Continuing education requirements

1. A social work practitioner licensed in North Dakota must complete thirty approved continuing education contact hours for the two-year licensing period to maintain licensure in North Dakota. No more than ten hours may be completed by independent learning which may include activities like online studies without live interaction. At least two hours must concern social work ethics. a. Fifteen approved continuing education hours are required if a social worker is initially licensed between January first and June thirtieth of the odd-numbered year. b. No continuing education hours are required if a social worker is initially licensed on or after July first of an odd-numbered year. c. Continuing education hours cannot be earned until after the license effective date and only within the current licensing period. d. Continuing education hours may only be applied to one licensing period. 2. Board-approved continuing education course content must enhance the social worker's professional competence and relate to: a. Theories and concepts of human behavior and the social environment; b. Social work knowledge and skills; c. Social work research or practice evaluation; d. Social work ethics; or e. Cross-disciplinary courses directly relevant to social work practice or specialty. 3. Approved continuing education may include: a. Workshops, professional conferences, seminars, and educational programs or courses presented by providers approved by the board. The continuing education presented by approved providers must comply with subsection 2. b. Formal academic coursework. One semester credit hour class is equal to fifteen contact hours. c. Program presentation by licensee for which the licensee may receive hour-per-hour contact hours but only for one presentation of the same program.