Starting in 2013, the dates for the National Knowledge Exam (NKE) are moving from May and October each year to June and November each year.
The change is in response to feedback from students that they have trouble providing course transcripts in time for the May sitting of the NKE. Starting in 2013, the NKE will be offered:
• the first Saturday in June (moved from May)
• the first Saturday in November (moved from October)
HRPA’s Late Transcript Policy remains unchanged. The Late Transcript Policy allows individuals to register for the NKE before submitting a transcript provided that the transcript or other acceptable substitute arrives at HRPA at least two weeks before the exam.
Registration deadlines typically fall approximately 8 weeks prior to the exam date. Individuals are responsible for knowing the registration deadlines. Registrations beyond the published deadline dates will not be accepted, regardless of the circumstances.
Individuals using the course by course method to meet the coursework requirement must submit complete academic transcripts, including final grades for all 9 course requirements must arrive at HRPA before or on the registration deadline date. HRPA will not accept applications and transcripts that arrive after the deadline, including those that have been mailed and do not arrive on or before the deadline date.
Members are encouraged to submit transcripts to the association as soon as they complete each required course. HRPA tracks a member's progress in meeting the coursework requirement in our membership database. National Knowledge Exam registrants must submit transcripts before or at the time of registration.
Transcripts must be original documents. Photocopies, web printouts and faxes will not be accepted as official documentation. Transcripts may be fowarded to HRPA directly by an educational institution at the request of a member, however members are responsible for ensuring that the correct surname appears on the transcript so it can be matched to the member's profile.
Individuals who are unable to submit original transcripts at the time of registration for the National Knowledge Exam or who have courses in progress, may be able to utilize HRPA's Late Transcript Policy. View the Office of the Registrar Policies section of the website for specific details.
Individuals applying via the alternate route to meet the coursework requirement must apply in advance of registering to write the NKE. See the alternate route section of this website for more information. *Please note that in order to be eligible to write the NKE on June 1, 2013, your Alternate Route application must be submitted on or before March 29, 2013*
The cost to register for the NKE is $275 + HST.
Registration vs. Eligibility to Write
Registration for the NKE does not constitute eligibility to write. HRPA will allow registration and process payment. Once an eligibility assessment is complete, members are emailed to confirm whether or not they have met the coursework requirement. Individuals who do not meet the coursework requirement will be refunded the registration fee, less an administrative fee of $50.
Transcript Assessment
HRPA requires approximately 4 – 6 weeks from the time of arrival, to process academic transcripts. NKE applicants are advised to submit academic documents well in advance of the registration deadline date to allow adequate time for assessment.
Exam Content and Delivery
All NKE registrants should review the HRPA Certification Handbook in its entirety.
The NKE assesses candidates’ understanding of the RPCs® as they relate to academic knowledge. Academic knowledge refers to basic facts, policies, practices, methods, legislation, etc. It is information that can be written into procedures and transferred fairly accurately during the learning process. Examples of academic knowledge include: the rights and responsibilities of management and labour during union organizing and negotiation processes; the various methods of training and developing staff; and human rights, employment equity and pay equity legislation. See the right handside menu for a copy of the Required Professional Capabilities, and the CCHRA Practice Analysis.
The NKE’s questions are based on the content in the following seven HR-related areas, or functional dimensions, under which the RPCs are organized. In the chart below, the percentages provide guidelines on the extent to which each area of knowledge is emphasized within the NKE.
| Functional Dimensions |
Weighting |
| Professional Practice |
24.0% |
| Organizational Effectiveness |
8.3% |
| Staffing |
19.8 % |
| Employee & Labour Relations |
10.4% |
| Total Compensation |
10.4% |
| Organizational Learning, Training & Development |
18.8% |
| Occupational Health, Safety & Wellness |
8.3% |
| Total |
100.0% |
The NKE consists of 150 multiple choice questions. Each question has four options. The time limit for the NKE is three hours. The exam is administered in paper-and-pencil format. The NKE is offered twice a year, in May and October of each year. The NKE is available in both French and English. The exam is administered in approximately thirty locations across Ontario. By special arrangement, the NKE may be administered in other locations as well. There are a number of exam preparation products available in the marketplace.For information regarding test specifications, item development, item review, item selection and test assembly, scoring the NKE, mean rounded percentages, pass rates for previous exam sittings, and more, please review the HRPA Certification Handbook in detail.
Special Accommodation Requests
With respect to its examination process, it is HRPA’s policy to provide reasonable testing accommodations for candidates with documented disabilities. Reasonable accommodation refers to any adjustment to the examination materials or testing environment that permits a qualified applicant with a disability to perform, without undue hardship to the institution providing accommodation. Documented disabilities are those for which there is a diagnosis by a qualified professional.
The purpose of accommodations is to provide equity, not advantage. Any requested modification that would substantially alter essential elements of the examination will not be granted. As a general principle, it is desirable to retain as much of the original examination materials and testing environment and make the accommodations specific to the disability or disabilities in question. For more information regarding accommodations, please review the HRPA Accommodations Policy in the Office of the Registrar Policies section of the website.
Accommodation of Religious ObservanceRequests for religious accommodation must be made at the time of registration. For those who cannot write the exam on a Saturday, the alternate test day is the Monday following the Saturday.
Medical and Personal Emergencies
Please see the Office of the Registrar Policies link on the right hand side menu of this page.
Deferrals, Withdrawals & No-Shows
Please see the Office of the Registrar Policies link on the right hand side menu of this page.
For more exam information, visit HRPA's Exam Central section of our website.