Did you know that there are specialty versions of the Update course that focus on different practice areas, such as commercial brokerage or property management? Each year, the Commission determines what topics will be addressed in the next license year’s General Update (GENUP) and Broker-in-Charge Update (BICUP) courses, and Commission staff develops course materials based on the Commission’s directives. Once the course materials are finalized, Commission Rule 58H .0403(f) permits education providers (EPs) and approved instructors to create specialty versions of the content.
Per the rule, the development of a specialty Update course is a joint effort between the EP/instructor and the Commission, and all content is jointly owned. The EP or instructor must receive the prior written consent of the Commission to make modifications to the content, and all modifications must relate to the same subject matter and educational objectives as the prescribed Update Course content.
When developing a specialty version of the Update course, an EP or instructor must evaluate the subject matter to determine if the prescribed Update course content meets the needs of their targeted group of brokers. For example, if the prescribed course includes a topic like agency, the topic would be applicable to brokers in all specialty areas, so it would remain in the specialty versions. However, the examples and/or discussion questions might be altered to make the topic discussion more relatable to a targeted group of brokers.
In contrast, if one of the topics in the prescribed Update course is not directly applicable to the targeted group of brokers, an entirely different topic may be substituted. For instance, if a prescribed Update course focuses on home inspections, the subject matter may not be applicable to commercial brokers. Therefore, another “commercial-specific” topic may be substituted in the commercial specialty version.
Commission Rule 58H .1702(a) requires brokers to complete eight credit hours of real estate continuing education (CE) courses each year, comprised of a 4-hour Update course, either GENUP or BICUP, and a 4-hour elective course. Whether a broker takes the standard version or a specialty version of the Update course, the broker must ensure they are taking the appropriate version based on their license status. Provisional brokers and “full” brokers who do not have BIC Eligible Status must take a GENUP course. A broker with BIC Eligible Status must take a BICUP course to retain BIC Eligible Status.
Currently, there is one specialty version (Commercial) of the Update course, and there are GENUP and BICUP versions of both. Brokers may choose to complete multiple versions of the Update course in a license year, but they will receive credit for only one Update course. The completion of additional Update courses will not satisfy the elective course requirement or provide “rollover” credit. Are you interested in registering for the Commercial version of the Update Course? Go to the CE Course Schedules page on the Commission’s website to search for upcoming courses. Update courses are only delivered in person and via synchronous distance delivery (aka, “live-online”).
Also, Commission rules do not limit the number of specialty versions that can be created. EPs and approved instructors who are interested in developing a specialty version of the Update course should contact the Education & Licensing Division at educ@ncrec.gov or 919.875.3700.