Certification preparation
Advanced Scrum Master Skills (A-CSM Preparation)
A 2-day course to deepen Scrum Master facilitation, coaching, and organisational change skills through simulations and A-CSM preparation.
THE BIG PICTURE
About this course
Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM) is an advanced credential awarded by Scrum Alliance to experienced Scrum Masters who want to expand their coaching and facilitation capability. Across two days (09:00–17:30), this preparation course develops advanced facilitation, team coaching, conflict navigation, systemic impediment removal, and organisational change skills. You will work through realistic scenarios, simulations, and peer feedback, applying techniques to your current team context. There is no separate exam for A-CSM. Scrum Alliance awards the certification after completing an approved A-CSM course taught by a Scrum Alliance trainer, holding an active CSM, and confirming at least 12 months of Scrum Master experience within the last five years. This class supports your skills and application readiness; it does not itself confer the certification. Scrum Alliance owns the certification scheme. MindClick provides training and exam preparation and is not an accredited or authorised partner.
What you’ll learn
- Facilitate Scrum events with advanced structures that improve focus, participation, and outcomes
- Coach teams using stance, presence, and powerful questions to grow ownership and problem-solving
- Diagnose team dynamics and handle conflict constructively while strengthening psychological safety
- Identify and remove systemic impediments using root-cause analysis, flow metrics, and experiments
- Support the Product Owner with outcome-centric backlog practices and stakeholder collaboration
- Guide organisational change with pragmatic strategies for scaling, sponsorship, and transparency
- Select and interpret metrics that inform decisions without driving harmful behaviours
- Prepare your Scrum Alliance profile, experience evidence, and next steps for the A-CSM application
A CLEAR PATH FORWARD
2-day course agenda
2 instructor-led days (16 contact hours) mapped to the exam domains. Each day combines short concept sessions, hands-on practice on a running case study and exam-style questions.
- Learning route
- 2 recommended days
- Practical work
- 2 guided activities
- Finish with
- Mock exam + certification exam
Take a look at each day. Open a section to see the topics and practical work.
Day 1Facilitation, coaching, and team dynamicsCore competencies, empiricism, events facilitation, team dynamics
What we’ll cover
- 09:00–09:30 · Goals, context check, and working agreements
- 09:30–10:30 · Empiricism in practice: decisions, feedback loops, and risk
- 10:45–12:15 · Advanced facilitation patterns for Scrum events and workshops
- 13:15–14:30 · Coaching stance: presence, questions, and listening drills
- 14:30–15:30 · Team dynamics, conflict frameworks, and psychological safety
- 15:45–16:45 · Metrics that matter: flow, quality, and transparency anti-patterns
- 16:45–17:15 · Exam-style practice questions and debrief (A-CSM learning objectives)
- 17:15–17:30 · Day wrap-up and personal commitments
Put it into practice
Facilitate a Sprint Review redesign using a real or anonymised product scenario while peers observe with a checklist. Rotate roles and capture facilitation moves, outcomes, and improvement ideas.
You’ll take away
Facilitation plan and feedback log
Day 2Impediments, product partnership, and organisational changeService to team, product owner, and organisation; scaling; change; impediments
What we’ll cover
- 09:00–09:20 · Recap of Day 1 and review of overnight experiments
- 09:20–10:30 · Working with Product Owners: outcomes, backlog quality, and stakeholders
- 10:45–12:00 · Root-cause analysis and systemic impediment removal techniques
- 13:00–14:15 · Coaching the organisation: change strategies, sponsorship, and alignment
- 14:15–15:15 · Scaling considerations, cross-team flow, and dependency management
- 15:30–16:15 · Ethical influencing across boundaries and constructive negotiation
- 16:15–17:00 · Mock exam-style quiz and certification application/booking guidance (A-CSM has no exam booking)
- 17:00–17:30 · Personal action plan, evidence checklist, and next steps
Put it into practice
Run a systemic impediment workshop on a current or anonymised blocker using causal-loop mapping and experiment design. Draft an organisational change experiment with clear measures and stakeholders.
You’ll take away
Impediment backlog with experiments and stakeholder map
Bring it all together
Certification exam: Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM), awarded by Scrum Alliance. Confirm the current exam format with the awarding body when you book. Validity: Renews every two years via Scrum Education Units (SEUs) and a renewal fee.. Every attendee also receives a MindClick certificate of completion for 16 contact hours.
What you receive
You earn two separate credentials. The sample shows the MindClick training certificate.
- MindClick certificate of completion: 2 days, 16 contact hours, issued to every attendee who completes the course.
- Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM): issued by Scrum Alliance when you meet its requirements and pass the exam.
Before you choose your learning route
Certification route: A-CSM is awarded by Scrum Alliance after completing an approved A-CSM course and meeting experience prerequisites; there is no separate exam to book.
Session timings are indicative; the trainer may adjust them for the group. Exam details reflect the awarding body’s published information at the time of writing; confirm the current version when you book.
Scrum Alliance owns this certification scheme. MindClick provides training and exam preparation and is not an accredited or authorised partner of Scrum Alliance.
Fees
| Delivery format | Fee per learner | Exam fee |
|---|---|---|
| Live online | $2,800 USD | Included |
| Classroom | $4,500 USD | Included |
One awarding-body certification exam attempt is included in the training fee. Confirm the current fee, any applicable tax and what the fee covers in writing before you pay.
Prerequisites
- To earn A-CSM, Scrum Alliance requires an active CSM, completion of an approved A-CSM course, and at least 12 months of Scrum Master experience within the last five years. For this class, prior Scrum Master experience is recommended; bring a laptop plus anonymised backlogs and team metrics.
Who is this course for?
- Professionals and teams evaluating this subject for their work.
FIND YOUR START
Confirmed batch starts
Choose a published start, then review your offer in the same enrollment flow. A start date is not the full timetable or a seat reservation.
Choose your country & monthStarts
- Training location
- Manama, Bahrain
- Local timezone
- Asia/Bahrain
Joining details and full session timetable to be supplied.
Starts
- Training location
- Cairo, Egypt
- Local timezone
- Africa/Cairo
Joining details and full session timetable to be supplied.
Starts
- Training location
- Kuwait City, Kuwait
- Local timezone
- Asia/Kuwait
Joining details and full session timetable to be supplied.
Starts
- Training location
- Muscat, Oman
- Local timezone
- Asia/Muscat
Joining details and full session timetable to be supplied.
Starts
- Training location
- Doha, Qatar
- Local timezone
- Asia/Qatar
Joining details and full session timetable to be supplied.
Starts
- Training location
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Local timezone
- Asia/Riyadh
Joining details and full session timetable to be supplied.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the course?
2 days, 16 contact hours, normally 09:00 to 17:30 with breaks. The agenda follows the exam domains and the final day includes a mock exam.
Is the exam included?
Yes. Outside India the fee includes one certification exam attempt. Retakes are booked and paid directly with the awarding body. A-CSM is awarded by Scrum Alliance after completing an approved A-CSM course and meeting experience prerequisites; there is no separate exam to book.
Are there prerequisites?
To earn A-CSM, Scrum Alliance requires an active CSM, completion of an approved A-CSM course, and at least 12 months of Scrum Master experience within the last five years. For this class, prior Scrum Master experience is recommended; bring a laptop plus anonymised backlogs and team metrics.
What certificate will I receive?
Two credentials. MindClick issues a certificate of completion for 16 contact hours to every attendee. Scrum Alliance issues the Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM) certification when you pass the exam and meet its requirements. Renews every two years via Scrum Education Units (SEUs) and a renewal fee..
Is MindClick an accredited training partner for this certification?
MindClick provides training and preparation and is not an accredited or authorised partner of Scrum Alliance; Scrum Alliance administers the A-CSM certification process.
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