Professional Certification Abbreviations
134 abbreviations · part of Education & Academic Abbreviations
Abbreviations for professional certifications, licenses and designations in accounting, finance, project management, quality, human resources, engineering, construction, information technology, cybersecurity, teaching and other fields, many of which holders place after their names. Entries name the issuing body and summarize eligibility, exam and renewal requirements. Certifying organizations revise their requirements regularly, so candidates should confirm current details directly with them.
| Abbreviation | Stands for | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | CompTIA A+ | Entry-level IT certification from CompTIA that validates skills for help desk and technical support roles, including hardware, operating systems, networking basics… |
| ACA | Associate Chartered Accountant | Designation used by members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), and also by associate members of ICAI in India, after completing the… |
| ACCA | Association of Chartered Certified Accountants | Global professional accounting body, founded in 1904 and headquartered in London, whose qualification is widely held in the UK, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. |
| AIA | American Institute of Architects | Professional organization for architects in the United States, which sets ethics standards, publishes the AIA contract documents widely used in construction and awards… |
| aPHR | Associate Professional in Human Resources | Entry-level HRCI certification for students and people starting HR careers, requiring no HR experience. |
| ASCM | Association for Supply Chain Management | Professional association for supply chain and operations professionals, formed by APICS and related groups and renamed in 2019. |
| ASE | Automotive Service Excellence | Certification program run by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, founded in 1972, under which mechanics pass exams in areas such as engine repair… |
| ASP | Associate Safety Professional | BCSP credential for safety practitioners early in their careers, requiring a bachelor's degree, a year of safety experience and an exam covering hazard recognition… |
| ASQ | American Society for Quality | Professional association for quality management, founded in 1946 and based in Milwaukee, that offers certifications such as the Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt… |
| AWS CCP | AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner | Foundational Amazon Web Services certification covering cloud concepts, core AWS services, security, pricing and support. |
| AWS SAA | AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate | Associate-level Amazon Web Services certification for designing secure, resilient, high-performing and cost-effective systems on AWS. |
| AZ-900 | Microsoft Azure Fundamentals | Entry-level Microsoft certification exam covering cloud concepts, Azure architecture and services, management and governance. |
| CA | Chartered Accountant | Accounting designation awarded by professional institutes in countries such as India (ICAI), Scotland (ICAS), Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), and historically Canada. |
| CAIA | Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst | Specialized investment designation covering hedge funds, private equity, real assets, commodities and structured products, awarded by the CAIA Association. |
| CAMS | Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist | Leading anti-money laundering certification for compliance professionals at banks, fintech firms, casinos and regulators, issued by the Association of Certified… |
| CAP | Certified Administrative Professional | Credential from the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) for executive assistants and office professionals, covering organizational… |
| CAPM | Certified Associate in Project Management | Entry-level PMI certification for students and early-career professionals, requiring 23 hours of project management education and a 150-question exam based on PMI's… |
| CASP+ | CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner | Advanced CompTIA certification for experienced security architects and engineers, covering enterprise security architecture, operations, engineering and governance. |
| CBAP | Certified Business Analysis Professional | Senior credential from the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) for business analysts with at least 7,500 hours of experience, based on the BABOK Guide. |
| CCIE | Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert | Cisco's expert-level certification, earned by passing a written qualification exam and an eight-hour hands-on lab exam. |
| CCIM | Certified Commercial Investment Member | Designation from the CCIM Institute for commercial real estate professionals, earned through coursework in financial, market and investment analysis, a portfolio of… |
| CCM | Certified Construction Manager | Credential from the Construction Management Certification Institute, part of the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA), for construction managers who… |
| CCNA | Cisco Certified Network Associate | Networking certification from Cisco, earned by passing a single exam covering network fundamentals, IP connectivity and services, security fundamentals and automation. |
| CCNP | Cisco Certified Network Professional | Professional-level Cisco certification earned by passing a core exam and a concentration exam in a track such as enterprise, security, data center or service provider. |
| CCSP | Certified Cloud Security Professional | Cloud security certification created by ISC2 and the Cloud Security Alliance, requiring five years of IT experience, including three in security and one in cloud… |
| CDA | Child Development Associate | National credential for early childhood educators awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition, requiring 120 hours of training, 480 hours of experience with… |
| CEH | Certified Ethical Hacker | Certification from the EC-Council covering tools and techniques that attackers use, so security professionals can test and defend systems. |
| CELTA | Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages | Initial teaching qualification from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, consisting of at least 120 hours of training including six hours of assessed teaching… |
| CEM | Certified Energy Manager | Certification from the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) for professionals who reduce energy use in buildings and industrial facilities through audits, efficiency… |
| CEU | Continuing education unit | Standard measure of participation in noncredit professional education, where one CEU equals ten contact hours of instruction. |
| CFA | Chartered Financial Analyst | Investment credential from the CFA Institute earned by passing three sequential exams covering ethics, financial reporting, equity, fixed income, derivatives and… |
| CFE | Certified Fraud Examiner | Anti-fraud certification awarded by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) to professionals who detect, investigate and prevent fraud, including auditors… |
| CFP | Certified Financial Planner | Financial planning certification from the CFP Board that requires a bachelor's degree, approved coursework, a 170-question exam, 6,000 hours of experience (or 4,000 in… |
| CFRE | Certified Fund Raising Executive | International credential for nonprofit fundraisers from CFRE International, requiring five years of professional fundraising experience, education, demonstrated results… |
| CGMA | Chartered Global Management Accountant | Management accounting designation launched in 2012 by the American Institute of CPAs and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, now offered through their… |
| CHES | Certified Health Education Specialist | Credential from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) for health educators who plan, implement and evaluate health education programs. |
| ChFC | Chartered Financial Consultant | Financial planning designation from The American College of Financial Services, introduced in 1982, requiring eight courses on topics such as insurance, investments… |
| CIA | Certified Internal Auditor | Global certification from the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) for internal audit professionals, earned by passing a three-part exam and meeting education and… |
| CIH | Certified Industrial Hygienist | Certification for professionals who anticipate, evaluate and control workplace health hazards such as chemicals, noise, radiation and airborne contaminants. |
| CIMA | Chartered Institute of Management Accountants | UK-based professional body for management accountants, founded in 1919, whose members use the designations ACMA and FCMA along with CGMA. |
| CIPP | Certified Information Privacy Professional | Privacy law certification from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), offered in regional versions such as CIPP/US, CIPP/E (Europe), CIPP/C… |
| CISA | Certified Information Systems Auditor | Certification from ISACA for professionals who audit, control and assure information systems, first awarded in 1978. |
| CISM | Certified Information Security Manager | ISACA certification for information security managers, focused on governance, risk management, program development and incident management. |
| CISSP | Certified Information Systems Security Professional | Advanced cybersecurity certification from ISC2 requiring five years of paid experience in at least two of its eight domains, such as security and risk management and… |
| CKA | Certified Kubernetes Administrator | Performance-based certification from the Cloud Native Computing Foundation and the Linux Foundation in which candidates complete real Kubernetes cluster administration… |
| CLTD | Certified in Logistics, Transportation and Distribution | ASCM certification focused on logistics network design, warehousing, transportation, inventory, global logistics and reverse logistics. |
| CLU | Chartered Life Underwriter | Insurance designation from The American College of Financial Services, first awarded in 1927, focused on life insurance, estate planning and risk management for… |
| CMA | Certified Management Accountant | Management accounting certification awarded by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) to professionals in corporate finance, budgeting, cost management and… |
| CMP | Certified Meeting Professional | Event-planning credential awarded by the Events Industry Council, requiring experience, continuing education and a passing exam on planning, site selection, contracts… |
| CMT | Chartered Market Technician | Designation for technical analysts, who study price charts, trends and market indicators, awarded by the CMT Association, formerly the Market Technicians Association. |
| CompTIA | Computing Technology Industry Association | Nonprofit trade association that issues vendor-neutral IT certifications, including A+, Network+, Security+ and CySA+, which are among the most widely held credentials… |
| CP | Certified Paralegal | Professional credential awarded by NALA, the Paralegal Association, to paralegals who meet education or experience requirements and pass its certification exam. |
| CPA | Certified Public Accountant | US accounting license granted by state boards of accountancy to candidates who meet education and experience requirements and pass the four-part Uniform CPA Examination. |
| CPCU | Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter | Designation from The Institutes for property and casualty insurance professionals, earned through a series of courses and exams on insurance operations, law, risk… |
| CPE | Continuing professional education | Ongoing education that certified public accountants and other financial professionals must complete to maintain their licenses and credentials, measured in credit hours. |
| CPH | Certified in Public Health | Credential from the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE) for public health professionals, earned by passing an exam covering the core areas of public health. |
| CPIM | Certified in Planning and Inventory Management | Credential from ASCM (formerly APICS) covering demand management, master planning, materials requirements, capacity planning and inventory control. |
| CPM | Certified Property Manager | Designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) for managers of residential, commercial and mixed-use properties, requiring coursework, experience… |
| CPP | Certified Payroll Professional | Credential for experienced payroll practitioners from PayrollOrg, formerly the American Payroll Association, earned by passing an exam on payroll calculations, tax… |
| CPSM | Certified Professional in Supply Management | Procurement certification from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), requiring three exams and either a bachelor's degree with three years of experience or five… |
| CPT | Certified Personal Trainer | Credential for fitness professionals who design exercise programs for individual clients, offered by organizations such as NASM, ACE, NSCA and ACSM. |
| CQA | Certified Quality Auditor | ASQ certification for professionals who audit quality systems against standards such as ISO 9001, covering audit planning, execution, reporting and follow-up. |
| CQE | Certified Quality Engineer | ASQ certification for engineers who design and control quality systems, using statistical process control, reliability, measurement systems analysis and quality planning. |
| CRISC | Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control | ISACA certification for professionals who identify and manage IT risk and implement information systems controls. |
| CSCP | Certified Supply Chain Professional | ASCM certification covering end-to-end supply chain design, planning, execution, supplier and customer relationships and global logistics. |
| CSCS | Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist | Certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) for professionals who train athletes to improve performance, requiring a bachelor's degree… |
| CSM | Certified ScrumMaster | Entry-level agile certification from the Scrum Alliance for people who facilitate Scrum teams, earned by attending a live course of about 14 to 16 hours with a… |
| CSP | Certified Safety Professional | Credential from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) for occupational safety and health professionals, requiring a bachelor's degree, four years of safety… |
| CSPO | Certified Scrum Product Owner | Scrum Alliance certification for product owners, the Scrum role responsible for the product backlog and maximizing product value. |
| CSSBB | Certified Six Sigma Black Belt | Advanced ASQ certification for full-time process improvement leaders who manage Six Sigma projects, coach Green Belts and apply advanced statistics such as design of… |
| CSSGB | Certified Six Sigma Green Belt | ASQ certification for professionals who lead small Six Sigma projects or support Black Belt projects, using the DMAIC method (define, measure, analyze, improve… |
| CSSYB | Certified Six Sigma Yellow Belt | Entry-level American Society for Quality (ASQ) certification for team members who support Six Sigma projects, covering basic tools such as process mapping and data… |
| CTP | Certified Treasury Professional | Credential from the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) for corporate treasury staff responsible for cash management, liquidity, banking relationships… |
| CWI | Certified Welding Inspector | Certification from the American Welding Society (AWS) for inspectors who verify that welding meets codes and specifications, offered since 1976. |
| CySA+ | CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst | Intermediate CompTIA certification for security analysts who detect threats, analyze data and respond to incidents, typically in security operations centers. |
| DELTA | Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages | Advanced Cambridge qualification for experienced English teachers, made up of three modules on language and methodology, developing teaching practice and an extended… |
| EA | Enrolled Agent | Federally authorized tax practitioner licensed by the Internal Revenue Service after passing the three-part Special Enrollment Examination (SEE) and a background check. |
| EIT | Engineer in Training | Designation granted by state licensing boards to engineering graduates who have passed the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, marking the first step toward Professional… |
| EPA 608 | EPA Section 608 Technician Certification | Certification required by the US Environmental Protection Agency under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act for technicians who maintain, service or dispose of equipment… |
| FE | Fundamentals of Engineering (exam) | First of two exams for US professional engineering licensure, administered by NCEES as a computer-based test covering mathematics, ethics and discipline-specific topics… |
| FRM | Financial Risk Manager | Risk management certification from the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP), earned by passing a two-part exam on quantitative analysis, market, credit and… |
| GCIH | GIAC Certified Incident Handler | GIAC certification for professionals who detect, respond to and resolve security incidents, covering attacker techniques, incident handling processes and defensive tools. |
| GIAC | Global Information Assurance Certification | Organization, founded in 1999 and affiliated with the SANS Institute, that offers dozens of technical cybersecurity certifications in areas such as incident handling… |
| GPHR | Global Professional in Human Resources | HRCI certification for HR professionals who manage cross-border workforce issues, including international assignments, global compensation, compliance in multiple… |
| GRI | Graduate, REALTOR Institute | Designation from the National Association of REALTORS earned by completing a state-run series of courses, often 60 to 90 hours, in real estate law, contracts, finance… |
| GSEC | GIAC Security Essentials | GIAC certification covering foundational security knowledge, such as networking, cryptography, access control, Linux and Windows security, for practitioners beyond… |
| HRCI | HR Certification Institute | Credentialing organization, established in 1976, that issues the PHR, SPHR, aPHR, GPHR and related human resources certifications. |
| ISACA | ISACA (formerly Information Systems Audit and Control Association) | Global professional association for IT governance, audit, risk and security, founded in 1969, which issues the CISA, CISM, CRISC and CGEIT certifications and publishes… |
| ISC2 | International Information System Security Certification Consortium | Nonprofit cybersecurity professional organization, founded in 1989, that issues the CISSP, SSCP, CCSP and other security certifications. |
| ITIL | Information Technology Infrastructure Library | Widely adopted framework of best practices for IT service management, covering incident, problem, change and service-level management. |
| LEED AP | LEED Accredited Professional | Credential from the Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) for professionals with advanced knowledge of the LEED green building rating system, offered with… |
| LEED GA | LEED Green Associate | Entry-level LEED credential demonstrating general knowledge of green building principles and the LEED rating system, open to students and professionals in any field. |
| LSS | Lean Six Sigma | Process improvement methodology, and the family of belt certifications based on it, that combines Lean's focus on eliminating waste with Six Sigma's focus on reducing… |
| MAI | Member of the Appraisal Institute | Professional designation from the Appraisal Institute for commercial real estate appraisers who value income-producing properties, requiring extensive coursework, a… |
| MBB | Master Black Belt | Highest level in the Six Sigma belt hierarchy, held by experts who train and mentor Black Belts and Green Belts, select projects and guide an organization's process… |
| MCSA | Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate | Former Microsoft certification for IT professionals who administered Windows Server, SQL Server and related products, retired in January 2021 along with the MCSE. |
| MCSE | Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert | Former expert-level Microsoft certification for professionals who designed and managed Microsoft server, database and cloud solutions. |
| MOS | Microsoft Office Specialist | Certification, delivered by Certiport, showing proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook or Access, at Associate or Expert levels. |
| NABCEP | North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners | Nonprofit certification body for renewable energy professionals, best known for the NABCEP PV Installation Professional certification for solar photovoltaic installers. |
| NCEES | National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying | Nonprofit organization, founded in 1920, that develops and scores the FE, PE, SE, FS and PS exams used by state boards to license engineers and surveyors in the US. |
| NCIDQ | National Council for Interior Design Qualification | Certification for interior designers, administered by the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ), earned by passing three exams on fundamentals, professional… |
| Network+ | CompTIA Network+ | Vendor-neutral CompTIA certification covering networking concepts, infrastructure, network operations, security and troubleshooting. |
| OCP | Oracle Certified Professional | Professional-level Oracle certification, offered in areas such as Java SE programming and Oracle Database administration, earned by passing one or more exams. |
| OSCP | Offensive Security Certified Professional | Hands-on penetration testing certification from OffSec, earned by hacking into a set of machines in a proctored exam lasting nearly 24 hours and then submitting a… |
| OSHA 30 | OSHA 30-Hour Outreach Training | Thirty-hour safety training course for supervisors and workers with safety responsibilities, offered through the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration's… |
| PDU | Professional development unit | Unit of continuing education used by the Project Management Institute to maintain certifications, with one PDU equal to one hour of learning or giving back to the… |
| PE | Professional Engineer | State license that allows an engineer to offer engineering services to the public and to sign and seal plans, reports and drawings. |
| PenTest+ | CompTIA PenTest+ | Intermediate CompTIA certification for penetration testers and vulnerability assessors, covering planning, reconnaissance, attacks, reporting and tools. |
| PgMP | Program Management Professional | Advanced PMI certification for managers who coordinate multiple related projects to achieve strategic objectives. |
| PHR | Professional in Human Resources | HR certification from the HR Certification Institute (HRCI) focused on the technical and operational aspects of HR management and US employment law. |
| PLS | Professional Land Surveyor | State license allowing a surveyor to establish legal property boundaries, prepare plats and certify surveys. |
| PMI | Project Management Institute | Global professional organization for project management, which administers the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and publishes A Guide to the Project… |
| PMI-ACP | PMI Agile Certified Practitioner | PMI certification covering agile approaches such as Scrum, Kanban, Lean, extreme programming and test-driven development. |
| PMP | Project Management Professional | Certification awarded by the Project Management Institute to project managers who meet education and experience requirements and pass a demanding exam covering people… |
| PRINCE2 | Projects in Controlled Environments | Process-based project management method, widely used in the UK, Europe and Australia, that structures projects around principles, themes and processes, with defined… |
| PSM | Professional Scrum Master | Scrum certification from Scrum.org, founded by Scrum co-creator Ken Schwaber, earned by passing an online assessment with no required course. |
| RA | Registered Architect | State license that allows a person to practice architecture and use the title "architect". |
| RHCE | Red Hat Certified Engineer | Advanced Red Hat certification, earned after the RHCSA, that now focuses on automating Linux administration with Ansible. |
| RHCSA | Red Hat Certified System Administrator | Performance-based certification from Red Hat in which candidates perform real Linux administration tasks, such as managing users, storage and services, on live systems. |
| SE | Structural Engineer | Specialty license, required in a handful of states including Illinois and Hawaii for designing significant structures, earned by passing the 16-hour NCEES Structural… |
| Security+ | CompTIA Security+ | Entry-level cybersecurity certification from CompTIA covering threats, vulnerabilities, architecture, security operations and governance. |
| Series 63 | Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination | State-law exam developed by the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) and administered by FINRA, required by most US states for securities agents. |
| Series 65 | Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination | NASAA exam that qualifies individuals to act as investment adviser representatives, giving advice for a fee, in most US states. |
| Series 66 | Uniform Combined State Law Examination | NASAA exam that combines the content of the Series 63 and Series 65, qualifying a person who also holds the Series 7 to act as both a securities agent and an investment… |
| Series 7 | General Securities Representative Qualification Examination | FINRA licensing exam that qualifies registered representatives to sell most types of securities, including stocks, bonds, options and mutual funds. |
| SHRM-CP | Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional | HR certification from SHRM for professionals in operational roles, earned by passing a competency-based exam that combines knowledge questions with situational judgment… |
| SHRM-SCP | Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional | SHRM's senior HR certification for professionals in strategic roles, such as HR directors and business partners, who develop policy and align HR with organizational… |
| SIE | Securities Industry Essentials Exam | Entry-level FINRA exam, introduced in October 2018, that tests basic knowledge of securities markets, products, regulation and prohibited practices. |
| SPHR | Senior Professional in Human Resources | HRCI's senior certification for HR leaders responsible for strategy, policy and the HR function's impact on the organization. |
| SSCP | Systems Security Certified Practitioner | ISC2 certification for hands-on security practitioners, such as network and systems administrators, requiring one year of experience in its domains and a passing exam. |
| TEFL | Teaching English as a Foreign Language | Teaching English to non-native speakers in countries where English is not the main language, and the certificates that qualify people to do so. |
| TESOL | Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages | Umbrella term for the field of teaching English to non-native speakers, covering both foreign-language and second-language settings, and the name of certificates and… |
| VCP | VMware Certified Professional | Certification for IT professionals who install, configure and manage VMware virtualization products such as vSphere. |
| WELL AP | WELL Accredited Professional | Credential from the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) for professionals who apply the WELL Building Standard, which rates buildings on features affecting… |