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“The following note was sent to all CISA Worldwide Conference 2002 attendees: "...Mr. Felix Rausch gave an overview presentation about the DOD FEAC Institute Program. He described the program developed for DOD and FEAC. He stressed the need for stronger architecture training programs and for hands-on programs. He said a need also exists to develop a hands-on consistency in how DODAF is applied throughout the Services.”

— Mr. John Osterholz, Director, OASD(C3I), Architecture and Interoperability (A&I) Directorate

EA Certification Programs › Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the difference between the DoDAF, FEA(F) and CEAC Certification programs? Now includes TOGAF Certification free.
What is the relationship of the four core courses and the Practicum projects?
What is the Certification examination and how does it differ from the final exams in each of the four core courses?
What is the Certification authority for FEAC's programs?
How many hours of work does any of the Certification programs involve?
Can we work in teams on our Practicum?
What is the difference between your short courses and the certification programs?
What is the difference between Continuing Education Units (CEU) and academic credits?
What are the costs involved with getting academic credit?
What is the difference in requirements between CEUs and obtaining the graduate academic engineering credits?
How much do the open (individual sign up) short courses cost?
Where are the courses taught?
Why is it so important to GROW YOUR OWN ARCHITECTS?
Why attend Basic and Intermediate courses?
What is the difference between Certification and a Certificate?
Why is it not possible to just take a test to get my certification (CEA), much like I can do with the PMP and the CISSP?
How many CEAs have you graduated to date and how are they doing professionally in their careers?
How many different Government organizations have sent people to be Certified by the FEAC Institute?
How many Commercial organizations have sent people to be Certified by the FEAC Institute?
Why choose the FEAC Institute?
What is the relationship of FEAC to the Program Management Institute (PMI) Certification?
VA Benefits accepted! Call us!

IIf you have questions, please contact us through our contact form. If its important for all ourt potential students, we will add it to our FAQs.

1. What is the difference between the DoDAF, FEA(F) and CEAC Certification programs?

We offer three Certification programs. These are on the Federal Enterprise Architecture (Framework), the Department of Defense Architecture Framework and Commercial Enterprise Architecture. The FEA(F) is for those who work for or are contractors supporting civilian government agencies and anyone who wants to leverage the architectural methods and products that are used in the government sector. The DoDAF is for those working in or contractors to the Department of Defense as well as anyone wanting to learn to use the architecture methods, products and views of the DoDAF. We teach how to build all DoDAF products using the most up to date version of the framework and include CADM, CMM, LISI and all relevant modeling methods. For those working in commercial organizations we have merged the CEAC with the FEA(F) and added a TOGAF component. So people going through the FEA(F) will at NO COST be automatically TOGAF certified also. Hoever the program covers the Zachman framework and the frameworks pioneered by the Government adapted to the business sector and also includes the EAP and emphasizes SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) in the context of EA. Te customized CEAC program is now only being taught as an entire class bought by an organization. For individuals we have made adjustments in the FEA(F) to accomodate the needs of commercial organizations. In summary we however we teach folks to become real Enterprise Architects practitioners regardless where they work.

2. What is the relationship of the four core courses and the Practicum projects?

Each Certification program is comprised of four core courses and a Practicum taught in blended, mixed mode combining face-to-face with online instruction in our virtual university. Each course prepares students to develop actual work products comprising an enterprise architecture that is presented as part of their project based practicum. Our faculty closely mentors students and their products are given an expert review such that at the completion of the program they are of such quality that they can be actual deliverables to a customer. These projects are presented at the end of the program as part of the Practicum course and several are published in the FEAC EAZone.

3. What is the certification examination and how does it differ from the final exams in each of the four core courses?

Each of our programs is divided into five courses; four core courses that can be taken for graduate academic credit and the project-based Practicum. Each core course has a number of on-line assignments and its own final exam. In the Practicum students take an in-class Certification Examination at the end of the program. This exam is a comprehensive examination on information covering concepts in all of the courses. This is followed by an oral presentation and defense of their practicum projects before a faculty panel and their fellow students. In addition students submit a written report about their practicum that includes screen shots of their products along with their narrative description.

4. What is the certification authority for FEAC's Programs?

FEAC partnered with both the California State University East Bay (CSUEB) and National University (NU) to provide our formal Certifications. When the FEAC Institute first established our programs in 2001 we partnered with the California State University as an accredited State University to insure academic oversight over both our content and faculty quality performance. In 2006 National University, a private fully accredited university, also partnered with FEAC to provide certification and accepts our courses in three of their online MS Engineering degree programs offering a specialty in Enterprise Architecture. Our certifications are co-signed with FEAC by a senior administrative official from the university and contain the university seal.

5. How many hours of work does the certification program involve?

Each of our programs involves 20 academic quarter units or five four-unit courses. Every course is 40 contact hours for a total of 200 contacts hours combining in class and online instruction. Each program involves two week long (40 hour) in-class sessions and a final two days in class where students take the Certification Exam and present to faculty panels. Between each session students participate in our online virtual university where they participate in discussion forums, work on and submit assignments, create EA products that are given close mentoring and review, interact with fellow students and faculty and take final course exams. Assignments reinforce important concepts and have students create artifacts that are applied to their project-based practicum.

6. Can we work in teams on our practicum?

We encourage students to work in teams. In this way members are able to leverage their respective backgrounds to achieve more than most individuals can alone. Team based learning has been shown to be particularly effective in academic education and in training at all levels. It also provides experience with program and configuration management that mirrors how actual EA work is done in organizations and agencies. Students are able to submit a number of their assignments as teams, which allows them to provide greater detail and breadth to the products used in their practicum.

7. What is the difference between FEAC's short workshops (courses) and the certification programs?

Our short workshops and courses are designed as introductory overviews of the basic concepts and methods in the FEA (F), DoDAF and CEAC programs. They range from executive briefings about EA and “how to get started” workshops to more detailed presentations lasting three to five days that enable individuals to participate on EA teams doing work under senior and certified architects. FEAC provides customized workshops for different organizations to meet their specific EA training needs.

8. What is the difference between Continuing Education Units (CEU) and academic credits?

Continuing Education Units (CEU) are given by the Division of Extended and International Education in the University to provide evidence students have fulfilled the requirements of the Certification programs. Students can elect instead to receive academic units for the four core courses in each of our programs. These units are acceptable by all accredited universities and depending on department requirements can be used to satisfy part of graduate degree programs. Students take CEU on a credit/no credit basis and receive academic grades for the graduate units. Each of our programs are acceptable by the Program Management Institute towards PMI Certification, and those with such Certification receive 200 PDU (Professional Development Units) towards their continuing education requirement.

9. What are the costs involved in getting academic credits?

The cost of the certification programs for the private sector people is $11,000 and $10,000 for Government employees. For those who request graduate academic units there is an additional university tuition fee of $2700. Students are invoiced for that amount and the FEAC Institute passes this directly to California State University East Bay. There is a slightly different policy in the case of National University where students enroll directly through the university.

10. What is the difference in requirements between CEU and obtaining the graduate academic engineering credits?

Each of our programs is rigorous and involves graded assignments and examinations for each course. There are no additional requirements for academic credits. Students who take our program for CEU are graded on their assignments and examinations but receive credit/no credit course grades from the University. Students taking the program for academic credit are given regular grades on the A, A-, B+, B etc scale.

11. How much do the open (individual sign up) short courses cost?

5-Day Comprehensive Overview Course costs $2000.00 per person.
3-Day Basic OverviewCourse costs $1600.00 per person

12. Where are the courses taught?

The FEAC Institute teaches most of our Certification Programs and short courses at the Northern Virginia Campuses of UVA/VATech in their Education Center at 7054 Haycock Road, Falls Church, VA. It is one block from the Metro Orange line stop of West Falls Church Station (see: http://www.scps.virginia.edu/maps/nvdirections.htm). On site parking is available. If your organization purchases an entire class we can arrange to teach it at your site. Faculty travel may be added to the cost of delivering on site programs depending on the location.

13. Why is it so important to GROW YOUR OWN ARCHITECTS?

Because qualified enterprise architects are in such demand and difficult to find and recruit, many organizations opt to grow their own cadre of architects by buying entire Certification programs. There are discounts given based on numbers of students enrolled. In many cases architects in government organizations and their contractors enroll in the same program to work together on practicum projects and jointly train. Contact us for referrals of organizations that have done this, which includes Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Health and Human Services, NASA, the Georgia Technology Authority and more.

14. Why attend Basic and Comprehensive EA Overview courses?

The short courses and workshops are often used to bring EA team members quickly up to speed, orient new hires to work on EA Projects and provide general EA awareness for supporting staff. These courses also award PDU or Professional Development Units for those with PMI Certification.

15. What is the difference between Certification and a Certificate?

Certification is awarded after candidates successfully complete all requirements in a specific FEA (F), DoDAF or CEAC Program and pass the FEAC Certification Examination. This Certification demonstrates their professional level of competence and proficiency in the practice of EA. A Certificate attests that someone has completed a course of study or attended a determined amount of hours of instruction. FEAC provides certificates upon completion of our three and five day courses.

16. Why is it not possible to just take a test to get my certification (CEA), much like I can do with the PMP and the CISSP?

The FEAC Institute requires candidates to be competent in both the knowledge about EA and be able to successfully develop an EA for an organization. Simply testing one’s academic knowledge of EA is not enough. It is vital to be able to demonstrate how to create the artifacts, views, products and models that comprise one, and use this architecture to its intended purpose. Because the body of knowledge in the EA profession is continually evolving, FEAC developed its certification standards in conjunction with accredited departments of engineering and our expert faculty of practitioners.

17. How many CEAs have you graduated to date?

Since the FEAC Institute began in 2001 well over 750 Certified Enterprise Architects (CEA) have graduated.

18. How many different Government organizations have sent people to be Certified by the FEAC Institute?

Over 110 governmental agencies have sent students through the FEAC Institute, including Federal,state, local and foreign government organizations.

19. How many Commercial organizations have sent people to be Certified by the FEAC Institute?

Over 120 different companiies, corporations and other organizations have sent their employess through the FEA EA Certification Programs.

20. Why choose the FEAC Institute?

The FEAC Institute's track record and standards of EA Certification training excellence, stands on its own and sets us apart. We offer the premier program, which you can judge for yourself by asking and/or reviewing comments of our graduates as well as any of the companies and agencies we have supported with customized programs. We are the first organization offering EA Certification. Consequently we have the longest, most mature and established EA Training and EA Certification program. Many more of our students have come from direct referrals from our many successful graduates. Just ask a graduate and then join our program and the growing ranks of FEAC CEAs.

21. What is the relationship of FEAC to the Program Management Institute (PMI) Certification?

The FEAC Insttite is a registered provider for the Program Managment Institute. The courses in our respective Certification Programs count towards PMI Certification, and for those already PMI Certified they provide 200 PDU (Professional Development Units) towards the continuing education requirement. In addition our short programs offer 24 PDU for the three day and 40 PDU for the five day sessions.