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Introducing the New CCNA Curricula

The Cisco Networking Academy Program is pleased to announce the next generation of the CCNA curricula. These new curricula have been designed to address a changing marketplace and respond to input from administrators, instructors, and students.

At a high level, the two new curricula will allow instructors to more easily and effectively teach CCNA concepts to students at different skill levels, which can improve both student and instructor satisfaction. We are currently identifying the curricula as CCNA-A, for advanced learning; and CCNA-B, for foundational learning. The official names will be announced when the curricula become available.

Two New CCNA Curricula
CCNA-A offers students in-depth theory, challenging labs, and information about protocol operation. It prepares students for successful careers as IT professionals in small-to-medium businesses as well as enterprise and service provider environments. CCNA-A is designed to be part of an integrated curriculum or continuing education program at postsecondary institutions; typically career and technical schools, colleges, and universities. CCNA-A is for students with advanced problem solving and analytical skills, such as students who are pursuing degrees in engineering, math, or science.

CCNA-B provides a hands-on approach to learning networking. It uses easy-to-follow labs to help students learn the general theory needed to build networks. CCNA-B allows for quick application of learned concepts, to encourage students to consider further education in IT, and teaches applied skills midway through the four-course series to help prepare students for entry-level IT careers. CCNA-B is designed to be delivered as an independent curriculum or possibly integrated into a broader course of study at upper-secondary institutions such as career and technical schools and colleges. It is for students with basic PC usage skills.

Both CCNA-A and CCNA-B prepare students for the CCNA certification, but in different ways. By using different methodologies to teach different types of students, we can help ensure student success in learning the content. New features in both of the next-generation curricula include embedded “e-Doing,” which uses the capabilities of a computer to provide guidance and opportunities for exploration and experimentation; enhanced instructional features; and an updated graphical user interface (GUI). In addition, they allow for more efficient translation to support Cisco's commitment to delivering the curricula in multiple languages.

Key Features of CCNA-A:

  • Designed for students with advanced problem solving and analytical skills, such as those who are pursuing degrees in engineering, math, or science
  • Can be part of an integrated curriculum or continuing education program at postsecondary institutions, such as career and technical schools, colleges and universities
  • Includes highly complex and challenging hands-on labs
  • Presents an integrated and comprehensive coverage of networking topics, from fundamentals to advanced applications and services

Key Features of CCNA-B:

  • Designed for students with basic reading, math, and PC usage skills
  • Can be delivered as an independent curriculum or integrated into broader course studies at upper-secondary institutions, career and technical schools, and colleges
  • Offers a hands-on, career-oriented approach to learning networking that emphasizes practical experience
  • Maps directly to everyday experiences with networks and covers important concepts based on the types of practical network environments students may encounter; ranging from small office and home office (SOHO) networking to more complex enterprise and theoretical networking models covered later in the curriculum  

Availability
The English versions of CCNA-A courses 1 and 2 and CCNA-B courses 1 and 2 will be available in the June-August 2007 timeframe. The English versions of CCNA-A courses 3 and 4 and CCNA-B courses 3 and 4 will be available in the November-December 2007 timeframe. The current CCNA curriculum will continue to be made available for as long as it aligns with customer needs and certification requirements.

Cisco is committed to translating the new CCNA curricula into other languages. Information about the translations that will be performed directly by Cisco will be announced in the June-August 2007 timeframe.

On-Going Communication Process
Cisco is continually revising the Networking Academy program curricula to improve teaching and better align with student interests and goals. We want to keep you informed of impending changes as early as possible to assist with planning and migration.

Since the new CCNA-A and CCNA-B curricula are being announced so far in advance, we are still finalizing some of the product details, which is why some questions may not be answered in the materials we’re providing now. We will provide more information as it becomes available.

For Additional Information
To learn more about CCNA-A and CCNA-B, please review the following:

If you still have questions after reviewing the materials, please contact the Academy Program Team in the United States at productinquiry@external.cisco.com or in Canada at productinquiryca@external.cisco.com.