CAPstone is a one-of-a-kind program that allows professionals to learn best practices and skills with a community of peers to increase value—to your organization and yourself—and heighten performance efficiency.
Overview of CAPstone
Whether it’s a technical skill—such as project management—or a people skill— such as human resources, earning a certificate through CAPstone will help you gain confidence and competence, giving you the tools to enhance your performance and help you get the recognition you deserve.
CAPstone is a twice-a-year opportunity for anyone to earn a certificate in one of several areas integral to the administrative profession. You can select any of the Specialty Certificate Courses that align with a domain from the CAP Body of Knowledge, helping specialize your skill set as you work toward your career goals.
You’ll be pleased to know these courses are designed with you in mind. They will allow you the opportunity to earn and display your certificate to your current and future employers as your professional achievement. The CAPstone course certificates also serve as tangible indication of knowledge and skills when applying for promotions, merit increases, and new professional opportunities. The return on your investment is invaluable as you carry this learning throughout your administrative career.
Format of CAPstone
You spoke and we listened! Due to popular demand and overwhelming success, CAPstone will be offered virtually twice per year starting in 2025. Virtual courses are available during an 8-week period in the spring and again in the fall. While the courses are primarily asynchronous to easily accommodate your schedule, you will enjoy the weekly virtual gatherings with your fellow administrative peers and course facilitator. Virtual CAPstone is a great opportunity for everyone because you have flexibility of completing the course in the comfort of your own home, or wherever you prefer to learn!
Specialty Certificate Courses
Specialty Certificate Courses help you specialize your skill set as you continue to shape your career trajectory on your professional journey. Specialties such as project management, human resources, and meeting and event planning help you gain knowledge, develop new skills, and hone your focus, allowing you to truly master aspects of your role.
They may also help you prepare for a direction you want to take your role in the future as you discover your passions and embrace your strengths. Specialty Certificate Courses are now open to all admin professionals and class size is limited to ensure personalized learning. CAP designees who complete a specialty certificate course are able to append the specialty to their designation and potentially become a CAP (Expert).
Overview of Specialty Certificate Courses
OM – Organizational Management
Organizational Management is the powerhouse that takes an organization’s aspirations from the planning phase smoothly to the execution phase, all the while maximizing the use of company resources responsibly and efficiently.
BW – Business Writing
This interactive eight-week course equips administrative professionals with essential business writing skills through a structured focus on prewriting, writing, rewriting, and e-writing. Participants will sharpen their ability to create clear, professional communication while exploring real-world tools—including optional guided practice using generative AI. With practical exercises based on actual workplace documents, this course goes beyond generic writing instruction to support confident, credible, and efficient communication.
TA – Technology Applications
We live in a digital world, and technology isn’t slowing down. In fact, technology applications are evolving at a rapid pace. In order to stay competitive in your professional career, it’s imperative to navigate software and digital programs with knowledge and confidence. These tools are designed to help you in your role; learning how to utilize them efficiently is part of the process.
RM – Records Management
Did you know records have a life cycle? Business records are some of the most important documents a company possesses. They contain a variety of information that businesses need to organize, retain, produce, and destroy at various frequencies. Records Management is a disciplined systematic approach from creation to disposal of an organization’s records.
PM – Project Management
If you love bringing ideas to life, Project Management is for you. Planning, creating, leading, collaborating, and moving pieces of a large puzzle along to produce quality results while meeting deadlines and budgets is the magic sauce of Project Management.
MEP – Meeting & Event Planning
Do you find joy in bringing people together? Do you love conferences, meetings, gatherings, or special events? If you possess the ability to gather people with grace while keeping your focus on the goals and objectives of the event, then Meeting & Event Planning is designed with you in mind.
HR – Human Resources
People are a company’s most important asset. They are the lifeblood of an organization. A lot goes into managing the resources of people: Talent Acquisition, Payroll, Benefits & Wellness, Compliance, and more. If you’re passionate about helping the people within your organization thrive while protecting the business’ interests, then Human Resources is where you will bloom.
CAP (Expert)
The CAP (Expert) is a brand-new option available to all CAP designees who earn all seven specialty certificates. Once you earn the BW, HR, MEP, OM, PM, RM, and TA specialties, you’ll be awarded a new CAP (Expert) certificate with all specialty certificate seals included. These stackable certificates illustrate a mastery in all 6 domains of the CAP Body of Knowledge and give you the skills to optimize performance and experience success, wherever your career path takes you.
Experience Credit
If you are interested in sitting for the CAP exam but don’t yet have the work experience to be eligible, one certificate course can be used for one year of experience toward the eligibility requirements. At the successful completion of the specialty certificate course, all CAP designees receive 25 recertification points.
CAPstone Focus
We strongly recommend taking only one CAPstone course at a time to ensure you have the time and capacity to fully immerse yourself in the learning experience. This focused approach allows you to engage deeply with the material, apply your knowledge effectively, and achieve the best outcomes for your professional development.
CAPstone Schedule
We know pre-planning is key to your professional development. Below is the CAPstone schedule for 2024 and beyond. All courses are currently offered virtually. Registration opens 8-12 months prior to launch of the course. We rotate the course schedule annually to increase accessibility with challenging schedules. This schedule is subject to change. We know how hectic life can be while balancing work and family needs, so we’d like to make professional development a little bit easier for you.
2025
SPRING
BW
OM
TA
MEP
FALL
HR
PM
RM
2026
SPRING
RM
HR
PM
FALL
BW
OM
TA
MEP
2027
SPRING
BW
OM
TA
MEP
FALL
RM
HR
PM
TA
