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BROAD BASIC KNOWLEDGE FOR SOFTWARE ARCHITECTS

The CPSA®
Foundation Level – iSAQB® Foundation Training in Software Architecture

CPSA-E_CertifiedProfessional_for_SWArchitecture_Level_4c

The CPSA Foundation Level (CPSA‑F®) conveys the ability in a team to design and document an appro­priate software architecture, to assure and evaluate quality, and to know the necessary tools, all that for properly described requirements and systems up to a medium size. Partic­i­pants receive profes­sional tools to success­fully implement software archi­tec­tures and optimally design modern systems.

Certification as CPSA‑F® is a valuable seal of approval for an inter­na­tionally recog­nized training standard in software architecture and offers many advan­tages for profes­sional development.

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Contents of the Foundation Level

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The concept and meaning of software architecture

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Tasks and respon­si­bility for you as a software architect

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Your role as a software architect in projects 

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State-of-the-art methods and techniques for the devel­opment of software architectures

Build up your Skills

Training at Foundation Level provides the following skills 

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How you can coordinate essential software architecture decisions with other project partic­i­pants from the fields of requirements management, project management, testing, and development.

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How you can document and commu­nicate software archi­tec­tures based on architecture patterns and technical concepts.

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How you can indepen­dently carry out the essential steps in designing software archi­tec­tures for small and medium-sized systems.

Additional Information

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a CPSA‑F exam without a preparatory training course?

To prepare for the Foundation Level exam, partic­i­pation in classroom or online training from an iSAQB® Accredited Training Provider is highly recom­mended. An accredited CPSA‑F® training course usually lasts three to four days, and covers all relevant topics of the exam.

However, it is also possible to take the CPSA‑F® exam without attending a Foundation Level training course. We recommend the following liter­ature for independent exam preparation:

How is CPSA program different from TOGAF certification?

Alongside the TOGAF training, the CPSA program rates highly in companies inter­na­tionally. Compared to the TOGAF training, the CPSA program generally places more emphasis on the practical imple­men­tation of IT systems.

How is the curriculum at CPSA-Foundation Level being developed further? Is it possible to take part in the devel­opment process?

Within the iSAQB, the Foundation Level working group is committed to further devel­opment and updating of the CPSA-Foundation Level curriculum. Together, the experts of the working group contribute sugges­tions for improvement, and evaluate change notices, which all inter­ested parties can post as “GitHub Issues” in the public repos­itory at https://github.com/isaqb-org/curriculum-foundation/issues. Each release cycle is two years. Changes in the curricula usually affect existing training courses of training providers as well as the current exam questions. All training providers and licensed certification bodies will be notified of any changes well in advance of the release of a new curriculum.

I have lost my certificate. Can it be reissued?

If your certificate has been lost, you can contact the certification body that took your exam or the iSAQB. Generally, you can request a copy of your certificate within 10 years after the date of the exam.

Is the iSAQB respon­sible for the quality of its training providers’ CPSA trainings?

The iSAQB operates an elaborate quality assurance system with regard to its training providers, CPSA trainings, and trainers. Our aim is to ensure a consis­tently high training standard for all CPSA training courses worldwide. However, despite extensive accred­i­tation processes, the iSAQB assumes no liability for the quality of trainings provided by its accredited training partners. Furthermore, the iSAQB assumes no liability for the results of CPSA examinations.

May I call myself “Software Architect” after passing the exam?

The CPSA certification is not a vocational quali­fi­cation, but a proof of knowledge in the field of software architecture. The iSAQB is not entitled to award vocational quali­fi­ca­tions, so we propose you call yourself “Certified Profes­sional for Software Architecture by iSAQB” after passing the exam.
In Germany it is unclear if it is legally allowed to call oneself “Software Architect”. We recommend you inform yourself about the laws regarding the vocational quali­fi­ca­tions in your country.

What does the Foundation Level curriculum include?

The CPSA‑F (Foundation Level) consists of the following parts:

  1. Basics of software architecture, role and task of software architects
  2. Description and commu­ni­cation of software architectures
  3. Design and devel­opment of software architecture
  4. Architecture and quality
  5. Tools for software architects
  6. Examples of software architectures

 

Part 1–5 are relevant to the CPSA‑F certification exam.

The detailed learning content and learning objectives can be found in the official curriculum, here online or for download.

Which requirements must I fulfil to access Foundation Level certification?

Partic­i­pants should have the following knowledge and/or experience:

  • At least 18 months of practical experience in software devel­opment, acquired by programming various projects or systems outside of education.
  • Knowledge of and practical experience in at least one higher programming language.
  • Basics of modelling and abstraction.
  • Basics of UML (class, package, component and sequence diagrams) and their relation to source code.
  • Practical experience in technical documen­tation, especially in the documen­tation of source code, system designs or technical concepts.

Helpful for the under­standing of some concepts are also:

  • Knowledge of object orientation
  • Practical experience in at least one object-oriented programming language
  • Practical experience in the design and imple­men­tation of distributed appli­ca­tions, such as client/server systems or web applications

 

We consider it useful to prepare for the CPSA‑F exam by attending an accredited training course – but in general you can also take a CPSA‑F exam without training.

Who may offer and conduct CPSA-Foundation Level training?

In order to be able to offer and conduct training courses, an accred­i­tation by the iSAQB is required. That means that training providers commit themselves to the accred­i­tation condi­tions of the iSAQB. For more details, please see our accred­i­tation info page.

Downloads

Academic Partner Program Info Brochure

Info brochure with general information about the iSAQB Academic Partner Program.

English Version [pdf]

Versión en Español [pdf]

Curriculum Foundation Level

Curriculum of the Foundation Level with all learning goals and terms for the individual chapters.

Curriculum versions available:

English version: 2023.1‑EN
Deutsche Version: 2023.1‑DE
Versione Italiana: 2021.1‑IT
Versión en Español: 2021.1‑ES
Versão em Português: 2021.1‑PT

English Version [pdf]

Deutsche Version [pdf]

Versione Italiana [pdf]

Versión en Español [pdf]

Versão em Português [pdf]

Foundation Level – Exami­nation Rules

This document contains general rules regarding the CPSA-Foundation Level exami­nation. It provides information on duration, types of questions, scoring, privacy, and confi­den­tiality agree­ments. Short examples of question types are provided.

English Version [pdf]

Deutsche Version [pdf]

Versión en Español [pdf]

Versione Italiana [pdf]

Version Française [pdf]

Versão em Português [pdf]

Foundation Level – Mock Exam Answers

This file contains solutions of the Foundation Level mock exam questions.

English Version [pdf]

Deutsche Version [pdf]

Versión en Español [pdf]

Foundation Level – Mock Exam Questions

The Foundation Level mock exam contains 39 questions and is based on the real exam.

English Version [pdf]

Deutsche Version [pdf]

Versión en Español [pdf]

Foundation Level Info Brochure

Info brochure with general information on the CPSA-Foundation Level.

English Version [pdf]

Deutsche Version [pdf]

General Info Brochure

Info brochure with general information on the iSAQB and CPSA certifications.

English Version [pdf]

Deutsche Version [pdf]

Glossary of Software Architecture Termi­nology

The iSAQB Glossary covers the basic termi­nology of software architecture. The glossary is available in English, French, German, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. Additional languages are in prepa­ration. Please note that only the English and German versions contain a detailed expla­nation of all terms.

English Version [org/glossary/]

Deutsche Version [org/glossary/]

Versión en Español [pdf]

Versione Italiana [pdf]

Version Française [pdf]

中文版 [pdf]

Versão em Português [pdf]

Industry Excellence

All CPSA® training courses are conducted by iSAQB® Accredited Trainers and Training Providers. Profit from these excellent iSAQB partners!

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New Recognized iSAQB® Trainingsprovider - ETC – Enterprise Training Center GmbH
Recognized iSAQB® Trainingsprovider - Arabilis (Silberrücken AG)
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Logo of Technikum Wien - iSAQB Accredited Training Provider
Verity Software logo
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Logo of OpenValue - iSAQB Accredited Training Provider
New Recognized iSAQB® Trainingsprovider -Expandior
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Recognized iSAQB® Trainingsprovider - CALLEN Software Consulting and Training
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New Recognized iSAQB® Trainingsprovider - Dr. Faith
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Logo Training Provider Alexander Lorz

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