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IAABC Certified Membership and ACAS Students/Alumni

IAABC Certified Membership and ACAS Students/Alumni

by Robert DeFranco, MS, ABD, BCBA, BCCAB -
Number of replies: 1

An ACAS student recently approached our college administration and also spoke with a number of our students stating that the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABS), a private nonprofit professional membership organization that has no affiliation with ACAS, would not allow ACAS student to become Certified Members. This information is incorrect. Dr. Cassoret recently communicated with the organization’s Executive Director, Marjie Alonso, via email. The text of that email appears below.

Hello, and happy holidays to you as well!

I think whoever you were speaking with is confused about our certification process. We do not count *any* courses toward certification other than a general requirement for a certain number of hours' education under an applicant's belt - your courses would certainly count toward those. Our requirements for certified status are as follows:
   • A minimum of three years and 500 hours experience in animal behavior consulting with client present. Cat, horse and parrot applicants: Please see the F.A.Q. for further definition of hours.
   • 400 hours minimum of coursework, seminars and mentorship related to the Core Areas of Competency and species of expertise
   • Minimum high school diploma or GED.
   • Applicants may be asked to show proof of consulting hours and seminar attendance, instruction, and mentorships upon request.

So your courses at ACAS would certainly apply toward the above.
Occasionally an applicant writes requesting that course work be counted toward the certification itself. Perhaps this person did, and we do not permit coursework to take the place of completing our entire application, including case studies and discussion of scenarios.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Best,
Marjie Alonso CDBC, CPDT-KA
Executive Director, IAABC

The IAABC is a fine and well-established professional membership organization and we would encourage our students to become members and to participate in their organization, growth and educational events. 

Finally, I would like to remind students that in a world of rising social media and the Internet, a simple statement of misinformation can be damaging to our students, faculty, and alumni. Our students, with the support of our faculty, work very hard each day to better themselves academically and to acquire the necessary skills, degrees, and professional development diplomas that will assist them to move forward in their future careers or to better their current ones; and to work toward positive social change for people and the improvement of the lives of animals with which we share our lives and planet. It is therefore important that we all behave as responsible individuals because at the end of the day, we are all stakeholders in the success of our college including maintaining its exceptional international reputation that benefits our students, our alumni and society each day.

To all, have a happy and healthy holiday season! We look forward to seeing you again in the Winter 2014 semester!

 

Robert DeFranco, President

In reply to Robert DeFranco, MS, ABD, BCBA, BCCAB

Re: IAABC Certified Membership and ACAS Students/Alumni

by Tammy Ege -

Would some one from ACAS be willing to communicate with the Animal Behavior Society? Our degreee is not recognized by them because it is from an on-line, non-accredited college. ABS states that on-line degrees do not have the same rigorous educational requirements of the scientific courses in graduate programs at accredited universities. WE know ACAS is very rigourous, but ABS does not. I would appreciate it if the school would start communications with ABS.

Thank you
Tammy