What They Are Needed For

• Many professional organizations require a certain number of CEUs in order to maintain your license or certification. Professions such as doctors, lawyers and nurses require them. College credit hours are required to earn your degree. In general, you will complete your credit hours first to earn your degree. With your degree, you can then obtain a job and enter into a licensed profession that requires CEUs to maintain your degree.
  
  

Recognition

• In general, professional organization requiring CEUs value them most. What constitutes a CEU is determined by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training. Students can use college credits to obtain a variety of degrees. If you go further and work to obtain graduate credits, they are not automatically award as regular college credits are. Other colleges and universities also generally recognize them.
  
  

What Makes A Credit

• A CEU is generally equal to 10 contact hours of work or participation in an applicable field or continuing education course taught by a qualified instructor. A contact hour is 60 minutes of interaction between student and teacher. CEUs cannot be awarded in partial credits, only full credits. However, college credits can be award in partial amounts, though most courses are worth more than a credit. Because of the definition of a CEU, most CEUs consist of only an hour or two workshop or training while college credits are obtained by attending a course for multiple hours a day over a six- to ten-week time frame.
  
  

Who Awards Them

• Colleges and universities can award both credits and CEUs, but companies and organizations that meet the IACET standards can also award CEUs. Companies will need to keep a permanent record for each person who receives a CEU just as they are kept for college credits. The program should also be rigorous, long enough and meaningful, according to the IACET.