Business Analysis Extension Certificate

Classroom or Online
E-mail: cebusiness@mtroyal.ca
Information: 403.440.5069 or toll-free 1.888.392.3655
Register: Start here
Location: Lincoln Park Campus, 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW

Required Courses | Student Testimonials

71% of Business Analysis Extension Certificate graduates surveyed received an increase in income after completing the certificate.

All courses in this program are offered each semester

Businesses are seeking to make major improvements in their business processes to decrease costs, minimize risk and secure their business information. A qualified Business Analyst is critical to establishing the improvements that businesses are seeking to make.

Who Should Take this Program
This certificate program is aimed at a foundational level and is designed to introduce the business professional to the Business Analyst’s skill requirements. The skills acquired throughout this program can be applied to your professional business environment.

Highly Recommended
Complete Business Analysis: An Overview and Gathering & Documenting Requirements prior to the remaining courses.

Earning Your Extension Certificate
To earn your Business Analysis Extension Certificate, complete the following required courses (155-160 hours) with a minimum grade of C and/or 75% attendance in each course:

• Nine required courses (eight Business Analysis courses plus one Project Management course)
• Final Assessment Paper

The program may be completed within two semesters but may be extended over three years.

Online Learners
The Business Analysis online courses are interchangeable with the classroom courses. To successfully complete each online course, you must actively participate in the online environment via discussion boards, self-assessment quizzes and group activities. Your final mark is based on your participation throughout the course.

Accreditation
The Certified Business Analysis Professional™ (CBAP®) designation is awarded through the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA®). The CBAP® is increasingly recognized as the benchmark of excellence for the business analysis professional.

Mount Royal is proud to be an Endorsed Educational Provider (EEP™) of IIBA. Courses in Mount Royal’s certificate are aligned with IIBA®’s Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK®). Successful completion of this program may assist students in meeting educational requirements for the CBAP professional designation and help prepare for the CBAP© exam. For an overview of the CBAP© certification requirements, please visit theiiba.org and then click on the “certification” link.

Career Outlook
Completion of the Business Analysis Extension Certificate may qualify you for an entry-level position as a business analyst, depending on personal and professional suitability for the field, or build upon the business analysis skills you currently possess in your existing role.

Required Courses

All courses in this program are offered each semester

Business Analysis: An Overview
Position yourself for success in one of today’s most in-demand careers. Businesses need qualified business analysts to capture critical requirements as business solutions are created and implemented. This course defines the fundamental purpose, skills and roles of the business analyst and defines the business analysis lifecycle.
Course materials: approx. $20 at the BookStore.

Gathering & Documenting Requirements
Business Analysts need to be able to gather the right information, understand the business needs, document accurate requirements and make recommendations to help business area experts solve problems. Using real-life examples, explore communication and interviewing skills, reaching consensus and documentation models such as Use Cases, facilitation techniques and more.
Course materials: approx. $20 at the BookStore.

Process & Workflow Modeling
People, processes, systems and structures can be captured in present state through diagrams that show how things work and what changes need to be made. Tools covered in this course include process mapping, cross-functional and process decomposition diagrams, Use Case diagrams and more.
Course materials: approx. $20 at the BookStore.

Data Analysis for Decision Making
The quality of decision making in organizations is greatly influenced by the quality of data gathered and by information derived from that data. Discover how to define data and information requirements, how and where data is stored, and how to present data using Dashboards, Balanced Scorecards and more.
Course materials: approx. $20 at the BookStore.

Enterprise Risk Management
Explore how to identify risk, learn what constitutes risk management, and determine how to assess the impacts and probabilities of risk. Once this knowledge is attained, develop an enterprise risk framework, score and rank risks, and gain insight into the cultural aspects of risk.
Course materials: approx. $20 at the BookStore.
Note: This course is equivalent to Project Management: Risk & Procurement, XPRM 10005.

Financial Analysis & Opportunity Evaluation
Financial objectives are inherent in every analysis. Business analysts use a variety of techniques to help organizations understand and prioritize competing ideas. Acquire a variety of tools, such as SWOT analysis, financial statement ratios, cost analysis, pricing models and more to work through case studies and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of opportunities.
Course materials: approx. $20 at the BookStore.
Note: Please bring a financial or scientific calculator to class.

Quality Management
Examine the role of the business analyst in the quality control/assurance and testing processes. Use tools and techniques such as workflow testing, test script technical reviews, post release reviews, and a variety of templates to work through practical exercises that demonstrate the quality process. Standards such as ISO 9001 and SEI CMM are also explored.
Course materials: approx. $20 at the BookStore.

Project Management: An Overview
Please select the following link for a complete schedule and course description.

Please Note: Project Management: An Overview is the only required Project Management course for the Business Analysis Certificate. Also note that the Project Management: An Overview course can be taken in-class or online.

Life Cycle & Business Case
Use all the tools and techniques acquired in the previous Business Analysis courses and apply the life cycle to real-life business scenarios. Present your findings in a business case. This course also helps you prepare for the final assessment paper.
Course materials: approx. $20 at the BookStore.

Note: This should be the final course you take before the Business Analysis: Final Assessment Paper. We strongly recommend that you do not take this course until after you complete the seven other required Business Analysis courses and one Project Management course. 

Business Analysis: Final Assessment Paper
To finalize your certificate requirements, complete a case analysis paper (written case report) to be critiqued and graded by qualified instructors. The grading system is based on your ability to incorporate the business analysis concepts, practices and principles acquired in the previous nine courses. Guidelines are provided to assist in your case report preparation.
Download a PDF of the Final Assessment Guidelines and submission details.

Note: We strongly recommend completion of all courses before registering for the Final Assessment Paper.
Note: Deadline for submission is 4:30 p.m., April 19, 2010. No refunds after Jan. 4, 2010.

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Student Testimonials

“The workshop environment was very beneficial for learning from fellow classmates ... The interactive style of instruction was fun and educational.”

Tami Sutley, Business Analysis Certificate student

“...the courses provided a very good survey of BA concerns. I now know many more questions to ask.”

Sean Drysdale, Business Analysis Graduate

“The Business Analysis program helps me in providing the link between IT and business for my organization, enabling better communication and understanding between the two groups.”

Joey Choi Yee Suen, Telus, Business Analysis Graduate

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