About Continuing Education Units

The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is designed to facilitate recording, accumulating, and exchanging standardized information about individual participation and learning achievement in continuing education experiences. The CEU concept is designed to accommodate a wide variety of continuing education opportunities. The number of CEUs to be awarded can be determined only after the program or activity has been designed and the schedule has been established.

The CEU concept provides individuals with recognition for their efforts to update or broaden their knowledge, skills or attitudes. Probably the two most common uses of a CEU record or transcript by the individual learner are:

• To supply an employer or prospective employer with information on continuing education and training experiences pertinent to professional competence.

• To provide documentation to registration boards, certification bodies or professional and occupation orgazations of continuing education undertaken to maintain or increase professional competence.

What is a CEU?

The CEU is a standard of measure of continuing education or training. The criterion was developed by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). IACET defines the CEU “as 10 contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction.” In other words, one CEU equals 10 hours of instruction included in a specified continuing education program or activity.

Calculating CEUs 

The 60-minute clock is used as the contact hour in all continuing education experiences. Only the number of complete instruction hours is considered in assigning CEUs. To determine the number of contact hours, count the hours in the program and subtract refreshment breaks, lunches, and other activities not directly part of the instructional experience. The following are not included when calculating the number of instructional contact hours for any continuing education experience:

• Time for study, assigned reading, and other related activities outside of the classroom or meeting schedule;
• Meeting time devoted to business or committee activities;
• Meeting time devoted to announcements, welcoming speeches or organizational reports;
• Time allocated to social activities, refreshment breaks, luncheons, receptions, dinner, etc. Time devoted to a luncheon or dinner presentation, integral to the continuing education experience, may be included in calculating instructional contact hours.
• General sessions of meetings, conferences, and conventions. However, specially organized courses, workshops, or seminars held in conjunction with such meetings qualify.

CEUs are based on attendance, and attendance should be documented by such means as attendance rosters or sign-in sheets.

Cost for CEUs 

The base cost per participant for 1.0 CEU or below is $15. There is a $1 increase per person for each tenth of a point above 1.0. For example, 1.2 CEUs is $17.

CEU Transcripts

The University keeps a cumulative record of CEUs which is maintained in DSU’s Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies. Transcripts are available for participants to document their continued learning for employers or for professional organizations.

Eligible Programs

For a program to qualify for approval of CEUs at Delta State University, the request must include evidence that:

• The program is responsive to an educational need of a specific target audience.
• A statement of purpose and objectives has been formulated.
• Instructional personnel are well qualified by education and/or experience.
• The instructional content is organized to meet the objectives and presented in a sequential manner. 
• There is provision for individual participant registration, which includes information for recordkeeping and reporting. 
• Suitable evaluative tools are employed whereby each individual participant is allowed to evaluate the program. 
• Time requirements are established.

Programs eligible for CEUs include, but are not limited to:

• Continuing education programs for professionals; i.e. teachers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, engineers.
• In-service training programs for specific target populations.
• License renewal programs.
• Seminars, workshops, or short courses for the general public.
• Para-professional training programs.
• Certificate programs.

CEUs are not approved for activities such as:

• Social or athletic events.
• Programs only casually related to educational objectives.
• Programs that prepare participants to pass examinations such as those required for Certified Public Accountants, real estate licenses, the Graduate Record Examination, or others.

For program approval information or participant application, please contact or see the CEU web page:

Delta State University

Graduate and Continuing Studies

239 Kent Wyatt Hall

Cleveland MS 38733

662-846-4700