When you find yourself in the market for a business analysis certification, you’ll quickly discover that you have many choices.
One question we receive again and again is whether to pursue the CBAP or CCBA.
About the CBAP and CCBA
Both certifications are offered by International Institute of Business Analysis™ (IIBA®). The CBAP is the Certified Business Analysis Professional™ (CBAP®) and the CCBA is Certification of Competency in Business Analysis™ (CCBA®), how do you choose between the two?
There are two big differentiators between the two options:
- The total amount of business analysis experience required.
- The overall diversity of business analysis experience required.
You can qualify to sit for the CCBA exam if you can document at least 3750 hours of work experience aligned with the BABOK® Guide in the last seven years. You also must have at least 900 hours in 2 of the 6 knowledge areas or 500 hours in 4 of the 6 knowledge areas.
In contrast, applying for the CBAP requires more experience. A minimum of 7500 hours of BA work experience aligned with the BABOK® Guide in the last seven years is required in the last 10 years. You also must be able to document 900 hours in 4 of the 6 knowledge areas.
The exams are also different and I would imagine that given the lesser experience requirements for the CCBA, that the exam might be easier overall.
CBAP or CCBA for You?
If you can meet the experience requirements for the CBAP, I would recommend pursuing it instead of the CCBA. If not, then consider the CCBA as an interim certification and, provided you are still leveraging your business analysis skills and expanding your business analysis experience, work towards qualifying for the CBAP before your recertification period.
Of course, you could choose to do both certifications, but unless you work for a training provider looking to build materials specific to each certification, I can’t imagine why you would.
No matter what certification you choose, business analysis training is important
Many participants in The Business Analyst Blueprint® training program report that they are so glad they participated in our practical, deliverable-focused training BEFORE trying to prepare for an exam-based certification.
With our training, they were able to apply what they were learning on-the-job and familiarize themselves with the business analysis terminology and way of approaching a typical project. This made their exam prep so much easier!
If this sounds like a path you’d like to take, we’d be honored to help you take your next step and create a purpose-filled career in business analysis.
Click here to learn more about The Business Analyst Blueprint training program.
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