Frequently Asked Questions
Utah EE Certification Program Materials & Resources Applicant Candidate Mentor
Program Overview
The Utah Environmental Education Certification Program establishes high standards for the professional qualifications of environmental educators in Utah. A diverse team of experienced environmental educators from across the state worked with representatives from a variety of national organizations to set specific standards of knowledge, skills, and experience that highly qualified environmental educators in Utah should be able to demonstrate. These standards better define the environmental education (EE) profession within the state of Utah, and meeting these requirements helps foster the professional development of EE providers as individuals and as a professional community. This certification process is designed for those who have some experience in the field. To begin the certification program, educators must meet certain minimum requirements. Once admitted, each candidate works with a certified mentor to demonstrate that he or she has the experience, knowledge, and skills required for certification. Candidates for certification must also understand and agree to uphold high ethical standards in the practice of EE.
Why get certified?
Certification has a variety of benefits for individuals, organizations, and the field of EE. Individual educators often find that the certification process serves as an important step in their professional development. In meeting high standards of the program, candidates more fully master both the theory and practice of EE, making them more effective as professionals. Perhaps equally important is the statewide network of professional environmental educators that the program fosters. Many organizations report that they find the certification program helpful in identifying qualified environmental educators. Though certification does not guarantee the competence of individuals in addressing specific environmental topics, certification does attest that environmental educators have met minimum standards regarding comprehension and experience within the field of EE. Certification programs like this one also provide an important benefit to the field of EE. Because the program helps define the knowledge, skills, and ethical standards required to effectively practice EE, certification helps ensure the credibility of EE. For more information about the Certification Program or to obtain an
application packet, please email andree@usee.org or call (801) 328-1549. | 
