BTEC Certificate Course (Currently UK only)

This is the first cricket umpiring course in the world to be accredited by an independent educational validation body - Edexcel. Those who complete it successfully will earn for themselves a qualification for life - a BTEC Certificate. As an indicator of achievement in both academic and vocational disciplines, this is a qualification with 'real-world' value that can only assist career and employment prospects.
The Course is comprised of three units. The first two are 'classroom'-based, involving both workshop sessions and home study. The third unit involves field experience in cricket matches. The content of each Course unit consists of:

Unit 1 - Governing the Game: The Laws of Cricket
Laws knowledge alone does not make a good umpire, but no umpire can ever be successful without a comprehensive understanding of the Laws of the game and their interpretation and application. Unit 1 comprises 8 sessions, each of approximately two hour's duration. Each session concentrates on Laws related to specific topics, with special emphasis on those most likely to be administered during matches. But this is not 'rote-learning' - learners will not just understand what the Laws say but why they say it. A considerable amount of home study is also required, together with regular written work. In addition to assessment throughout the Course, Unit 1concludes with a multiple choice/multiple option assessment.

Unit 2 - Managing the Match: Management issues and umpiring
While cricket is not a contact sport and has a long tradition of 'gentlemanly' behaviour and conduct amongst players and between players and umpires, the increasingly competitive - 'win at all costs' - nature of society these days is unfortunately reflected within cricket, too. Similarly the 'Duty of Care' responsibilities upon all sports officials in today's increasingly litigious sports environment grow relentlessly year on year. Unit 2 sessions, each lasting approximately two hours, cover key aspects of man-management; conflict resolution; communication skills; field-craft techniques; use of body language, humour and personality; duty of care; legal responsibilities and child welfare protection guide-lines. In other words, all the basic personal skills, qualities and attributes necessary for controlling the conduct of the players and a match. Each session is individually assessed.

Unit 3 - Enhancing Expertise: Practical experience
This unit consists of a full season's practical umpiring experience - a minimum of 10 completed match appointments - in an appropriate level of cricket. Learners' performances during this time will be independently assessed by specialist IICUS-trained and accredited Boundary Assessors over a number of matches. Additionally, learners will be required to complete a self-evaluation log of all matches in which they stand during this period. Training in self-evaluation techniques forms part of this unit.
NB: IICUS mandates that all its accredited learners must have insurance cover and possess a valid CRB Enhanced Disclosure Certificate, Learners are obliged to satisify these conditions before 'signing up' for this final Unit.

Unit 1 sessions run from October up to Christmas each year; Unit 2 sessions will commence in the January of each New Year, finishing about mid-March; and Unit 3 practical experience and assessment will run throughout the playing season that follows. It is thus possible to complete the entire IICUS Umpire Accreditation Course over a twelve-month period. Learners, however, are not obliged or required to do so. The Course may be taken in stages to fit in with your personal situation or circumstances, but the three units do have to be taken in consecutive sequence, i.e. Unit 1, followed by Unit 2, followed by Unit 3.