USF Certified Research Administrator Program
Program Courses
Courses are offered to active USF employees (full or part-time). You must have access to the MyUSF portal and have an active USF email address to enroll. Supervisory approval to enroll is not required by our office. Both online courses are FREE to USF employees.
You may refer to your department's guidelines should you have questions. To determine which course(s) is right for you, please refer to the course descriptions.
Distribution Email List
Announcements on course offerings are sent periodically to the USF Research Administrators listserv. If you are not currently on the distribution list and wish to be added, please send an email request to AcademyCRA-USF@usf.edu.
Keeping Content Current
Maintaining the content in this course is a continuous process. Information, resources, tools, forms, links, procedures, guidelines and so forth, may often change. We value the expertise of subject matter experts throughout USF to alert us when changes are needed. As you progress through the courses, please fill out the Sponsored Research Training Update Form if you come across any content that needs to be updated.
CRA-USF Basic Course
The CRA-USF/Basic credential is earned by successfully completing the online course in Canvas, with a score of 100%. The course covers general knowledge and information on the life-cycle of research administration, from pre-award through post-award, focusing on the basic essentials to get employees started on the right path for conducting research administration at USF.
This online course is self-guided, allowing employees to complete the course at their own pace, within a designated time frame; upon enrollment, participants have access to the course for a maximum of 4 calendar weeks and may complete it at any time during this period.
After completing this course, employees are encouraged to enroll in the CRA-USF/Advanced online course which provides hands-on practice opportunities to develop and enhance skills.
CRA – Advanced – Department Based Administrator
The CRA-USF/Advanced credential is earned by successfully completing the online course in Canvas, with a score of 100%. The University of South Florida (USF) Certified Research Administrator (CRA) Advanced course is designed to cover business processes and information about Department Based Administration. Being an effective research administrator requires not only extensive knowledge and understanding, but also many skills and abilities that can only be learned and developed through practice and hands-on application in real-world settings. This course serves as one element along a continuum of ongoing learning and professional development.
This online course is self-guided, allowing employees to complete the course at their own pace, within a designated time frame; upon enrollment, participants have access to the course for a maximum of 4 calendar weeks and may complete it at any time during this period.
CRA – Advanced – Principal Investigator
The CRA-USF/Advanced credential is earned by successfully completing the online course in Canvas, with a score of 100%. The University of South Florida (USF) Certified Research Administrator (CRA) Advanced course is designed to cover business processes and information about Research as it relates to the Principal Investigator on a project. Being an effective Principal Investigator requires not only extensive knowledge and understanding, but also many skills and abilities that can only be learned and developed through practice and hands-on application in real-world settings. This course serves as one element along a continuum of ongoing learning and professional development.
This online course is self-guided, allowing employees to complete the course at their own pace, within a designated time frame; upon enrollment, participants have access to the course for a maximum of 4 calendar weeks and may complete it at any time during this period.