NASCUS Certification Program for State Regulators

The NASCUS Certification Program for state regulators provides professional recognition of superior standards to state credit union examiners and encourages further development through required continuing education hours.

Participation in the Certification Program is open to all state credit union examiners who take NASCUS and NCUA training and/or NASCUS sanctioned training. Participation in the program is voluntary.

Certification Benefits

For Individual Participants: Certification acknowledges expertise, increased proficiency and promotes the confidence and recognition that comes with meeting and adhering to demonstrable national standards of professionalism. Certified examiners also receive select NASCUS publications and relevant electronic correspondence.

For State Credit Union Departments: Certification of examiners increases the efficiency and proficiency of department staff and enhances the credibility of the department.

For State Credit Unions: Certification of examiners ensures that state credit union examiners subscribe to a professional code of ethics, have the experience and skills required to effectively examine state chartered credit unions and participate in advanced continuing education classes.

Certification Sub-Committee
The Certification Sub-Committee is made up of the regulator members of the Education Committee. This Sub-Committee oversees all aspects of the Certification Program, including its development, format, content and procedures, and revisions.

The Sub-Committee makes all final decisions with regard to the certification requirements. The Sub-Committee may delegate authority to staff to award certification consistent with these requirements.

Certification Levels and Requirements
Certification shall be granted based on acquired technical skills as evidenced by a combination of formal education, on-the-job training and work experience, and documentation from superiors that required skills have been mastered.

There are three levels of certification: Certified State Credit Union Examiner (CSCUE), Certified State Credit Union Examination Supervisor (CSCUES) and Certified Associate State Credit Union Examiner (CASCUE).

Requirements: Certification requires evidence of the successful completion of appropriate coursework, evidence of appropriate on-the-job experience, and the signature of a superior attesting to satisfactory performance of the key skill-sets required for the level of certification sought. (Requirements revised in 2009.) Candidates for Certified State Credit Union Examiner (CSCUE) must provide evidence of the following:

Completion of a minimum of 18-months on-the -job training related to credit union examination, including credit and operations review.
Satisfactory completion of six of the following NASCUS/NCUA course offerings or their equivalent:

Any four of the following Group A Classes:

NASCUS Orientation Correspondence Course
NCUA New Examiner Training Levels I
NCUA New Examiner Training Level II
NCUA New Examiner Training Level III
NCUA New Examiner Training Level IV
NCUA New Examiner Training Level V

Any two of the following Group B Classes:

NCUA Investments
NCUA Asset Liability Management
NCUA Introduction to Residential Mortgage Lending
NCUA Supervisory Committee Review and Fraud Detection
NCUA Capital Markets 1
NCUA IS&T
NASCUS Information Technology from a Safety and Soundness Perspective
NASCUS Member Business Lending

Documentation of successful job performance and mastery of appropriate job-related skills by a superior within the candidate's organization. Such attestation shall be considered final once signed by an official. Documentation of a candidate's skill must be supported by a template that identifies the necessary and appropriate skills.

Candidates for Certified State Credit Union Examination Supervisor (CSCUES) must provide evidence of the following:

Completion of all requirements of the Certified State Credit Union Examiner.
Completion of a minimum 12 months on-the-job service and training related to a management/supervisory role and as EIC.
Satisfactory completion of three of the following NASCUS/NCUA course offerings or their equivalent.

NASCUS Advanced Investment Seminar
NASCUS Balance Sheet Management
NASCUS Assessing Emerging Risks
NASCUS Senior Management Symposium
NASCUS Intermediate MBL
NASCUS Intermediate IS&T
NCUA Asset Liability Management II
NCUA Investments II
NCUA Advanced Mortgage Lending
NCUA Capital Markets 2 +
NCUA IS&T 2

Documentation of successful job performance and mastery of appropriate job-related skills by a superior within the candidate's organization. All attestations shall be considered final once signed by an official.
Documentation of a candidate's skill will be supported by a defined response form that outlines the necessary and appropriate skills.

Candidates for Certified Associate State Credit Union Examiner (CASCUE) must provide evidence of the following:

Completion of a minimum of 12-months on-the -job training related to credit union examination, including credit and operations review.
Satisfactory completion of the following NASCUS/NCUA course offerings or their equivalent:

Documentation of successful job performance and mastery of appropriate job-related skills by a superior within the candidate's organization. All attestations shall be considered final once signed by an official.
Documentation of a candidate's skill will be supported by a defined response form that outlines the necessary and appropriate skills.

Candidates for Certified Associate State Credit Union Examiner (CASCUE) must provide evidence of the following:

Completion of a minimum of 12-months on-the -job training related to credit union examination, including credit and operations review.
Satisfactory completion of the following NASCUS/NCUA course offerings or their equivalent:

Documentation of successful job performance and mastery of appropriate job-related skills by a superior within the candidate's organization. Such attestation shall be considered final once signed by an official.

Re-Certification

Every three years, participants will be required to provide evidence of the successful completion of 128 continuing education hours for the three-year certification period. (Examiners will be able to carry over 42 hours.)

Cost: The cost of participation is $225 for the three-year certification period, payable in three annual installments of $75. A one-time administrative fee of $25 will be charged to process the application.

Certification Code of Ethics

All credit union examiner personnel have ethical responsibilities and obligations that are due to the public and the profession. Failure to adhere to the Code of Ethics can result in immediate termination of certification. It is expected that participants in the NASCUS Certification Program shall:

Refrain from conduct that is detrimental to the public, the financial regulatory profession and to the Certification Program;
Not knowingly act in a manner that is misleading or fraudulent;
Not violate the confidential nature of the examination process;
Not engage in any activity that may give rise to the charge of conflict of interest or that may impair the independence of their judgment in the exercise of their duties; and
Not engage in misconduct of any kind that leads to a felony conviction.

Use of NASCUS Certification

The term "NASCUS," its certification designations and emblems are the property of the National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors and must be used in a manner that preserves and respects the full extent of NASCUS' rights and interests.

Only when a certification designation has been granted may a participant utilize the designation's acronym and/or a statement of having earned a NASCUS certification designation. Use of the certification designation is acceptable for, but not necessarily limited to, business cards, stationery and letterhead, resumes and curricula vitae, and professional correspondence.

NASCUS requires that its certification designations be used only in strict conjunction with the name of the participant to whom it has been granted and also requires that the designation not appear in type or lettering larger than that of the participant's name.

Any individual who is no longer participating in the Certification Program, for any reason (including but not limited to nonpayment of dues, violation of the Code of Ethical Conduct, voluntary or involuntary termination of certification, etc.), must cease any and all use of the certification designation.

Continuing Education Hours Participants are required to provide evidence of successful completion of a minimum of 128 continuing education hours every three years and a minimum of 42 hours must be completed each year. Those who earn more than the 128 hours required during a three-year certification period may carry forward up to 42 of the additional continuing education hours into the following three-year certification period.

The following is a sample list of hours awarded for each NCUA and NASCUS class offered:

NASCUS Course Offerings
Annual School: 40
Senior Management Symposium: 24
Emerging Risks Seminar: 32
More here

NCUA Course Offerings
Introduction to Residential Mortgage Lending: 29
Advanced Lending: 29
Consumer Compliance Regulation: 29
Fraud Detection: 29
Investments I: 18
Investments II: 20
Problem Resolution: 25
Senior Update: 29
Capital Markets I, 2, 3 and 4: 29
Impact Presentations: 29
Effective Writing for Examiners: 14
Commercial Lending: TBD
Advanced Commercial Lending: TBD

If you have taken classes (NCUA or at other institutions) not listed here, please contact NASCUS' State Programs Coordinator Tammy Gentilini for award hours. She can be reached at (703) 518-6636 or via e-mail at tgentilini@ncua.gov.