Dear Members and Friends,
The Los Angeles and San Diego chapters are hosting two ONLINE independent study groups (‘Cohorts’) for the INCOSE Systems Engineering Professional (SEP) certification starting Thursday, 9 April 2026, and Friday, 10 April 2026.
These Cohorts are 10 week sessions that help students prepare for the INCOSE SEP certification knowledge exam. Each Cohort will also offer an optional 11th-week session focused on reviewing potential exam questions.
Please note that there are TWO separate Cohorts available! The Los Angeles Cohort will be held on Thursday evenings, and the San Diego Cohort will held on Friday mornings, both Pacific Time. Use the links below for more information and to register.
Individuals in Southern California are especially encouraged to register, as we plan to offer two in-person SEP paper exams in Los Angeles and San Diego shortly after the Cohorts conclude.
Non-INCOSE members are also welcome to register.
Questions? Contact us at info@sdincose.org and/or info@incose-la.org.
Registration Pages
*** THURSDAY Evening SEP Cohort, 7:00-8:30 PM Pacific Time, 9 April – 11 June, 2026
*** FRIDAY Morning SEP Cohort, 8-10 AM Pacific Time, 10 April – 12 June, 2026
Important Information
Each Cohort is 10 weeks long and will meet once a week using either Zoom or Microsoft Teams. (Which we use will be determined and announced beforehand.)
* The Thursday evening Cohort sessions are expected to last for 1.5 hours, from 7:00pm – 8:30pm Pacific Time. The Friday morning Cohort sessions are expected to last for 2 hours, from 8am – 10am Pacific Time.
* The Cohorts will cover the INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook Version 5, upon which the knowledge exam is based.
* The INCOSE Los Angeles chapter will host the Thursday evenings Cohort. The Friday mornings Cohort will be hosted by INCOSE San Diego.
* The Thursday Cohort begins on 9 April, 2026, and the Friday Cohort begins on 10 April 2026. There will be an optional extra meeting the following week on 18th and 19th, respectively, to discuss exam questions.
* We may limit each class to 50 students. Please sign up immediately if you are interested, and only if you are serious about attending! Please be serious about taking the INCOSE Systems Engineering Professional (SEP) exam as well.
* Both Cohorts the will cover the same material each week, so please choose the one that works for you. You are also welcome to join the other Cohort to listen in / make up for a missed session.
* The registration fee is $125. However, participants are eligible for up to an 80% refund:
- 40% Refund for fulfilling your participation responsibilities, including creating a presentation deck and presenting to the Cohort. Note: Every participant must present to receive this refund— no exceptions! Presentations may be done in small teams depending on the number of students.
- Additional 40% Refund upon providing proof of having taken the SEP exam (pass or fail) by December 31, 2026.
* The LA and San Diego chapters will also organize in-person paper exams approximately 3 weeks after conclusion of the Cohorts. The exact locations are to be determined (TBD), but will be somewhere in the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego.
* The paper exam cost is TBD, but we hope to make it very inexpensive for all Cohort participants.
* We will apply INCOSE’s Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) adjustments to reduce the registration cost for students from smaller economy countries:
- PPP2 Countries: 25% discount ($93.75 total)
- PPP3 Countries: 50% discount ($62.50 total)
Please see each country’s PPP rating Here and CONTACT US if you have any questions at info@sdincose.org
* All students are required to pay via PayPal to join the Cohort. If you don’t have a PayPal account you can still make payment using a credit card through the PayPal site.
* All registered students who have submitted payment will receive the course curriculum and meeting link a few days prior to the first session.
About the Cohort Structure
Cohorts are largely student-led learning experiences. Each participant will be part of a small team responsible for presenting a section of the INCOSE Handbook Version 5 to the entire Cohort. To support these sessions, the LA and SD chapters will supply team leaders (typically two per meeting) to facilitate 2026 10-week Systems Engineering Professional (SEP) Certification Group Study Cohort – FRIDAY MORNINGS
Preparation and Materials
You must have your own copy of the INCOSE Handbook, Version 5.
- INCOSE members can download it for free from the INCOSE Store (you must log in).
- Non-members will need to purchase a copy.
All participants are strongly encouraged to review each week’s assigned material in advance to fully engage with the presentations and ask thoughtful questions. NOTE – this Cohort is only supplemental to reading the Handbook! It is strongly encouraged to read the Handbook from beginning to end (twice is recommended).
Before the First Session
- Please read Chapter 1: Systems Engineering Introduction of the Handbook.
- Familiarize yourself with the key Terms and Definitions in Appendix C
Technical Requirements
Please ensure your computer or network does not block access to Zoom, as this will be our primary platforms. Also, you will need to access Google Drive to see the class material, upload documents, etc.
Schedules
For the Thursday and Friday Cohorts schedules, please see their specific registration pages (their links are at the top of this page).
About SEP Certification
What is Systems Engineering Professional certification? Certification is a formal process whereby a community of knowledgeable, experienced, and skilled representatives of an organization, such as INCOSE, provides confirmation of an individual’s competency (demonstrated knowledge, education, and experience) in a specified profession. Certification differs from licensing in that licenses are permissions granted by a government entity for a person to practice within its regulatory boundaries. Certification also differs from a “certificate” that documents the successful completion of a training or education program. There are three types of INCOSE SEP certification: ASEP, CSEP, and ESEP. Please read more here.
What is the Systems Engineering Professional exam? The SEP exam is a 2-hour exam designed to test your knowledge of INCOSE systems engineering practices and processes. Please read more here.
Please contact us at info@sdincose.org and/or info@incose-la.org for more information.
What Each Student Will Need for the Cohort
Each student who attends a Cohort will need the following:
- A copy of the INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook:A Guide for System Life Cycle Processes and Activities, 5th Edition. An electronic version of this is available free for all INCOSE members. Non-members must purchase the handbook. Visit the INCOSE store HERE. Important – you must have Version 5.
- The ability to log in and participate in the weekly Zoom sessions. Please ensure your computer and/or network does not block access to Zoom. Also ensure it doesn’t block Google Drive.
- A commitment to build a slide deck and to present the agreed-upon material to the Cohort (this might be part of a small team). Presenting will result in 40% refund of the cost of registration.
- You should have interest and intent to take the INCOSE SEP exam, though this is not mandatory. Proof of you taking the exam by 31 Dec 2026 will result in 40% refund of the cost of registration. All payments and refunds will be made using PayPal. Note that you do NOT have to have a PayPal account; you can also pay on PayPal using a credit card.
Thank you! Please contact us at info@sdincose.org and/or info@incose-la.org if you have any questions, and we look forward to meeting you on April 9th!
The INCOSE LA and San Diego Chapters