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Business Analysis

Overview

A Business Analyst serves as the key liaison between the client, stakeholders, and the solutions team, gathering and documenting business, organizational and operational requirements, and using them to guide functional system design. In many organizations, the title of this role may be different but the core skills and processes are the same. Examples include Systems Analysts, Functional Analysts, Program Managers, and many more. The common theme for each is the ability to perform business analysis and providing better value on your process improvement project. The ability to interact with multiple groups of people, at all levels, and document their needs in a format that can be used as a foundation for the development of a new process or software system is a critical need for businesses today. The fully online Business Analysis Certificate focuses on the analytical thinking, problem solving, and communications skills required to perform effective business analysis in today's solutions-driven environment.

Curriculum aligns with the International Institute of Business Analysis® (IIBA®) A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide) and the Project Management Institute (PMI®) Guide to Business Analysis. The combination of these foundational guides reflects current practices, appropriate strategies, and common project definitions. Course information will assist the student in preparedness to sit for the business analysis related IIBA® or PMI® certifications.

Academic Program | IIBAPMI Registered Education Provider Charter Member.

Who Should Enroll

The program is designed specifically for professionals who wish to enhance their business analysis capabilities, as well as those who are seeking new opportunities in the field. It will benefit professionals in both business function and information technology areas, including business, software system architects, product marketers, product managers, QA analysts, business systems planners, computer system officers, computer resource specialists, programmer analysts and other professionals who work on process improvement projects.

Career Insight

Occupational summary for Management Analysts in the U.S. Source: Lightcast™ 2022

810,902
Annual Job Openings
(2021)
13.3%
Projected Growth
(2021-2031)
$164k
Salary for Highly Experienced Professionals
(Median Salary $93k)

Program Benefits

  • Gain a comprehensive overview of the many highly valued roles business analysts serve in today’s dynamic business environment
  • Explore the depth and breadth of commonly used tools, techniques and approaches to business analysis
  • Learn how to assess business problems and opportunities, and analyze solution options to recommend those which best meet business needs
  • Learn about requirement lifecycles: how to elicit, verify and validate requirements, then track and manage them throughout their lifecycles
  • Gain exposure to current real-world instructors who are professional business analysis practitioners
  • Course content is aligned with the International Institute of Business Analysis® (IIBA®) A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide) and the Project Management Institute (PMI®) Guide to Business Analysis, both industry standards for Business Analysis professions.
Graduate Kevin Watson discusses his experiences in the Business Analysis certificate program and why the professional development was so beneficial to his career.

Course Schedule

Required Courses

TitleWinterSpringSummerFall
MGMT X481.41
Fundamentals of Business Analysis (3.00 Units)
MGMT X481.41
 to be scheduled   Online  
MGMT X481.42
Business Analysis Planning and Project Management (3.00 Units)
MGMT X481.42
   to be scheduled   Online
MGMT X481.43
Requirements Lifecycle (3.00 Units)
MGMT X481.43
   to be scheduled   Online
MGMT X481.44
Solution Evaluation and Testing (3.00 Units)
MGMT X481.44
 to be scheduled   Online  

Course schedules are subject to change. Individual courses may be taken without enrolling in the full program.

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Academic Calendar

Event Summer 2023 Fall 2023 Winter 2024 Spring 2024
Registration Begins (after 2pm PT) Apr 20 Jul 13 Oct 19 Jan 18
Courses Begin* (week of) Jun 20 Sep 25 Jan 8 Apr 1
Courses End* (week of) Sep 5 Dec 11 Mar 18 Jun 10
Administrative Holidays Jun 19, Jul 4, Sep 4 Nov 10, Nov 23-24, Dec 25-26, Jan 1-2 Jan 15, Feb 19 Mar 29, May 27

*Actual dates may vary by program.

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Learn How To Earn Your Certificate

Earn a Certificate

Apply to become a candidate for the program: A Declaration of Candidacy is required to establish candidacy in this program. Complete the application and pay the application and candidacy fee of $125 (non-refundable). Learn more about the benefits of becoming a candidate. Candidacy is not required to enroll into individual course in a program.

A candidate in the program is awarded a certificate upon the successful completion of four (4) required courses totaling 12 units, each with a letter grade of “C” or better. All requirements must be completed within five (5) years after the student enrolls in their first course. To receive the Certified Digital Certificate after the completing all the program requirements, students must submit the Request for Certificate to initiate the certificate audit process. Students not pursuing the certificate are welcome to take as many individual courses as they wish.

“The program re-instilled in me that being a BSA/BA is the right career choice for me. I was challenged to think critically, the instructors provided useful feedback that I could apply to class assignments and future work, and all classes were relevant to my existing work environment.” Anthony Pace
Program Graduate

Advisory Committee

  • Shawna Camp, MBA, PMP
  • Kathleen Hass, PMP, Principal Consultant, Kathleen Hass and Associates, Inc.
  • Dena Kelber, Business Process and Tech­nology Integration, Southern California Edison
  • Patti Lassen, Director, Strategic Platforms, Experian
  • Desiree Machuca, MBA, PMP, Project Manager, Consultant
  • Susy Ongko, Senior Business Systems Analyst, Mercury Insurance
  • Jeanette Pigeon, CBAP®, President and CEO, aBetterBA
  • Susan Thompson, CBAP®, Agile Business Analysis Consultant and Coach

Career Advancement Network (CAN)

We are proud to provide our certificate students and alumni with newly enhanced career services that include one-on-one coaching, technology tools, webinars and workshops, networking events, mentorship/internship opportunities, and a rich collection of free online career resources. Learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How much does the program cost?
  • Each course costs $735 due at the time of enrollment. There is also a one-time candidacy declaration fee of $125, to be paid before your third class. Therefore the entire program costs $3,065. Please keep in mind that this cost does not include textbooks, which some of our instructors do require. Textbook information for specific courses can be found on our website on the enrollment page. You may order books from a third party vendor such as Amazon.com. If you are an international student, be sure to order your textbooks well in advance of the start date of your online course to allow time for international shipping. Prices are subject to change without notice.
  • How long will it take me to complete the entire program?
  • That depends on how many classes you can take at once. Given that the program consists of 4 classes, if you take two classes per quarter you would be done in 6 months. Most students who work full time take one or two classes per quarter, depending on their work schedules and other obligations. You can take as many simultaneous courses as you wish, but we strongly recommend starting with one or two to ensure you have the necessary time to devote to the course(s).
  • Do I have to apply and be accepted before I start?
  • No. Since UCI Division of Continuing Education (DCE) is the continuing education unit of the university, there are no academic requirements needed to apply for the certificate program, however, the coursework is at a post-baccalaureate level.
  • What is the “declaration of candidacy”? When do I have to complete it?
  • The declaration of candidacy can be thought of as declaring your major for the certificate program. This lets our student services know that you intend to complete the entire program, and puts you on track for the certificate when you have completed all requirements. We strongly recommend that you complete the declaration of candidacy and pay the applicable fee before you enroll into your third class.
  • Where can I find the course schedule? Do I have to take the classes in order?
  • The course schedule can be found here. And no, you can take the classes in any order that you like. However, we strongly recommend that you begin with MGMT X481.1 Fundamentals of Business Analysis and follow the suggested course sequence.
  • Can I complete the entire program online?
  • Yes, the entire program can be taken online.
  • I’ve never taken an online class. How does it work? Is it self-paced?
  • No, the classes are not self-paced. All of our classes run asynchronously, meaning classes are not in “real time” and you can access the content 24 hours a day. Still, each course has a specific start and end date and students must complete assignments by the deadlines listed in the course syllabus in order to earn credit. The courses are structured week-to-week, from Monday to Sunday, and you are expected to log in multiple times during the week to keep up with class discussions and assignments.
  • I am an international student / I am located overseas – am I able to enroll?
  • Yes. As an open-enrollment program, international students are welcome in the program. Please note that if English is not your native language, enrollment in this program assumes that you have a working proficiency in English to allow you to engage in high-level academic discourse without any additional language coaching. If you are interested in taking the program fully online, you may enroll in courses via the Continuing Education website at your convenience and on a quarter by quarter basis. You are not required to have a student visa while taking online courses from your home county.

    If you wish to apply for an F-1 student visa to study in person at UC Irvine Division of Continuing Education (DCE), you must formally apply to UC Irvine DCE’s International Programs and request an I-20. Please keep in mind that not all evening certificate programs are available to F-1 student visa holders based on the availability of classes that meet on campus. We cannot issue an I-20 for fully online programs. Please contact our International Programs office at uciesl@uci.edu or visit International Programs for more information.
  • Do you offer job placement at the end of the program?
  • No. While UCI DCE does not offer placement services, our certificate certainly puts you in a good position to find employment. Additionally, the networking to be done in the class can also be invaluable. Our advisors, instructors, and a good number of our students, are current professionals in the business analysis field, and are an excellent resource for hiring trends and opportunities.
  • Is UC Irvine Division of Continuing Education an accredited institution?
  • Yes. We are affiliated with the University of California system of schools, and are accredited through WASC. DCE programs are all approved by the respective school within UCI (ie – Business Analysis classes are approved through UCI's Paul Merage School of Business). For more information, please see UCI Accreditation.
  • I can’t find the answer to my question.
  • If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact Kassandra Ceja Beltran at cejak@uci.edu.

On-site Training Available

Our Corporate Training specialists can deliver this program or customize one that fits your organization’s specific needs. Visit Corporate Training or call (949) 824-1847 for information.

English Proficiency Requirement
All certificate programs at UCI Division of Continuing Education (classroom and online formats) require professional-level English language proficiency in listening and note-taking, reading comprehension and vocabulary, written expression, and oral presentation.

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Recorded 2/6/2020
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Academic Program | IIBA
Charter Member
International Institute of Business Analysis

IIBA Orange County Chapter members may receive a 10% discount.
Visit the IIBA-OC Chapter Page for more information.

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