Education
 

Software Professional Certification FAQ

When receiving the examination scheduling instructions, how long do I need to wait to begin scheduling my exam with ProctorU?

Test takers can schedule right away.

How long do I have before my exam expires?

Test takers have one (1) year from the date they receive their exam scheduling instruction to schedule their exam. Once the exam has expired, the test taker will need to repurchase the exam.

How many attempts do I have to complete the exam?

Test takers have one (1) attempt to complete the examination.

Is there a waiting period to retest?

Test takers can request to retest right away.

Is there a retesting fee?

  • A retesting fee is required to retest; standard fee is $125.
  • Please click here to download the retesting application.
  • Email certification@computer.org for processing.
  • Retesting application takes between 2-3 business days to process.
  • Payment processing maybe delayed. Before scheduling a new test date/time with ProctorU, look out for an email confirmation first.
    • If payment is not complete, test takers will not have any attempt to retest.

What is the passing score?

To pass exam, 70% or higher must be met.

Can I bring any study materials to the exam session?

  • Study materials of any kind are NOT permitted during examination session.
  • Test takers are allowed ONLY one (1) BLANK sheet (front/back), one (1) pen or pencil during examination.

What happens after I pass the exam?

  • Certification team are notified when test takers pass their exam.
  • Certificates are created within 1-2 business days. Once the certificate is created in a PDF format, it will be emailed to the recipient.

If I fail the exam, do I get an evaluation result with questions answered wrong?

  • Test takers can request proof that they sat for the exam. The report includes the following: Username/date/time/exam taken/test result (pass/fail)
  • For security purposes, IEEE Computer Society does not distribute evaluation results with question answered wrong.

Is there a timeframe to take the courses, and exams?

  • It all depends to the student. Everyone learns differently. Given that the IEEE CS courses are all online, students can review/take the courses at their own pace.
  • The length of course and/or exam access is for one (1) full year.

Does the Associate Software Developer (ASD) expire?

The ASD does not expire.

Does the Associate Software Developer (ASD) require recertification?

The ASD does not require recertification.

Does the Professional Software Developer (PSD) require re-certification?

  • Yes, re-certification of 30 PDUs is required every three years to maintain certification.
  • Please click here to download the re-certification application.
  • Email certification@computer.org for processing.
  • Application takes a few weeks to process. If we have any questions regarding your PDUs, we will reach out and request for additional information.
  • Once approved, a certificate is created in a PDF format and emailed to the credential holder.

Does the Professional Software Engineering Master (PSEM) require re-certification?

  • Yes, re-certification of 30 PDUs is required every three years to maintain certification.
  • Please click here to download the re-certification application.
  • Email certification@computer.org for processing.
  • Application takes a few weeks to process. If we have any questions regarding your PDUs, we will reach out and request for additional information.
  • Once approved, a certificate is created in a PDF format and emailed to the credential holder.

Do you have any sample examination questions for the Associate Software Developer (ASD)?

Do you have any sample examination questions for the Professional Software Engineering Master Certification (PSEM)?

Does these sample exam questions cover all the exam modules?

  • No, they do not.

What is in the courses? Video lessons? Books?

  • There are no books, but some courses include articles for reference. The majority of our courses are interactive e-learning courses with some video formats.

Is the exam monitored, will there be a real person?

  • A live remote proctor from ProctorU will monitor all exams.

Will I need special room, camera or anything else?

  • You will need a computer with a camera so the Proctor can see your surroundings. If you have any specific questions on Proctoring, please email support@proctoru.com.

How long must I wait until I receive my exam result?

  • You will receive a Pass/Fail result once you have completed the exam.

How long do I wait until I get my certificate if I pass the exam?

  • We receive notification when test takers pass their exam. Certificates are created within 1-2 business days. Once the certificate is created in a PDF format, it will be emailed to the recipient.

Can certificates be verified? Are there any certification code or an online service of verification?

  • Each certificate has its own unique certification code. We use to have a “Credential Holder Search” engine, but since our website migrated to WordPress, this feature is no longer available. To verify if someone has achieve the certification, university or employers will need to contact certification@computer.org and someone from the certification team will verify it.

What is the difficulty level of the ASD exam?

ASD certification exam is entry-level.

What is the difficulty level of the PSD exam?

PSD certification exam is mid-level.

What is the difficulty level of the PSEM exam?

PSEM certification exam is a professional level.

How long will it take to get prepared for these certifications?

It all depends on the test taker’s background (their knowledge/experience). How well they understand the course material and if they are confidence to take the exam.

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