HCI Recertification

Recertifying your achievement and skills demonstrates your commitment to your professional development. Given its importance and the demands on your time, we want to make earning credit hours easy for you. We have created resources for you to build strategic HR capabilities and continually learn how to plan for, acquire, engage, and develop your workforce.

After completing any of HCI’s industry-recognized certification programs, you will recertify every three years. See the FAQs at the bottom of this page for additional information about the recertification process.

What are the requirements for an HCI certification?

To successfully earn an HCI certification, you must:

• Attend all of the sessions. You may be excused for a maximum of two hours of class time.
• Participate in group discussions, complete all classwork, and submit the evaluation. 
• Pass the certification exam with a score of 80% or higher.

How long does my HCI certification period last?

The HCI certification period lasts for three years from the date you complete the certification exam. Example: You pass the certification exam on July 1, 2022. The certification period is from July 1, 2022 – July 1, 2025.

How do I maintain an HCI certification? 

Complete one of the following to recertify: 

• Option A: Retake the certification exam. To use this option, please contact support@hci.org for instructions to retake exam or:
• Option B: Submit 60 credits earned over three years via HCI's Recertification Portal at least one month before your certification expiration. 

How do I earn credits for HCI recertification? 

You have three options for earning credit hours: 

1. HCI Learning Credit Hours – hours earned by attending additional HCI Certification programs, HCI Conferences, and HCI Webcasts. 
2. Non-HCI Learning Credit Hours – hours earned by attending training, courses, conferences, webcasts, or other professional development events sponsored by other organizations or your employer. 
3. Work Experience and Thought Leadership Credits.

You can submit an unlimited amount of HCI credit hours, non-HCI learning credit hours, and work experience and thought leadership credits per recertification cycle. We recommend submitting 15 - 20 HCI credits per recertification cycle.

Where should I apply for recertification?

You submit your number of credits hours and proof via the HCI Recertification Portal. 

When should I apply for recertification?

Submit one month before your certification expiration with 60 credits earned over three years. You can submit your credits as early as you would like; however, your new certification grant date will be three years from the date it is approved.

I have exceeded my certification period and want an extension. How much more time can I get?

We grant extensions on a case-by-case basis. Email HCI at support@hci.org to see if you qualify for a six-month extension. 

How do I recertify more than one HCI certification?

Your 60 credits can be applied to more than one HCI certification. For example, if you are certified in both STA and LDSS and both need to be recertified, you can select those programs in the portal and submit the form only once. The 60 recertification credits can be applied to both (or more) HCI certifications.

Can I retake the assessment instead of earning credits or retaking the certification?

To recertify, you must submit 60 qualified credit hours or retake the certification and pass the exam again.

How do I recertify a program that is no longer offered by HCI? 

HCI strives to keep our educational programs and certifications up to date to reflect the latest thinking and capabilities in Human Resources and Talent Management. Because of our commitment, we have discontinued some of our certifications. People Analytics for HR (PAHR) is our update of the Analytics for Talent Management (ATM) course. We created our Strategic HR Business Partner (sHRBP) course as the replacement certification for the Human Capital Strategist (HCS) program. If your certification has been discontinued, please contact support@hci.org to discuss your options.

How do I know how many HCI credits I will earn for participating in HCI's webcasts, certifications, and conferences?

These credit hours are earned by participating in webcasts, certification programs, and conferences offered by HCI. Hci.org webcasts are worth one credit. All of these learning opportunities are captured on the product pages as well as in your HCI transcript. 

HCI Corporate Members will receive 10 credits toward their submission. 

You can submit an unlimited number of HCI credit hours per recertification cycle.

How do I keep track of the credits I am earning from HCI? 

We track your HCI credits for you. To access your HCI transcript:

• Visit hci.org and on the top navigation select “Login to MyHCI”
• Enter your e-mail address and password
• At the top right of the page, select your name then select "MyHCI Dashboard"
• From your dashboard on the left, select learning tab. From the overview tab select the transcript tab.

In your transcript, the HCI training event will appear 3 times for HRCI, HCI, & SHRM credits. These credit numbers shown for HCI equal what you would submit for HCI recertification with HCI

Can I use non-HCI learning credits towards my HCI recertification?

Yes, you can earn credit hours by participating in professional development activities outside of HCI. These include learning opportunities provided by organizations such as Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), HR Certification Institute (HRCI), Association for Talent Development (ATD), International Coach Federation (ICF), Project Management Institute (PMI), and others. They also include learning opportunities provided by your employer and colleges and universities. However, the learning content must be related to HR, talent acquisition, change management, learning, and development, coaching, leadership, culture, engagement, inclusion, business, finance, or data and analytics.

You can earn one credit hour for each hour of learning time from this category per recertification cycle.

Can I apply my work experience and my speaking and publishing accomplishments towards my HCI recertification?

Absolutely, these credits are earned by completing relevant HR or talent management projects or demonstrating thought leadership in the HR field through your work's presentation or publication.

Examples of work experiences include building and launching an employee engagement survey, facilitating a succession planning meeting, or designing a new development program for high potentials or onboarding program for new hires. Additional examples include using data and analytics to solve HR and business challenges, updating recruitment processes for a better candidate experience, presenting to senior leaders about organizational design and people strategy, or conducting a needs analysis.  

Examples of thought leadership include presenting at an SHRM or ATD chapter meeting or conference, publishing an article on an HR topic, or speaking on a podcast.

You can earn 5 credits per activity from this category per recertification cycle.

How do I submit my non-HCI learning credits and proof of work experience and thought leadership?

In the HCI Recertication Portal, attach proof of non-HCI learning credits with the title, provider, date(s), description, and the total number of learning hours. These documents can include certificates, transcripts, or attendance records. 

For each activity involved in the work experience and thought leadership credits you submit, write a brief description of your completed work, presentation, or publication (under 100 words for each experience). Include the dates when the work was completed. Attach a copy of the article you wrote or the conference guide that includes your presentation, if applicable. 

Below is an example description of one work experience credit that was submitted to the recertification portal:

“I developed a virtual coaching program for 100 people managers at our headquarters. We invested in this program because we wanted to retain team members, and our engagement survey revealed poor developmental practices from our managers. The training focused on building capabilities in asking powerful questions, listening, and taking action. I developed the strategy, sourced the training vendor, worked with them on content, and lead the program implementation. The program kicked off in 2019 and continues to date.”

These files will be reviewed and assessed for the number of approved credits.

What happens after I submit my credits via the portal?

Our education operations team will review your submission to ensure it meets our requirements. If we have questions or need clarification, we will reach out to you. We will contact you with a decision within three business days. Once approved, you will receive a new certificate valid for three more years. New valid dates start from the date the recertification is approved.