How Long Does a BCS Qualification Take?

Enrolling in a BCS Qualification course can greatly improve and upgrade your resume, showcasing your IT knowledge and skills to your current or potential employers. 

However, with many professionals taking on industry qualifications such as BCS in order to develop their careers while continuing to work, it is only natural for you to wonder how long the completion time of such qualifications may be, before committing to enrolling in one.

Below we have developed a comprehensive guide, looking into the completion times of the BCS Qualifications we offer, to help you out.

What are BCS certifications?

BCS qualifications are industry-standard IT qualifications, offering people from all walks of life the chance to upskill and enhance their IT knowledge. 

This, in turn, allows learners to understand how you can effectively utilise information technology relevant to the current marketplace, and make a real change in your role and organisation.  

Why study a BCS Certification in the first place?

BCS - The Chartered Institute of IT - currently consists of over 60,000 members and is responsible for elevating and safeguarding the standards of education, professionalism, ethics and practice of the IT industry.

Globally recognised and designed by industry experts, the BCS certifications have helped generate numerous IT-related careers since its formation in 1975. 

Not only that but upon successful completion of your first BCS certificate and examination, BCS offers a free 1-year BCS Associate Membership. Such memberships usually carry great benefits, including:

• Professional recognition Career development 
• Networking opportunities
• Knowledge and best practice
• Exclusive offers and discounts

How long does a BCS Foundation Certificate in Agile take?

A BCS Foundation Certificate in Agile usually takes students around 18 Hours to complete. Comparatively, if you dedicate 2 hours a day to your studies, the course can be completed within a week.

This however doesn’t include examinations, which for this certificate, consists of a 60 minute examination with 40 multiple-choice questions and a 65% pass mark (26/40).

How long does a BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis take?

The BCS Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis typically takes 28 hours to complete, but can also be completed in 2 weeks if you spend 2 hours a day studying.

It doesn’t include examinations though, which would be a 60-minute examination with 40 multiple-choice questions and a 65% pass mark (26/40) for this certificate.

How long does a BCS Foundation Certificate in User Experience take?

On average students need 18 hours to complete the BCS Foundation Certificate in User Experience.

Examinations are not included in this duration. For this certificate it is a 60 minute examination with 40 multiple-choice questions and a 65% pass mark (26/40).

How long does a BCS Foundation Certificate in Information Security Management Principles (CISMP) take?

The BCS Foundation Certificate in Information Security Management Principles (CISMP) takes longer than the above certifications to complete, with a duration of 40 hours which can eventually be reduced to 20 days if you dedicate 2 hours per day to your studies.

Unlike the other qualifications, the examination for this certification is also longer, consisting of a 120-minute examination with 100 multiple-choice questions and a pass mark of 65% (65/100). The examination is not included in the above-mentioned duration of the course.

What factors may influence your completion time?

The duration for completion of the BCS qualifications presented in this guide is an estimate, mainly based on the average competition time required by students through self-led online learning.

However, the completion time of your studies depends on many factors such as the type of qualification you decide to do or the learning provider you choose. 

By studying a BCS certification with ICS Learn, your completion time is entirely up to you, allowing you to work at your own pace and around your professional and personal commitments. 

Moreover, if for any reason, any unforeseen circumstances arise, you have the choice to pause your studies and resume them when you feel ready. Our extended support period, offered across most of our courses, provides you with the flexibility to help make your study experience with us as stress-free as possible. 

Interested in taking a 100% online BCS IT qualification? Get in touch with our course advisors and get started today.