How to prepare for OCMJEA Java architect certification exam

Each year many applicants try to crack Oracle Certified Master Java EE Enterprise Architect (OCMJEA) exam. Like any other exam, OCMJEA exam can’t be cracked without proper preparation. For cracking OCMJJEA exam, you must have good knowledge about the subject. But before beginning the preparation, it’s important to know the format of the exam. The article discusses the structure of the exam in the beginning, and later you will come to know how to prepare for the OCMJEA examination.

What is the format of OCMJEA exam?

The OCMJEA examination has three parts:

• Multiple choice exams
• Assignment submission
• Essay exam

60 questions will be asked in the multiple choice exam, which the applicant needs to answer in 150 minutes. One has to score at least 71% for cracking this level. You need to pass all these level to be certified as a Java Architect. You can appear in the exam only if you have more than six years of experience in Java technologies. The reason being the test demands for developers that have years of experience in handling multiple Java projects along with the ability to work on the design and architecture of the Java applications. If you aim to become a Java Architect, then this examination will give you a sure shot way of achieving your goal.

What is the prerequisite for preparing OCMJEA exam?

There are no specific requirements to prepare for the OCMJEA exam, but it is necessary to have a training course, which is suggested by Oracle. If you want to appear for OCMJEA exam, you have to get the Oracle certification. You need to complete one of the following courses before appearing in the OCMJEA exam:

1. Architect enterprise applications with Java EE
2. Developing applications for the Java EE 6 platform
3. Java design patterns
4. Java EE 6: Develop business components with JMS & EJBs
5. Java EE6: Develop database applications with JPA
6. Java SE7 fundamentals
7. Java SE 7 programming
8. Web component development with servlets & JSPs, Java EE6
9. Java EE 6: Develop web services with JAX-WS & JAX-RS
10. Java EE 7: New features
11. Object-oriented analysis and design using UML
12. Java SE 8 fundamentals
13. Java SE 8: Programming
14. Developing applications with Java EE 6 on WebLogic server 12c

It should be noted here that doing a course in "Architect enterprise applications with Java EE" will help you in preparing for the multiple choice question of the OCMJEA exam. However, this course is expensive, but it is worth it. Let us have a look at the exam syllabus of OCMJEA now.

What is the syllabus of OCMJEA?

There are seven broad topics that you need to study while preparing for this exam. The chapters are listed below:

• Application design concepts and principles
• Common architectures
• Integration and messaging
• Business tier technologies
• Web tier technologies
• Design patterns
• Security

The detailed syllabus of the OCMJEA exam is available on the official website of OCMJEA. Now that you know the necessary information about OCMJEA exam, it’s time for you to know how to prepare for OCMJEA examination.

How to prepare for multiple choice question level for OCMJEA exam correctly?

A total of 60 questions will be asked in the multiple choice question in OCMJEA examination, and the student needs to score at least 71% for passing this level. The key to success in this exam is to have a sound knowledge of the subject. so, reading the books that will help you to clear this level is recommended. You need to practice a lot of sample question paper to get a grip on the problem that may appear subjective and that comes with confusing choices. You would be able to answer such question when you solve an adequate number of previous questions. This level is free of tricky questions but it checks your knowledge on Java EE API, and you need to have an in-depth understanding of this topic. You need to answer the questions calmly. You will have 150 minutes to solve the questions, and that is more than enough for someone who has a firm grip on the subject. If you are confused about a particular question, try to work reversely. This means that instead of choosing the right answer, try to eliminate the wrong options, which will eventually lead you to the right answer. You can read the following books for gaining knowledge for this level:

OCM Java EE 6 Enter Architect Guide by Paul R.Allen and Joseph J.Bambara

Oracle Certified Master, Java EE Enterprise Architect Practical Guide by Amritendu De

After reading these books, try to solve the past question papers for having an idea about the type of questions which are asked in the examination.

How to prepare for assignment submission level for OCMJEA exam correctly?

The assignment submission is considered the most crucial and challenging level of OCMJEA exam. You can’t copy this assignment from anyone because each applicant will be assigned a different topic. It is important for you to understand the subject assigned to you to fully know about the scope of the problem that you need to solve. Your assignment needs to have the following sections in it.

1. Background: You need to write here about the context of the problem that you will be solving.
2. Workshop output: This is the most important part of the assignments that consist of crucial elements such as non-functional requirements, restrictions and legacy systems.
3. Business domain model: In this part, you need to discuss the working business model. You have to understand the stuff that you are writing in this section because it will form the base of your class diagram.
4. Class diagrams and specifications: In this section, you have to write about use cases while mentioning and understanding its scope.
5. Deliverables: Here, you need to describe the deliverables that need to be constructed along with a mention of sending it.

Before you start working on the assignment, select the UML tool that you will be using to work on it. Keep working on the assignment till you are fully satisfied with it. Even if you have a small level of uncertainty in the assignment, you should again work on it to make sure that you have not missed anything. Remember that there will be thousand of assignments and your assignment can stand out in that group only if you work extraordinarily hard on it.

How to prepare for essay level for OCMJEA exam correctly?

Don’t waste your time to check your score after assignment submission. As soon as you are done with the submission, you should start working on your essay level for OCMJEA exam. Preparing for the essay exam will take a lot of time, and you have a deadline to meet. Most of the essay will ask you how you have managed to solve the non-functional requirement, which was on your assignment. You have to write all the points that you have tried while making the assignment. Also, make sure that your essay is free of grammatical errors, and everything is written in sound English so that the examiner can understand it easily. The essay will be associated with the assignment given to you, and it will mostly deal with the following topics:

• NFRs
• Design decisions
• Technology selection

The biggest tip to perform well in the essay section is to begin it just after you have submitted your assignment because at that point of the time things will be in a fresh state in your mind and therefore, you would be able to jot down the points without any difficulty.

Wrap Up

All the levels of the OCMJEA examination are critical, but you mainly need to focus on the assignment section to qualify it. The MCQ level can be cleared by having a sound knowledge on your subject. The essay level can be fairly passed if you include all the mentioned elements in the assignment with proper diagrams. You can pass the essay level with flying colors when you start working on it immediately after submission of the assignment. By following these tips, you will surely pass the examination with a good score. It is crucial to pass this exam if you want to climb high up on the ladder of your career.
Oracle Certified Master Java EE Enterprise Architect (OCMJEA) exam