Eligible CM Activities

APA is committed to ensuring that AICP members have access to high-quality continuing education through a combination of the following:

Expanding APA's educational offerings
APA is committed to developing affordable and accessible opportunities for members to earn CM credit. APA already offers a wide variety of training opportunities, such as conferences, workshops, audio conferences, and symposia, as well as an extensive selection of educational CD-ROMs. APA also plans to create online courses. Click here for more information.  

Working with APA chapters and divisions
APA National will work with APA chapters and divisions to provide a wide variety of educational opportunities for members. APA encourages all AICP members to take explore the resources offered by chapters and divisions.

Partnering with other professional development providers
APA is reaching out to a variety of educational providers to invite them to participate in the CM program. This includes professional development organizations, universities, and nonprofit organizations, as well as other specialists in the planning field. With the help of chapters, divisions, APA members, and partners, APA will reach out to providers from the former CPD program and our mailing lists, as well as providers not currently in our network.

Criteria for CM Credit

APA seeks to offer CM approval to activities and courses that will help members remain current in the practice of planning. Such activities and courses must fulfill the following criteria for CM credit:

• Are designed to meet a specific planning-related training objective
• Are designed to teach subject matter appropriate in depth and scope and at a level beyond a planner with at least two years of professional planning experience
• Are led by one or more experts on the subject. (An expert is a professional who has made a contribution to the profession through practice, teaching, research, or publications; completed works that proclaim individuality and mastery of the principles of planning taught; and whose work demonstrates outstanding quality and professionalism.)
• Are non-promotional in nature
• Address demonstrated educational needs
• Communicate a clearly identified educational purpose or objective
• Use learning methodologies and formats that are appropriate to the activity's educational purpose or objectives
• Use evaluation mechanisms to assess an activity's quality and relevance to its purpose or objectives
• Include a mechanism of recording attendance of each AICP member

Requirements for Eligible CM Activities

What types of activities qualify for CM credit?

We encourage AICP members to pursue educational and training activities of different types and topics, both in person and online. AICP members may choose topics that are most appropriate to their professional development as long as a minimum of 1.5 credits are on the topic of current planning law and 1.5 credits are on the topic of ethics.. All activities must meet certain CM criteria. Examples of qualifying programs include:

Face-to-face or real-time learning activities (e.g. participants and instructors are engaged in the learning activity simultaneously), such as:

• Conferences and workshops
• Audio/web conferences
• Lectures, keynote speeches, and symposia
• University courses
• Books clubs and facilitated discussions

Distance learning activities (e.g. participants and instructors are not engaged in the learning activity simultaneously), such as:

• CD-ROMs
• Online courses
• Podcasts, telecasts, or other downloadable recordings

AICP members can also earn CM credits for authoring in a peer-reviewed double-blind journal. See our website for special instructions on authoring.

How can I earn CM credit for these activities?

CM credit is awarded to qualified activities that are registered by the educational and training provider or self-reported by AICP members. All activities must be entered into the CM database.

• Activities registered by the educational provider: Providers may apply to become registered CM providers and submit their professional development activities for CM credit. Once an activity has been approved for CM credit, it will be made available online for members to report into their online CM log. There are a range of credit fee options available on our website to meet providers’ needs.
• Activities self-reported by the AICP member: AICP members may self-report up to 8 CM credits per reporting period for real-time activities that are not registered by the educational provider. This option gives AICP members the added flexibility needed to fulfill their CM requirements.

Please remember: All professional development activities must be approved to receive CM credit. Find a list of approved activities by logging into your online CM log.

Click here for tips and suggestions on how to fulfill your CM requirements, including the ethics and planning law requirements.

Non-Qualifying CM Activities

The following activities are not eligible for CM credit:

• Time spent in business meetings of APA leadership, whether at the national, chapter, or division level
• Time spent in mentoring or volunteer activities
• Teaching for a salary, fee, or honorarium
• Online chat rooms
• Poster sessions
• Planning commissioner training activities
• Any other activity that does not meet the criteria described

Providers may appeal the decision of APA or an APA component denying credit for any submitted activity using a two-level appeals process. Click here for appeals information you can share with your provider.

For more information on educational activities that are eligible for CM credit, visit our FAQ page.