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Cisco Qualifications

Course Structure . Assessment . Frequently-Asked Questions

Who are Cisco?

Cisco manufacture network hardware; they are the largest manufacturer of routers (Cisco serve 90% of the Internet market), and are also big in switches, wireless LANs, network security and IP Telephony.

Cisco run an extensive, internationally-recognised qualification scheme. There are Cisco qualifications in networking, security, Unix, Java, IT Essentials, network cabling and other more specialised areas. The courses are taught by official Cisco-accredited "Cisco Networking Academies" - such as the School of Informatics. Instructors at these academies have studied Cisco's instructor courses as well as the qualification itself.

Cisco Networking Qualifications

Cisco network courses are becoming essential for anyone wanting to work in networking, and give a good grounding in general networking to anybody interested in any aspect of I.T.

There are three levels of Cisco qualification:

  1. CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate
  2. CCNP - Cisco Certified Network Professional
  3. CCIE - Cisco Certified Internet Expert
in addition, there are specialisations - taken after CCNA, in (for example) Network Security and Wireless LANs. At Westminster, we offer courses towards the CCNA qualification. Qualifications are portable, and you can continue your studies at any other Cisco Academy.

CCNA Course Structure

 There are two flavours of CCNA course: Discovery, and Exploration. Each CCNA course is designed to be studied on four modules, over four semesters: We run these courses in the evenings - usually two evenings per week for 12 weeks, and as daytime courses in the Summer, particularly for recent graduates from the School's courses. Each course features extensive hands-on laboratory tasks, online learning material and teaching from experienced network engineers and lecturers.

Assessment

 The CCNA course is assessed in various ways: each module has
  • Multiple-choice tests - run online on the Cisco Academy web site.
  • "Skills tests" - a hands-on laboratory task where students set up a network.
The full CCNA qualification is attained by passing the final certification exam, which is done at an external exam centre, run by Pearson Vue.

Frequently-Asked Questions
  • Can I do CCNA2 before CCNA1?
    No; you can only register for semesters 2,3 and 4 if you have completed CCNA1, so you must start at CCNA1 but then can do the subsequent courses in any order.

  • If I get a job or move somewhere else, can I continue the course?
    Yes; if you move too far away to continue studying at the University, you can continue with the next semester at another institution. The course is run from the same material in countries across the globe, and is also available in a number of different languages. The exams are taken on the same international web site where ever you are studying.

  • What network/electronics/computing qualifications do I need to start the course?
    None! All that's required is that you are able to use a web browser, have a reasonable understanding of English*, and some interest in networking.
    *The course is available in other languages at other institutions.

  • Do the CCNA modules count towards my degree?
    No, this is a separate professional qualification. However, the skills involved in CCNA are useful in a number of computer science and engineering modules and enhance your job prospects.

  • Is the study material available for home use?
    Yes; the online material is available to Cisco course students across the Internet; the curriulum is also available in book form.

  • What are these numbers, like 640-801?

    These are the qualification/exam numbers: 640-801 is the full CCNA; you can also study this as two halves: 640-821 is the basics, "Introduction to Cisco Networking Technologies (INTRO)", and 640-811 is the second part, "Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices (ICND)". 642-901, 642-812, 642-825 and 642-845 are the latest CCNP modules. 640-607 is an earlier version of CCNA.

  • Are there other Cisco qualifications?
    Yes; there are specialisations you can follow after CCNA, including Wireless Networking, Security, and others, and higher-level qualifications, such as CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) and CCIE (Cisco Certified Internet Expert).

  • How can I find out more about Cisco qualifications?
    See the Cisco web site: