How are CPD hours calculated?
Short answer
CPD hours reflect actual learning time, excluding breaks, meals, registration and networking. A full training day is typically around six to seven CPD hours, a half-day around three, and a one-hour webinar one hour. Accredited activities have their hours value assessed independently rather than set by the provider.
The common error is counting the length of the day rather than the length of the learning. A conference running 9am to 5pm with a 75-minute lunch, two 20-minute breaks and a 30-minute welcome reception delivers roughly five and a half CPD hours, not eight.
For self-paced e-learning, the hours value should reflect the time a typical learner needs to complete the material and any assessment — not the shortest possible click-through. This is one of the more frequent reasons a submission is sent back for revision during assessment.