LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 1 February, 2012 – The IEEE Computer Society will hold two test periods this year for its Certified Software Development Associate and Certified Software Development Professional credentials.

 

The first examination window will run from 20 May to 30 June. The deadline to register for the CSDA or apply for the CSDP is 30 May. The second examination window will run from 18 November to 29 December with a 29 November deadline to register or apply. Registrations and applications received after the deadline will be applied to the next available test window.

 

The CSDP examination was recently refreshed to include all 15 knowledge areas that will be contained in the new Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK), as well as content updates to all knowledge areas.
 

For answers to general certification questions, email certification@computer.org. Send email to csda@computer.org for answers to CSDA questions and email to csdp@computer.org for CSDP questions.

 

The CSDP certification is intended for mid-career software development practitioners, while the CSDA is geared toward entry-level software developers. For more information, visit http://www.computer.org/portal/web/getcertified/home.
 

The CSDA and the CSDP are the first two certifications that conform to the newly-released ISO/IEC 24773 standard, which stipulates methods of certifying software engineering professionals worldwide. The basis of both certifications is SWEBOK.

 

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world’s leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of the 38 societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology, and is known globally for its computing standards activities. For more information, go to http://www.computer.org.

 

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 27 September, 2011 – Reimbursement of IEEE Computer Society software development certifications has been expanded for veterans under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

 

Under the bill, veterans are eligible for 100 percent reimbursement of the US $395 cost of taking the Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) exam for entry-level developers and the $495 cost of taking the Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) exam for mid-level professionals.

 

The IEEE Computer Society also provides a 50 percent discount for unemployed veterans who would like to get started in preparing for the CSDA or CSDP certifications by taking the online assessment course.

 

“Being involved with the US Department of Defense and a Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP), I am very pleased that IEEE Computer Society is reaching out to the men and women who have served this country,” said Susan K. (Kathy) Land, 2011-2012 IEEE Division VIII Director and a chief engineer of product development with the US Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency's Command, Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) project.

 

The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days.

 

Approved training under the Post-9/11 GI Bill includes graduate and undergraduate degrees, vocational/technical training, on-the-job training, flight training, correspondence training, licensing and national testing programs, and tutorial assistance. All training programs must be approved for GI Bill benefits.

 

The CSDA, currently being updated, is intended to provide undergraduate computer science and software engineering students their first credential toward a solid career foundation as a software development practitioner. The CSDP certification is intended for mid-career software development practitioners. The CSDA and the CSDP are the first two certifications that conform to the ISO/IEC 24773 standard, which stipulates methods of certifying software engineering professionals worldwide.

 

US President Barack Obama has proposed tax credits and training programs to spur hiring of the thousands of US service members returning from war in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Returning Heroes and Wounded Warrior Tax Credit provides up to $9,600 to companies that hire unemployed veterans. Businesses are also being challenged to hire or provide training to 10,000 unemployed veterans or their spouses by 2016.

 

In addition, the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs will lead a task force to ensure that members of the service receive the training, education, and credentials needed to transition to the civilian workforce or pursue higher education. Enhanced career-development and job-search packages will be available for veterans at the Department of Labor’s One Stop Career Centers in 23 cities.

 

Overall, employment of computer software engineers and computer programmers is projected to increase at a much faster average rate than for other occupations, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, CSDA and CSDP certifications are being recommended or required by more and more employers. To see a list of employers that support these certifications in their software development job descriptions, visit  http://www.computer.org/portal/web/certification/Employers-Requiring-CSDA/P.

 

For more information, visit http://www.computer.org/vets. To see the CSDP and the CSDA listed, go to: http://inquiry.vba.va.gov/weamspub/buildSearchLCCriteria.do and click on Washington, DC.

 

The IEEE Computer Society is the world's leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of the 38 societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology, and is known globally for its computing standards activities. For more information, go to http://www.computer.org.

 

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 1 August, 2011 – The deadline is approaching to sign up as a beta tester for the IEEE Computer Society’s new Certified Software Development Associate exam. Those who register for the CSDA exam by August 15 will receive a Computer Society membership in addition to substantial discounts.

 

The IEEE Computer Society, an independent global membership organization for computing professionals, designed the entry-level CSDA credential to help graduating software engineers and early-career software professionals distinguish themselves by proving their software engineering knowledge. Besides bridging the gap between educational experience and real-world work requirements, the certification provides employers assurance that new hires are prepared to contribute immediately.

 

First offered in 2007, the CSDA exam is being updated to align with current software engineering industry trends and Version 3 of the Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK). The changes will maintain the CSDA’s standing with ISO-IEC standards for software engineering certifications.

 

Professionals who sign up as beta testers will receive the exam, a pre-exam assessment course, a PDF copy of SWEBOK, and a free IEEE Computer Society membership for US $295, a 65 percent discount off the regular price. Students receive the package at a special price of US $195, a 77 percent discount off the regular price.

 

For more details, visit http://www.computer.org/portal/web/certification/promos.

 

“The IEEE Computer Society has long maintained a special low-cost membership category for students, because serving the computing community is part of our mission,” said Robert Bergquist, IEEE Computer Society Manager of Certifications and Professional Education. “But with tuition and other costs rising, this is not an easy time to be a student. That is why we are extending this offer to students and other young professionals who are interested in securing a credential to help them get established in the software development field.”

 

Beta testers will be the first to take the new exam and obtain the updated CSDA credential. To earn the CSDA designation, exam takers must demonstrate proficiency and knowledge in 15 knowledge areas. To find out more about the exam and how to take advantage of this offer, visit http://www.computer.org/csda.

 

The deadline to sign up as a beta tester is 17 August 2011. Only 200 spots are available, and the test must be taken between 17 August and 19 September 2011. To get a head start on studying for the beta exam, early signups are encouraged.

 

After the CSDA beta exam period has closed, the exams will be analyzed and a passing score established. Exam results above the passing score will be awarded a CSDA credential. Results will be available 10 weeks after the examination window has closed. 

 

“Having the CSDA credential is important to both employers and employees,” said Eddie Burris, an assistant professor at University of Missouri-Kansas City who holds the IEEE Computer Society Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) credential for mid-career software developers. “The challenge for employers is distinguishing top talent; the CSDA gives them a valuable tool to do this. For employees and job candidates, having the CSDA credential helps them to stand out among the competition.”

 

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world’s leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of IEEE’s 38 societies, the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology. The Society serves the information and career-development needs of today’s computing researchers and practitioners with technical journals, magazines, conferences, books, conference publications, certifications, and online courses. For more information, visit http://www.computer.org.

 

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 13 July, 2011 – The IEEE Computer Society, an independent global membership organization for computing professionals, is offering students a substantial discount on its entry-level software development certification.

 

In exchange for serving as beta testers for the association’s newest version of the Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) test, exam-takers will receive the special rate of US $195, a 77 percent discount off the regular price. The student package includes the exam, a pre-exam assessment course, a PDF copy of the Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK), and a free IEEE Computer Society membership.

 

“The IEEE Computer Society has long maintained a special low-cost membership category for students, because serving the computing community is part of our mission,” said Robert Bergquist, IEEE Computer Society Manager of Certifications and Professional Education. “But with tuition and other costs rising, this is not an easy time to be a student. That is why we are extending this offer to students and other young professionals who are interested in securing a credential to help them get established in the software development field.”

 

The IEEE Computer Society designed its entry-level CSDA credential to help graduating software engineers and early-career software professionals distinguish themselves by proving their software engineering knowledge. Besides bridging the gap between educational experience and real-world work requirements, the certification provides employers assurance that new hires are prepared to contribute immediately.

 

First offered in 2007, the CSDA exam is being updated to align with current software engineering industry trends and Version 3 of the SWEBOK Guide. The changes will maintain the CSDA’s standing with ISO-IEC standards for software engineering certifications.

 

Beta testers will be the first to take the new exam and obtain the updated CSDA credential. To earn the CSDA designation, exam takers must demonstrate proficiency and knowledge in 15 knowledge areas. To find out more about the exam and how to take advantage of this offer, visit http://www.computer.org/csda.

 

“Having the CSDA credential is important to both employers and employees,” said Eddie Burris, an assistant professor at University of Missouri-Kansas City who holds the IEEE Computer Society Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) credential for mid-career software developers. “The challenge for employers is distinguishing top talent; the CSDA gives them a valuable tool to do this. For employees and job candidates, having the CSDA credential helps them to stand out among the competition.”

 

The deadline to sign up as a beta tester is 17 August 2011. Only 200 spots are available, and the test must be taken between 17 August and 19 September 2011. To get a head start on studying for the beta exam, early signups are encouraged.

 

After the CSDA beta exam period has closed, the exams will be analyzed and a passing score established. Exam results above the passing score will be awarded a CSDA credential. Results will be available 10 weeks after the examination window has closed. 

 

“The CSDA helps to standardize the important issues for software development professionals and it reinforces the message that software professionals should have a broad understanding of the software engineering knowledge areas as a whole,” said Oscar Mondragon, a CSDP holder and software process improvement consultant from Zapopan, Mexico.

 

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world’s leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of IEEE’s 38 societies, the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology. The Society serves the information and career-development needs of today’s computing researchers and practitioners with technical journals, magazines, conferences, books, conference publications, certifications, and online courses. For more information, visit http://www.computer.org.

 

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 12 July, 2011 – Vignan University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Purna Career Solutions Pvt. Ltd. to offer IEEE Computer Society software development education programmes to its students.

 

Vignan’s agreement to offer the Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK), the SWEBOK Certificate Program (SCP), and the Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) and Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) programmes was signed by Dr. V Govardhana Rao, Vice Chancellor of Vignan University Foundation for Science, Technology, and Research; and Mr. R. Mahalingam, Director of Purna Career Solutions, an IEEE Computer Society Registered Education Provider in India.

 

“We thank the IEEE Computer Society for the support, which, we are sure will enhance our students’ competencies so that they will become part of the global workforce. Every engineer should be aware of engineering software and managing software projects,” said Rao, adding that the agreement will also help connect Vignan University with other educational institutions using advanced technological and scientific approaches.

 

Vignan University Foundation for Science, Technology, and Research is a deemed university created under s/3 of UGC Act 1956. Promoted by Vignan Group, the university is well-known in the state of Andhra Pradesh for its pioneering efforts to develop holistic education programmes for its students.

 

Operating since 1980, Vignan offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in electronics and communication engineering, electrical and electronics engineering, computer science and engineering, information technology, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, biotechnology, mechatronics, automobile engineering, textile engineering, civil engineering, and management science.

 

In an effort to close the gap between theory and practice, Vignan has cooperative agreements with IBM; Infosys; HCL; Tata Consultancy Services; the US-based University of Massachusetts, Lowell; the National College of Ireland; and others. The campus is the recipient of gold medals for excellent performance in campus placements, academic achievement, and community development activities from the Governor of the province.

 

The SWEBOK Certificate Program, consisting of four learning modules with 25-plus hours of instruction each, was created to raise a university student’s understanding and proficiency of the SWEBOK Guides’ 15 Knowledge Areas. Each completed module will result in a certificate. By completing the four modules, a student will have a solid understanding of the software development lifecycle. This will give students an excellent foundation as they embark on a career in software development, and provide a stepping stone to the CSDA certification.

 

The CSDA, designed for entry-level software developers, is intended to provide undergraduate computer science and software engineering students their first credential toward a solid career foundation as a software development practitioner. The credential is currently being refreshed.

 

The CSDP certification is intended for mid-career software development practitioners. The CSDA and the CSDP are the first two certifications that conform to the ISO/IEC 24773 standard, which stipulates methods of certifying software engineering professionals worldwide.

 

SWEBOK is the foundation for both certifications. Software practitioners worldwide participate in the Guide’s development to ensure that it captures established traditional practices recommended by many organizations. The SWEBOK Guide uses a rigorous process that includes successive levels of review.

 

As part of IEEE’s India Initiative, the IEEE Computer Society is now extending its benefits to Indian technical institutions, especially the faculty and students of computer science, software engineering, information technology, and software applications.

 

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world’s leading organisation of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of IEEE’s 38 societies, the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology, and is known globally for its computing standards activities. For more information, go to http://www.computer.org.

 

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 8 June, 2011 – The IEEE Computer Society is moving forward with the refresh of the Certified Software Development Associate examination for entry-level software developers. The update will align the CSDA with current software engineering industry trends and Version 3 of the Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK). Additionally, the changes will maintain the CSDA’s standing with ISO-IEC standards for software engineering certifications.

 

The CSDA credential, intended for graduating software engineers and early-career software professionals, serves to bridge the gap between educational experience and real-world work requirements. To obtain the credential, exam takers must demonstrate proficiency and knowledge in 15 knowledge areas. To find out more, visit http://www.computer.org/csda.

 

More than three dozen holders of the Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) credential holders are participating to develop and test the new CSDA examination, which is expected to debut in January 2012. The geographically diverse volunteers working on the CSDA refresh are from both academia and industry to ensure that the examination has broad global reach.

 

“There are dozens of IT certification options.  Among the choices, the CSDA stands out because it covers a broad range of knowledge and skills.  It's not company, product, or technology specific.  Wherever you go, whatever you do, it's going to be valued,” said Eddie Burris, a CSDP credential holder and assistant professor at University of Missouri-Kansas City.

 

Those interested in getting an early look at the new CSDA exam are invited to sign up as beta testers. For a limited time only, the CSDA beta examination package is available at the introductory price of $295. The package includes the examination, assessment course, SWEBOK Guide (2004 PDF version), and free IEEE Computer Society membership.

 

The deadline to sign up as a beta tester is 17 August 2011. Only 200 spots are available, and the test must be taken between 17 August and 19 September 2011. To get a head start on studying for the beta exam, early signups are encouraged.

 

After the CSDA beta exam period has closed, the exams will be analyzed and a passing score established. Exam results above the passing score will be awarded a CSDA credential. Results will be available ten weeks after the examination window has closed. 

 

“The CSDA helps to standardize the important issues for software development professionals and it reinforces the message that software professionals should have a broad understanding of the software engineering knowledge areas as a whole,” said Oscar Mondragon, a CSDP holder and software process improvement consultant from Zapopan, Mexico.

 

The CSDA examination refresh began with an extensive job requirements analysis that led to the framework for the new examination. In October 2010, items from the existing CSDA examination were reviewed to see how many would be relevant for the new examination. In March 2011, more than 500 new items were written and reviewed. From all of these items, a new exam will be created and beta tested in fall 2011. Once beta testing is complete, the new CSDA exam is expected to launch in early 2012.

 

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world’s leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of IEEE’s 38 societies, the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology. The Society serves the information and career-development needs of today’s computing researchers and practitioners with technical journals, magazines, conferences, books, conference publications, certifications, and online courses. For more information, visit http://www.computer.org.

 

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 9 March, 2011 – The IEEE Computer Society will be offering an instructor-led Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) preparation course at the 16-19 May Systems and Software Technology Conference (SSTC) in Salt Lake City, Utah.

 

CSDP certification demonstrates an individual’s proficiency in the knowledge required of an experienced software development professional. More employers are recognizing the value in standardizing their software development practices through certifications like the CSDP.

 

SSTC attendees will receive a discounted rate for taking the instructor-led CSDP preparation course. The course will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, 14 May and Sunday, 15 May, and from 8 a.m. to noon on Monday, 16 May. For details on registering, visit http://sstc-online.org/.

 

The CSDP preparation course will be taught by an IEEE Computer Society certified instructor. It will cover the 15 knowledge areas (KAs) that the CSDP exam is based upon.

 

In preparation for the instructor-led course, students will have access to the online CSDP Assessment Course for a period of six months. Together, these courses will help a student identify their strengths and weaknesses within the 15 CSDP KAs in preparation for the 180-question exam.

 

The bundle includes a copy of the Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK), on which the CSDP is based. A voucher is included with the instructor-led course so that the student can schedule their examination appointment at any Prometric test center.

 

Register to reserve your seat using the SSTC registration form. Limited onsite registration is available. A completed IEEE Computer Society CSDP registration form with all supporting materials is required for onsite registration. Contact csdp@computer.org for questions.

 

SSTC 2011, featuring dozens of workshops and tutorials, as well as an exhibit floor, will focus on connecting attendees with technological advancements associated with building better defense-oriented systems and software.

 

Bruce Carlson, director of the National Reconnaissance Office, will present the opening general session. Other speakers include IEEE Simon Ramo Award winner Barry Boehm, TRW Professor of Software Engineering at the University of Southern California; Jared Spool, president and founding principal of User Interface Engineering; and Douglas Schmidt of the Software Engineering Institute.

 

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world’s leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of IEEE’s 38 societies, the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology. The Society serves the information and career-development needs of today’s computing researchers and practitioners with technical journals, magazines, conferences, books, conference publications, certifications, and online courses. For more information, visit http://www.computer.org.

 

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 3 November, 2010 – ExpertWave based in Cairo, Egypt, announced a strategic partnership with the IEEE Computer Society to offer Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) and Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) training and certification.

 

Under the agreement, ExpertWave plans to promote the Computer Society’s CSDA and CSDP programs in all engineering colleges, universities, academic institutions and software companies in the EMEA region to help the IT industry secure qualified students right after graduation and to raise the technical competencies of software practitioners.

 

The CSDA, designed for entry-level software developers, was introduced in May 2008 and is intended to provide undergraduate computer science and software engineering students their first credential toward a solid career foundation as a software development practitioner. The CSDP certification is intended for mid-career software development practitioners.

 

The two certifications are the first to conform to the new ISO/IEC 24773 standard, which stipulates methods of certifying software engineering professionals worldwide. The basis of both certifications is the Computer Society’s Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK). For more information on the Computer Society’s certifications, go to http://www.computer.org/getcertified.

 

ExpertWave based in Cairo, Egypt, is one of the leading software engineering training and consulting companies in the Middle East providing software development best practices.

 

With its customized training solutions for post-graduate, undergraduate and professional software practitioners, ExpertWave helps software companies, academic institutions as well as software practitioners in different roles to achieve their goals and develop software with the needed quality to compete in the market. As the first IEEE Computer Society Registered Education Provider (REP) in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region, ExpertWave is moving in the right direction of providing the complete portfolio of software engineering best practices and standards in the region.

 

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world’s leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of the 38 societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology, and is known globally for its computing standards activities. For more information, go to http://www.computer.org.

16 August – 17 December 2010                                          17 November 2010

10 January – 26 June 2011                                                 26 May 2011

 

16 August – 17 December 2010                                          17 November 2010

10 January – 26 June 2011                                                 26 May 2011

 

* Registrations/Applications received after these dates will be applied to the next available examination window.

 

For more information, please email us:

General Certification questions:         certification@computer.org

CSDA questions:                              csda@computer.org

CSDP questions:                              csdp@computer.org

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 16 August, 2010 – The IEEE Computer Society has announced new exam windows for its Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) and Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) credentials.

 

The examination for both certifications can be taken between August 16 and December 17 or between January 10 and June 26. The deadline is November 17 to register to take the examination during the first test window and May 26 to register for the early 2011 test window.

 

Registrations and applications received after these dates will be applied to the next available examination window.

 

The CSDA, which has no prerequisites, is intended for undergraduates, recent graduates, and entry-level developers. For more details, visit http://www.computer.org/csda or email csda@computer.org.

 

The CSDP is designed for mid-career professionals and requires a combination of education and experience. For more information, visit http://www.computer.org/csdp or email csda@computer.org.

 For general certification questions, send email to certification@computer.org,                           csda@computer.org, or csdp@computer.org.

 

The Computer Society recently introduced assessment courses for both the CSDA and CSDP that are designed to help software professionals evaluate their mastery of the software engineering body of knowledge as they prepare for the CSDA or CSDP examinations. The courses help software developers assess the breadth and depth of their understanding in the 15 Knowledge Areas (KAs) contained in Version 3 of the Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK Guide).

 

The online, self-paced assessment courses were developed by 14 subject-matter experts in the software engineering field. Each assessment course provides a survey of selected SWEBOK Guide topics. The assessment courses, like the Computer Society’s certifications, are intended to provide a measure of a developer’s knowledge and expertise.

 

The Computer Society also recently updated the CSDP examination to bring it in line with current industry practices and Version 3 of the SWEBOK Guide. Knowledge areas on software engineering economics and computing, math, and engineering foundations were added in the process.

 

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world’s leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of the 39 societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology, and is known globally for its computing standards activities. For more information, go to http://www.computer.org.

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 6 May, 2010 – The Higher School of Economics (HSE), one of Russia’s leading national research universities, has become the latest educational institution to endorse the IEEE Computer Society’s Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK) and the Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) credential.

 

Under the agreement, HSE’s School of Software Engineering will use the SWEBOK Guide and the CSDA credential to help provide its graduates with software engineering knowledge and skills to make them competitive worldwide. In furtherance of this goal, HSE will subsidize the cost of graduates taking the CSDA exam.

 

“This certification provides international recognition that our students are highly qualified after absorbing this body of knowledge, and are thus prepared to enter the workforce as bachelor’s-level software engineers, contributing to the creation of new and innovative economic models in Russia,” said Professor Sergey Avdoshin, head of HSE’s School of Software Engineering.

 

The CSDA, aimed at entry-level software developers, is one of two professional software development certifications the Computer Society offers. The other, the Certified Software Development Professional certification, is tailored to mid-career professionals. For more information on certifications, go to http://www.computer.org/getcertified.

 

Both the CSDA and CSDP are based on the SWEBOK Guide, a comprehensive document that includes “generally accepted” principles of software engineering. Originally developed in 2004, the Guide is currently in the process of being updated. For more information, visit http://www.computer.org/swebok.

 

HSE’s School of Software Engineering has adopted the SWEBOK Guide as the foundation for its software engineering curriculum. “We used SWEBOK recommendations in our approach, content, and depth, to develop a bachelor’s degree program that would advance the careers of our software engineering graduates,” Avdoshin said. “Here at HSE, our students are taught useful combinations of skills in economics, management, computer science, and software development to help them excel as software engineers and software project managers.”

 

There is currently strong demand for software engineers in Russia. “The new, innovative economics demand well-educated software engineers in all branches of industry and science,” Avdoshin said. “Since software products are based on international standards, people who develop the products should be educated on the basis of the international standards as well. And CSDA and the SWEBOK Guide provide a way to evaluate that.”

 

HSE is the first university in Russia to endorse the CSDA. The top-ranked Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in the US and the Vellore Institute of Technology in India have also endorsed use of the CSDA as a training tool for software engineering students.

 

 

The Higher School of Economics, a Russian national research university, is based in Moscow and has regional branches in St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, and Perm. Current enrollment is nearly 20,000, including 17,000 undergraduates, 1,922 master’s students, and 576 doctoral students. Among its 1,500 professors and researchers are 700 specialists from business, research institutes, and state bodies, 345 doctors of science, and 909 candidates of science.

 

The university was the first in Russia to adopt the commonly accepted worldwide “4+2” practice: four years of undergraduate study and two years for master’s degrees. HSE School of Software Engineering students participate successfully in computer science and software engineering students competitions in Russia and worldwide.

 

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world’s leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of the 39 societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology, and is known globally for its computing standards activities.

 

 

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 1 April, 2010 -- The IEEE Computer Society has completed the rigorous 14-month effort to update the Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) examination to bring it in line with current industry practices. The refreshed examination will be available to candidates beginning 12 April.

 

This refresh effort involved contributions from 36 CSDP volunteers, who spent a total of 122 person-days developing the new examination. The beta examination, made available during the fourth quarter of 2009, resulted in the credentialing of an additional 121 new CSDPs.

 

The new examination brings the CSDP in alignment with Version 3 of the Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK), which is planned for completion this year. The new examination is also aligned with current software engineering industry trends. These changes will maintain the CSDP’s standing with ISO-IEC standards for software engineering certifications.

 

The CSDP exam refresh process began with an extensive job requirements analysis that led to the framework for the new examination. In May 2009, items from the existing CSDP examination were reviewed to see how many would be relevant for the new examination. In June, 390 new items were written and reviewed.

 

Four knowledge areas that will be present in Version 3 of the SWEBOK Guide —software engineering economics, computing foundations, math foundations, and engineering foundations—were added to the CSDP exam. The CSDP refresh is also part of an effort to create consistency between the CSDP and the Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) credential, Version 3 of the SWEBOK Guide, and the SE 2004 Curriculum.

 

“The refreshed CSDP is the latest step in the program to completely align software professional certification with the software engineering body of knowledge and recommended software engineering curricula,” said Steve Tockey, chair of the Professional Activities Board’s Certification Committee. “The CSDP remains the only knowledge-based certification providing assurance that mid-level software engineers have the knowledge generally recognized necessary to be competent in their profession. This revision increases its value by updating its content to match recent industry trends.”

 

The CSDP exam refresh effort was led by Tockey, and Chris Ruoff, the Computer Society’s senior manager of product development. Tockey is an industry veteran with 33 years of experience in software development and training. For questions involving the new CSDP examination, please email CSDP@computer.org.

 

The Computer Society’s certification program falls under the purview of the Professional Activities Board, chaired by Vice President of Professional Activities Jim Moore. PAB provides leadership for activities related to the professional activities of practitioners engaged in disciplines such as computer engineering, computer science, information technology, information systems, and software engineering.

 

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world’s leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of IEEE’s 38 societies, the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computing and information technology. The Computer Society serves the information and career-development needs of today’s computing researchers and professionals with books, conferences, conference publications, magazines, online courses, software development certifications, standards, and technical journals. With about 40 percent of its members living and working outside the United States, the Computer Society fosters international communication, cooperation, and information exchange. Based in Washington, DC, the Computer Society operates offices in Tokyo and Los Alamitos, Calif.

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 1 April, 2010 – Three dozen IEEE Computer Society volunteers from universities, government agencies, and the private sector contributed efforts to refreshing the Certified Software Development Professional certification to bring it in line with current practices and other Computer Society software development offerings. The 14-month effort involved 122 person-days.

 

The CSDP exam refresh process began with a job requirements analysis that led to the framework for the new examination, which will be available to test-takers on 12 April. Items from the existing CSDP examination were reviewed in May 2009 to see how many would be relevant for the new examination. And in June, the process of writing and reviewing 390 new items was initiated.

 

The new examination brings the CSDP in alignment with Version 3 of the Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK), which is planned for completion this year. The new examination is also aligned with current software engineering industry trends. These changes will maintain the CSDP’s standing with ISO-IEC standards for software engineering certifications.

                                         

Four knowledge areas that will be present in Version 3 of the SWEBOK Guide —software engineering economics, computing foundations, math foundations, and engineering foundations—were added to the CSDP exam. The CSDP refresh is also part of an effort to create consistency between the CSDP and the Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) credential, Version 3 of the SWEBOK Guide, and the SE 2004 Curriculum.
 

The Computer Society would like to thank the following volunteers who contributed to this project: 

 

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world’s leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of IEEE’s 38 societies, the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computing and information technology. The Computer Society serves the information and career-development needs of today’s computing researchers and professionals with books, conferences, conference publications, magazines, online courses, software development certifications, standards, and technical journals. With about 40 percent of its members living and working outside the United States, the Computer Society fosters international communication, cooperation, and information exchange. Based in Washington, DC, the Computer Society operates offices in Tokyo and Los Alamitos, Calif.

Los Alamitos, Calif., 29 January, 2010 - Purna Career Solutions (PCS), based in Chennai, India, announced a strategic partnership with the IEEE Computer Society to offer Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) and Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) training and certification.

 

Under the agreement, PCS will set up 22 learning centers by December to leverage the existing Indian talent pool and maximize benefits to the student community. The company plans to promote the Computer Society's CSDA and CSDP programs in all engineering colleges, universities and software companies in the state of Tamilnadu to help the IT industry secure qualified students right after graduation.

 

The CSDA, designed for entry-level software developers, was introduced in May 2008 and is intended to provide undergraduate computer science and software engineering students their first credential toward a solid career foundation as a software development practitioner. The CSDP certification is intended for mid-career software development practitioners.

 

The two certifications are the first to conform to the new ISO/IEC 24773 standard, which stipulates methods of certifying software engineering professionals worldwide. The basis of both certifications is the Computer Society's Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK). For more information on the Computer Society’s certifications, go to http://www.computer.org/getcertified

 

As part of IEEE's India Initiative, the IEEE Computer Society is extending its benefits to Indian technical institutions, especially the faculty and students of computer science, software engineering, IT, and software applications. VIT University, Vellore recently became the first Indian university to sign an agreement to offer the CSDA certification to its students and entry-level software engineers. The Siemens Group in India is using both the CSDA and CSDP to raise software development standards within the company. The US-based Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, a top-ranked engineering school, has also endorsed the CSDA.

 

Purna Career Solutions Private Ltd. based in Chennai- India, specializes in Training, HR Solutions, Testing, and Certification. Established in 2006, the company helps hundreds of software companies and academic institutions deliver training and recruitment services. The company has partnered with Oracle (Oracle Workforce Development Program) for providing Oracle learning services and is also a Pearson Vue Authorized test center. PCS, the first IEEE Computer Society Registered Education Provider (REP) in Chennai, expects to addresses the key competencies that students require when they start their careers as software professionals, by helping them understand the engineering behind software development.

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world's leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of the 39 societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology. The Society serves the information and career-development needs of today's computing researchers and practitioners with technical journals, magazines, conferences, books, conference publications, and online courses.

* Applications received after these dates will be applied to the next available test window

 

When applying for the CSDP examination, please let us know whether you would like to test for the existing CSDP or the refreshed examination beginning 19 March. The CSDP examination is being refreshed to include all 15 knowledge areas that will be contained in the 2010 SWEBOK Guide as well as content updates to all knowledge areas.

 

For more information, please email us:

More and more software development professionals are using these uncertain economic times as an opportunity to "tune up" their resumes and make them more marketable should they lose their jobs. Those who have lost their jobs already are looking for a way to differentiate themselves amid intense competition from the other highly qualified candidates.

 

Fortunately, the IEEE Computer Society has put together some very timely specials to help both the employed and unemployed. The Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) for entry-level professionals or Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) for mid-level professionals credentials can provide an important means of demonstrating value to present and future employers. Special promotions include:

This $295 package is for the CSDP Beta examination bundle which includes the e-learning, examination, the Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge, and the supplemental materials.

If you are unemployed and would like to earn the CSDA or CSDP credential to help increase your chances of getting hired, the Computer Society is offering the CSDA or CSDP bundle of e-learning and exam at the discount price of $450.

The Computer Society has worked closely with the US Department of Veterans Affairs to have the CSDP included in the GI Bill for reimbursement. Upon successful completion of the CSDP examination, the GI Bill will reimburse up to $400 in costs.

 

 

In addition, many employment and career resource centers at both the state and local level are now able to help those in need. Dan Bocko, an IEEE Computer Society member, was recently laid off as a senior software test engineer.

 

Dan was aware of the CSDP credential but was not able to pursue it while employed due to time constraints. As soon as he lost his job, he knew that he wanted to add the CSDP credential to his resume.

 

"While searching the job opportunities, I noticed that more and more employers are valuing certifications and that was a clue to me that I needed to get something on my resume. I selected the CSDP as it is the broadest software certification out there and covers the elements of the software development lifecycle better than any other software certification," he said.

 

Dan worked through his former employer and was referred to his local employment center in Elk Grove, Minnesota, and it's dislocated worker program. Working with them, Dan was able to get funding for both a CSDP training course and the examination. Today he is studying to take the CSDP and hopes to have that on his resume in fall 2009.

The IEEE Computer Society is moving forward with the refresh of the CSDP examination, which will bring the CSDP in alignment with the 2010 refresh of the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK) Guide and also in line with current software engineering industry trends. Additionally, the changes will maintain the CSDP's standing with ISO-IEC standards for software engineering certifications.

 

Additions to the CSDP exam include four knowledge areas that will be present in the 2010 version of the SWEBOK Guide: software engineering economics, computing foundations, math foundations, and engineering foundations. The exam will also be brought up to current industry standards through greater recognition of Agile development methods. As a further benefit, the CSDP, CSDA, SWEBOK Guide and SE 2004 Curriculum will all be in full alignment in 2010. Click here (link to new website page) to see the public specification for the new CSDP examination.

 

More than three dozen CSDP credential holders are participating in the nine-month effort to develop and test the new CSDP examination, which is expected to debut in March of 2010. These volunteers are from both academia and industry and represent regions throughout the world.

 

"Keeping the CSDP credential current is important to both employers and employees. The challenge for employers is distinguishing top talent; the CSDP gives them a valuable too to do this. For employees and job candidates, having the CSDP credential helps them to stand out among the competition," said Eddie Burris, a CSDP credential holder and volunteer.

 

The CSDP exam refresh process began with an extensive job requirements analysis that led to the framework for the new examination. In May 2009, items from the existing CSDP examination were reviewed to see how many of these would be relevant for the new examination. In June, 390 new items were written and reviewed. From all of these items, a new exam will be created and beta tested in late Q4'09. Once beta testing is complete, the exam will be packaged and put in production in late Q1'10.

 

"The CSDP helps to standardize the important issues for software development professionals and it reinforces the message that software professionals should have a broad understanding of the software engineering knowledge areas as a whole," said Oscar Mondragon, a CSDP and volunteer from Zapopan, Mexico.

 

The CSDP exam refresh effort is being led by Steve Tockey, Chair of the Certification Committee of the IEEE Computer Society Processional Activities Board (PAB) and Chris Ruoff, Senior Manager for Career Development for the IEEE CS. Tockey is an industry veteran with 32 years of experience in software development and training. "I've been on more than one software project that delivered complex software with fewer defects than some of the best commercial software products and was finished early and under budget. It's not a fluke, it's simply applying the kinds of skills and knowledge embodied in the CSDP and SWEBOK Guide, My goal is to raise the level of professionalism in our industry, and refreshing our exams is part of that effort."

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 30 July, 2009 - Software engineering needs to be developed into a bona-fide engineering profession, and certifications are an important means of achieving this, IEEE Computer Society Executive Director Angela Burgess told attendees at a session of the NASSCOM HR Summit.

 

Burgess' presentation during the 28-29 July meeting at Le Royal Meridian in Chennai, India, drew about 450 CEOs, senior human relations professionals, and training, industry, and academic executives. NASSCOM, the trade body and chamber of commerce of the IT-BPO industries,serves about 1,200 members from Indian companies and multinationals operating in India.

 

Burgess noted that membership organizations like the IEEE Computer Society serve both academia and industry, helping create educational curricula as well as interoperable standards. "And so if a disconnect exists between what academia delivers and what industry needs, then we ought to step up and take some responsibility for that and try to address the problem," she said.

 

Industry is currently struggling to fill the educational gap in helping fresh software engineering graduates attain professional status. Process improvement methodologies like the Capability Maturity Model help, however don't necessarily foster professionalism, spell out clear career paths, or enable organizations to evaluate new hires, Burgess said. Consequently, career paths develop on an ad-hoc basis and what it means to be a software architect varies from organization to organization.

 

Since computer engineering is at least a century younger than electrical, mechanical, and civil engineering, Burgess said it's not surprising that the five computing disciplines - computer science, information systems, software engineering, computer engineering, and information technology - all still have a skills focus.

 

"The problem happens if we stop here, and we don't all enable further progression," she said. "We are concerned that if programmers don't know the context of the profession they are entering, they will be set up for an unhappy and unnecessarily short career spent chasing the latest skill but not really learning how to progress in their life and their work."

 

Burgess said this approach won't foster development of the huge numbers of creative, innovative, synergistic, systems thinkers the world will need in the future. Developing a new approach can't be achieved with just new teaching techniques or exhortations to innovate. Rather, a new approach rests on software engineering becoming a bona-fide engineering profession. "We strongly believe software is being deployed into too many mission-critical and safety-critical, and societal-critical applications to treat it any other way," she said.

 

The IEEE Computer Society's Software Engineering Body of Knowledge, which the ISO/IEC ratified last fall as the reference for all software engineering certifications, provides an important foundational step in achieving this goal. The Computer Society's Certified Software Development Associate and Certified Software Development Professional credentials also provide entry- and mid-level software developers with a concrete means of measuring their knowledge. Burgess said the next step will be creating similar efforts in the IT profession.

 

"The benefit to you is that you will now be able to rely on an international professional standard when you hire around the globe," she told the NASSCOM members in attendance. "The benefit to humanity is that the highly skilled software engineering workforce we need will be there when we need it."

 

For more information on the Society's certifications, go to http://www.computer.org/getcertified.

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world's leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of the 39 societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology. The Society serves the information and career-development needs of today's computing researchers and practitioners with technical journals, magazines, conferences, books, conference publications, certifications, and online courses.

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 28 July, 2009 - Global Talent Track (GTT), the IEEE Computer Society's Registered Education Partner for certifications, recently held five seminars over a three-day period for recent IT graduates in India.

 

"Where Are the IT Jobs?" co-sponsored by the Indian newspaper Sakal, was held 23-25 July in Pune, India, where GTT is headquartered. The event was intended to provide recent grads with information on IT job opportunities in the current recession.

 

According to Sakal, 130,000 of the 230,000 employees that India’s IT industry absorbed last year were fresh graduates. However, the industry is expected to absorb only 50,000 new graduates in 2009-2010. Because of that, fresh IT graduates need highly polished skills and competencies to find a place in the competitive IT industry, said Dr. Uma Ganesh, GTT's founder and CEO.

 

Indian companies now value quality over quantity, and graduates in India and elsewhere will find much fiercer competition for jobs. Dr. Ganesh said being able to develop software is not enough. These days, developing a thorough understanding of the entire software development cycle, including processes, is necessary to build the large-scale systems in use today.

 

The Computer Society's Certified Software Development Associate for entry-level developers and its Certified Software Development Professional credential for mid-level professionals are tools that graduates can use to attain this knowledge. GTT provides employability skills development, including Computer Society certifications, to undergraduates seeking technology positions.

 

Angela Burgess, executive director of the IEEE Computer Society; Dr. Anand Bhalerao, dean of the Faculty of Engineering and principal of Bharati Vidyapeeth University College of Engineering; and Deepak Shikarpur, chairman of the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Agriculture's IT subcommittee; delivered presentations during the seminars.

 

GTT screens new graduates to measure their technical and soft skills and interests. Those who obtain a CSDA certification are offered internships at IT firms. The CSDA and the CSDP are the first two certifications that conform to the newly released ISO/IEC 24773 standard, which stipulates methods of certifying software engineering professionals worldwide. The basis of both certifications is the Computer Society's Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK). For more information on the Computer Society's certifications, go to http://www.computer.org/getcertified.

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world’s leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of the 39 societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology. The Society serves the information and career-development needs of today’s computing researchers and practitioners with technical journals, magazines, conferences, books, conference publications, certifications, and online courses.

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 10 July, 2009 -

If you are looking to boost your resume and have some time on your hands this summer, the Computer Society is offering a special certification bundle to help you get certified.

From now until 31 August 2009, here is the special you can take advantage of:

 

PUNE: Global Talent Track (GTT) of India has announced that it is adopting the IEEE Computer Society's Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) certification to enable the Indian software engineering workforce to prepare for jobs in the software engineering community.

 

GTT, headquartered in Pune, specialises in providing employability skills to undergraduates who are seeking employment in the technology industry. Under the agreement with the IEEE Computer Society, GTT will adopt and actively market the CSDA to undergraduate computer science and software engineering students.

 

“We have agreements with leading universities in India to bridge the gap between the academic curriculum and the requirements of the industry and train their students to become successful IT professionals,” Uma Ganesh, CEO of GTT, said in a release.

 

The curriculum has been mapped according to the guidelines of CSDA. It is designed for entry-level software developers, was introduced in May 2008 and rolled out worldwide in September.

 

It is intended to provide undergraduate computer science and software engineering students their first credential toward a solid career foundation as a software development practitioner.

 

The Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) certification is intended for mid-career software development practitioners. GTT intends to train 200 certified professionals in the first year and 500 the following.

 

The CSDA and the CSDP are the first two certifications that conform to the newly-released ISO/IEC 24773 standard, which stipulates methods of certifying software engineering professionals worldwide. The basis of both certifications is the Computer Society's Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK).

 

“Over 1,000 software development practitioners have advanced their career opportunities through CSDA and CSDP certification. India being one of the leading countries contributing in space of software professionals the certification combined with GTT’s proven training platform would help the students acquire the right skill sets to join the global workforce,” said Kasturi Rangachar, President, IEEE Computer Society 2008.

 

The announcement was made at a seminar titled, “Where are the IT Jobs”, which had the participation of industry honchos like Global CEO, Zensar Technologies, Chairman of the National IT ITES and eCommerce Committee of the CII Ganesh Natarajan Head, Software Eng Labs, TATA Consultancy Services, Arun Bahulkar.

 

TOGETHER
“We have agreements with leading universities in India to bridge the gap between the academic curriculum and the requirements of the industry and train their students to become successful IT professionals,” said, Uma Ganesh, CEO of GTT.

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 18 March, 2009 - Global Talent Track (GTT) of India has announced that it is adopting the IEEE Computer Society's Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) certification to enable the Indian software engineering workforce to prepare for jobs in the software engineering community.

 

GTT, headquartered in Pune, specializes in providing employability skills to undergraduates who are seeking employment in the technology industry. Under the agreement with the IEEE Computer Society, GTT will adopt and actively market the CSDA to undergraduate computer science and software engineering students. GTT will become an IEEE CS Registered Education Provider (REP) and expects to prepare hundreds of thousands of students to successfully complete the CSDA exam over the life of the agreement.

 

"We have agreements with leading universities in India to bridge the gap between the academic curriculum and the requirements of the industry and train their students to become successful IT professionals," said Uma Ganesh, CEO of GTT. "We are gearing up to train hundreds of thousands of students and one of our first initiatives is with the universities, where we are keen to prepare students to prepare for IEEE's CSDA program. We have mapped our curriculum with the curriculum guidelines of CSDA and are confident that we should be able to equip the students with the required skills."

 

The CSDA, designed for entry-level software developers, was introduced in May 2008 and rolled out worldwide in September. It is intended to provide undergraduate computer science and software engineering students their first credential toward a solid career foundation as a software development practitioner. The Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) certification is intended for mid-career software development practitioners.

 

The CSDA and the CSDP are the first two certifications that conform to the newly-released ISO/IEC 24773 standard, which stipulates methods of certifying software engineering professionals worldwide. The basis of both certifications is the Computer Society's Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK). For more information on the Computer Society’s certifications, go to http://www.computer.org/getcertified

 

As part of the IEEE's India Initiative, the IEEE Computer Society is now extending its benefits to Indian technical institutions, especially the faculty and students of computer science, software engineering, IT and software applications. VIT University, Vellore recently became the first Indian university to sign an agreement to offer the CSDA certification to its students and entry-level software engineers. The Siemens Group in India is using both the CSDA and CSDP to raise software development standards within the company. The US-based Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, a top-ranked engineering school, has also endorsed the CSDA.

 

Global Talent Track (GTT) (www.gttconnect.com) is a venture that aims to address the current gap in the demand and supply of trained manpower and is designed "to deliver quality with scale." Promoted by seasoned industry professionals from the IT, banking, BPO, and education sectors, GTT plans to provide a range of short- and long-term courses in a number of vocational fields, and expects to be training 5 million people within five years. GTT intends to create a unique ecosystem for supporting employment generation and will address the entire value chain for addressing the needs of students. GTT will work closely with universities and industry to design career-oriented learning content, provide the technology platform appropriate to host the content, and manage the entire learning delivery process.

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world's leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of the 39 societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology. The Society serves the information and career-development needs of today's computing researchers and practitioners with technical journals, magazines, conferences, books, conference publications, and online courses.

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 16 March, 2009 - United Training (UT) and the IEEE Computer Society are announcing a strategic partnership to prepare professionals to take the Computer Society's Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) and Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) certification exams.

UT is a consortium independently owned and operated information technology training centers with over 65 locations in North America. A pilot training program will be rolled out in spring 2009 at UT centers on the East and West coasts and extended to other UT centers in the middle of the second quarter.

"We are very excited to be able to add these globally recognized certification programs and instructor-led training courses for our corporate and government clients. As these important software certifications continue to gain momentum in the software industry, we will be there to fulfill the demand for training," said Chris Roy, president of United Training.

The CSDA, designed for entry-level software developers, was introduced in May 2008 and rolled out worldwide in September. It is intended to provide undergraduate computer science and software engineering students their first credential towards a solid career foundation as a software development practitioner. The CSDP is intended for mid-career software development practitioners.

The CSDA and the CSDP are the first two certifications that conform to the newly-released ISO/IEC 24773 standard, which stipulates methods of certifying software engineering professionals worldwide. The basis of both certifications is the Computer Society’s Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK). For more information on the Computer Society’s certifications, go tohttp://www.computer.org/getcertified.

 

Founded in 2000, United Training (www.unitedtraining.com) is an organization of independently owned and operated technical training centers located throughout North America. Members are selected based on their ability to deliver high quality, highly-technical training in their respective cities. United Training's member companies are committed to training excellence, growing the IT marketplace, the career development of each student, and enhancing the performance and productivity of each company we work with. United Training currently has more than 28 members with training locations in 72 cities. For a complete list of members, visit www.unitedtraining.com/members.

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world's leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of the 39 societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology. The Society serves the information and career-development needs of today's computing researchers and practitioners with technical journals, magazines, conferences, books, conference publications, and online courses.

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 16 March, 2009 - The Siemens Group in India has endorsed the IEEE Computer Society's Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) and Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) certifications and is using the two credentials to raise software development standards within the company. Siemens hosted train-the-trainer sessions in Bangalore in November 2008 for the CSDA and in February 2009 for the CSDP programs. Siemens, with a total of 15 senior engineers, Infosys with five corporation trainers, and other university professors participated in these training sessions.

"We selected the CSDA and CSDP as the benchmark for software certifications at Siemens as they will help raise the level of competence in our organization," said Raghu Nambiar, Ph.D., general manager, Siemens Information Systems Ltd, Software Practices, Technology Competences. "Our certified trainers are now able to administer both the CSDA and CSDP internally," he added.

The CSDA, for entry-level software developers, was rolled out worldwide in September 2008. It is intended to provide graduating computer science and software engineering students their first credential towards a solid career foundation as a software development practitioner. The CSDP certification is targeted towards mid-career software professionals.

The CSDA and the CSDP are the first two certifications that conform to the newly-released ISO/IEC 24773 standard, which stipulates methods of certifying software engineering professionals worldwide. The basis of both certifications is the Computer Society's Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK). For more information on the Computer Society's certifications go to http://www.computer.org/getcertified

As part of the IEEE's India Initiative, the IEEE Computer Society is now extending its benefits to Indian technical institutions, especially the faculty and students of computer science, software engineering, IT and software applications. VIT University, Vellore recently became the first Indian university to sign an agreement to offer the CSDA certification to its students and entry-level software engineers. The US-based Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, a top-ranked engineering school, has also endorsed the CSDA.

About Siemens India
Siemens India, which comprises 22 legal entities, is a leading provider of industry and infrastructure solutions with a business volume aggregating about $USD 2.3 billion (Rs 11,800 crore). It operates in the core business areas of Industry, Energy and Healthcare. Siemens has a nation-wide sales and service network, 18 manufacturing plants, a network of around 500 channel partners and employs about 17,000 people.

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world's leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of the 39 societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology. The Society serves the information and career-development needs of today's computing researchers and practitioners with technical journals, magazines, conferences, books, conference publications, and online courses.

 

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 16 February, 2009 - The IEEE Computer Society announced today that the Veterans Administration (VA) has approved the CSDP Examination for reimbursement as part of the GI Bill. In addition, the CS is offering a special GI Bill bundle to IEEE or CS members for $695.00. This includes the CSDP e-Learning course, the application fee, the examination, and a free SWEBOK Guide.

 

For those eligible under the GI Bill, the VA will reimburse $400 towards a successful completion of the examination.

 

For more details on how to find the reimbursement on the GI Bill website or questions regarding the special GI Bill bundle, please contact us at: csdp@computer.org.

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 5 February, 2009 - The IEEE Computer Society today announced the launch of the all-new CSDA Learning System hosted on the Element K platform. The new learning system, available at a base price of $395 for IEEE or CS members consists of:

In addition to the base Learning System, CD-ROM and print versions are also available for $495 and $595 respectively (member pricing). As an incentive, the CS is offering a special CSDA bundle to IEEE or CS members for $695.00. This includes the CSDA e-Learning course, the registration fee, the examination, and a free SWEBOK Guide.

For more details on the CSDA Learning System or the special CSDA bundle, please contact us at: csda@computer.org.

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 7 January, 2009 – VIT University, Vellore has announced that it is the first Indian university to sign an agreement to offer the IEEE Computer Society’s Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) certification to its students and entry-level software engineers.

 

The memorandum of understanding was signed by G. Viswanathan, chancellor of VIT University, and Sorel Reisman, chair of the IEEE Computer Society Publications Board, in the presence of Pro-Chancellors Sekar Viswanathan and G.V. Selvam, Vice Chancellor Prof. D.P. Kothari, Director-International Relations Prof. BVA Rao and other VIT senior officials.

 

“Offering the CSDA certification to VIT students will provide opportunities for them to seek international careers as software development practitioners, putting them ahead of their peers in India,” said Mr. Viswanathan.

 

VIT University, ranked by India Today as the country’s top private-engineering college, is a center of excellence in higher technical education. The School of Computing Sciences, the largest of VIT’s schools, has about 5,000 students and 175 faculty members. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Computer Science & Engineering, Information Technology, Software Engineering, and Computer Applications. VIT has a nearly 100 percent placement record, working with organizations like TCS, Infosys, Wipro, and Cognizant. In addition, the School has a close working relationship with industry leaders IBM, Cisco, Sun Microsystems, Red Hat Software, and Microsoft in establishing domain-specific labs.  

 

“Both the CSDA and the Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) programs have been widely accepted in the Indian IT industry, as observed during 2008 Computer Society President Rangachar Kasturi’s four visits to India since May,” said Reisman.

 

The CSDA, for entry-level software developers, was introduced in May of 2008 and rolled out worldwide in September 2008. It is intended to provide graduating computer science and software engineering students their first credential towards a solid career foundation as a software development practitioner. The CSDA is the first step in a software development practitioner’s career development path. The CSDA and the CSDP are the first two certifications that conform to the newly-released ISO/IEC 24773 standard, which stipulates methods of certifying software engineering professionals world-wide. The basis of both certifications is the Society’s Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK) Guide. For more information on the Society’s certifications, go to http://www.computer.org/getcertified

 

As part of the IEEE’s India Initiative, the IEEE Computer Society is now extending its benefits to Indian technical institutions, especially the faculty and students of computer science, software engineering, IT and software applications.

 

VIT University, which was founded in 1984 as Vellore Engineering College, attained its university status in 2001. VIT is organized into the School of Computing Sciences, School of Electrical Sciences, School of Mechanical & Building Sciences, VIT Business School, School of Bio-Technology, Chemical Engineering & Biomedical Engineering, and the School of Science & Humanities. It offers 18 undergraduate and 32 postgraduate programs separate from its research programs leading to M.Phil and Ph.D degrees. The programs are accredited by national agencies such as NBA (AICTE), NAAC (UGC) and Institution of Engineers (India). VIT became the first university in India to achieve accreditation from Institution of Engineering & Technology, UK (IET- formerly known as IEE, UK) in 2004-05. Currently, the university is preparing for the Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology (ABET) designation. VIT has approximately 15,000 students, 800 faculty members, and 650 administrative and supporting staff. For more information on VIT, please visit: http://www.vit.ac.in/ For more information on the School of Computing Sciences, please visit: http://www.vit.ac.in/scs/scs.asp

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world’s leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of the 39 societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology. The Society serves the information and career-development needs of today’s computing researchers and practitioners with technical journals, magazines, conferences, books, conference publications, and online courses.

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 8 December, 2008 - Top-ranked engineering college Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology has announced the endorsement of the IEEE Computer Society's Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK) and Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) programs.

The Indiana-based college, whose computer engineering and electrical engineering programs top U.S. News & World Report's annual college rankings for specialized engineering colleges, was an early adopter of the CSDA program that the Computer Society launched in May, 2008. As a result of this effort, Rose-Hulman has agreed to endorse, help fund and facilitate the CSDA as an exit exam for its graduates to help prepare them for their professional careers.

"This examination verifies, for Rose-Hulman and for employers, that our students did succeed in learning major content of this body of knowledge, and thus that they stand out as qualified bachelor’s-level software engineers," said Cary Laxer, chair of Rose-Hulman's Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering.

The CSDA gives Rose-Hulman graduates a credential for establishing a solid base of software engineering development skills that distinguishes them from graduates that don't hold a certification. Furthermore, the 1,900-student college uses CSDA results to gauge the effectiveness of its curriculum in software engineering.

Rose-Hulman, which boasts a nearly 100 percent career placement rate, has also adopted SWEBOK as the foundation for its software engineering curriculum.

"We used SWEBOK recommendations to decide our approach, content, and depth, in building a bachelor's degree program that would advance the careers of our software engineering graduates," said Steven Chenoweth, associate professor of computer science and software engineering. "Our major employers are excited about the qualifications of our software engineering majors."

Rose-Hulman alumnus Tori Wenger, Senior Engineering Manager for Rockwell Collins, an Iowa-based aviation electronics firm, stated CSDA provides an industry benchmark for measuring students’ educational progress. "It provides a model for software engineering students similar to that provided by the ACT and SAT for high-school students and by the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam for students in other engineering disciplines. For the educational institutions whose students take the exam, it allows a means of independently assessing the software engineering program," Wenger said. "While a single test can never encapsulate an entire four-year degree, this exam still provides a good measuring stick."

As consumer confidence with technology grows and the volume of products containing software increases, Wenger said the professional software community needs to be even more diligent in developing consistently high-quality products.

"One key way to do this is through industry standards and sharing best practices. One of the objectives of SWEBOK is to promote a consistent view of software engineering worldwide. CSDA and SWEBOK provide an excellent way to ensure that new graduates are equipped with the knowledge they need to be successful," Wenger said.

The CSDA is one of two professional software development certifications the Computer Society offers. The other, the Certified Software Development Professional certification, is tailored to mid-career professionals. For more information on certifications, go to http://www.computer.org/getcertified.

About Rose-Hulman

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is a 1,900-student private college located in Terre Haute, Ind., that specializes in undergraduate engineering, science and mathematics education. Rose-Hulman has been ranked the number one college or university that offers the bachelor's or master's degree as its top degree in engineering. The ranking is based on a national survey of deans and senior faculty conducted by U.S. News & World Report's annual college guide. Rose-Hulman's computer science and software engineering programs are accredited by the Computer Accreditation Commission and the Engineering Accreditation Commission, respectively, of ABET. The software engineering program is the only ABET accredited software engineering program in Indiana.

About the IEEE Computer Society
With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world's leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of the 39 societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology. The Society serves the information and career-development needs of today's computing researchers and practitioners with technical journals, magazines, conferences, books, conference publications, and online courses.

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., Oct. 27, 2008 - The IEEE Computer Society, the world's leading organization of computing professionals, is proud to announce that its flagship software professional certifications, the CSDA and CSDP, are the first two certifications that conform to the newly-released ISO/IEC 24773 standard.

 

ISO/IEC 24773 establishes a framework for comparing methods of certifying software engineering professionals. It will enable software engineering professional certifications to be portable between different countries or organizations. The increasing globalization of the software industry makes it more likely that a software engineer will work in different countries over the course of a career. Released on Sept. 1, the new standard requires education, qualification, examination, and certification bodies to have a software engineering body of knowledge and to map it to SWEBOK. In 2005, ISO/IEC JTC 1 adopted the Computer Society's SWEBOK Guide as its umbrella description of software engineering. ISO/IEC 24773 takes this a step further by using the guide as the basis for explaining and comparing software engineering certifications.

 

"The new standard offers the worldwide software industry a way to assess the competence of software engineering professionals. The IEEE Computer Society is at the center of these developments in two ways. First, all certifications conforming to the standard must use the Society's SWEBOK Guide. Even more importantly, the Society has developed the first certifications that conform to the new standard," said Stephen Seidman, 2008 Vice-President for Educational Activities for the IEEE Computer Society.

 

The release of ISO/IEC 24773 makes the IEEE Computer Society’s two software certification credentials, the CSDA and CSDP, well-positioned for use throughout the world and within many different types of organizations. Both certification programs reinforce and confirm recognized principles and practices of software development in the SWEBOK knowledge areas.

 

"This is further evidence that the Computer Society’s program to recast software engineering as a true engineering discipline is truly on high ground. We were pleased when the international standards committee for software engineering adopted the SWEBOK Guide as the basis for its work. Now, they've taken the next step and identified the guide as the benchmark for defining and comparing certifications in software engineering," said Jim Moore, 2008 Chairman of the IEEE Computer Society Professional Practices Committee.

 

The Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP) credential, introduced in 2002, is intended for mid-career software development practitioners. More information on the CSDP and its benefits can be found at www.computer.org/csdp

 

The Certified Software Development Associate (CSDA) credential, introduced in 2008, is intended for entry-level software development practitioners. More information on the CSDA and its benefits can be found at www.computer.org/csda

 

Additional information on the IEEE Computer Society certification programs can be found at:

 

ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical Commission) work together to develop standards in systems and software engineering. The IEEE Computer Society, known globally for its own systems and software engineering standards activities, also participates in these ISO/IEC joint efforts.

 

ISO/IEC 24773 can be referenced at: www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=41543

 

The SWEBOK guide, developed by the IEEE Computer Society, has been endorsed by ISO/IEC as ISO/IEC TR 19759 and can be referenced at: www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=33897

 

With nearly 85,000 members, the IEEE Computer Society is the world's leading organization of computing professionals. Founded in 1946, and the largest of the IEEE's 39 societies, the Computer Society is dedicated to advancing the theory and application of computer and information-processing technology. It serves the information and career-development needs of today's computing researchers and practitioners with technical journals, magazines, conferences, books, conference publications, and online courses.