Extended BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis (4-day)
Our extended BCS (British Computer Society) Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis course is for those seeking accreditation but also wanting to spend time learning and practising important BA techniques.
This 4-day course is for business analysis beginners and those thinking about moving into business analysis. Our extended version of the 3-day course includes additional time to practise process modelling, data modelling and defining & documenting functional and non-functional requirements. Additional time is spent understanding the impact of agile on business analysts including the definition of a product vision and writing and prioritising user stories.
The course includes an accredited exam leading to the BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis.
This extended version course is available for on-site delivery now and will become available in our public schedule in April or May 2021. To register an interest in attending this extended version of the foundation course, please contact us.
Delivery Method
Classroom and virtual.
Our extended Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis virtual classroom training courses are delivered via Zoom. Online BCS exams will also require use of Zoom and installation of exam software on the delegate’s laptop or desktop PC.
Course Tutors
Our Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis course tutors for both classroom and virtual courses, are practising business change professionals with at least 5 years experience of supporting delegates through this subject and exam.
Meet our business analysis course tutors here.
Suitable for
Those with little or no business analysis or project experience wanting to understand the role of the business analyst and/or achieve the knowledge-based specialism as part of the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis. This 4-day version of the course is aimed at those wanting to spend time practising business analysis techniques and want to consolidate their training into one course without attending any further modules.
Attendees will gain an understanding of the range of concepts, approaches and techniques that are applicable to business analysis.
It is also suitable for individuals, maybe in different disciplines such as project management or systems development, who require a high-level understanding of the role of the business analyst, but may not be expected to perform business analysis work themselves.
This certification provides a foundation to progress to the range of practitioner level BCS modular certificates, such as Requirements Engineering, Business Analysis Practice and Modelling Business Processes. Please note however that it is not a pre-requisite for taking a practitioner level certificate. Please call us if you need further advice.
Course Dates
| Duration | Date(s) | Price | Location | Availability | Book |
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What is included?
- 4-day tutor led training course
- BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis examination, taken at the end of the course
- Course notes and exercise workbooks sent to you in the post
- 3 sample exam papers taken and assessed with support and guidance from the course tutor. Fourth sample paper provided to support pre-exam revision.
- Experienced tutors who have also worked on business change projects for at least 10 years
- Maximum 10 delegates per course for virtual and classroom courses
- Engagement with other delegates to learn from their experiences and to share your own
- Case studies and exercises to apply techniques learnt
- Post-course access to careers advice from practising business analysts
Learning Outcomes
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of business analysis principles and techniques. Key areas are:
- The role and competencies of a business analyst
- Strategy analysis
- Business system and business process modelling
- Stakeholder analysis
- Investigation and modelling techniques
- Requirements engineering
- Business case development
In addition to acquiring the above knowledge, attendees will practise the following business analysis techniques:
- Process Modelling and swim-lane diagramming using BPMN
- Develop a basic Entity/Class model and define attributes
- Define project objectives and scope
- Define high-level functional requirements
- Define detailed functional requirements
- Define an agile product vision
- Write agile user stories
Course syllabus
Until 30 April 2021, this course will cover the syllabus for the BCS publication ‘Business Analysis – Third Edition.’
The BCS BA foundation course covers the following topics (with syllabus weightings):
- What is a Business Analyst? (2.5%)
- The competencies of a Business Analyst (2.5%)
- Strategy analysis (7.5%)
- The Business Analysis process model (5%)
- Investigation techniques (15%)
- Stakeholder analysis and management (10%)
- Modelling business processes (10%)
- Defining the solution (5%)
- Making a business and financial case (10%)
- Establishing the requirements (7.5%)
- Documenting and managing requirements (7.5%)
- Modelling requirements (7.5%)
- Delivering the requirements (5%)
- Delivering the business solution (5%)
This very practical BA course extends the normal foundation course duration to include additional study time covering key syllabus techniques that BAs will use on a day-to-day basis in the workplace. It also provides a more in-depth coverage of agile techniques.
To download the full BCS syllabus for the Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis please click here.
Courses from 1st May 2021 will revert to a new syllabus covering the BCS publication ‘Business Analysis – Fourth Edition’.
Click to see some Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis sample exam questions
Course preparation
The syllabus for this course and exam is based on the BCS publication ‘Business Analysis, Third Edition’. It is strongly recommended that delegates purchase and read this book before attending the course. This will greatly increase their chances of passing the exam.
The BCS reading text is not included in the course fee and delegates should obtain their own copy in order to complete the pre-reading.
Courses running after 1st May 2021 will use the BCS publication ‘Business Analysis, Fourth Edition’.
Additional course information
Courses take place 09:00 – 17:00 each day.
BCS Examination and Accreditation Details
To support preparation for taking the BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis exam, we provide delegates with three sample exam papers during the course. A fourth sample exam paper is available for optional homework activity.
The Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis exam is taken on the final afternoon of a classroom course.
The exam fee is included in the costs shown above. The format of the examination is a one-hour closed-book multiple-choice examination consisting of 40 questions. Candidates need to achieve a minimum of 26 marks out of 40 to pass the examination. Candidates who are awarded a pass for the examination are awarded the BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis.
Free BCS Associate Membership worth £92 when you pass your first BCS exam. Gives you access to professional development and networking tools to enhance your BA career. Click here for more information.
Part of the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis
This practical BA course includes the Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis exam and can be used as the knowledge-based specialism towards the BCS International Diploma in Business Analysis. To obtain the full Diploma, candidates must also obtain the two core modules and a Practitioner specialism module. Candidates must also take a one-hour oral exam directly with the BCS – The Chartered Institute for IT, following successful completion of the four modules.