Q. Are there prerequisites to pursuing the Certified Emerging Company Analyst designation?

A. Yes. Candidates must have at least a basic understanding of financial analysis. Candidates should understand income statements and balance sheets. Candidates must have completed at least a four-year bachelor's degree.

Q. How do I earn the Certified Emerging Company Analyst designation?

A. You must complete 30 credits of coursework; (beginning in mid-2024) pass a quiz after each course you take; and, agree to the Certified Emerging Company Analyst's Disclaimer.

Q. How many credits do I receive when I take a course?

A. You receive 1 credit for every hour of class time. The number of credits you will receive for each course is provided on the Courses page of this website.

Q. Are some of the courses required and other courses elective?

A. Yes. There are 22.5 credits worth of required courses. You must complete another 7.5 hours of elective courses to earn the CECA designation. You may choose any combination of elective courses you wish to earn the remaining required credits. The required and elective courses are clearly delineated here.

Q. How long do I have to complete the required 30 hours of coursework?

A. You have six months from the date of the first course you take (or from your receipt of the self-taught course materials) to complete all of the necessary coursework.

Q. How often and where are the courses offered?

A. Several of the required and elective courses are offered several times a year in a variety of cities in the United States. Some of the courses are offered in the UK, Europe, Asia, India and the Middle East. All of the courses are offered via archived webinar.

Q. Are there any required reading materials associated with the courses?

A. Yes. The course materials and reading materials will be provided to you during each class. If you take the self-study option, the course materials will be mailed to you along with the archived webinars delivered electronically.

Q. Are there quizzes associated with the Certified Emerging Company Analyst designation?

A. Yes. Beginning in mid-2024, there will be quizzes associated with each course.

Q. What are the costs associated with earning the Certified Emerging Company Analyst designation?

A. See the Courses page for more information on the associated costs. (Note: you must take all required courses in addition to at least 7.5 elective course credits).

Q. How long may I use the CECA designation?

A. You may use the CECA designation as long as you remit payment of an annual maintenance fee. This maintenance fee will be initiated for those who earn their designations after December 31, 2023 and is expected to start at $195 per year. Benefits to maintaining your CECA designation include:

* 50% discounts on recorded electives offered through The Certified Emerging Company Analyst Program

* 50% discounts on recorded electives offered through The Certified Patent Valuation Analyst Program

* 50% discounts on recorded courses offered through The Certified Research Developer Program

* 50% discounts on recorded electives offered through The Institute for Strategic Negotiations

* 10% discount on training to become a Devil's Advocate Auditor

* Membership prices on courses offered through The Business Development Academy

* Discounts on financial analysis tools as described on the benefits section of this site

Q. Are there continuing education requirements for using the CECA designation?

A. CECA designees that earn their designation before December 31, 2023 will be waived from continuing education requirements into perpetuity.