Post-Secondary Accreditation Program &
National Knowledge Exam (NKE) Waiver Overview
Graduates of a CPHR accredited post-secondary program may be eligible to apply for a National Knowledge Exam (NKE) waiver, the academic exam that assesses your understanding of the CPHR Competency Framework. Post-secondary programs are qualified to be accredited if it is determined that the content offered meets at least 80% of the CPHR Competency Framework.
With a successful NKE waiver application, you become a CPHR Candidate and are one step closer to receiving your CPHR designation.
Coursework Requirement
To pursue the designation, one must first become an Associate Member. If you do not have an HR focused education (certificate, diploma, degree or masters in HR) you must complete the coursework requirement (9 foundational courses). An option to achieve the coursework requirement and waive the NKE, is to take a program accredited by a CPHR Member Association.
CPHR Accredited Post-Secondary Programs
CPHR Saskatchewan Accredited Post-Secondary Institutions
Saskatchewan Polytechnic
Business Diploma in Human Resources
Graduates must apply within 5 years of graduation, and have an overall cumulative average of 70% or higher. For those that graduated between April 2016 and 2019, you have until December 31, 2024 to apply for the waiver.
Human Resources Management Certificate
Graduates must apply within 5 years of graduation, and have an overall cumulative average of 70% or higher.
University of Saskatchewan, Edwards School of Business
Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Human Resources
Graduates must apply within 5 years of graduation, and have an overall cumulative average of 70% or higher. For those who graduated between April 2015 and 2019, you have until December 31, 2024 to apply for the waiver.
University of Regina, Paul J. Hill School of Business
Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Human Resource Management
Applies to graduates from April 2017 and onwards, with an overall cumulative average of 70% or higher, along with five specific electives (see below). Graduates must apply for the NKE Waiver within 5 years of convocation. Those who convocated between April 2017 and December 31, 2019 have until December 31, 2024 to apply for the waiver.
Required Electives:
- BUS 354 Occupational Health and Safety OR BUS 355 Introduction to Industrial Relations
- BUS 356 Staffing Organizations
- BUS 357 Compensation
- BUS 358 Training and Development
- BUS 361 Management of Performance
University of Regina, Kenneth Levene Graduate School of Business
Master of Human Resource Management (MHRM)
Applies to graduates from December 2016 and onwards, with an overall cumulative average of 70% or higher, along with five specific electives (see below). Graduates must apply for the NKE Waiver within 5 years of convocation. Those graduating between December 2016 and June 2018 will have until December 31, 2023 to apply for the waiver.
Those who have completed their MHRM program on or after December 2016 but are missing any classes from the list below can apply to the University of Regina as a Business Administration - Non-Degree student to take the required courses. Please contact the Levene advisor at Levene.Advising@uregina.ca for more information about the process.
Required Electives:
- GBUS 844 Labour Relations & Collective Bargaining
- GBUS 863 Staffing Organizations
- GBUS 864 Compensation
- GBUS 868 Occupational Health and Safety
- EAHR 811 Program Evaluation (formerly Assessment of Training) or GBUS 846AH Program Evaluation
First Nations University of Canada, Indigenous Business and Public Administration with the University of Regina
Bachelor of Administration with a major in Human Resource Management
Applies to graduates from April 2017 and onwards, with an overall cumulative average of 70% or higher, along with six specific electives (see below). Graduates must apply for the NKE Waiver within 5 years of convocation, with the exception of those who convocated between April 2017 and December 31, 2019 who have until December 31, 2024 to apply for the waiver.
Required Electives:
- ADMN 205 or BUS 205 Management Communication
- BUS 354 Occupational Health and Safety OR BUS 355 Introduction to Industrial Relations
- BUS 356 Staffing Organizations
- BUS 357 Compensation
- BUS 358 Training and Development
- BUS 361 Management of Performance
Captus Institute
Effective January 1, 2022, completion of the CPHR Academic Program (9 courses) with a cumulative average of 70% average or higher, in addition to a achieving a minimum of 65% in each course. No Prior learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) is accepted for the NKE waiver. Applications for a waiver must be submitted within 5 years of completing the program. Information can be found here.
CPHR Canada Accredited Post-Secondary Programs
CPHR Canada member associations have accredited several post-secondary institutions recognized by CPHR Saskatchewan. Please refer to CPHR Canada’s website for a list of accredited courses and institutions. Ensure the program being considered meets CPHR Saskatchewan’s educational requirements.
Submitting Transcripts
Request transcripts be sent through your post-secondary educational institution within Canada using MyCreds. CPHR Saskatchewan is a recognized Receiver within the MyCreds national network. To securely share your transcripts, simply choose the ‘Organisation’ option when setting-up your share in MyCreds and type in CPHR Saskatchewan.
If your Canadian post-secondary institution does not use MyCreds, transcripts can be sent to:
CPHR Saskatchewan
#210-3501 8th Street E
Saskatoon, SK S7H 0W5
Email: info@cphrsk.ca
Note- If the name on your transcripts is different than your current name, please update the “maiden name" in your member profile.
Cost
Once your transcripts have been received and verified, and you have completed the application below, CPHR Saskatchewan will send a letter of approval along with an invoice for the NKE Waiver fee- $400 + tax.
NKE Waiver Applications
Click the links below to download an NKE Waiver application:
- General NKE Waiver Application
- Edwards School of Business, University of Saskatchewan
- Paul J. Hill School of Business, University of Regina
- Kenneth Levene Graduate School of Business, University of Regina
- First Nations University, University of Regina
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Accredited by CPHR Saskatchewan" mean?
Accredited by CPHR Saskatchewan means that a program in Saskatchewan has been approved and graduates of that program may be eligible to apply for an NKE waiver.
What programs qualify to become accredited?
Post-secondary programs will qualify to be accredited if it is determined that the content offered meets at least 80% of the CPHR Competency Framework content. Institutions must complete
an application detailing the content of their program(s), which undergoes a thorough review by CPHR Saskatchewan in order to be granted Accredited status.
If someone received their degree from an accredited program in the past, can they qualify to waive the NKE?
Each accredited program has unique eligibility criteria for previous graduates depending on when changes were made to the curriculum.
Click here for more information specific to each program.
What if my post-secondary becomes accredited part way through my education?
As long as the program content has been the same for your entire education in that program, CPHR Saskatchewan will recognize your accredited education toward waiving the NKE.
Will other provinces in Canada recognize an accredited program from Saskatchewan, and vice versa?
Yes, all provinces that are members of CPHR Canada will recognize the programs accredited by CPHR Saskatchewan and CPHR Saskatchewan will do the same for Canadian post-secondary programs accredited by other member associations of CPHR Canada.
Can I take an accredited HR certificate?
For those who have a non-HR 2-year diploma, Degree, or Masters, you are eligible to take an accredited program in order to apply for an NKE waiver (this may include an HR certificate).
For those without post-secondary education, it is recommended that you take a minimum of a 2-year HR diploma from a program accredited by a CPHR Member
Association in order to apply for an NKE Waiver. Otherwise, if you take a non-HR 2 year diploma, Degree, or Masters, you will still need to meet the coursework requirement which
could include an HR certificate from a CPHR accredited program in order to waive the NKE.
How do I find out if my post-secondary program is currently accredited or in the process of becoming accredited with CPHR Saskatchewan?
If your program is accredited it will be listed on CPHR Canada’s website or you can contact CPHR Saskatchewan directly. If it is in the process of becoming accredited, CPHR Saskatchewan will not provide that information, however, you can inquire with your post-secondary institution for more information.
Is there a fee associated with waiving the NKE?
Yes, the fee for waiving the exam is the $400 plus GST.
What other requirements must be met in order for a student to waive the NKE?
In order to waive the NKE, a student must achieve a cumulative average of 70% (or equivalent in the grading system) in the HR program as well as be a member in good standing of CPHR Saskatchewan. Should you not meet the 70% requirement, you will still be able to write the NKE.
If someone waives the NKE, do they still need to pass the Validation of Professional Experience (VOE)?
Yes, the VOE is required in order to attain the CPHR designation.
Why is CPHR Saskatchewan prepared to waive the National Knowledge Exam (NKE) for post-secondary graduates?
CPHR Saskatchewan recognizes that many post-secondary programs cover the majority of the information included on the National Knowledge Exam. The Post-Secondary Accreditation process will allow CPHR Saskatchewan to assess which programs cover 80% or more of the CPHR Competency Framework content. If a student has achieved 70% or higher as an overall grade in an accredited program, CPHR Saskatchewan is confident that the student already possesses the knowledge tested in the National Knowledge Exam.
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