Which is NOT one of the four professional competencies?

• A. Cognitive
• B. Integrative
• C. Relational
• D. Ethical

Answer: (D)

In this framework, professional competence is defined by a set of specific skill areas that describe how a practitioner thinks, integrates information, and relates to others. The three clearly named areas—cognitive, which covers reasoning and knowledge; integrative, which involves combining ideas across sources and domains; and relational, which focuses on communication and collaboration—form the core of those discrete competencies. Ethics, while essential to professional behavior, is treated here as a guiding lens that informs all actions rather than a separate competency. That’s why it isn’t listed as one of the four competencies in this model. So the other three fit as distinct competencies, while ethics serves as the overarching moral foundation that underpins them.