Accreditation-&-Certification

Accreditation & Certification


The PSA Official Rating System is for coaches who want to validate their skating skill and teaching experience. Ratings are an assurance to clubs, rinks, skaters, parents and the general public that the coach they hire is technically qualified to instruct at the level in which they are rated regardless of background and skating achievement. More and more coaches are required to become rated and many are choosing to do so because it is so beneficial. Ratings are offered in Free Skating, Figures, Pairs, Dance, Group, Program Director, Synchronized Team, Free Dance, Choreography and Style, and Moves in the Field. They are offered at the Registered, Certified, Senior and Master levels. Ratings consist of both written and oral examinations. Once a rating has been earned, a coach must maintain at least 28 educational credits over a three-year period through attendance at educational events. Attending a PSA state workshop, seminar, Conference, PACE, completing an E-Learning course or PSA Apprentice program and then submitting an Affidavit to the PSA office accumulates educational credits. Please refer to our Calendar of Events for upcoming events and deadlines.

The first step to earn a rating is to apply to take the Basic Accreditation (BA) exam. The PSA Membership and Resource Directory contains all requirements for all exams. A study guide for the BA exam is included in the application fee and is mailed or e-mailed upon receipt of an application. The exam consist of 100 multiple choice and true & false questions. A 70 percent score must be achieved in order to advance. Results of the exam are mailed to the candidate. After passing the BA exam, a discipline can be chosen and an application completed to take the first of four oral exams (Registered, Certified, Senior and Master) of that discipline. Two oral exams may be taken at a site, but not in the same discipline. For example, a candidate cannot take Registered Group and Certified Group exams at the same site; however, a Registered Group and a Registered Free Skating exam would be allowed. The exception to this policy is Pair, Choreography and Style, Synchronized Team and Program Director disciplines. Master exams are offered only at Conference and at the November Oral Rating Zone site. Guide to Sample Questions can be purchased from the PSA office for each discipline. They are not included in the oral rating application fee.

An oral exam consists of the examinee and three examiners in a round table setting. The examiners ask questions based on the requirements of that exam level and may require everything from physically demonstrating a move to drawing out patterns. Oral exams are approximately one hour in length and exam results are given on site. All oral exam ratings have an additional certification requirement in the area of Sport Science and Medicine. A written Sport Science and Medicine exam must be completed successfully at each level (registered to master) as a secondary component of each oral exam of the same level. Two Sport Science exams may be written at one site and may be taken in any order, either before or after an oral exam. To receive a rating certificate both the oral and sport science exams at the required level must be passed. The Coach's Guide to Sport Science and Medicine serves as the study guide for the sport science exams. Written exams are offered at all PSA scheduled state workshops, nationwide seminars, oral rating zones, PACE and Conference. Rating zones provide the opportunity to offer written and oral ratings nearly every month at various sites around the country. By offering ratings throughout the year, it is convenient to schedule oral exams well in advance. Be sure to check out the PSA Calendar of Events for upcoming dates, locations and deadlines.