Accreditation

What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is an IABC professional development program offering communicators a way of demonstrating to employers, fellow communicators and themselves their ability to successfully manage and perform those tasks essential to effective organizational communication. Candidates meeting all requirements of the program earn the designation Accredited Business Communicator (ABC).

Why should you become accredited?
If you are a professional communicator, IABC's accreditation program is a means by which you can gauge your career progress. The ABC following your name tells your peers, current and prospective employers and, perhaps most importantly, you, that you have successfully completed this challenging program. It's interesting to note that IABC's biennial survey of the profession, Profile, shows that accredited members' average salary is significantly higher than that of the non-accredited member.

What are the requirements?
You must have a minimum of five years' experience in the communication profession and a bachelor's degree, or a total of nine years of experience and/or post-secondary education to qualify for accreditation.

What does becoming accredited involve?
The accreditation process involves three separate steps. First, you must submit your application and a check for half of the accreditation fee. After your application has been approved, you submit your portfolio of work samples demonstrating the range of communication projects you've been responsible for and showing how well you understand communication planning. Finally, there's an examination consisting of four hours of written testing and thirty minutes of oral.

How much does it cost?
$225.00 for members

What are the portfolio deadlines?
March 1, April 1 and October 1

How long does it take to approve my application?
2-3 days

How long does it take to approve my portfolio?
6 - 8 weeks

How long does it take to receive the results from the oral and written exam?
60 - 90 days