What is the BA Essentials Master Class Self-Study?
The BA Essentials Master Class is an online course, covering the 8-step business analysis process framework. You’ll receive:
- 10 lessons in mp4 video and mp3 audio formats, along with fully formatted PDF text transcripts. (Lessons are delivered weekly over a period of 30 days.)
- Weekly guidepost emails to help you stay focused and motivated.
- Business Analysis Plan Template you can use to create a project timeline.
- 6 months of online access to course materials. (You can also download them for future use.)
- $500 discount on The Business Analyst Blueprint® program, where you can receive hands-on instructor support.
This isn’t a good time, can I join the course later?
This course is a self-study and there is no homework to complete or deadline for completing it, so it’s perfectly fine to invest now and go through the program when it makes sense for you.
Is there a time limit for taking the class?
You have 6 months of online access to the course materials, and you can download the materials for your own personal, future use and reference at any time.
Will this training help me find a new business analyst job as a transitioning BA?
Part of applying for business analyst positions is being able to present yourself as a qualified, professional business analyst and also speak to your experience doing business analysis work. The BA Essentials Master Class Self-Study can help you identify your transferable business analysis skills, speak knowledgeably about how to be successful as a business analyst, and anticipate common challenges on a typical business analyst project.
Out of integrity, and because of the many factors involved in your success, we don’t make placement guarantees. However, you may want to read (or watch) how taking the course helped Thomas Clarke go from Research Assistant to Business Analyst in just a few months.
Do you need to have a job currently for this course to be effective?
No, you do not. We’ve had many professionals in-between positions leverage the content and learning in the BA Essentials Master Class to gain more confidence and help them interview more successfully for business analyst roles. Also, for professionals coming back from a career break, the course can be a tremendous resource in gaining confidence for the interview and in succeeding in a new business analyst role.
Check out the case study interview with Julie Ayres, which leveraged the BA Essentials Master Class as part of her return to work after a 6-year career break.
I want to start a career as a BA, but I’ve never worked as a BA or done formal BA work. Is this course right for me?
The BA Essentials Master Class is a great starting point to understand what a business analyst does and how work flows on a typical business process improvement and software development project.
If you have no prior experience as a business analyst, but you want to become one, you have to start somewhere! And this self-study offer is designed to be a way to start exploring the profession in a more in-depth way without the potential overwhelm of engaging directly with our instructors.
Does this work outside the United States?
We have had course participants from dozens of different countries participate in our online training programs. The truth is that the core business analysis skills and techniques are very similar across geographical areas – our challenges and success paths are more the same than different.
For specifics, check out the reviews from some of our past course participants. Julie Ayres is located in Perth, Western Australia, and Thomas Clarke is located in Essex, UK.
Can I pay in different installments or get an extended payment plan?
We do offer a monthly payment plan option (monthly payments are processed automatically every 30 days).
Can I get a discount (or an additional discount or scholarship)?
We appreciate your feeling, especially in our current economic climate. The offer we are making represents our best deal. We are not offering any additional discounts or scholarships at this time.
If now is not the right time for you to make this investment, we completely understand. We encourage you to benefit from all the free resources we provide on Bridging the Gap.
Can I receive access to all of the materials upfront?
Yes, we can grant you upfront access to the course materials, provided you choose the full-pay option and decline your money-back guarantee. We recommend joining the course, evaluating the first few materials, and then emailing us to request access.
Does this course include instructor support?
No. For a program that includes hands-on instructor support, consider The Business Analyst Blueprint® program, where you can receive hands-on instructor support plus additional modules of training.
What is the difference between the BA Essentials Master Class and The Business Analyst Blueprint® training program?
The BA Essentials Master Class contains 1 module of our 4-module instructor-supported training program – The Business Analyst Blueprint® program.
The BA Essentials Master Class is unique because:
- It’s completely self-study – no access to instructor support or work reviews.
- It’s a “DIY” course – so no need to apply what you are learning to “complete” the course. Go through the materials when and where you like for the full 6 months of access.
What’s more, when you join the BA Essentials Master Class Self-Study now, you can save $500 on your investment in The Business Analyst Blueprint® program and have the opportunity to go through the course again in a live format, with instructor support and more time to apply your learning.
If I sign-up for the BA Essentials Master Class self-study and receive a discount on The Business Analyst Blueprint® program, will I be excluded from going through the BA Essentials Master Class module?
No. The BA Essentials Master Class is Module 4 of The Business Analyst Blueprint® program. If you choose to join us for The Business Analyst Blueprint® program, you’ll have the opportunity to go through the content again in a live format, with instructor support, and more time to apply your learning.
This is such a powerful module, that many participants refer back to the content again and again, as they start new projects and tackle new challenges. It’s both an ideal introduction to the basics of business analysis and a capstone to your experience in The Business Analyst Blueprint® program.
Will the BA Essentials Master Class prepare me for an IIBA certification?
We do not offer any IIBA® exam preparation or simulators. Our training programs are consistent with the content covered in the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK® Guide), but not a comprehensive overview of everything included in the exam.
Can I earn professional credits (PDs, CDUs, PDUs, or Contact Hours) towards my ECBA/CCBA/CBAP by completing this course?
Since this is a self-study course, and not one of our instructor-supported online training programs and does not include meaningful instructor interaction nor do we audit your successful completion, we are not able to issue you a certificate of completion for the program.
If you have an existing IIBA® or PMI® certification, you may be able to claim CDUs or PDUs for re-certification under self-study or the personal study categories. Be sure to refer to your re-certification handbook for more details as they relate to your specific re-certification requirements.
Does this course include a certificate of completion?
No. We are offering this course at a significant reduction over our standard course fees and cannot include instructor support or a certificate of completion.
Can I use this course for CDUs or PDUs?
The time you spend going through this course can count toward the “self-study” category of CDUs for IIBA® re-certification and similar categories for other certifications. Be sure to check your re-certification requirements. Due to the self-study nature, the course does not qualify for PDs (Professional Development) hours for your certification application.
Does the course include BA templates?
The BA Essentials Master Class Self-Study comes with the BA Planning Template but the other template toolkits that we offer are separate stand-alone products and are not included.
I’d like to speak to someone before I join. How can I do that?
We are a virtual organization with team members in various states within the United States, working in multiple time zones, and we offer customer and instructor support via email, online communication tools, and pre-scheduled webinar sessions.
We find the best way to communicate with customers prior to making a purchasing decision is using these same tools. If you have a specific question about our training programs that is not answered on this page, please email us at info@bridging-the-gap.com and we’ll reply within 2 business days.
