Specialty Certification

Certified Information Systems Examiner (CISE) 

Candidates for the CISE designation must provide evidence of all of the following:

  1. Must have met the requirements for the ACISE.
  2. Must have completed a minimum of 36 months writing IS examinations to include A- or B-rated financial institutions or third-party service providers as defined by the FDIC InTREx Program and service as Examiner-in-Charge on at least fifteen (15) examinations. Private sector experience may be substituted on a case-by-case basis. NOTE: An application will be reviewed based on the available number of IS/IT examinations within the applicant's state.
  3. Must have completed 80 hours of advanced IS/IT relevant education courses over the previous three years.*

Applicants must ensure that they meet all certification requirements and will then complete an attestation of successful job performance and mastery of job-related skills, providing a thorough written response for each competency category. Their supervisor will then review and affirm the attestation to ensure accuracy and completeness. The core competencies are an integral part of the certification, and a high degree of reliance is placed on the attestation for determining compliance with these skill areas. The supervisor reviewing the application form should be familiar with the applicant’s experience, performance, and skills/abilities and be confident that the applicant meets all the requirements outlined in the form.

TECHNICAL - Provides effective leadership and organization to the examination process:

  • Effectively supervises personnel to ensure adherence to examination procedures and policies
  • Provides effective training
  • Monitors progress of assigned personnel to ensure accurate and timely completion of work
  • Effectively organizes and delegates assignments
  • Supervises, organizes, and effectively documents workpapers according to prescribed procedures
  • Effectively supervises and oversees the entire examination process

CONCEPTUAL - Provides effective and accurate evaluation of the overall activities of the IS/IT area of a financial institution and/or third-party service provider:

  • Effectively demonstrates knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, rules and regulations
  • Effectively follows established examination procedures to collect and analyze data
  • Develops correct conclusions from collected data
  • Effectively reviews reports for accuracy, content, conclusions, and proper grammar
  • Effectively evaluates and adjusts scope of examination as each situation requires

LEGAL/COMPLIANCE - Demonstrated knowledge of applicable laws/regulations and ability to apply knowledge to the examination process.

HUMAN RELATIONS - Provides effective oral and written communications:

  • Effectively demonstrates knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, rules, and regulations
  • Effectively and clearly communicates assignments to assisting personnel
  • Effectively and clearly communicates with financial institution personnel to obtain information
  • Effectively and clearly communicates examination findings to financial institution or third-party service provider, and to supervisory personnel
  • Effectively prepares written comments which are accurate, grammatically correct, logically arranged, and factually support any conclusions drawn
  • Effectively conducts meetings with management and the boards of directors of financial institutions and of third-party service providers
  • Effectively coordinates examination planning and execution with other state and federal supervisory authorities as needed

IS Recertification

Every three years, participants will be required to provide evidence of the successful completion of a minimum of 63 continuing education hours (CEH). If an examiner exceeds this requirement, up to 14 CEHs may be carried over into the new three-year term. Continuing education should be selected with the goal of maintaining, improving, or expanding the examiner’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Participants are also required to review and remain in compliance with updates to certifications. Should a material change related to the certification occur, additional training may be required to maintain certification.

Examples of qualifying programs and activities are listed below. 

Courses/Seminars - CSBS and Federally Sponsored

  • Information Systems continuing education
  • E-Banking
  • CyberBanking
  • CSBS Technology Seminar
  • Information Systems Symposium
  • Web Banking and Payment Systems Risk
  • Information Systems & Technology Conference

Commercial Training Providers

Courses and seminars such as those provided by the MIS Training Institute or other nationally recognized training qualify for continuing education credits depending upon the nature and content of the course. Evidence regarding applicability of course content to IS examinations and length of the seminar must be provided to obtain credit when applying for recertification. The following is a list of classes, which would provide continuing education from MIS Training Institute. The list is not all inclusive and other commercial sources may be utilized as long as they are nationally recognized training centers for IS education and documentation of applicability is provided when applying for credit for the course.

  • Advanced Business Applications Auditing and Testing
  • Advanced IT Audit and Security
  • Audit and Security of Electronic Commerce
  • How to Audit Automated Business Applications
  • How to Audit the Application Development Process
  • How to Perform a General Controls Review
  • Intermediate IT Audit and Security
  • Introduction to Auditing Networked Computers
  • IT Auditing and Controls
  • Making the Transition from IT to IT Audit

Colleges and University Courses

Courses and seminars such as those provided by colleges and universities qualify for continuing education credits depending upon the nature and content of the course. Evidence regarding applicability of course content to IS/IT examinations and length of the seminar must be provided to obtain credit when applying for recertification.

Other Technology Related Courses

  • Web Training Courses
  • Languages - Perl, Java, etc.
  • E-Business
  • Operating Systems
  • Networking Classes
  • Other Advanced IS/IT relevant classes may be approved on a case-by-case basis

Other Certification Designations

Sixty-three (63) CEHs will be awarded for each approved technology-related certification received or renewed during the three year certification period (i.e. MCP, MCSE, CNE, CLP, CCP, CISA). A copy of the certificate must be provided. However, at least seven CEHs must still be completed each year.

Other

Nontraditional credit for speaking, authoring, teaching, etc., count as continuing education.

Information Systems Acceptance of Equivalent Certification

Examiners who have attained certification from other state or federal agencies and/or associations in related skills may apply for consideration of equivalent certification in the Program.

*NOTE: The completed education requirements ensure that IS/IT examiners seeking certification is and remains current in his/her training in the constantly changing IS/IT landscape. If an applicant is unable, based upon geographic, budgetary, scheduling, or other issues, to complete the required training but is otherwise qualified, he/she is encouraged to request a waiver of the education requirements. The applicant will be required to set forth in detail his/her reasons for seeking certification, and how he/she fulfills the four required competencies listed above.