QAPBecoming a Qualified Academic Program

Key Terms

Qualiﬁed Academic Program (QAP)

A Qualified Academic Program (QAP) is an

academic degree program in safety, health, and

environmental (SH&E) practices meeting BCSP

standards for participation in the Graduate Safety

Practitioner

(GSP

) program. Currently, BCSP

defines a QAP as a bachelor’s or master’s degree

program in safety, health, and/or environmental

practices whose curriculum has been determined

to be a substantial match to the Associate Safety

Professional

(ASP

) Examination Blueprint.

QAP Coordinator

A QAP Coordinator is the contact person between

the academic institution and BCSP. It may be

the department chair, professor, or a program

coordinator. This person works with BCSP to help

maintain the program’s QAP status. In addition,

they inform students about the GSP program and

promote the value of holding the CSP certification.

Graduate Safety Practitioner

(GSP

)

The GSP is a designation available to graduates of

a QAP. The GSP designation is an alternate path to

the Certiﬁed Safety Professional

(CSP

), waiving

the requirement to sit for the ASP exam. Students

graduating from a current QAP may be eligible for

the GSP.

Certiﬁed Safety Professional

(CSP

)

The CSP is the “gold standard” in safety certiﬁcation

and is awarded by the Board of Certiﬁed Safety

Professionals (BCSP). The CSP is accredited by the

American National Standards Institute (ANSI). More

information about BCSP and the CSP can be found

at BCSP.ORG.

QAPQAP

Becoming a Qualiﬁed

Academic Program

GSP Beneﬁts

Graduates of a QAP are eligible to apply for the

GSP designation, which meets the credential

requirement necessary to apply for the CSP

certiﬁcation. BCSP supports graduates by awarding

them the GSP designation, which demonstrates

their safety commitment to established

professionals and potential employers.

There are numerous beneﬁts of obtaining the GSP

designation, including:

• You meet the CSP eligibility requirement of

holding a BCSP qualiﬁed credential, waiving the

ASP and its exam.

• Recognition for being on a path toward the CSP

certiﬁcation.

• Recognition for being on a path toward the STS

and STSC certiﬁcations.

• Recognition for the level of preparation for

professional safety practice.

• A GSP digital wall certiﬁcate.

• GSPs’ names and digital badges appear on the

BCSP Credential Holder Directory.

• Use of the BCSP Career Center

(JOBS.BCSP.ORG) to post a resume and view

career opportunities.

• Use of the BCSP Mentor Program to support the

pursuit of safety certiﬁcation.

How Do You Become a GSP?

Individuals must complete an online application

for the GSP designation and upload a copy of their

conferred transcript within one year of graduation,

or during the program’s applicable dates as listed

on the QAP list. The QAP list can be found at

BCSP.ORG/GSP.

Once the application is approved, the GSP

designation is awarded. All GSPs pay an annual

renewal fee to maintain their designation and

may hold the GSP for up to six (6) years. When a

GSP meets the eligibility requirements for the CSP

certiﬁcation, they may submit their CSP application

by logging in to MyProﬁle at BCSP.ORG.

Once a GSP achieves the CSP certiﬁcation, the

GSP designation expires. GSPs who lose their

designation before achieving the CSP must achieve

the ASP certiﬁcation or another BCSP qualiﬁed

credential before applying for the CSP.

For more information about the GSP, ASP, and CSP,

refer to the Complete Guide to Safety Certiﬁcation

at BCSP.ORG/GSP.

Institutional Requirements

for Programs

Programs are reviewed by BCSP throughout the

year, and new programs are added to the QAP list

on a quarterly basis. Once a program is published

on the QAP list, graduates of the program are

eligible to apply for the GSP designation.

Note: This process of review is repeated with each

new ASP examination blueprint revision.

The ASP blueprint can be downloaded from the

BCSP website at BCSP.ORG/ASP.

Institutional Requirements

for Programs with ABET-AABI

Accreditation

Academic institutions that have degree programs

in SH&E accredited by ABET and/or AABI, that are

interested in having a program become a QAP,

must:

• Make a formal request to BCSP to be

considered for the QAP program, either

through email, mail, or by phone.

• Submit program information including QAP

coordinator and contact information.

• Submit a listing of the degree program’s

required course curriculum from the current

academic year.

• Submit a detailed syllabus for each required

course.

QAP Beneﬁts

Being a QAP distinguishes your SH&E program

from other programs. It recognizes graduates’

accomplishments with a path to professional

certiﬁcation.

• BCSP gives special recognition to QAP

schools in our Academic Database on our

website.

• There is no cost to the school for either a

program review or becoming a GSP QAP.

Accreditation Contributions

& Scholarships

BCSP and the BCSP Foundation are committed to

supporting your school’s endeavors to maintain

or pursue accreditation through the Accreditation

Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) or

Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI).

Accreditation is an important indicator of quality,

and BCSP has made it part of its mission to provide

monetary contributions to our QAPs to aid in

accreditation costs.

The following program contributions are available

for QAPs through the BCSP Foundation:

• A QAP is eligible for a grant of up to $10,000

toward full accreditation or reaccreditation

under the ABET.

• The BCSP Foundation provides QAPs with

scholarships for their students.

For additional information about scholarships,

and to apply for grants oered, please visit

bcspfoundation.org/grants.

Institutional Requirements for

Programs WITHOUT ABET-AABI

Accreditation

Academic institutions with degree programs in

SH&E, not accredited by ABET and/or AABI, that are

interested in having a program become

a QAP, must:

• Make a formal request to BCSP to be

considered for the QAP program, either

through email, mail, or by phone.

• Submit program information including QAP

coordinator and contact information.

• Submit a listing of the degree program’s

required course curriculum from the current

academic year.

• Submit a detailed syllabus for each required

course.

• Provide documentation on how knowledge is

assessed within each exam blueprint domain

covered by the program’s required curriculum.

This can include quizzes, exams, assignments,

and projects that demonstrate student

outcomes.

Name of College or University Accreditation/Recognition

University Aliation (if any) Course Curricula Implementation Date

Program Name Average Number of Graduates Each Year

College Department Online or Classroom

Campus Location

University Website Address

Institution’s Mailing Address

Full Mailing Address

Department Chair/Head Title

Email Address of Department Chair/Head

QAP Coordinator Contact Information

QAP Coordinator’s Name Title

QAP Coordinator’s Mailing Address

Email Address Telephone Number

Does the program have any program accreditation such as ABET, AABI, or ATMAE? Y/N

Name of Accreditation

For more information, please contact [email protected] or Kathleen Golding at +1 317-390-3883.

QUALIFIED ACADEMIC

PROGRAM (QAP)

REQUIRED INFORMATION