Business analyst certification

In such a wide field of work it’s easy to get confused by the number of business analyst certifications one can obtain. Business analysts often only hold a handful of qualifications relevant to their field of expertise.

There are several internationally recognized institutions that offer general qualifications for business analysis. If you want to enter the field of business analysis or are working in a role that sometimes requires you conduct business research, these courses are a great place to start.

Having just one of the following qualifications shows employers that you have the technical know-how to conduct research with skill and confidence.

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT

BCS qualifications are some of the most well-recognized in the UK. BCS provides a wide range of qualifications that cover all areas of IT.

BCS business analysis qualifications will help you get to grips with the basics.

BCS also offers more advanced courses for working professionals or analysis who want to squeeze every bit of value out of their work.  

BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis

The BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis course is designed for beginners and those without any prior knowledge of business analysis.

This course is for anyone who wants a basic understanding of business analysis so that they can support change and improve business processes.

As the name implies, this course provides a strong foundation on which to build your business analysis career.

For those just entering the field, this qualification will look great on your CV and show potential employers that you have valid skills and knowledge.

BCS Practitioner Certificate in Business Analysis

The BCS Practitioner Certificate in Business Analysis explores the core skills and methods of business analysis.

Courses will topics such as process modelling, investigation techniques and documentation – everything you need to help support business change.

Completion of some these modules is necessary to qualify for a BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis.

BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis

Completion of 2 core modules, 1 foundation module and 1 practitioner will qualify you to receive a BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis.

For seasoned analysts, obtaining a BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis is the next logical step in career progression.

For those wanting to become a business analysis, a BCS Business Analysis Diploma shows you have the potential to become an amazing asset to their management and development teams.

BCS Professional Certificate in Business Analysis

The BCS Professional Certificate in Business Analysis is tailored for those wanting to become a Chartered IT Professional or business analysis expert.

These courses cover the finer details of business analysis, as well as some of the more technical aspects of the role.

Topics include agile management, data analysis, team leadership and more.

BCS Advanced International Diploma in Business Analysis

The BCS Advanced International Diploma in Business Analysis is designed for senior analysts who are actively working in business analysis.

Applicants are required to have 5 years of industry experience and at least 4 professional level BCS BA certificates.

BCS Expert Business Analysis Award

The BCS Expert Business Analysis Award is the highest qualification offered by BCS. This award ensures that higher levels of expertise demonstrated by senior analysts is recognized through external assessment and certification.

This award provides a benchmark for organizations to use during staff management activities such as appraisal and recruitment.

For individual analysts, this award will distinguish you from other analysts in the field.

PMI, The Project Management Institute

The Project Management Institute has been a recognized name in the business analysis industry since 1969. PMI is dedicated to helping develop careers in project management by providing education and professional certification to BA’s

The PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)®

This qualification is aimed at working professionals within the business analysis industry. The PMI-PBA requires at least 7,500 hours of business analysis experience and 35 contact hours of education.

If you’re an experienced BA or if you’re a project manager working within project teams, this course will help you better understand the techniques and methods of effective business analysis.

APMG International

APMG International is a leading name in professional training and consulting organizations. APMG offers a wide variety of professional certifications geared towards agile business models.

AgileBA®

Agile Business Analysis qualifications are among the most popular in the UK. AgileBA courses incorporate agile principles and values into course materials and teaching to ensure that you’ll be able to understand what it means to be agile in a contemporary business context.

The Foundation and Practitioner Certificates are designed for analysts working in an agile environment.

These courses will guide you through the theories, tools and techniques used in agile business analysis and are compatible with other agile methods.

International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®)

IIBA is a non-profit professional organization helping grow the field of business analysis.

IIBA supports the development and education of business analysis professionals. IIBA offers competency-based certification to let employers know you have the skills, knowledge and experience they require

IIBA Entry Certificate in Business Analysis

The IIBA-ECBA covers the basics of business analysis as outlined in the Guide to Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide).

This course will ensure you have the core competencies demanded in the field of business analysis.

IIBA Certificate of Capability in Business Analysis

This course is for business analysts who have 2 to 3 years of industry experience, or for those who conduct business analysts as part of an existing role such as Quality Assurance professionals or Project Managers.

Obtaining your IIBA-CCBA shows employers you have the ability to take on larger and more complex projects.

IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional

The IIBA-CBAP course is tailored for those with over 5 years of experience in business analysis.

IIBA-CBAP qualifications are recognized globally as a mark of professionalism and competence.

IIBA Agile Analysis Certification

The IIBA-AAC certification focuses on applying business analysis techniques and strategies to an agile business framework.

This course will show how agile principles interact with business analysis and can help adapt your business analysis skillset to work within an agile environment.  

IIBA Certification in Business Data Analytics™

The IIBA-CBDA certification teaches how to conduct effective business data analysis in support of data analytics initiatives.

This certification helps employers identify skilled data analysts able to rapidly translate data into value-add information.

BCS, PMI or IIBA?

With so many high-quality courses offered worldwide it can be confusing trying to decide what’s best for you and your career. Look below and see what we think will be the best fit for you.

Beginners

If you have no previous experience in business analysis, or work with business analysts and want to know more about their profession an AgileBA Foundation or BCS Foundation course is the right place to start.

Professionals

If you’re currently working as an analyst or perhaps have some duties that qualify as business analysis, you should consider looking at one of the more advanced courses such as those in IIBA’s CBAP scheme or a PMI-PBA certificate.

Experts

If you have serval years of experience in business analysis and want to take on a leadership role, you should consider the IBBA’s Certified Business Analysis Thought Leader course.

PMI-PBA® is a registered mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

AgileBA® is a registered trademark of Agile Business Consortium Limited. All rights reserved.

IIBA Entry Certificate in Business Analysis™, IIBA Certificate of Capability in Business Analysis™, IIBA Certified Business Analysis Professional™, IIBA Agile Analysis Certification™
and IIBA Certification in Business Data Analytics™are a trademark(s) owned by International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®)