The pathway
How certification works
Certification happens in two stages. First you finish the online learning phase. Then you complete required fieldwork with families and submit your documentation for review. Full American Doula Academy certification comes after both stages are done, not before.
Step by step
The whole path, in order
Read it from top to bottom. Nothing is hidden between the steps.
Enroll
Create a student account and enroll in the Doula Certification course.
Complete online training
Work through lessons, quizzes, assignments, and practical education at your own pace.
Complete required fieldwork
Gain real-world experience supporting families and submit the required documentation.
Certification review
American Doula Academy reviews your completed coursework and fieldwork requirements.
Become certified
Once all requirements are approved, you earn the American Doula Academy Doula Certification.
Milestones
Three milestones people often mix up
Finishing coursework is not the same as being certified. Here is exactly what each milestone means.
Milestone 1 of 3
Online coursework complete
You have finished all lessons and assessments in the online learning phase.
Milestone 2 of 3
Fieldwork complete
You have completed and documented the required real-world experience for your program.
Milestone 3 of 3
Full Academy certification
Your documentation has been reviewed and you hold full American Doula Academy certification.
The first two milestones are real progress, and they are worth marking. Only the third one is a credential.
The two stages
What each stage actually involves
One stage builds knowledge. The other turns it into practice.
What happens in the online phase
You move through lessons at your own pace, then confirm what landed before going further. Lessons are designed to be completed in short sittings, so training fits around work and family.
One idea per lesson
Each lesson covers a single concept, so you can stop and start without losing your place.
Learn on any device
Lessons work on a phone, tablet, or computer, so you can study wherever you are.
Check your understanding
Short knowledge checks after each module confirm the material landed before you move on.
Come back where you left off
Progress is saved as you go, so a busy week does not mean starting over.
What happens during fieldwork
Fieldwork is where reading becomes skill. You support real families, write down what happened, and send that record in for review.
- Support families in real settings, once your online phase is complete
- Document each experience while it is still fresh
- Bring questions to expert support during published hours
- Submit your completed documentation for certification review
Fieldwork requirements differ by program and are not published yet. Each program page will carry its own requirements once they are confirmed.
Timelines
How long the path takes
Short, focused lessons
Completion time depends on your pace. Typical timelines will be published before enrollment opens.
Fieldwork adds time on top of the online phase, and that part moves at the pace of real families. We would rather tell you that plainly than publish a number we cannot stand behind.
Where this happens
This page explains the path. The work happens in the student system.
Assessments, fieldwork documentation, and certification review all take place inside the student learning system once it launches. Nothing is submitted through this website.
Assessments are completed in the student system
Knowledge checks and module assessments sit alongside your lessons in the learning system, so your progress stays in one place.
Documentation is reviewed after you submit it
Completed fieldwork documentation goes through the student system for certification review. This site is here to explain the process, not to process it.
For enrolled students
The student learning system is not open yet
When it launches, this is where lessons, assessments, and fieldwork documentation will live. Until then, there is nothing to sign in to.
Know the path? Pick the program that fits it.
Compare what each program covers, or send us a question before you decide.