CDP® Exam Prep

CDP® Exam Preparation

Set Yourself Up for Success with IDC®, Third-Party, or Independent Study Options

The Secret to Your Success

What do you need to pass the Certified Diversity Professional (CDP)® exam? And to do the job effectively?

The Institute for Diversity Certification (IDC)® prepares you to be successful diversity and inclusion champions, global managers, and resource group members. Our qualitative and quantitative program will equip you to drive consistent, measurable results.

The CDP® exam is a rigorous test of your knowledge and skills in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA). In order to pass the exam and be successful, you need to have a strong foundation in diversity and inclusion concepts. This includes understanding the different types of discrimination and the best practices for creating a more inclusive workplace.

A good way to build your DEIA foundation is to take a comprehensive DEI course. This will give you the knowledge and skills you need to succeed on the exam, in your career, and at your workplace. IDC offers several options, so you can find one that fits your budget and learning style.

Exam Tutorial

Exam preparation can occur through professional experiences, college certificate or graduate programs, and other educational offerings.

Exam-only candidates receive access to an online tutorial that summarizes what will be on the test. The exam fee includes the test and online tutorial only; it does not include the study guide. IDC assumes that you prepared elsewhere or from a previous IDC exam cycle.

Note: IDC’s preparatory course and/or materials are NOT a requirement for eligibility of this examination or certification.

About the Exam

The examination consists of 100 multiple-choice questions that must be answered within a 2.5 hour (150 minutes) time limit. Each question has four possible options listed, but only one answer is correct. All of the questions are scored; skipping questions is not advised. Candidates must complete each Domain before moving onto the next section.

Exam Preparation Options

Self-Study

Are you a disciplined learner? Set your own pace with IDC self-study.

The self-study program includes:

A hard copy of the current study guide
Live online exam review session
Exam and online tutorial

IDC recommends reading 1-2 chapters per week until you finish the study guide.

8-Week Prep Course

A series of online webinars led by CDP® and CDE® Designees from the corporate, government, nonprofit, and education sectors.

Tuesdays and Thursdays for 8 weeks
Sessions are recorded and shared with the presentations after class.
One competency per class
Candidates are encouraged to actively participate to maximize their learning

The 8-week program includes:

Online prep course
A hard copy of the current study guide
Live online exam review session
Exam and online tutorial
Access to CourseNetworking LMS

3-Day Virtual Academy

An intense, deep-dive educational experience that allows Candidates to learn from the instructor, the materials, and their cohort. It challenges current paradigms and motivates Candidates to strive for inclusive excellence.

Concepts for the Candidate Project are due on the final day, to ensure essential feedback before submitting the final version to a peer reviewer.

The 3-day program includes: