Professional Development Courses

Our in-person and online professional development courses can help you learn and develop skills to advance your career.

Interpretive Guiding (CIG™)

Designed for interpreters who conduct interpretive programming, this 32-hour course combines the theoretical foundations of the profession with practical skills to facilitate programs. You will learn the principles of interpretation, how to connect objects to ideas, and how to lead engaging experiences that meet the needs of diverse audiences.

Learn more about CIG

Interpretive Hosting (CIH™)

Designed for those who work at an interpretive site but do not lead interpretive programs, this 16-hour course combines training in customer service with the principles of interpretation. You will develop your hospitality and communication skills and learn how to provide welcoming experiences for visitors.

Learn more about CIH

Coaching Interpreters

This interactive, 24-hour course will help you learn and hone more effective coaching skills, so that you can better support your team members, volunteers, or staff. You’ll discover the difference between coaching and supervision, gain new tools for facilitating coaching conversations, and practice giving coaching feedback to interpreters.

Participants earn 24 hours of continuing education and earn a certificate of completion at the end of the course.

Learn more about Coaching Interpreters course

Essentials for Effective Training (NEW)

This interactive, 32-hour course is designed for those who are looking to improve or expand their training skills. It will explore both the theory and practice of effective training, including design, assessments, and understanding the differences in training for in-person or virtual formats. This course is ideal for trainers of interpreters and docents, as well as for individuals in related fields such as tour guides, administrators, and other support positions who are involved in training.

Participants earn 32 hours of continuing education and earn a certificate of completion at the end of the course.

Learn more about the Essentials for Effective Training

Interpretive Planning: A Visitor Experience Approach (NEW)

This in-depth, 40-hour course builds upon your existing experience and knowledge of interpretation to guide you through the development of a comprehensive interpretive plan using a Visitor Experience Approach. You’ll explore how to create visitor-centered experiences by identifying key audiences, developing theme structures, selecting appropriate media, and applying tools like logic models and evaluation strategies. Through hands-on, site-specific activities and collaborative group projects, you’ll gain practical experience in building effective, audience-focused interpretive plans.

Participants will receive 40 hours of continuing education credit and a certificate of completion upon finishing the course.

Learn more about the Interpretive Planning course

Other Courses

In addition to the regularly offered NAI courses listed above, NAI offers courses presented by experts in the interpretation community on a limited basis. These courses offer participants the opportunity to explore specific topics in-depth with a subject-matter expert from the field.

Dialogic Interpretation

August 12-13, 2026
President Lincoln's Cottage is recognized in the museum field as a leader in dialogic interpretation. During this course, program staff will share their unique approach and walk participants through key principles of dialogic interpretation. Learn strategies for crafting effective questions, approaching the unknown, and applying dialogic interpretation to your specific site. Consider it a crash course in cultivating trust and sparking meaningful conversations with visitors, and a preview of the comprehensive training President Lincoln's Cottage offers to museums.

Learn more about these courses

If you're interested in presenting a course through NAI, email [email protected].

Teaching a CIG or CIH Professional Development Course

Have you taken a CIG or CIH course and now have the experience and skills to teach it? NAI’s Train-the-Trainer program is for individuals who wish to teach the CIG or CIH curriculum to others and award certificates on behalf of NAI. To enroll in a Train-the-Trainer course you must have successfully completed the course you wish to teach: CIG or CIH, and already be a Certified Interpretive Trainer™ (CIT) with NAI. For more information on CIT prerequisites visit the CIT page.

Learn more about Train-the-Trainer™ courses

Hosting a Professional Development Course

To ensure interpreters across the country have access to professional development, NAI relies on host sites to offer in-person courses. In exchange for providing a meeting space and basic training needs, host sites receive one free registration in the course they host (excluding CIG/CIH courses).

Learn more about hosting a professional development course