Standards & Ethics

CPD and Accreditation Policy

The Society's continuing professional development requirements, and the basis on which CPD activities are recognised and accredited for BPS members.

Document: CPD and Accreditation Policy
Status: Adopted and in force
Version: 1.0
Adopted by: The Management Committee
Effective date: 1 January 2020
Last reviewed: January 2026 (reaffirmed without amendment)
Next review due: January 2029
Review cycle: Every three years

1. Purpose

1.1 This Policy sets out the continuing professional development (“CPD”) requirements of the Society and the basis on which the Society recognises and accredits CPD activities.

1.2 The Policy reflects and supplements the CPD requirement set by the APA. It does not displace any CPD requirement imposed on a member by another body.

2. Minimum CPD Requirement

2.1 Every practising member shall complete, in each rolling two-year period, a minimum of 30 hours of CPD in coursework related to the field of polygraphy.

2.2 Of the 30 hours in each two-year period, at least:

  1. 10 hours shall be in a format that permits interaction with the instructor and other learners (for example, in-person training, live webinar with Q&A, or structured peer review);
  2. 5 hours shall relate to ethics, professional standards, or the law as it affects polygraph practice in the United Kingdom.

3. Categories of Eligible CPD

3.1 The following activities count towards CPD, subject to paragraph 4:

  1. APA-accredited training courses and seminars;
  2. BPS training, study days, and webinars;
  3. training provided by another recognised polygraph body;
  4. published peer-reviewed research in polygraphy authored or co-authored by the member (counted at the rate set by the Management Committee);
  5. formal supervised peer-review of examinations;
  6. teaching or instruction in an APA-recognised polygraph programme (counted once per course);
  7. postgraduate study in psychology, law, or a related field, to the extent directly relevant to polygraph practice; and
  8. such other activities as the Management Committee may from time to time accept.

4. Evidence

4.1 Members are responsible for maintaining their own CPD records.

4.2 CPD records shall include, for each activity:

  1. date and duration;
  2. provider or setting;
  3. title or subject;
  4. brief statement of learning outcomes; and
  5. documentary evidence of attendance or completion.

4.3 Members shall retain CPD records for a minimum of five years and shall produce them on request by the Society.

5. Annual Declaration

5.1 On renewal of membership each year, members shall declare that they have met, or are on track to meet, the two-year CPD requirement.

5.2 A false declaration is a breach of the Code of Ethics.

6. Audit

6.1 The Management Committee may, each year, require a random sample of members (of not more than ten per cent of the membership) to produce their CPD records for audit.

6.2 A member who fails to satisfy an audit shall be given a reasonable opportunity to remedy the shortfall, with the timescale and any conditions set by the Management Committee. Continued failure may be referred for determination under the Complaints, Discipline and Appeals Procedure.

7. Accreditation of Courses and Providers

7.1 The Society may accredit courses or providers for the purpose of these requirements.

7.2 An application for accreditation shall include:

  1. the syllabus and learning outcomes;
  2. the credentials of the instructors;
  3. the method of assessment, if any;
  4. the duration in CPD hours; and
  5. the fee.

7.3 Accreditation is granted for a period of three years and may be renewed.

7.4 The Society may withdraw accreditation where a provider or course materially departs from the approved syllabus, fails to maintain quality, or falls into disrepute.

8. Reduced Requirement for Non-practising Members

8.1 A member who is temporarily not in practice (for example, on parental leave, long-term medical leave, or career break) may apply to the Secretary for a reduced CPD requirement for the period concerned. The Committee shall determine the reduced requirement having regard to the length and reasons for the non-practising period.

9. Interaction with APA CPD

9.1 CPD hours recognised by the APA count towards the Society’s 30-hour requirement. Members shall not double-count the same activity under more than one category.

10. Breach

10.1 A material failure to meet the CPD requirement, or a material misstatement in a CPD declaration, is a disciplinary matter under the Complaints, Discipline and Appeals Procedure.

Published by

British Polygraph Society
Oxford Centre for Innovation
Blue Boar Court, Alfred Street
Oxford OX1 4EH, United Kingdom
[email protected]

This document is published by the British Polygraph Society, a professional body for polygraph examiners constituted by its members in 2017 and governed by a written Constitution under the law of England and Wales. For corrections or queries, contact the Secretary at the address above.

© 2026 British Polygraph Society. All rights reserved. This is a governing document of the Society. It may be quoted briefly for commentary, reporting, or study in accordance with fair-dealing exceptions under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. It may not be reproduced in full, adapted, or redistributed — whether online or in print — without the Society's prior written permission. Requests for permission should be addressed to the Secretary at the correspondence address above.