International Institute of business analysis awards certifications to business analysts. Which are the IIBA certifications for business analysts and which ones to choose?
Which are the IIBA Certifications?
IIBA has 6 certifications for business analysts. These certifications are based on experience as well as area of specialisation. The 6 certifications are listed below:
- Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)
- Certification of capability in Business Analysis (CCBA)
- Agile Analysis certification (AAC)
- Certification in Business Data Analytics (CBDA)
- Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA)
Let’s look at these certifications in details and provide you details, which will enable you to select the right certification for yourself.
Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP)
This is the 3rd level business analyst certification for experienced business analysts. It’s one of the most respected IIBA Certifications.
The CBAP eligibility criteria is defined herewith:
- Requires a minimum of 7500 hours of work experience in the last 7 years
- Of this: a minimum of 900 hours in each of 4 of the 6 BABOK® Guide Version 3 Knowledge Areas or a minimum of 500 hours in each of 4 of the 6 BABOK® Guide Version 3 Knowledge Areas
- Minimum of 35 hours of Professional Development in the last 4 years
- Two references from a career manager, client or Certified Business Analysis Professional™ (CBAP®) recipient.
- Agreement with the CCBA® Code of Conduct
Fees: $ 505 – $575, for more details on CBAP Certification cost.
When do you go for CBAP Certification?
CBAP Certification is meant for business analysts who have a minimum of 5 years of experience in the last 10 years and would like to grow and to prove their competence as a senior business analyst.
A more detailed discussion on CBAP certification is available on our blog.
Certification of capability in Business Analysis (CCBA)
This is the 2nd level of business analyst certification. This certification needs experience as a business analyst.
The eligibility criteria for CCBA certifications are as follows:
- Requires a minimum of 3,750 hours of work experience in the last 7 years
- Of this: a minimum of 900 hours in each of 2 of the 6 BABOK® Guide Version 3 Knowledge Areas or a minimum of 500 hours in each of 4 of the 6 BABOK® Guide Version 3 Knowledge Areas
- Minimum of 21 hours of Professional Development in the last 4 years
- Two references from a career manager, client or Certified Business Analysis Professional™ (CBAP®) recipient.
- Agreement with the CCBA® Code of Conduct
Fees: $505- $ 575. More details on CCBA Certification Cost
When do you go for CCBA Certification?
CCBA Certification is meant for business analysts who have a minimum of 3-4 years of experience in the last 7 years and would like to grow and to prove their competence as a mid-level business analyst.
A more detailed discussion on CCBA certification is available on our blog.
Agile Analysis certification (AAC)
This is a specialised business analyst certification designed for showcasing your expertise and skills in Agile business analysis. This certification has been introduced by IIBA in 2019.
There is no eligibility criteria for this certification. However, IIBA recommends 2-3 years of experience working in Agile business analysis domain.
Fees: $305-375, more details on AAC Certification Cost
When do you go for AAC Certification?
AAC Certification is an Agile business analysis specific certification and helps you to showcase your agile BA skills. This is going to help you to make your career in Agile environment.
If you are working in Agile projects or would like to get into Agile projects (Soon, it may not be a choice), this is the right certification.
You can find more details on our AAC Certification details page.
Certification in Business Data Analytics (CBDA)
This is the latest certification from IIBA. This certification recognises your ability to effectively execute data analysis related work in support of business analytics initiatives.
There is no eligibility criteria for this certification but IIBA recommends relevant work experience.
Fees: $575 (Inclusive of membership Fees)
When do you go for CBDA Certification?
CBDA Certification is a data analysis/analytics certification. As a business analyst, if you would want to perform business analysis activities in data science or analytics projects, this is the right certification for you.
This certification is all about helping customers take business decision using data analysis (both descriptive and inferential).
If you like to work with data (like working with maths and statistics), this is a great choice. Please note I am not indicating that you need to learn maths and statistics again. What you need to learn is to how to use them for analysis.
This is one area which is a huge growth potential
You can learn more about CBDA certification.
Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA)
This is the entry level certification for business analysis. It does not require any experience as a business analyst.
The only eligibility criteria is to have 21-hrs of PDUs from an IIP endorsed education provider.
Fees: $225-295, more details on ECBA Certification Cost
When do you go for ECBA Certification?
ECBA Certification is the most open certifications of all. This certification is for you, if:
- You are working as a non-IT professional and want to become a business analyst
- You are a developer or a tester and want to become a business analyst
- You don’t have any experience (you are a fresher)
Know more about ECBA Certification.
