5 Enterprise Architect Certification Options (With Tips)

Updated 3 July 2023

Upgrading IT infrastructure and aligning it with business goals can help companies deliver value to customers. Enterprise architects optimise business processes to improve efficiency, reduce costs and enhance the customer experience. If you are looking to learn new skills or advance your career as an enterprise architect, you can benefit from learning about various certification courses available. In this article, we list different enterprise architect certification options along with course details, list the benefits of taking them and share tips on how you can choose one.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

5 Enterprise Architect Certification Options

Enterprise architect certification options usually comprise audio and video lectures, text-based resources, interactive activities, live webinars and a final exam. This can help you develop skills in enterprise architecture, data analysis, business process modelling and project management. The course may also provide group projects that require you to work alongside others to apply theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios. Many programmes also focus on newer technologies like cloud computing, DevOps and digital transformation. You can pursue these certifications while working as they provide flexible schedules and arrangements.

Including an industry-recognised certification on your resume or your cover letter can help improve your credibility in the field. Here are five certification programmes that you can consider taking:

1. Certified Enterprise Architect Professional (CEAP)

The Certified Enterprise Architect Professional (CEAP) is a two-day training course offered by The Knowledge Academy. The course covers major enterprise architecture frameworks and ways to implement them in business settings. There is a significant focus on planning data migration by considering factors such as the project size, location, sensitivity and risk. It also covers business data, software architecture and change management as part of its training. After completing this programme, you can design a high-level enterprise architecture by defining the scope, identifying the key participants and formulating the implementation strategy. Here are some additional details:

Level: This course is good for beginners and intermediates.
Prerequisite: This course is suitable for people with limited knowledge of enterprise architecture.
Course details: There are online self-paced, online instructor-led or classroom options.
Course duration: The duration of the course is two days.
Exam: It is a 60-minute multiple-choice question format exam with 65% as its passing criterion.

2. TOGAF Enterprise Architecture Foundation

The TOGAF Enterprise Architecture Foundation offered by The Open Group is an examination that validates your skills and practical experience in The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) enterprise architecture framework. It evaluates your basic understanding of enterprise architecture and how you can apply it to projects so that they align with an organisation's business goals, strategies and processes. As you prepare for this examination, you learn practical ways to define project requirements and manage the software development lifecycle. Here are the details of the certification programme:

Level: This is a beginner and intermediate course.
Prerequisite: A prior knowledge of enterprise architecture is helpful but not necessary.
Course details: You can self-study or attend training sessions before you take the examination.
Course duration: Students usually complete the coursework within three months and then attend the certification examination, but this may vary based on your schedule.
Exam: It is a 60-minute multiple-choice question format exam comprising 40 questions with 60% passing criteria.

3. Open Group Certified Architect (CA)

This is another certification offered by The Open Group. This certification programme differs from other courses in that it has no coursework or examination. The programme has three stages. In the first stage, you require completing five milestones, which consider criteria such as professional communication, professional development and experience profile to evaluate. After this step, you can submit the experience application highlighting your skills and work experience. The last round is a board review, following which you can receive your certification. Here are the details of the certification programme:

Level: This course has stages for beginner, intermediate and expert levels.
Prerequisite: A background in technology can be helpful.
Course details: There is no specific course or learning path.
Course duration: This is no specified duration and is flexible to accommodate people working full-time jobs.
Exam: Instead of a certification exam, there are three levels of certification, including Certified, Master and Distinguished.

4. Professional Cloud Solutions Architect Certification

This certification offered by the Cloud Credential Council (CCC) focuses on integrating existing IT infrastructure with cloud solutions. It starts with an overview of cloud computing, its advantages and its impact on business. It covers areas including technology engineering of cloud computing, architecture design, frameworks and standards. The programme also emphasises core concepts such as cloud ecosystem, migration and governance. Upon completing this course, you can select, set up, configure and implement a cloud architecture that meets business needs. Here are the details of the certification programme:

Level: This course is helpful for beginners, intermediates and experts.
Prerequisite: There is no prerequisite for the course, but it is necessary for you to have completed the CCC Cloud Technology Associate certification or hold an equivalent certification.
Course details: You can self-study or attend training sessions provided by CCC's training partners before taking the exam.
Course duration: The course duration depends on the coursework and sessions arranged by the training partners.
Exam: It is a 75-minute scenario-based and multiple-choice question format exam comprising 25 questions with 60% passing criteria.

5. BCS Intermediate And Practitioner Certificate In Enterprise And Solution Architecture

This is a certification offered by The Knowledge Academy to help participants learn the essentials of enterprise and solutions architecture. The course covers topics such as architecture frameworks, business architecture, applications architecture, infrastructure architecture, architecture management and migration planning. Here are the details of the certification programme:

Level: This is a course for intermediates and experts.
Prerequisite: Participants require having a basic knowledge of enterprise architecture.
Course details: You can take the course onsite, online and self-paced, online and instruction-led or at a training venue.
Course duration: The course lasts for three days.
Exam: It is a 60-minute closed-book exam comprising 40 multiple-choice questions based on a case study with a 65% passing criteria.

Benefits Of Enterprise Architecture Certifications

Here are some benefits of enterprise architecture certifications:

Demonstrates expertise: Completing certifications in enterprise architecture can help you demonstrate expertise in areas including data, business, security, application and network architecture. It also highlights your commitment towards professional development and enthusiasm to stay current with IT trends.
Improves credibility: Companies require experts who can help develop IT strategies and solutions in alignment with their business strategies. Industry-recognised programmes help you develop the business acumen, technical expertise and systems thinking necessary for this role.
Helps advance your career: Completing these certifications can help you advance to roles, including senior enterprise architect, IT director, chief information officer (CIO) and technical program manager.
Helps you contribute to improving business operations: You can assist companies in making their IT solutions integrated, secure, scalable and efficient. You can also recommend improvements to existing business operations through digital technologies.
Provides access to industry resources: Many certification programmes conduct workshops to help participants network with industry experts and people in similar domains.

Tips For Choosing The Right Certification

Here are some tips to consider before you choose a certification programme:

Research certification options. Preview the syllabus, prerequisites, credibility of the instructors, assignments and project details to decide if a course aligns with your expectations.
Look for programmes that focus on practical skills. Ensure that the programme you select focuses on developing practical skills such as business analysis, technical expertise, project management, communication and leadership.
Consider industry recognition. Look for the authenticity and credibility of the programme by going through its course content, vendor, industry recognition and participants' reviews.
Look for flexible options. When selecting a certification programme for enterprise architecture, it is important to consider your learning style and schedule. Most programmes provide flexible learning options, such as online classes, self-paced study and personalised mentorship or one-on-one doubt-clearing sessions.
Seek advice from experts. Talk to colleagues, mentors and industry experts for advice on which certification to choose. You can also post your questions on online forums to seek advice from people who have already completed the certification.