May 2025 UPDATE
Does the Advanced Scrum Master Certification Course have an exam?
Based on customer feedback, a certification exam has been added to the Advanced Scrum Master Certification Course. Beginning on May 7th, any learners rostered to a course will be subject to the certification exam to earn the certification. Learners rostered before May 7, 2025, will see an exam and practice test in the learning plan, but will not be able to launch the exam. They are NOT required to complete the exam to earn their certification. Learners rostered after May 7th ARE required to pass the certification exam.
I already earned my ASM certification. Do I have to take the exam?
No, any learner who earned the Advanced Scrum Master certification before May 7th will maintain their certification and is NOT subject to the exam.
I already earned my ASM certification but I want to take the exam - can I get access?
Our support team can manually update your learning plan to give you access to the exam. However, you will lose your certification until you pass the exam. You will be subject to all exam policies, including retake fees.
I’m a trainer, is there a validation exam?
For trainers who were enrolled in the trainer enablement plan prior to May 7th, will see, but will not be able to launch the practice test or the exam, and are NOT subject to the validation exam. Trainers who enroll in the enablement plan after May 7th will be subject to the validation exam before they will be eligible to teach.
I already earned my ASM validation, do I have to take the exam?
No, any trainer who earned the Advanced Scrum Master validation prior to May 7th will maintain their validation and is NOT subject to the exam.
I already earned my ASM validation but I want to take the exam - can I get access?
Our support team can manually update your learning plan to give you access to the exam. However, you will lose your validation until you pass the exam. Be aware that this could impact your ability to schedule and roster ASM classes until you complete the exam. You will be subject to all exam policies.
What is an Advanced Scrum Master?
This is a new course and our first advanced role path. The product itself is sold as an entire path and delivered as a modular and blended learning experience. This functions as a course that earns a new certified advanced credential and it is a chance to learn on the job while joining two short facilitated sessions that support applying and practicing what is learned, as well as providing peer-to-peer learning.
Is this the update to the SASM 5.1 course?
This is a brand new course and a new certification; not simply an update of SASM. The team that developed this considered: what was working well in SASM and what trainer and learner issues were being reported, the new Scrum Master Job Task Analysis from late 2023, and the content we were already developing in Micro-credential courses and SAFe Skills to compose this new way of completing learning towards this certification.
The Advanced Scrum Master Course offers new value to learners and trainers both in the updated learning experience (modular, blended learning with shorter ILTs) and the updated content (Facilitating conflict and collaboration, building mastery on flow and flow accelerators, and cultivating high-performing teams).
What is happening to SASM?
SASM is currently scheduled to be sunset as part of the SAFe 5.1 end-of-life efforts.
How does this differ from SASM and other traditional certification courses?
This differs from our traditional certification courses in a few important areas.
This path supplies blended learning and a chance to apply what is learned in SAFe Skills rather than concentrating all learning on the time spent sitting in a course.
Additionally, the learning focuses on the skills someone practices in their role. In our traditional certification assessments, we test the knowledge and application of the SAFe role.
This path is meant to help someone advance while they are also continuing to be on the job and to fit those working-while-learning needs. It demands slightly fewer hours than a two-day course plus exam might; several of those hours can be done as self-directed learning.
How can I earn the Advanced Scrum Master (ASM) Certification?
This learning path includes the following sections and all of them must be completed:
Advanced Facilitation: Conflict and Collaboration (Micro-credential)
Measuring ART and Team Flow (SAFe Skill)
Accelerating Team Flow (SAFe Skill)
Cultivating High-Performing Teams (SAFe Skill)
Advanced Scrum Learning Lab (Facilitated Learning Lab)
Advanced Scrum Master Exam (a practice test and study guide are available to assist with exam preparation)
This path is offered in cohorts and includes rostered experiences. Be sure to find a course on the Training Calendar with dates that fit your schedule for the in-class portions.
How long does it take to complete all of the learning in the Advanced Certificate: Scrum Master path?
It is possible for a trainer to offer this path over 4 or 5 days but we recommend 10 - 14 days based on our live tests and observations as well as data from trainers and learners.
Advanced Facilitation: Conflict and Collaboration = About 5.5 - 7 hours of learning
Measuring ART and Team flow = 1 hour or less of learning for English speaking learners
Accelerating Team flow = 1 hour or less of learning for English speaking learners
Cultivating High-performing teams = 1 hour or less of learning for English speaking learners
Learning Lab = 4 hours of learning
Certification Exam = 1 hour duration; Practice Test duration = 1 hour
Total Projected learning time = 15-17 hours
Are there prerequisites to take this path?
We believe that the ideal learning experience is for a learner to first complete SAFe Scrum Master in order to understand the core responsibility areas of this role, and the SAFe Principles and then working as a Scrum Master/Team Coach before taking this certification path. Therefore, we have a strongly stated suggested pre-requisite to take SAFe Scrum Master first or have working experience as a Scrum Master/Team Coach. However, this is not a requirement before taking this course.
What is a Learning Lab and how does it differ from a Micro-credential Course?
Here is a quick video explanation of learning labs vs. Micro-credential courses.
Although both Learning Labs and Micro-credentials are rostered, short courses, Learning Labs function differently from Micro-credentials. They are intended to support learners to put into use all of the learnings they have gained throughout the advanced role path. All advanced roles will include a Learning Lab at the end as a chance to practice what has been learned cumulatively throughout all modules they’ve completed learning from with facilitator support and peer-learning. Currently, all advanced roles are planned to have a learning lab.
How can I renew this certification?
This product is renewable at the SAFe Advanced level and can be renewed with your other SAFe Certifications yearly. You can find a full breakdown of those levels here.
Do I have to complete items in order?
The learning plan places the learning items in the suggested order. However, we have not enforced completion in that order.
What does a versionless certification mean?
This renewable product currently does not need any continuing education to keep up with it only renewal as you would any other certification.
Having a versionless certification allows us to better manage the upkeep that happens when additional framework materials are developed. Because this certification is modeled around Skills and Micro-credential Courses, this certification path can see incremental improvements without having to adjust our completed Advanced Certification product as a whole.
Additionally, this course can also be taught at any time with one consistent license, no need to upgrade licenses as the course itself is upgraded. Since it is being consistently updated along with the Framework, organizations do not need to upgrade their certified individuals every few years. This results in less manual tracking of individual certifications, ensuring the Learning Lab is up-to-date with relevant content via an abilities assessment that asks people to demonstrate ability, rather than memorize content, and provides a continuous pipeline for their employees to engage with up-to-date content.
What if I have a SASM 6.0 badge from the upgrade I completed?
The SAFe Advanced Scrum Master 4.x, 5.x and 6.x badges will always be available to our learners. Those are not going away. The SASM 6.0 badge was acquired through those who are upgrading their 5.x badges using the 'Expert Upgrade' (for SPCs) or 'Upgrade path' (all others). It denotes that a candidate took an exam and passed and are now enabled to understand all of our current framework. This badge is independent of our new ASM badge.
Why is the badge image a new shape and design?
The new badge design is intended to be unique and represent the skills and abilities obtained through the Advanced Certification Path. This new design can sit very nicely next to other traditional certification badges to show an advancement in your role.
Who can teach the instructor-led portions of this path?
Any current ASPC that has completed the ASM Enablement can teach those portions in a private setting. Currently, for a public setting, the ASPC must be part of one of our Partner organizations.