Membership Information

• Provides professional credibility and credentials for animal scientists who must increasingly verify their professional competence and its uniqueness to legislative, legal, and industry groups by some mechanism in addition to formal education.
• Documents that the professional has the know-how to apply relevant cutting-edge knowledge to real-world problems.
• Brings recognition of abilities and knowledge to the one being served. Provides another certification title which creates more credibility on the farm and among other professionals (i.e., veterinarians, attorneys, CPAs).
• ARPAS provides a variety of mechanisms to enable members to stay current in their field and maintains documentation of the CEUs.
• Provides assurance to those you serve that they are getting advice from a professional who keeps up-to-date and agrees to abide by a professional code of ethics.
• Proactively positions animal scientists for a time when some form of licensing may be required to practice certain animal sciences.
• Provides a pool of credentialed animal scientists to be called upon in settings involving public policy, especially where new laws and decisions involving animal agriculture are made.
• The journal The Professional Animal Scientist provides a source of publishing and finding useful information and relevant research as well as field studies.
• Provides certification and diplomat status when dealing with other governments in international affairs.
• Provides appropriate certification and titles, after examination, for individuals working at all levels of animal science, from on-farm production, to expertise gained by academic degrees and experience, to diplomat status.

Professional Certification in the Animal Sciences

Student Membership:

Undergraduate and Graduate Student Membership is available to full-time students and requires verification from major professor to qualify. Student members will be required to complete the application and examination process, including payment of any fees. In addition to exam fee, the student will be expected to pay the student dues for the first year of membership and for every year thereafter while the member is a full-time student. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are not required for full-time student members.

Associate Membership:

PAS (Professional Animal Scientist)
Must be a current undergraduate or graduate student, or have a BS, MS, or PhD in an area of animal science or a closely related field. Associates will be granted Full Member status after gaining the required experience outlined under the Full Membership heading and maintaining the required Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

RAS/RAPS (Registered Animal Scientist/Registered Animal Product Specialist)
Must have two years of experience in one of the related areas of specialization or species. Does not require any degree type.

Full Membership:

PAS
Must meet all requirements of an Associate Member, plus:

• BS degree plus four years of experience or
• MS degree plus two years of experience or
• PhD degree plus one year of experience in an area of animal science or closely related field.

RAS/RAPS
Must have four years of experience in one of the related areas of specialization or closely related field. Does not require any degree type.

Emeritus Membership:

Emeritus membership is available for ARPAS members who have retired and who are no longer practicing professional activities in animal science. CEUs are not required for Emeritus members.

Request for Emeritus Status Form

Application Process:

All potential ARPAS applicants must submit a completed application form and payment of examination fee in the amount of $25.00.

Once all necessary materials are submitted, arrangements for the examination will be made by the ARPAS business office.

Any current ARPAS member who requests to take an additional exam will be required to pay the $25.00 examination fee for each exam requested.

Examination Process:

ARPAS exams are offered as both a paper exam and electronic exam. We recommend that exams being administered at a meeting be done using a paper exam. 

After the ARPAS business office has received the completed application and examination fee, the applicant will be contacted to begin the examination process.

Any ARPAS exam must be proctored by a current ARPAS member. If the applicant does not know of a current ARPAS member in their area, the business office will assist in finding an ARPAS member to proctor. Once a proctor is found, the applicant and proctor will work directly with each other to establish a date, time, and place for the exam to take place. When the proctor and applicant have decided on a date, time, and place for the exam, the proctor will be expected to send a confirmation to the business office. After the business office has received confirmation, the electronic exam login and instructions will be sent to the proctor and will not be given to the applicant until time of the exam. If a paper exam is being administered a copy will be sent to the proctor from the business office.

Because ARPAS exams are now offered electronically, the location of the exam must have Internet access and the applicant is expected to supply their own computer device to complete the exam (i.e., laptop, tablet). The proctor will be expected to remain present with the applicant while the exam is in progress.

The business office and applicants will receive a pass or fail notice immediately after exam completion. Once the exam is completed, the business office will be in contact with the applicant to explain the final steps of application completion.

If the exam is not passed on the first attempt, the applicant will be allowed to retake the same exam for free after a 30-day waiting period. However, the exam must be retaken within 90 days of the original testing date. If the exam is not taken within the 90-day period, the applicant must repay the examination fee. Also, the applicant may directly contact their proctor to inquire if they will proctor for their exam again.

Please contact the ARPAS Business Office for exams being administered at a meeting or for large scale exam sessions. 

To begin the application process, click the online application form button below. If you do not have an account, you will need to create one.

Membership Maintenance:

All PAS and RAS members are required to submit a minimum of sixteen (16) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) by December 31 of each year. Any credits over 16 submitted per year will be carried over into the next year. A yearly maximum of 32 credits is allowed per member.

One CEU equals one hour of participation in an approved educational event (i.e., meeting, conference, webinar, etc.). Please see submission requirements and approved meetings here.

In addition, all ARPAS members are expected to pay their respective membership dues. 

Failure of any ARPAS member to pay yearly dues or submit CEUs will put the member’s account into a lapsed state and will require specific steps for reactivation.

Membership Fees:

• Student Members (Undergraduate & Graduate): $10.00 annual dues
• PAS & RAS/RAPS Members: $95.00 annual dues
• Emeritus Members: $47.50 annual dues, or one-time fee of $285.00
• Examination:
  • $25.00 per species exam (see Examination Process for more information)
  • $100.00 exam fee for Dairy Nutrition & Feed Management Certification