FAQ for Courses & Credits

FAQ:
Online Courses & Credits

Design professionals often have questions about courses and the credit reporting process. We have collected a list of the most commonly asked questions below to provide you quick answers.

We are here to help you! We report all of your credits to the AIA and USGBC so you don't have to worry about it. Course transcripts are available in your account area when logged in and we maintain records for your future use. If you have a question that we haven't answered below, please use the form in the sidebar below to contact us and we will respond as soon as possible.

No, we do not report your LU credits for your states with MCE. We only process credits through the AIA. After successfully completing a course you can view and print your certificate of completion, a notification is sent to your email address for your records. To view or print one from the RBA transcript center (account management). Please use your username and password to login and update your information. If you wish to receive a hard copy of your certificate please contact Carol Davis. Please send all requests through email or call 800-248-6364, include your "Name" and the "Course Title". and "Number". I received an affidavit for one course but not for the another I took.

Am I going to receive credit for both?

Yes, you will receive credit. For new courses or courses we randomly audit, we email affidavits asking you to verify the relative time spent viewing a course. We audit courses to confirm the time spent so we can award appropriate credit. If the average time to complete a course is more than 1 hour, we can offer more credit for the course. Likewise, if the average time is less than 1 hour, we have to add content.

Presently, all of our courses are passive activities that meet the self-directed study requirement for the individual state boards. Although AIA sets no limits on the number of self-directed study programs, most states limit the amount of self-directed coursework for credit. As technology evolves, so too will our interaction as well as our course activity.

Not if you're an AIA member, we will process your credits for you. All AIA/CES providers are REQUIRED to process credits for AIA members. If you encounter a provider who expects you to self-report, please notify the AIA.

Yes. If you're NOT an AIA member, you need to self-report your credits to your organization/association. RBA provides certificates of completion which can be retrieved via your transcript upon login.

1. Once you pass a course conclusion quiz with a grade of 80% or higher, you'll find an online certificate of completion immediately on the screen that can be printed or saved for your records.
2. An email confirmation will be sent to the email address you have provided in establishing your ronblank.com account
3. The best way to retrieve your certificate of completion is through the ronblank.com website. Simply login; Beneath the login you can then click the “View Transcript” link. All courses you have passed will have a certificate of completion available to view and print directly from your transcript.

Generally, you will receive one (1) credit for each course successfully completed. Successful completion is a score of 80% or better on the final exam. Our courses qualify for 60 minutes of education. Generally, 60 minutes of educational activity is equivalent to 1 AIA Learning Unit (LU), 1 Professional Development Unit (PDH). or 1/10 Continuing Education Unit (CEU). A point one CEU (.1) is equal to one hour or one LU Hour. One CEU is equal to ten hours or 10 LU Hours. State definitions vary so please refer to your licensing board for specific criteria. All of our courses qualify for Health, Safety and Welfare (HSW) credit.

Every time you complete a course, our database records your course completion and then forwards an email with your AIA number, name and course information to two people (RBA Office Manager and RBA Web administrator). We have triple back-up documentation of your credits. Every Friday, our Office Manager processes your credit through the AIA transcript office online via an electronic course attendance upload. Upon receipt, the AIA system will match the course participant information (name and AIA number) with provider information (RBA) and update your transcript. Despite the available electronic efficiency, it's not unusual for this process to take 2-3 weeks. If you suspect an RBA processing error, contact us. If you suspect an AIA reporting error contact the transcript office at AIAMemberCareCES@aia.org. You can also check your RBA and AIA transcripts online anytime.

One way to find out if your state has a mandatory continuing education requirement is to contact your state board. Another way is to visit the AIA website at https://www.aia.org/ and follow the information to the states you do business in. http://aia.org/education/ces/mcechart/AIAS074700

Our courses are free for design professionals because our sponsors fund the effort. Our sponsors use the online course to supplement their face-to-face seminars.

Yes, you can retake the same courses every year. Before you take a course, review your RBA or AIA transcript to verify the course numbers and dates of completion to ensure you will receive credit. We recommend that you contact AIA regarding your course completions if you are unsure if you are able to take a course again for credit.. We review courses every year with the subject matter experts to assure the material is the most current. During reviews, we often make revisions. When we revise courses, we resubmit the new course to AIA for approval and post the course with a new course number. Our best efforts to bring you accurate information do not supercede the professional responsibility to act prudently. Please read our content disclaimer for course liability restrictions.

According to the AIA website as of 8-28-2018:
Question: "If I retake a course, will I receive credit?"
Answer: "Some courses (for example, courses on building codes) are often offered periodically with updated content but have the same name and course number. If you take the same course within a 12-month period, you will receive credit once."

Some courses are also available as Lunch & Learn courses provided by InfoSpec, Inc. If you would like to receive a Face-to-Face presentation from one of our sponsors or providers, contact us (give us your name, firm name, and preferred contact method...email, phone, etc.) and we'll have a representative contact you to schedule a program. We also offer our CE Academy seminars provided by CE Academy, Inc. which works with over 50 AIA components nationwide each year. If you wish to find out when we will be in your area please contact CE Academy.