Polestar Graduates
Pilates Certificaton: Next Steps
Below you will find some important information on remaining current through re-qualification, becoming a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT), continuing your education with specialty courses, and much more.
Becoming a Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT)
The purpose of the National Pilates Certification Program (NPCP) is to establish, maintain and promote professional standards, and to award the title of Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT) to the comprehensively educated Pilates teacher who has provided evidence that they meet these established professional standards.
For the public, employers, government agencies, and other professionals in allied fields, the NCPT credential provides assurance that the Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher is competent in the provision of services.
Third party certification is one of the main pillars of an established profession, and professionals that choose to obtain the NCPT credential can boast their participation in the development of the industry on behalf of its constituents and its founders.
The development of a quality credentialing program must follow logically sound and legally defensible procedures for developing its examinations. These procedures were adhered to in the development of the examination for the NPCP.
To develop a content‐valid examination, the knowledge and skills necessary for competent practice in the profession must be determined. The process for identifying these competency areas is a Role Delineation Study, or Job Analysis which serves as a blueprint for examination development. The primary reason for conducting a Role Delineation Study is to ensure that an examination is content‐valid. Content validity is the most commonly applied and accepted validation strategy used in establishing certification programs.
Thus, the Role Delineation Study is an integral part of ensuring that the aspects of the profession covered on the examination reflect the tasks performed in practice settings.
Polestar Pilates Re-qualification
Polestar Pilates Education continues to improve and develop its curriculum and examination process. Re-qualification is an essential part of maintaining skills and quality of care.
For Mat and Reformer Graduates:
In order to qualify for re-qualification, Reformer and Mat practitioners must:
- Practice Pilates at least 2 hours per week.
- Teach 5 hours per week.
- Complete 16 hours of continuing education from Polestar Pilates over a 2-year period.
- Apply for Re-qualification every two years (click here for the form)
All Polestar courses, workshops and Polestar International Conferences count toward re-qualification. Courses/workshops conducted by Polestar Pilates will be awarded 100% of the contact hour, e.g. a 16-hour course earns 16 hours. Polestar Students who repeat a course will receive 50% of the course contact hours that they can use towards re-qualification.
Graduates of the Reformer and Mat Programs must complete 16 hours of Polestar Pilates courses every 2 years to be re-qualified.
The re-qualification application form must be filled out with copies submitted of the courses taken to be considered.
A processing fee payment of $75 USD must be included with the application. If you submit your form after November 1st of the year it is due for renewal (example: you are valid until December 31, 2019 and apply for renewal on November 3, 2019), it is considered late and the processing fee is $150.
For Comprehensive Graduates:
In order to remain at the highest quality of teaching, Rehabilitation and Studio practitioners should:
- Maintain their NCPT Credential.
- Practice Pilates in his or her own body at least 2 hours per week.
- Teach Pilates at least 10-15 hours per week.
- Complete 16 hours of continuing education from Polestar over a 2-year period.
- As of 2012, Polestar Pilates Education encourages that all Comprehensive graduates become Nationally Certified Pilates Teachers (NCPT).
