NBPHE recognizes and respects the many contributions made by practitioners who have gained their expertise through routes other than graduate degrees in public health such as work experience, baccalaureate degrees and certificate programs. Unfortunately, at this time, we lack an appropriate means to evaluate the competencies developed through these routes. As recognition of public health grows, we hope that appropriate examinations and certifications for many specialty areas and for public health practice will be developed.

Additionally, NBPHE will meet the industry standards for our new credential. The National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA) is one organization that sets standards for certifying organizations such as ours. NOCA publishes the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) Standards for the Accreditation of Certifying Programs. Their Standard #8 states:

"Once a program is accredited, "grandfathering," or any other procedure for granting a credential in the absence of evaluating the knowledge and/or skill of an individual, is not acceptable."

"Grandfathering is generally seen as a conflict with stakeholder interests. It is used from time to time in licensure as a means of protecting the rights of individuals who enter a profession prior to its regulation and should not be excluded from the right to practice. Professional certification does not normally carry such potential to restrict the right to practice."

Link to the NCCA Accrediting Standards: http://www.noca.org/portals/0/Standards%20-%20Updated%20December%202006.pdf

Link to NOCA: http://www.noca.org/NCCAAccreditation/Standards/tabid/93/Default.aspx

• Create your Personal NBPHE Portal (You will then receive a confirmation e–mail that your portal has been set up.)
• Complete the registration form
• E–submit
• Enter your payment information
• You will receive an e–mail confirmation verifying that your registration form is successfully submitted

NOTE: You can only schedule your testing date, time and location AFTER YOU HAVE RECEIVED your Scheduling Permit. Scheduling Permits will be issued once a month, beginning February 2009 to candidates that have completed their applications in the preceding months.

International testing centers are also available.
When you register to take the exam you will have the option to choose an international location to take the exam. The International Exam Fee will be displayed as part of your total registration fee when you pay for the exam at the end of the registration process.
NOTE: International Exam Fees are non–refundable.

1. Request Special Test Accommodations on your registration form.
2. Complete, sign and submit originals of the Request for Testing Accommodations Form. Click here.
3. Document your need for accommodations. Click here for Guidelines for Disabilities
4. Submit the appropriate qualified professional evaluator´s report. An original, on the evaluator´s & letterhead, signed by the evaluator is required. Copies are not accepted. Please refer to the link above for the Guidelines for Disabilities.

The registration fee and the international exam fee are not refundable.

• All sections of the registration form are complete
• You have e–submitted your registration form
• You have paid
• You have received a confirmation e–mail that NBPHE has received your application

The exam software tutorial module includes eighteen sample exam questions. These 18 sample questions are embedded in a software tutorial module you can download from the link below. This tutorial allows candidates to become familiar with the functionality of the test software used for the CPH exam. This tutorial is almost identical to the first 15 minute module that precedes the exam at the testing center on exam day. Becoming familiar with this tutorial may save you time and increase your comfort level on exam day.

To download the Sample Exam and software tutorial module click here. Follow the directions in the dialog box that appears on your screen.

NOTE about Tutorial: This software is not compatible with Apple or Windows Vista operating platforms. For those with these platforms we provide a PDF of the sample exam questions click here. NBPHE strongly advises, if at all possible, to download the software tutorial module rather than simply viewing the PDF of the sample questions. We encourage this so you may experience the software that will be at the testing center when you take the exam.

• 15 minutes – Tutorial*
• Four 1 hour Exam Sections (with approximately 50 questions in each section)
• 15 minutes – Exit Survey
• 15 minutes of break time – To be taken between exam sections

Each of the one hour exam sections is exactly that – one hour. Once you begin an exam section you have one hour to answer questions in that section and then the section will time out and you will no longer be able to answer questions in that section. Once you move to the next section, you will not be able to return to the previous section. While completing each exam section you may skip and later return to a question. The exam is well marked to show which questions you have skipped. When you get to the end of a section, if you have not answered all questions, you will receive a warning that all questions have not been answered. Unanswered questions will be easy to identify as they have identifying marks next to them.

* NOTE ABOUT TUTORIAL: Please see the Sample Exam available above. The Sample Exam / Exam Software Tutorial Module is very similar to the tutorial you will see in the first 15 minutes of the exam. This software tutorial module gives you the opportunity to become familiar with the functionality of the software used for the exam as well as a sampling of the types of questions on the exam.

There will be a clock on your testing screen to inform you how much time remains of your 4.75 hours. You will get a two minute warning before the end of each section. The exam clock will not stop during breaks, so it is important for candidates to monitor how many exam sections remain, in relation to the overall session time remaining, to ensure they do not exceed the allotted or accumulated break time.
See also – What Do I Need to Be Admitted to the Testing Center on the Day of The Exam?

• Total score for the entire exam;
• Separate scores for each of the 5 core competencies;
• Separate score for all cross–cutting competencies combined; and
• Whether the examinee´s score is sufficient for certification

Because the first group of examinees will not have the benefit of any prior history of the examination, the NBPHE will provide those who do not achieve certification on the August 2008 examination a one time opportunity to retake the examination at a reduced fee of $150 in 2009.

This opportunity (a reduced price in 2009) will only be available to those who sit for the initial examination in August 2008. To take advantage of this reduced fee, those re–taking the exam will need to register by December 31, 2008 .

A Scheduling Permit authorizes a candidate to sit for the CPH exam. The Scheduling Permit is printed on bright orange, legal size paper. These are self mailers with the candidate´s name and address pre–printed on them.

The Scheduling Permit contains information and instructions for the candidate to contact Prometric, the company that provides the testing centers where the exam will be given. The Scheduling Permit contains the candidate´s scheduling number which is needed to schedule the exam date, time and location. CANDIDATES MUST HAVE THEIR SCHEDULING PERMIT IN HAND BEFORE THEY CAN CONTACT PROMETRIC TO SCHEDULE THEIR EXAM DATE, TIME OR LOCATION.

NBPHE WILL NOT GIVE OUT SCHEDULING NUMBERS or CANDIDATE IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS OVER THE TELEPHONE. NBPHE WILL NOT SEND SCHEDULING INFORMATION ELECTRONICALLY.

A candidate must have their Scheduling Permit and an unexpired, government–issued form of identification (such as a driver´s license or passport) that includes both the candidate´s photograph and signature in order to be admitted to the testing center. A photocopy or fax of the Scheduling Permit in not acceptable. The first and last names on the candidate´s identification MUST EXACTLY MATCH the names on their Scheduling Permit. The only acceptable difference would be the presence of a middle name, middle initial or suffix on one document and its absence on the other. The names must be the same in both spelling and order. If a candidate´s name is misspelled on the Scheduling Permit or differs from the name as it appears on their identification, they must contact NBPHE immediately. The address on the scheduling permit does not have to match the address on your identification.

You must bring:

1. Your original Scheduling Permit (the bright orange paper), which has your CIN (Candidate Identification Number) printed on it, and
2. One form of unexpired, government–issued identification (such as a driver´s license or passport) that includes both your photograph and signature. Your name as it appears on your Scheduling Permit must EXACTLY match your name as it appears on the identification you present at the testing center.

NOTE: You should arrive at the Prometric Testing Center 30 minutes before your scheduled testing time on your scheduled exam date. If you arrive late, you may not be admitted. If you arrive more than 30 minutes after your scheduled testing time, you will not be admitted.

ALL of your personal belongings, food and beverages must be placed in a small, designated locker outside the testing room. Pagers and cellular telephones must be turned off before placing them in the locker.

Prometric test center staff will be on hand to check in candidates and supervise the testing session. When you arrive at the test center your required identification will be checked, you will sign in on the test center log and your photograph will be taken. Also, all testing sessions are monitored by video camera. Prometric administers a variety of education, certification and licensure tests therefore, you may be at a testing center along with candidates taking other computer–based tests.

If you defer your 2008 registration to 2009, you must re–activate your 2008 Registration Form for the 2009 exam cycle by December 15, 2008. The $50 processing fee must be paid by December 15, 2008.