Program Purpose
The purpose of the APRM is to provide a pathway for recent graduates with a range or range related degree and other range professionals to certification as a Certified Professional in Range Management. Recent graduates lacking the required 5 years of range related work experience can be approved as APRM in order to provide the opportunity to participate in the CPRM program as they work to gain experience within the discipline.
If education standards are met, the applicant will take the CPRM test (URME exemption applies as per CPRM Handbook) and if successful, applicant will receive APRM designation.
Maintaining Certification or Graduating to CPRM
During the 6-year period required to obtain necessary 5 years of work experience, applicant will need to meet CEU requirements. Recent graduates will have the $60.00 biennial re-certification fee waived within the first 5 years for graduation.
Once applicant meets work experience requirement, they would submit updated application with three letters of recommendation with at least one letter of recommendation coming from a CPRM in good standing to the CPRM committee for review and approval.
APRM may also be used by other professionals as a pathway to certification if they are lacking one or more of the current criteria. Qualified professionals would be approved as APRM while they work to fulfill missing criteria.
Who Is APRM For?
Professionals working in rangeland positions or range-related positions without a range degree or range-related degree. The professionals would still need to meet educational requirements. Those requirements may be met with university classes, professional education, or continuing education credits. The committee will have the responsibility and opportunity to evaluate submitted educational materials to determine applicability. The committee will also have opportunity to substitute experience for educational criteria. This is not intended as a pathway to eliminate all degree elements but to allow professionals to supplement their education to fulfill specific educational requirements.
Professionals working in non-traditional positions. This would provide opportunity for professionals to use professional training and other means to fulfill missing requirements. The intent of offering this pathway is for professionals to be approved as APRM, be informed as to what specific criteria need to be bolstered in order to be fully certified. They could then use the APRM program to track the completion of these criteria and would be required to obtain CEUs to maintain APRM status. Examples of professionals using this pathway would be ranchers and other graziers, NGO employees, international scientists, tribal employees, wildlife managers focusing on rangeland habitat.
Graduates of non-traditional and/or non-accredited range degrees. These professionals may be missing one or more educational criteria in their degree program. Rather than requiring these professionals to return to a university for additional classes, the educational criteria could be met with professional education, workshops, experience, and/or other means.
International professionals often do not specifically fit the CPRM criteria but have parallel education, expertise, and experience. The APRM pathway would allow these professionals to enter the certification pathway and have a means to document their competence in order to be
Those with no professional contact with existing CPRMs. This would provide a pathway to build working relationships while approved as an APRM so that a CPRM will be comfortable with providing a recommendation.
Society Assistance
APRM provides an opportunity to SRM to assist, support, and track professionals on the pathway to certification. SRM has a wealth of educational materials it can provide to APRMs that will allow them to further their education, get experience, and build expertise as a part of the SRM certification process.
There will be no time limit on remaining an APRM.
Please contact Director of Programs, Kayla Walker, at programs@rangelands.org
The APRM Program is overseen by the Certified Professional in Rangeland Management (CPRM) Committee. For committee information, include chairperson contact, visit the CPRM Committee page
Become an Associate Professional in Range Management
