Below is a list of frequently
asked questions regarding the CBAP® Certification
Exam. These came from participants of webinars
we have provided on CBAP® certification.
A
PDF version is also available.
Click on the question to view the
answer.
- What are the CBAP® and CCBA™ Certifications?
- What are the education or work experience requirements needed?
- How many questions are on the version 2.0 exam?
- What is the difference between CCBA™ credentials and CBAP® credentials?
- Can I use your CBAP® study materials to study for the CCBA™ exam?
- What are the 2.0 exams based on?
- How do I sign up for the exam and what does it cost?
- Is it enough to read and study only the BABOK®, or should I be studying other sources of knowledge about the topics in the BABOK®?
- Where can we access a formal class to prepare for the exam? Are they offered by the IIBA®?
- Are there practice exams readily available – how can I get them? Does the IIBA provide sample tests through the website?
- What percentage is required to pass the CBAP® or CCBA™?
- What is the overall first time pass rate of those taking the CBAP®?
- What is the best way to demonstrate that I meet the requirement of 7500 or 3750 hours?
- The online CBAP® and CCBA™ application lists non-BA tasks for projects. Should I put down any non-BA hours on my application?
- Do I need experience in all of the Knowledge Areas to apply?
- How long does it take to get approved to take the exam once you complete the application?
- Do you recommend any books to help prepare for the certification that would contain practice questions for the exam?
- Are the any suggestions you have that a study group can follow for local chapters?
- Where can I get the BABOK® book to study for the exam?
- What counts towards the required 21 hour professional development hours?
- Can we send the CBAP® application without having the needed 21 hours, and once accepted we take the course that gives us 21 hours?
- What is a good time frame for study prior to taking the exam?
- Do you feel a CBAP® prep course will shorten the 3-6 month study time needed?
- What is the value of certification?
1. What are the CBAP® and CCBA™ Certifications?
The International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA®), has created the Certified Business Analysis Professional® (CBAP®) and Certification of Competency in Business Analysis (CCBA™), credentials awarded to candidates who have successfully demonstrated their expertise in this field. The CBAP® designation is awarded to business analysis practitioners with 7500 hours or more of BA experience, and the CCBA™ is for those with 3750 or more hours of applicable experience. Both credentials require passing a comprehensive examination, based on the IIBA® Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK®) that is designed to objectively assess and measure business analysis knowledge and experience..
2. What are the education or work experience requirements needed?
To be eligible for CBAP® or CCBA™ Certification, you must meet the following requirements:
| Requirement |
CBAP® |
CCBA™ |
| BA Experience |
7500 hours of BA experience in over the past 10 years |
3750 hours of BA experience over the past 7 years |
| Knowledge Area |
900+ hours in at least 4 of the 6 core BABOK® Knowledge Areas |
900+ hours in at least 2 of the 6 core BABOK® Knowledge Areas –OR– 500 hours in 4 of the 6 Knowledge Areas |
| Education |
High School or College Degree |
High School or College Degree |
| Professional Development |
21 Hours in past 4 Years |
21 Hours in past 4 Years |
| References |
Two references from a career manager, client, or a CBAP |
Two references from a career manager, client, or a CBAP |
| Additional |
Signed Code of Conduct |
Signed Code of Conduct |
| Fees |
$125 application plus $325 exam fee ($450 for non-members) |
$125 application plus $325 exam fee ($450 for non-members) |
| Renewal |
Once every 3 years; need 60 CDUs for renewal |
Once every 3 years; need CDUs for renewal (unknown at this time) |
3.
How many questions are on the version 2.0 exam?
Both the CBAP® and CCBA™ exams have150 multiple-choice questions.
4.
What is the difference between CCBA credentials and CBAP credentials?
Besides the hours requirements noted above, the two exams emphasize different things. The CBAP® exam has many situation-based questions that require candidates to apply their knowledge of the BABOK®. The CCBA™ exam is mostly comprised of knowledge and fact-oriented questions about tasks and techniques in the BABOK®. When the CCBA™ was introduced, we revised our CBAP® Online Study Exam question bank and created over 140 new situational questions to address this need.
5.
Can I use your CBAP study materials to study for the CCBA exam?
Yes! According to the IIBA, the blueprint for the CCBA™ exam is very similar to that of the Certified Business Analysis Professional™ (CBAP®) exam. Specifically, the CCBA™ exam is different from the CBAP® exam in that the CCBA™ exam presents mostly knowledge-based, factual questions drawing from the concepts presented in the BABOK® Guide. Because our CBAP® products and courses thoroughly cover the BABOK® Guide, they are an excellent tool for preparing you for the CCBA™ exam.
6.
What are the 2.0 exams based on?
The CBAP® exam is based mostly on the tasks and techniques identified in the BABOK®, version 2.0, which was released March 31, 2009. As noted separately, the questions contain some knowledge and fact questions, and many situational questions. The latter will test your ability to apply the BABOK® information to real life. The current exam switched over to the 2.0 version on August 1, 2009. While most information for the CBAP® exam is contained in the BABOK®, it is not the sole source of questions on the exam. The BABOK® references other sources that CBAP® candidates may find helpful. The CCBA™ exam is based solely on the BABOK®, with knowledge-based questions only. It was introduced January 1, 2011.
7.
How do I sign up for the exam and what does it cost?
The exam is the final requirement for CBAP® or CCBA™ certification and anyone desiring to take an exam must first apply for certification and pass the initial screening process. Once the IIBA® determines your qualifications to sit for an exam, you must apply with the official testing agency to schedule a date for a computerized exam. You will receive an email with instructions once your application is approved. Visit www.TheIIBA.org for the complete process.
Total cost (application plus exam) for IIBA® members is $450 USD.
Total cost (application plus exam) for non-members is $575 USD.
Candidates can save money on the cost of the exam by applying for IIBA® membership. The cost of membership is $95/year.
8.
Is it enough to read and study only the BABOK®, or should I be studying other sources of knowledge about the topics in the BABOK®?
The BABOK® should be your main resource and it will provide much of the reference materials you need. Watermark Learning’s CBAP® Certification Study Guide (2nd Edition) is another resource we recommend, and is highly focused on the exam. Mastering the Requirements Process (2nd Edition) by Suzanne and James Robertson, and Software Requirements, Second Edition, by Karl Wiegers may also be helpful.
9.
Where can we access a formal class to prepare for the exam? Are they offered by the IIBA®?
Watermark Learning has formal CBAP® Prep classes and CCBA™ Prep classes scheduled throughout the year. We offer these classes in person and live online over the internet. The IIBA® does not provide any formal training.
10.
Are there practice exams readily available – how can I get them? Does the IIBA® provide sample tests through the website?
The IIBA® does not provide sample tests. There are some online exams available, and make sure you find exams developed by people or companies such as Watermark Learning who are CBAP-certified. That way you will be more likely to have realistic CBAP® exam simulations. Our CBAP® Online Study Exam and CCBA™ Online Study Exam are a great way to prepare, with three study modes including a realistic exam simulator. We have almost 800 questions available that will give you experience with the types of questions you will see on the 2.0 exam.
11.
What percentage is required to pass the CBAP® or CCBA™?
The IIBA® has not published percentages yet. Our best guess for that is because the sample size of examinees is small enough so that they can’t yet assign an exact “cut score” for either exam. Assume you will need to score 70% or better to pass.
12.
What is the overall first time pass rate of those taking the CBAP®?
The latest numbers we have heard put the pass rate at between 80% and 90%. Note that is not an official number, just our best guess. It is high partly because the IIBA® screens applications so well and demands so many years of experience. It is also high because examinees so far have been super-prepared to pass.
13.
What is the best way to demonstrate that I meet the requirement of 7500 or 3750 hours?
You need 3750 or 7500 hours spent on business activities, and not just working hours. IIBA® has online applications to complete with project information. The form asks for information such as project name, start/end date, your role, project organization and contact, and project hours spent doing business analysis tasks as well as describing the tasks and your deliverables. The IIBA® audits a certain number of applications, so the hours you list should be as accurate as possible. Visit our CBAP Resources page to download a complimentary application worksheet to help you organize your hours.
14.
The online CBAP® and CCBA™ application lists non-BA tasks for projects. Should I put down any non-BA hours on my application?
Here is the situation. If you indicate any non-BA tasks, the IIBA® will deduct a proportionate percentage of hours from your reported project hours. Let’s say you worked 1000 hours on a project, and indicated 3 tasks, 2 of which were BA work and one was a PM task. The IIBA® will then deduct 33% or 333 hours from your 1000 hours, leaving you a net of only 667 hours to count towards your total. Take this into account as you report hours and tasks on your application. Our advice: only report BA tasks and only BA hours to avoid having any hours deducted. See the IIBA’s own FAQs document for more information on www.TheIIBA.org for details on this.
15.
Do I need experience in all of the Knowledge Areas to apply?
No, the IIBA® has established you need 900+ hours in at least 4 of the 6 core Knowledge Areas (KAs) to apply for the CBAP®. For the CCBA™, you need 900+ hours in 2 of the core KAs or 500+ hours in 4 of the 6 core KAs.
16.
How long does it take to get approved to take the exam once you complete the application?
Within two weeks of receiving your application package IIBA® will notify you that your application is being processed. The IIBA® will then assess the application for completeness and fulfillment of the CBAP® or CCBA™ certification requirements. The IIBA® will notify you, via email, of the results of this assessment within 21 days of receiving the application.
17.
Do you recommend any books to help prepare for the certification that would contain practice questions for the exam?
Watermark Learning's "CBAP® Certification Study Guide", Second Edition, currently used in our CBAP® Certification Preparation Course, contains over 200 sample questions. Our Guide also provides a trial subscription to our CBAP Online Study Exam, which contains 900+ questions for further practice. There are other books that focus mainly on exam questions, and a few are available through Amazon.com. Be prepared to spend 80-100+ hours to read, study, memorize, and take practice exams. Contact us if you’d like to receive a complimentary CBAP® Preparation Roadmap.
18.
Are the any suggestions you have that a study group can follow for local chapters?
We’ve heard it works best is to divide up the BABOK® section by section, and assign a section a week for the group to read and review. Have one person lead each section and prepare an overview of the section, and lead a discussion. Some groups practice by creating and taking exam questions, and others use exam questions from our Guide or Online Study Exam for practice. If you participate in a book club, the process is similar, only you are reading to pass the CBAP® or CCBA™, not for fun!
19.
Where can I get the BABOK® book to study for the exam?
You can download it from the IIBA® web site. Visit www.TheIIBA.org and go to the “Professional Development” section. You’ll see a link for the BABOK®, and another link to download the current version 2.0. That release of the BABOK® is the basis for the current CBAP® and CCBA™ exams.
20.
What counts towards the required 21 hour professional development hours?
Any business analysis training topic, such as requirements elicitation, requirements analysis or modeling courses, requirements planning/managing, etc. Training on related fields such as project management or software testing do not count towards the 21 hours. Nearly every Watermark Learning BA course applies to the 21 hours. Contact us if you have any questions..
21.
Can we send the CBAP® application without having the needed 21 hours, and once accepted we take the course that gives us 21 hours?
You must have the 21 hours of courses before you submit your application. You do not need to submit a course certificate with your application, but be prepared to provide one if you are audited.
22.
What is a good time frame for study prior to taking the exam?
An “ideal” span is around 3-6 months, depending on your approach. Plan on spending around 100 hours preparing, which is the average range we found in our research. You can lessen this time with a class or our Online Study Exam. If you plan on just using the BABOK® or joining a study group, plan on at least 6+ months. That gives you plenty of time to study in a relaxed manner and requires the least “overtime” to study. A person could also do it in 4-6 weeks, but then be prepared to study nights and weekends, or for taking entire days off to read, study, memorize, and take practice exams.
23.
Do you feel a CBAP® prep course will shorten the 3-6 month study time needed?
Yes, we do. Taking a CBAP® or CCBA™ prep class, especially in conjunction with using an online exam simulator, can reduce your study time to under 100 hours and the duration to 3 months or less. It does so because it will help you focus on the critical areas to study for the exam. It also helps you develop your own best method for preparing for the exam vs. wasting time to discover your own method. Another benefit of a class is taking practice exams in a simulated test environment and discussing the rationale for the answers with your CBAP-certified instructor. There is also the added benefit of learning from the questions asked by other students.
24.
What is the value of certification?
Here’s an excellent article written by Michael Gladstone, IIBA Vice President Certification and CIO that discusses the many benefits to becoming a CBAP.
Please
visit the IIBA® for additional information
on certification.
CBAP® is a registered
certification mark owned by International Institute
of Business Analysis. This certification mark
is used with the express permission of International
Institute of Business Analysis.
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