CPPS Application Overview of Steps

To qualify for admission to the BGC examinations as an applicant, you must comply with all Board requisites. Documents and forms sent by you and third parties will be needed to assess your eligibility to sit for the exam(s). BGC will evaluate all applicants using the criteria established for the certification eligibility and will not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, national origin, religion, age, disability, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, or marital, parental, military, or any other legally protected status. We may ask you for additional documentation when an initial review of your application (or reapplication) indicates that pertinent information is missing or unclear. In that case, a review of your application or reapplication will not proceed until we receive the requested information.

Submitting your application well in advance of deadlines may give you sufficient time to provide additional information without delaying your approval to sit for the exam. Your application packet is active for two years. If you do not pass the exam within two years, you are required to submit an updated supervisory reference and pay a reapplication fee every two years to keep your application active.

Application Steps

There are two steps to the application process for becoming certified as a CPPS. Please familiarize yourself thoroughly with the requirements before you begin your application. Please also note that you must meet all current eligibility requirements.

Step 1: Submission of General Application Documents:

• Go to Apply Now where you will tell BGC about yourself and confirm your agreement to abide by the BGC Code of Ethics.
• Ask your university/universities to send official transcripts to BGC:
  • They must show all degree courses with conferral dates.
  • They must be sent directly to BGC via surface mail or email to applications@GoBGC.org.
  • Official transcripts in a sealed envelope with the registrar’s stamp across the seal are acceptable.
  • We can NOT accept transcripts uploaded, mailed, or emailed directly from the applicant.
  • If your degree was earned outside the U.S. or Canada, BGC will ask you to submit your transcript(s) for a credential evaluation. This can be obtained from a member organization of either NACES or AICE.

• Describe your professional-level product stewardship work experience:
  • You will need to show that you have worked for at least 4 years (48 months) at a professional level by submitting either:
    • Option 1: Supervisory references covering 48 months (4 years) for which you are claiming professional product stewardship practice at 50% time or more. The most recent reference must cover work done within the last 12 months.
    • Option 2: (a) a combination of one supervisory reference documenting your product stewardship responsibilities for work done within the last 12 months, plus (b) verification of employment (e.g., through official job descriptions) and duration of employment from your employer(s). The documentation must cover the 48 months (4 years) for which you are claiming professional product stewardship practice at 50% time or more.
  • Each reference must be provided on the Board’s CPPS Professional Reference Questionnaire (PRQ) Form.
• Pay the non-refundable application fee and submit your application.

Step 2:  Examination:

• If you have a documented disability, you may submit a Test Accommodation Request Form before the application deadline.
• Pay all examination fees.
• Schedule the exam.

If you successfully meet the requirements of both steps and pass the exam, you will be awarded the CPPS credential. A CPPS Eligibility Checklist has been designed for you to determine whether you have met the requirements for steps 1 through 2 before applying for your CPPS.

Qualifications and Evaluation

To qualify for admission to the BGC examinations as an applicant, you must comply with all Board requisites:

• Submit only one application per person.
• Meet academic requirements.
• Meet the professional product stewardship experience requirement documented by references.
• Be in the current practice of product stewardship.
• Agree to adhere to the BGC Code of Ethics and to be governed by the BGC Ethics Case Procedures.
• Pay your application fee and examination fee.

Until you are certified, your application packet is active for 4 consecutive exam windows, which is equal to two years. You are required to submit an updated supervisory reference and pay a reapplication fee every two years to keep your application active until you pass the exam.

Deadline

Your application materials, including transcripts, references/proof of professional practice, and educational coursework (including supplemental information) must be postmarked no later than December 1 for the spring CPPS examination or June 1 for the fall CPPS examination. Your application packet will be valid for four test windows, which is equal to two years.

Evaluation

BGC will evaluate all applicants using the criteria established for CPPS eligibility and will not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, national origin, religion, age, disability, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, or marital, parental, military, or any other legally protected status.

We may ask you for additional documentation when an initial review of your application (or reapplication) indicates that pertinent information is missing or unclear. In that case, a review of your application or reapplication will not proceed until we receive the requested information.

Confidentiality

Original applications and supporting documentation are treated by the BGC Board of Directors and staff as confidential information. As noted in the BGC Privacy Policy, all reasonable precautions are taken to prevent unauthorized access to individual information. BGC does not disclose personal information obtained from you or any other applicant to third parties except when authorized in writing by you or if necessary to complete the process – for example, arranging for you to sit for the exam.

Record Retention

In accordance with the BGC record-retention policy, paper files and electronic documents provided by applicants that have been inactive for three years will be destroyed. Prior to destroying a file, the staff will attempt to notify you using your last known address.

CPPS Reapplicants

An application is considered to be active for four consecutive exam windows, which equals two years. After the second year, your application expires. You must update the description of your current practice, provide an updated supervisory reference, and pay a reapplication fee to reactivate an expired application in order to sit for the exam. The application deadlines of December 1 or June 1 apply to all materials and fees that must be submitted by reapplicants. To reactivate an expired application and sit for the exam, you must complete the following steps:

• Submit a Reapplication Form.
• Have a CPPS Professional Reference Questionnaire (PRQ) form that is no more than 12 months old submitted by a work supervisor (see Documentation of Work Experience in Product Stewardship).
• Update your work experience information to document your current practice.
• Meet all current application requirements.
• Pay the non-refundable $150 reapplication fee.