As many implications as the question may seem to have I am speaking, of course, about being certified as a “ghost hunter,” “paranormal investigator” or what ever other term that suits your local paranormal investigating team. There are a few issues that need to be considered before you shell out your hard earned cash to get a stamp of approval from a paranormal investigation organization.  

What is certification?

            Webster’s New World Dictionary defines certification as: A written or printed voucher that can be used as proof of an event due to its status as being official. To say in an official way that something is true, correct, verification.  

            Basically, this means that an organization, such as a paranormal investigation group, would “certify” that you have been educated in their particular standards of operation, protocol, etc. and have met their minimum criteria for eligible candidates to be certified. Most times there is an organization specific process for certification which is administered by the particular branch at which you are applying.   

Is certification legal?

            Yes, certification as a paranormal investigator is legal. Private membership organizations may administer certification to ensure that members have met all organizational standards. Since paranormal investigation is an unregulated trade in all 48 continental states, Alaska, Hawaii, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and other provinces such as Guam there are no regulatory statutes or governmental agencies that administer control over the certification process (this applies to the United States only). If you live outside of the United States these strictures may vary. Check with your local municipality, governmental agency or labor regulatory administration for more information.     

What will certification do for me?

            (I know I’ll get hate mail for this one) Honestly? Nothing. All a certificate from any paranormal investigation group can do for you, as far as legality is concerned, is to verify that you have met a particular organization’s standards for the certification process. This applies to both independent investigation groups as well as those connected to collegiate facilities.

            I have yet to find a legitimate accredited college that offers a course in “ghost hunting” with the college credits to go with it. There are very few collegiate facilities in the world who offer “credits” to students who take parapsychology courses. Additionally, you should know that there is a major difference in “ghost hunting” and parapsychology.

            As a brief explanation, parapsychology courses generally tend to focus more on Psi (psychic anomalies such as ESP and psychokinesis) rather than on haunting phenomenon. These types of courses, which are few and far between, may allow for a slightly more weight to be applied to their consideration but there is no accredited college course that specifically focuses on “ghost hunting.”    

How does certification work?

            Generally speaking, most organizations have some sort of “study guide” that pertains to their particular method of investigation, standards and protocol, etc. that you will have to read through. Often times these courses will come with an open book self-paced test that will evaluate the candidate’s understanding of the material. Once the test is passed a certificate of competence is usually issued.

How much should I pay?

            That is entirely up to you. I have seen various organizations charge anywhere from $100 to $1,200. I should caution you that this is one of the few times that you may not get what you pay for…BUYER BEWARE. I recommend that before you invest any money in a certification you should be sure that you are dealing with a credible organization. Here caution, discretion and a heavy dose of common sense are your best safeguards.     

How do I know the organization credible? (Applies to membership as well)

            The easiest way is to ask questions...lots of questions. If the person you are dealing with doesn’t like all of the questions being asked, seems to evade the questions or does not give straight answers I would advise caution.

Other things to look for or ask about:   

• Most credible organizations have a set of bylaws, standards and protocol a mission statement and a set of operating standards. Ask about these and see if they are available. If these items are not available I would suspect that the infrastructure of the group is not very stable or well organized.   

• Ask how the organization is run – this info should be readily available as well. Find out if there is one person running the whole operation or if there are several individuals who are responsible for various duties within the group. Chances are that if there is one individual who acts as judge, jury and executioner this is another one to avoid.

• Check out the information that the organization offers for free. Static filled EVPs or pictures of dubious origin offered as “proof” don’t count toward the legitimate information category. Many times organizations will offer basic tips, guidelines, etc. free of charge. Make sure that the information offered is verifiable, not just someone’s subjective opinion on the matter. You may want to cross-reference the information with other sources and look for either a corroboration or denial of what you have been told. If the group you are interested in keeps everything a proprietary secret and feels that they need to charge a fee for every bit of trivial information, chances are they don’t have much in the way of any type of valuable subject matter. Beware of these types of organizations!!

• Check into the financial practices and responsibility of the organization. Find out how member dues and other funds are used / accounted for and if there is a separate account for the organization. If the member dues and other group funds are being deposited into an individual’s personal bank account I would avoid selecting that particular group for membership or certification.   

• Ask about the background and/or experience of the group or individuals who will be performing the certification test. If a rambling commentary on personal opinion or experiences is given rather than an actual background of the organization’s history or investigative experience this, too, would be a red flag. Find out about recent cases, investigative reports and so forth.     

• Talk to other members or individuals who have been certified through that organization. See what they think and get a feel for the overall general consensus that the members have about the organization.

• If possible, find out about the reputation of the organization in the local community. Local reputation means a lot and this can be a key factor in the decision making process. If the organization is credible they should have a good reputation in the local community. Trespassing in cemeteries, breaking and entering on private property, etc. are not desirable traits to have in members who belong to an organization and (obviously) should be avoided.

• Finally, look on the internet. Although information found on the internet should occasionally be taken with a grain of salt it never hurts to do a little internet research. Sometimes this too can offer valuable clues to the way an organization operates, is structured and ultimately its degree of credibility.   

How do I know if it is the right organization to certify me?

            Only you can determine that. How do you feel about your experience with the organization so far? If, after research and interaction, you feel that the institution offers a course suited to you, it may be a path you wish to follow

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