CRA Resources & Certificates and Degrees in Research Administration
We have had several requests over the last few months to provide campus administrators with resources or study materials they can use to pursue their Certified Research Administrator credentials. This list includes tips and resources for studying for the CRA exam and information on degree programs specific to research administration. While we aren’t presently in a position to offer on-site review sessions, it is our hope that providing a listing of publically available resources will be helpful for our research administrators.
Certificates and Degrees
Central Michigan University
MSA in Research Administration and a certificate in Research Administration
City University of New York (CUNY)
Master of Science in Research Administration and Compliance — 2 year, online program
Emmanuel College
Master of Science in Management: Research Administration (MSM) — 2 year, in-person or online program
James Madison University
Masters in Public Administration
John Hopkins University
Master of Science in Research Administration (MSRA) — 2 year online program
Rush University
Master of Science in Research Administration (MSRA) — 2 year online program
University of Central Florida
Master of Research Administration (MRA) — 2 year cohort, online program
Additional Resources
CRA Research Administrator Exam Prep
This app by SkyToDay E-Learning, Inc. offers flashcards and practice tests for the CRA. It’s available on the Google Play Store.
Quizlet
Go to quizlet.com and search for CRA, CPRA, or CFRA. There are several study sets to choose from. You can make study sets and turn them into tests, games, and flashcards. You can even download the quizlet app and have flashcards on the go!
National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO)
NACUBO has excellent programs and options in the way that NCURA does; e.g. national meeting, regional meetings, online programs, printed materials, leadership fellows, etc. It is heavily geared towards people in central budget, finance, accounting offices but also addresses changes in federal accounting laws/standards, auditing, leadership development, etc.
The western region (WACUBO) and the southern region (SACUBO) each have a summer program called BMI – Business Management Institute – or CBMI. Those programs expose you to other areas of the university to help understand how areas relate to each other and make you better prepared to move into management positions in higher ed.
Society for College and University Planning (SCUP)
SCUP is all about planning and implementation skills. The conference sessions focus on real projects that people have done and what they learned from it. They cover academic planning, financial planning, space planning, student affairs planning, and so on.
National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP)
NORDP is a group for research development which may be a useful resource.
Virginia Tech — Certified Research Administrator Study Team
You can also use the Virginia Tech content as the basis for CRA sessions. These sessions are great for exposure to the Body of Knowledge key topics, and will hopefully help you identify your weaker areas. In addition to VT trainings, it is also recommended to make and use flashcards for your identified weak areas.