Certification FAQ

General

Examinations

Certification Process

Maintaining Certification

General

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AAFCS offers five professional certifications:  

  • Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS) 

  • Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences: Human Development and Family Science (CFCS-HDFS) 

  • Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences:  Hospitality, Nutrition, and Food Science (CFCS-HNFS) 

  • Certified Personal and Family Finance Educator (CPFFE) 

  • Certified Nutrition and Wellness Educator (CNWE) 

Examinations

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AAFCS offers five professional examinations:  

  • Family and Consumer Sciences Composite

  • Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) 

  • Hospitality, Nutrition, and Food Science (HNFS) 

  • Personal and Family Finance Educator (PFFE) 

  • Nutrition and Wellness Educator (NWE) 

The Professional Certification Exams are offered during the odd months of the year -- January, March, May, July, September, and November.  

Certification Process

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Passing the examination is the first step in the certification process. Candidates who pass the examination will receive an email from AAFCS Certification with the application and requirements for certification which include agreeing to the code of ethics, submitting the online application, a transcript documenting a minimum of a bachelor's degree, and payment of the certification fee.  

Maintaining Certification

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To maintain certification, professionals must

  • Earn and submit 75 PDUs over the three-year certification cycle.
  • Pay the certification renewal fee.

  

Professional development units (PDUs) are submitted online.  

  • Log in to the "MyAAFCS - Certification Portal. 

  • In the Certification portal, click on the “Professional Exams and Certifications” menu button.  

  • To report PDUs, click on the “PDU Reporting and Transcript” button.  

  • If this screen has no PDU activities listed, the Certification Office has no record of any PDUs reported during your current certification cycle.  

  • To report PDUs, click on “Add New Credits” at the bottom of the screen. On the Credit Type screen, choose “PDU Activity” from the drop-down menu. Click “Continue” 

  • Follow the on-screen instructions to enter information and then click “Save” at the bottom of the screen.  

  • If you receive an error "feature not available" when saving, shorten the description and resubmit. 

  • You will receive a “Credits Added” note after successful entry.  

  • To add more PDUs, repeat the steps. 

  • View the options for earning PDUs here