A:  Yes, the Test is completed online and the Portfolio Presentation is conducted virtually so anyone may go through the process. The Association has many Certified RGD Members practising across Canada and even in the US and beyond. We encourage you to review the benefits of RGD Membership to see if you are interested in taking advantage of all we offer. 

A:  If you have more than 8 years of education and work experience combined, you may become an Affiliate Member. If you have less than this, you may be eligible for Provisional Membership or Junior Affiliate Membership. Review all of the categories of RGD Membership and the associated benefits here.

A:  No one may become a Certified RGD without successfully completing the Portfolio Presentation and the Ethics and Accessibility sections of the Online Test. If you have 15 years of relevant experience, you are exempt from the other 3 sections of the Online Test.

A:  6 months from the time you submit your application.

A:  Anyone with 7 years of relevant work experience is eligible to apply. An Eligibility Review Committee reviews all applications to determine eligibility to move to the next stages of completing the Process, which are the Online Test and Portfolio Presentation.

A: That's entirely up to you and how quickly you would like to move through the steps. Typically, the Process takes 4-6 weeks from the time you submit your application.

A:  If you apply today, it will take about 2 weeks to receive notice of eligibility. Then, RGD's Director of Membership, Heidi Veri, works with you to schedule a week-long window for completion of the Online Test and the date and time for your Virtual Portfolio Presentation.

A: For the Online Test, you may have texts (and hand-written/printed notes) in front of you when you take the Test but the section is timed so you will likely not have enough time to look up every answer. You may not have electronic devices so make sure to have printed copies for materials that you wish to consult. If your Test has been scheduled, you may borrow texts from RGD. To do so, email .

A:  Yes, you may, but no electronic devices are permitted.

A:  Online Test:

- Each of the 5 sections of the Online Test has a passing mark, based on marks from past successful candidates. 

- If you do not achieve the passing mark for either Ethics or Accessibility, you will be required to take those sections again. If you fail 1 or more of the other 3 sections, this information will be compared to the score of your Portfolio Presentation to determine if you were required to pass it. Based on your Portfolio Presentation score, you may have to write certain sections of the Online Test again. 

- If you fail any section of the Online Test three times, you must wait 6 months before you can take a section again.

 

A: Portfolio Presentation

Those who do not meet the criteria outlined here for the Portfolio Presentation will fail. When this happens, a candidate receives suggestions for how to improve their work and an opportunity to join RGD in another category. Candidates who do not pass have the opportunity to re-apply in 2 years. Candidates can also appeal the decision and redo the Portfolio Presentation with 3 new Reviewers who have no knowledge of past results. The same 6 case studies submitted as part of the initial application must be presented during the second presentation.

A:  We have many in-house designers who submit work within the same brand platform. The key is ensuring that our Examiners are able to evaluate you on the information covered in the evaluation criteria. Within your 6 case studies, you must be able to identify information for each of these. If, by some chance, when you submit your case studies, the Eligibility Review Committee does not feel the Examiners will be able to accurately assess these criteria during your Presentation, they may ask for clarification or suggest replacing some pieces with work that is more varied.

A:  RGDs are encouraged to use the RGD designation after their name wherever it appears in a professional context, including on your personal or firm website, in your LinkedIn profile and your C.V. In addition to receiving a certificate to post in your offices, you also receive a digital logo to included in print and digital promotion. If you have any further questions about the use of your designation, email .

A:  Certified RGDs are required to remain in good standing with the Association by paying annual dues. If you fail to pay your dues in a year, your standing will lapse and your Membership and your ability to use the RGD designation will be revoked. It is also possible that the RGD designation may be revoked as part of a Disciplinary procedure if a grievance is filed against an RGD Member with the Association and it is determined by RGD's Grievance and Disciplinary Committees that the RGD Member was in violation of RGD's Code of Ethics. If you have any further questions about this process, email RGD's Executive Director, Hilary Ashworth, at .

A:  Yes, Design Educators are welcome to become RGD Members, as are Design Managers. The designation is the same. Educators are encouraged to submit case studies as part of their applications that may include examples of Curriculum Design, Course Design, Lesson Plans, Professional Work, Academic & Research Papers, Publishing/Conference documentation and Professional Design work.