponsored programs administration either in a sponsoring or recipient organization or the equivalent in a self-funded organization; OR
An Associate’s degree and five (5) years of professional experience in research administration or sponsored programs administration either in a sponsoring or recipient organization or the equivalent in a self-funded organization; OR
No degree and six (6) years of professional experience in the research administration or sponsored programs administration either in a sponsoring or recipient organization or the equivalent in a self-funded organization.

The third option requires approval of a petition to the RACC in order to receive a waiver. Candidates must pass a written Certified Research Administrator® examination designed by the RACC and administered by Professional Testing Center, New York, which covers fundamental information necessary for meeting the demands and responsibilities of a career in sponsored program administration.

CRA® exam curriculum

The

curriculum In education, a curriculum (; plural, : curricula or curriculums) is broadly defined as the totality of student experiences that occur in the educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to ...

covered by the CRA® examination is referred to by the RACC as the "Body of Knowledge," and has four broad components: # Project Development and Administration # Legal requirements and Sponsor Interface # Financial Management # General Management

Recertification

Every five years, CRAs® must recertify to continue using the CRA® designation. Recertification applicants are expected to demonstrate continued participation or employment in the field of research administration, including requisite hours of

continuing education Continuing education (similar to further education in the United Kingdom and Ireland) is an all-encompassing term within a broad list of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada. ...

activities and a collection of several questions for potential use on future revisions of the CRA® exam.

References

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External links

Research Administrators Certification Council
Professional titles and certifications