diff --git a/lib/role_model.rb b/lib/role_model.rb
index 1db04ab..95ad3ab 100644
--- a/lib/role_model.rb
+++ b/lib/role_model.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+require 'role_model/class_methods'
 require 'role_model/roles'
 
 module RoleModel
@@ -32,35 +33,4 @@ module RoleModel
     alias is_an? has_role?
   end
 
-  module ClassMethods
-    def inherited(subclass) # :nodoc:
-      ::RoleModel::INHERITABLE_CLASS_ATTRIBUTES.each do |attribute|
-        instance_var = "@#{attribute}"
-        subclass.instance_variable_set(instance_var, instance_variable_get(instance_var))
-      end
-      super
-    end
-
-    # set the bitmask attribute role assignments will be stored in
-    def roles_attribute(name)
-      self.roles_attribute = name
-    end
-
-    # alternative method signature: set the bitmask attribute role assignments will be stored in
-    def roles_attribute=(name)
-      self.roles_attribute_name = name.to_sym
-    end
-
-    # :call-seq:
-    #   roles(:role_1, ..., :role_n)
-    #   roles('role_1', ..., 'role_n')
-    #   roles([:role_1, ..., :role_n])
-    #   roles(['role_1', ..., 'role_n'])
-    #
-    # declare valid roles
-    def roles(*roles)
-      self.valid_roles = Array[*roles].flatten.map { |r| r.to_sym }
-    end
-  end
-
 end
diff --git a/lib/role_model/class_methods.rb b/lib/role_model/class_methods.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d98c42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/role_model/class_methods.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+module RoleModel
+  module ClassMethods
+    def inherited(subclass) # :nodoc:
+      ::RoleModel::INHERITABLE_CLASS_ATTRIBUTES.each do |attribute|
+        instance_var = "@#{attribute}"
+        subclass.instance_variable_set(instance_var, instance_variable_get(instance_var))
+      end
+      super
+    end
+
+    # set the bitmask attribute role assignments will be stored in
+    def roles_attribute(name)
+      self.roles_attribute = name
+    end
+
+    # alternative method signature: set the bitmask attribute role assignments will be stored in
+    def roles_attribute=(name)
+      self.roles_attribute_name = name.to_sym
+    end
+
+    # :call-seq:
+    #   roles(:role_1, ..., :role_n)
+    #   roles('role_1', ..., 'role_n')
+    #   roles([:role_1, ..., :role_n])
+    #   roles(['role_1', ..., 'role_n'])
+    #
+    # declare valid roles
+    def roles(*roles)
+      self.valid_roles = Array[*roles].flatten.map { |r| r.to_sym }
+    end
+  end
+end