A Joint Publication of ACPA and NASPA, March 2, 2010
This compilation of Professional Competency Areas is intended to define the broad professional knowledge, skills, and attitudes expected of student affairs professionals, regardless of their area of specialization or positional role within the field. All student affairs professionals are expected to demonstrate their ability to meet the basic list of outcomes under each competency area regardless of how they entered the profession. Thus, this document is intended to inform the design of professional development opportunities for student affairs professionals by providing outcomes that are to be incorporated into the design of specific curriculum and training opportunities. If a student affairs professional desires to grow in a particular competency area, he/she can examine expected learning and skills in the intermediate and advanced level. Such examination allows individual practitioners to use this document to help guide their own choices about professional development opportunities afforded to them. Finally, graduate student affairs program faculty may choose to utilize this document to develop or refine their curriculum, preparing students for the competencies expected of practitioners in the field.