FAQ

Because the OCSMP Program is an objective, validated measurement of a candidate's knowledge and skills in SysML and MBSE. The examinations, designed and written by SysML experts including many co-authors of the SysML specification itself, cover the Systems Engineering domain with the breadth and depth that will let peers and prospective employers feel confident about a certified candidate's ability to participate in or lead real-world engineering analysis and design projects. For a general view of the topics covered within the OCSMP examinations, please review the coverage maps.

You can download the SysML Specification V1.2 (on which the current OCSMP exams are based) from the OMG home page for free but we do not think it's a good reference to study - It's a very formal document, written from the point of view of a language developer or tool builder. Elements and diagrams are grouped according to the UML types they derive from, rather than by the way they're used, and there's no way to identify and study only the basic concepts. Fortunately, there are already several very good books on SysML (listed here), and we recommend that you consider studying from one of these, or another alternative source, instead. We're proud to point out that all of these authors participated in the writing of the OCSMP examinations.

All of the articles and white papers referred to may be downloaded and/or viewed free using the links on the Coverage Map.

The books are listed on the Study Materials page, specifically detailed within that Exams Coverage Map.

Here is a link to our page with general information about all of the OCSMP exams, and here is a link to a page with links to the coverage maps and specific information about each examination individually.

Yes! Several of the Subject-Matter Experts who wrote the exam questions have collected books and course information to prepare you for the OCSMP examinations. We have listed these materials on each exams coverage map page.

At this time, practice exams are not available separately but several of the books listed on the Study Materials page include problem sections and sample questions at the end of their chapters.

We do not release information on pass rates. The minimum passing scores are on the coverage map of each Exam, links to which can be found here.

You should arrive at the testing center at least 30 minutes before the test is scheduled to begin. During that time you will provide (2) two proper identifications and the test center administrator will give you a short orientation and then escort you to a workstation. If you do not provide appropriate identification, you will not be allowed to test for security reasons. Late arrivals will not be admitted.

You must have two (2) forms of ID, one with a photo and both with a signature.
Acceptable forms of primary (photo) identification include:

• Government issued driver’s license
• Employee ID work badge
• School ID
• Military ID*
• Passport*
• Alien registration card
• Permanent resident visas (Green Cards)
• State/Country ID

* Primary ID’s which contain an embedded signature are permitted as long as the Secondary ID presented has a visible signature.

Acceptable forms of non-photo identification include:

• Bank ATM card
• Credit card
• Any ID on the Primary list

The Exams are administered only at authorized Pearson VUE testing centers, in their secure environment, on their secure equipment.

You may bring your identification, but not much else. No computers, PDAs, cellphones, pagers, books, notes, scratch pads, writing instruments, coats, jackets, backpacks, briefcases, purses, and so on.

Some centers may have lockers, but they are usually small, and there may be none available when you take your Exam. Please do not bring personal items to the test center.

No. There may be candidates taking other professional exams at the same time using Pearson VUE's computer-based delivery system technology.

Yes. When you sit down to take an Exam at the test center, you will be asked to agree to keep the contents of the Exam confidential and to accept some terms and conditions relating to the Exam and your certification. You will not be allowed to take the Exam if you do not agree to these requirements.

You can review the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) here. You can review the Candidate Agreement here.

All questions are multiple choice. All Exams are closed book. No written materials, notebook computers, cell phones, etc. will be allowed in the testing area.

Yes: As you take the exam, you may either mark questions that you feel are too difficult, or just skip them, to go back to after you reach the end. After you finish the last question, you will see a review screen that lets you jump back to any questions that you want to review. On the review screen, different symbols will identify questions that you marked, and questions that you skipped. Both marked and unmarked questions will be scored when you finally submit your exam. Unanswered questions will be scored as incorrect.

The Exams are not scored negatively - that is, no points are deducted for incorrect answers. This means that you can safely - and should - guess an answer to every question that you don't know. It is best to check if you have actually answered ALL questions before completing the exam (and the Review Screen makes this easy). If you are running short on time, just click any answer and move on. This way, you will at least have a chance to get some of them right.

Yes. Candidates with documented visual, physical, hearing, or learning disabilities, which would prevent them from taking an examination under standard conditions, may request special testing accommodations and arrangements. Please contact Pearson VUE directly.

As soon as you have completed your exam at a Pearson VUE Testing Center, your score will automatically be displayed on the screen. You will also receive a printed copy of the score report, including a breakdown of your performance by section, before you leave. This information is transmitted to OMG for our records. If you passed the exam you just took, and any prerequisites, you will receive your Certificate in the mail within about one month of taking the Exam.

The OCSMP exams form a single track with four levels - Every level above the first requires all of the lower as prerequisites for certification. (You may take the exams out of order if you insist, but won't award your certification for a level until you've passed all of its required prerequisites.) If you work with SysML models in any manner - a lot or a little, reading them or building them, beginner or advanced - you need to take and pass the OCSMP Model User exam and obtain the Model User Certification. If you're primarily or mostly a model user, this may be as far as you need to go; if you're a model builder, this level is the foundation for the advanced certifications you need to match your level of responsibility. For details on the skills and knowledge covered by the higher level exams, and the job tasks and roles that correspond, look here.

No, it is not required that you take the exams in order.  However, to be certified you must pass that level's exam plus all lower level exams.

Please refer to the Coverage Maps to see what is covered in each Exam.

In the United States, the cost to take an OCSMP examination is US$200; in many countries where English is not the first language, the testing time will be a half-hour longer and the price will be US$10 more (that is, US$210 or the approximate equivalent in local currency. Currency conversion does not track short-term fluctuations). You have to pay each time you take an examination, even if you're taking an examination over because you failed the first time. Payment is by major credit card. For exact pricing in your country, please look on the Pearson VUE Testing Center website.

Yes! OMG offers pre-paid Certification Examination voucher bundles at discounts starting at 5% and ranging all the way up to 20% , depending on how many vouchers you buy. Each voucher lets you take any one of OMG's exams. Vouchers are non-refundable and expire one year from date of purchase. Discount is applied to the price in your country.  Minimum purchase for the 5% discount is 10 vouchers. These 5% vouchers may be purchased from the Pearson VUE voucher store through this link: www.vue.com/vouchers/pricelist/omg.asp.

You can receive a substantially larger discount by purchasing a larger number of vouchers directly from OMG:

Discount is applied to the price in your country. For more information, or to purchase one of these voucher bundles, email <certificationinfo@omg.org> or directly to OMG's Director of Certification Jon Siegel at <siegel AT omg.org> .

All of the Exams are in English. A Japanese version of the OCEB 2 Fundamental exam will be available soon in Japan. (The original OCEB exams are already available in Japanese from UTI.) In non-English-speaking countries, the time allowed to take the examination in English will be a half-hour longer; see two questions down.

The Exams are computer-based tests (CBTs) delivered at testing centers owned or licensed by Pearson VUE. Exams are multiple-choice.

In English-speaking countries, 105 minutes. When English-language Exams are delivered in a non-English speaking country, the test time may be up to 135 minutes; check with your testing center to be sure.

The Exams are available worldwide, exclusively at Pearson VUE Testing Centers. There are thousands of centers in over a hundred countries around the world. You can locate a test center by going to the OMG registration page at Pearson VUE, http://www.pearsonvue.com/omg , and clicking on Locate a Test Center. You will also be able to search for and choose a test center as part of your registration process.

You will schedule your Exam as part of the registration process. The Pearson VUE registration website will display available days and times for each testing center that you view on the web page, allowing you to select the appointment that best fits your schedule.

When you schedule your Exam, you should be prepared to provide any of the following information:

• Your name (you may be asked to provide your name as you would like to have it appear on your certificate)
• Your Social Security, Social Insurance or Pearson Vue Testing I.D. (SP#) Number
• Contact phone numbers - If there is a problem, we will use these numbers to reach you
• Mailing address - Please provide the address to which you would like your certificate mailed
• Exam number and title
• e-Mail address - Once again for contact purposes, this is often the fastest and most effective means of contact. Many test sponsors require e-mail contact information for registration
• Method of payment

Yes, you must cancel and/or reschedule your test through the Pearson VUE Web site and not through OMG. Please read the rescheduling policies in the confirmation letter for your appointment.

First, Congratulations! In most cases, you will received your score at the test center immediately after you finished your Exam. If you have passed all of the exams required for a certification level, we will send you (by mail) a certification kit, usually within one month after you pass the Exam. The kit will include a letter explaining the certification, the actual certificate (suitable for framing) and instructions for downloading the OCSMP logo for the level of Certification that you have passed.

If you fail an Exam, you can retake it after a minimum of 30 days, but you cannot take a particular Exam more than three times in a twelve-month period. There is no discount price for re-taking an Exam. The fee is the same as for the initial Exam. The diagnostic feedback that you will receive with the test score report will indicate the areas that need further study.

Candidates who qualify for OCSMP certification may use the OCSMP Certification Logo for their level (Model User, Model Builder - Fundamental, Intermediate, and Advanced) as a graphic symbol to demonstrate to clients their skill and knowledge in BPM. Please follow these guidelines to correctly promote your relationship with OMG and protect the integrity of the Logo:

You may use the Logo on your business cards, letterhead stationery, resume, Web site, and marketing materials for individual service, to indicate that you have earned a credential in the OCSMP Program. You may not use the Logo on any product, book, or other material. You may not use it for any purpose other than to designate your OCSMP certification credential.

You may use the OCSMP Certification Logo only as permitted by the OMG Trademark Usage Guidelines at http://www.omg.org/legal/tm_guidelines.htm.

Some of these guidelines are:
 

• You may not alter the Logo in any way.
• Your name, trade name, or company name must appear on any materials where the Logo is used.
• The Logo cannot appear larger or more prominent than your name, product or service name, trademark or service mark, logo, or trade or company name.
• OMG may, in its sole discretion, terminate your right to use the Logo at any time.

OMG will re-issue a lost certification kit for a fee calculated based on your location and shipping costs, that must be paid before we ship. Please send an email to certificationinfo@omg.org with the following:

1. full name
2. current address
3. candidate ID number

Once we've determined shipping costs, we'll reply with an invoice and as soon as payment is received your kit will be shipped.

You should receive your certification kit within one month of passing an Exam although shipment to some locations remote from our fulfillment service in the US may take a bit longer. If you have not received your kit within this period, please contact OMG by email at certificationinfo@omg.org.

Once you are certified at a certain level for a certain version of the OCSMP Exam, you are always certified for that level and version. Of course, as new versions of the Exam become available, you may want to get certified on the newest version.

Certifications are associated with individuals, not companies. Your certification is granted to you and it will move with you wherever you go.

You can contact OMG by email at certificationinfo@omg.org.