The Catholic University of America

 

Certified Employee Benefits Program

Certified Employee Benefit Specialist

The premier designation in

employee benefits.

Also available:

Compensation Management Specialist (CMS)

Group Benefits Associate (GBA)

Retirement Plans Associate (RPA)

The Catholic University of America (CUA) offers a comprehensive program in employee benefits in association with the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. The Foundation offers the program leading to professional designation as a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS), as well as three specialty designations in employee benefits.

The CEBS designation has been the most highly respected credential in the employee benefits industry for over two decades, with nearly 10,000 individuals having earned the designation and thousands more currently pursuing it. In addition to the CEBS designation, there are three specialty tracks in which one may earn a designation:

  • compensation management: an area in which one may earn the Compensation Management Specialist (CMS) designation
  • group benefits: offering the Group Benefits Associate (GBA) designation, and
  • retirement plans: resulting in the Retirement Plans Associate (RPA) designation.

     

    Each of the specialty designations stands on its own to deliver specialized knowledge in one of the key areas of employee benefits, or may be combined together to form a comprehensive, integrated curriculum. 

    The programs are all available through the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans as self-study courses. The Catholic University of America, however, provides you with the opportunity to learn the material IN A CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT. By enrolling in CUA's instructor-led courses, you are able to:

    • network with other employee benefit and HR professionals
    • establish a regular study time to prepare for CEBS exams
    • have difficult concepts explained more thoroughly
    • exchange ideas and best practices with your peers


    Requirements to Earn Designations

    CEBS: To earn the CEBS designation, one must successfully pass the examinations for eight courses, as follows:

  • Six required courses:
    GBA 1-Group Health Plan Design
    GBA 2-Group Benefits Management
    RPA 1-Retirement Plan Design
    RPA 2-Retirement Plan Management
    CMS 1-Human Resources and Compensation Management
    CMS 2-Compensation Concepts and Principles

  • Plus, any two of the following:
    RPA 3-Asset Management
    GBA 3-Health Economics
    CMS 3-Executive Compensation and Compensation Issues
    PFP1-Personal Financial Planning 1: Concepts and Principles
    PFP2-Personal Financial Planning 2: Tax and Estate Planning Techniques


    CMS: Requires that one pass the examinations for the following three courses:
    CMS 1-Human Resources and Compensation Management
    CMS 2-Compensation Concepts and Principles
    CMS 3-Executive Compensation and Compensation Issues


    GBA:     Requires passing scores on three examinations, as follows:
    GBA 1-Group Health Plan Design
    GBA 2-Group Benefits Management
    GBA 3-Health Economics


    RPA: Requires a passing score on three examinations, as follows:
    RPA 1-Retirement Plan Design
    RPA 2-Retirement Plan Management
    RPA 3-Asset Management


    For more information on certification requirements, please visit the Web pages of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Please note that in-class offerings of all courses may not be available at Catholic University.


     

    IF you would like to:

    THEN:

    Learn more about the CEBS, CMS, GBA, or RPA designation and program

    Contact the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans

    Enroll in the SELF-STUDY CEBS, CMS, GBA, or RPA designation program

    Contact the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans

    Enroll in INSTRUCTOR-LED COURSES at Catholic University in pursuit of the CEBS, CMS, GBA, or RPA designation

    Complete these three steps:

    I. Contact the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans to register for the designation program

     

    II. Contact Catholic University to:
    1. obtain the     course schedule and tuition.
    2. apply for admission -- use either the non-credit application/registration form or the "regular" (for-credit) application, as appropriate.

    III. Order course materials from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.

    Enroll in INSTRUCTOR-LED COURSES at Catholic University for personal and professional enrichment only

    Complete these steps:

    I. Contact Catholic University to:
    1. review the     course schedule and tuition.
    2. apply for admission -- using either the non-credit application/registration form or the "regular" (for-credit) application, as appropriate.

    II. Order course materials from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.
     
     

    Contact information for the Employee Benefits Program:

    International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans

    1-800-449-CEBS

    (Select option 3)

    cebs@ifebp.org   

    The Catholic University of America

     

    Scott E. Battle
    (202) 319-5808
    battles@cua.edu