Understanding the ITIL Qualification

ITIL (the IT Infrastructure Library) is the most widely				Series), or through a combination of the two.
recognised IT Service Management qualification in use				There are five Service Lifecycle modules, each of
at the moment. It is accredited by the APMG (the				which focuses on one stage of the Service Lifecycle
same organisation that administers PRINCE2 and				(Strategy, Design, Transition, Operation, and Continual
MSP), and is assessed through similar objective-testing				Service Improvement). The Service Capabilities Series
examinations.				contains four modules, each of which examines a
There are four levels to the ITIL V3 qualification, each				cluster of role-based processes (for example:
of which is attained by the completion of a certain				processes associated with Operational Support and
number of modules or credits. Once a student has				Analysis).
earned 22 credits, the ITIL V3 Diploma (or “ITIL				All credits are earned through attendance of approved
Expert in IT Service Management”) is awarded.				training courses and passing the ITIL modular exams.
The ultimate tier of the qualification is ITIL Master,				All Intermediate level exams are 90 minutes long and
which is assessed through peer review, written				consist of multiple choice questions divided into 8 main
examinations and case studies/simulations. This level				sections and based on Service Management
requires substantial practical experience of IT Service				scenarios. The pass mark for these exams is 70%,
Management.				and answers are marked using gradient scoring (i.e. a
Foundation				= 2 marks, b = 1 mark, c = 0.5 marks, d = 0 marks).
The Foundation module is standard and requisite for all				The Intermediate-level certificates are independent
ITIL V3 students. It is worth 2 credits, which are gained				qualifications and are aimed at individuals who wish to
by passing the ITIL Foundation level examination. It is				deepen their understanding of particular elements
aimed at anybody who needs to have a basic				within ITIL Service Management, or who need to gain
awareness of what ITIL is, or who needs to gain a				the ITIL V3 Diploma. It is recommended, although not
higher-level ITIL qualification – for example, individuals				required, that a student has 2 years of related work
working within or alongside an IT Service Management				experience and basic exposure to IT concepts before
environment.				attempting the Intermediate-level courses.
The ITIL Foundation module covers the following areas:				ITIL V3 Diploma/ITIL Expert
• Service Management as a practice				Once a student has gained 2 Foundation level credits
• The Service Lifecycle				and at least 15 Intermediate level credits, one final
• Key principles and concepts of ITIL				synoptic or normalizing module is compulsory in order
• Important models and terminology used				to gain the ITIL V3 Diploma (or ‘ITIL Expert’).
within ITIL				This module is worth 5 credits and is called
• Selected processes, roles and functions				‘Managing Across the Lifecycle’.
important to ITIL				Managing Across the Lifecycle is designed to
• Technology and architecture (awareness				complement the Intermediate modules previously
only)				studied by each candidate, by providing the ancillary
The Foundation exam contains 40 multiple choice				knowledge necessary for practical implementation of
questions, each offering the candidate four choices,				the Service Management theory within a business
only one of which is correct. The exam lasts for 60				context.
minutes and is closed-book, so no course notes,				The examination for Managing Across the Lifecycle
manuals or other revision guides may be used. The				follows the same format as the other Intermediate
candidate must score 26 correct answers (65%) in				level exams.
order to pass the exam.				ITIL Master
Intermediate				The ultimate tier of the ITIL Service Management
There are nine Intermediate level modules, each worth				qualification depends much more than the earlier layers
between 3 and 4 credits. A total of 15 credits must be				on practical experience and individual expertise. Eligibility
earned in order to be eligible for the ITIL V3 Diploma.				is assessed through peer evaluation, written exams,
These credits may be earned through modules taken				case studies and simulations. ITIL recommends that at
from either one of the main modular streams (the				least eight years experience in IT Service
Service Lifecycle Series and the Service Capabilities				Management will be expected of all ITIL Masters.