AWS Solutions Architect - Associate, Professional Certificate
Progress from AWS architecture fundamentals to secure, scalable, serverless solutions and focused certification preparation.
Duration
Approx 12 weeks2-5 hrs per week
Advance your AWS solutions architecture expertise
Effective cloud architecture is about making informed choices across security, resilience, performance, scalability, and cost.
On this five-course Professional Certificate, you’ll explore how AWS solutions architects turn business and technical requirements into cloud environments designed for real-world demands.
Begin with the fundamentals of architecting on AWS before applying those principles to a complete three-tier web architecture.
You’ll examine how compute, networking, storage, security, and database services come together to support applications that can evolve as requirements change.
Design secure and governed AWS environments
Progress into architecture where security, compliance, and governance are central to the design.
You’ll explore credential management, layered security controls, automation, continuous compliance, and the architectural decisions needed to balance protection with operational efficiency.
Explore modern serverless architecture
Move into event-driven systems and microservices, examining how AWS serverless services can support decoupled, scalable applications.
You’ll consider how events, APIs, and distributed services interact within modern cloud architectures.
Work towards AWS Solutions Architect certification
Complete the pathway with focused preparation for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C03) exam.
You’ll revisit secure, resilient, high-performing, and cost-optimised architectures through domain reviews, hands-on practice, and official exam-style activities.
By the end, you’ll have strengthened both your practical architecture judgement and your readiness to demonstrate that knowledge through AWS certification.
Key skills you will learn
- AWS Solutions Architecture
- Cloud Architecture
- AWS Security
- Hybrid Cloud Architecture
- Cost Optimisation
- Data-Driven Architecture
- Containerised Architecture
Learning outcomes
By the end of the Professional Certificate, you’ll be able to...
- Identify core compute, storage, networking, and database components within a standard three-tier AWS architecture.
- Describe AWS credential management, layered security controls, and automated governance practices.
- Explore the main components of serverless, event-driven architectures and decoupled microservices.
- Explain the fundamental principles of security, resilience, performance, scalability, and cost optimization in AWS design.
- Reflect upon key domain topics and exam-style questions for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C03) certification.
Experience required
This is an intermediate pathway for learners with existing AWS knowledge. You should understand core AWS services and management interfaces before starting, ideally through previous AWS training or hands-on cloud experience.
The courses progress from architecture fundamentals into application design, security, governance, serverless systems, and certification preparation.
Getting started
Choose this Professional Certificate if you want to move beyond individual AWS services and understand how complete cloud architectures are designed around real requirements.
It is particularly relevant for cloud engineers, technical professionals, and aspiring solutions architects who want to sharpen their design judgement, work across modern AWS architecture patterns, and prepare for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate exam.
Professional Certificate course overview
Course 1
Fundamentals of Architecting on AWS
Explore the principles, services, and design decisions behind resilient, high-performing, and cost-conscious AWS architectures.
2 tests
2 weeks
5 hours per week
Week 1
AWS Solutions Architect - Fundamentals of Architecting on AWS
- Foundations of AWS Solution Design
- Introduction to the AWS Global Infrastructure
- Walkthrough of the AWS Well-Architected Tool
Week 2
AWS Solutions Architect - Fundamentals of Security on AWS
- Fundamentals of Security on AWS
- Introduction to AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)
- Lab - Introduction to AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Course 2
Designing a Three-Tier Web Architecture
Apply AWS architecture principles to design a secure, scalable three-tier web application across multiple data layers
2 tests
2 weeks
5 hours per week
Week 1
AWS Solutions Architect - Designing a Three-Tier Web Architecture
- Building a Proof of Concept (POC)
- Validating Requirements
Week 2
AWS Solutions Architect - Designing a Containerized Architecture
- Designing a Containerized Architecture
- Designing Multi-Region Database Solutions
- Working with Amazon Elastic Container Service
Course 3
Designing a Compliant, Secure, and Governed Architecture
Study how to design AWS architectures with security, compliance, identity, monitoring, and governance built in from the start.
2 tests
2 weeks
5 hours per week
Week 1
AWS Solutions Architect - Designing a Compliant, Secure, and Governed Architecture
- Designing a Compliant, Secure, and Governed Architecture
- Implementing core security tools and services
- Monitoring , Auditing, And Compliance in AWS
- Putting It All Together
- Lab - Automate Infrastructure Compliance with AWS Config
Week 2
AWS Solutions Architect - Designing a Hybrid Architecture
- Designing a Hybrid Architecture
- Planning For The Future
- Putting It All Together
Course 4
Designing a Serverless Architecture with Event-Driven Microservices
Probe how serverless services and event-driven microservices can support scalable and loosely coupled AWS architecture.
2 tests
2 weeks
5 hours per week
Week 1
AWS Solutions Architect - Designing a Serverless Architecture with Event-Driven Microservices
- Week Overview
- Designing a Serverless Architecture
- Decoupling Microservices with AWS Messaging Services
- Securing Serverless Architectures
- Orchestrating Workflows
- Observability
- Putting It All Together
- Event Driven Architecture with Amazon API Gateway, Amazon EventBridge and AWS Lambda
- Build a Serverless Architecture with Amazon Simple Notification Service, Amazon Simple Queue Service, and AWS Lambda
- Lab - Monitoring Micro-Service Architectures with AWS X-Ray and Amazon CloudWatch
Week 2
AWS Solutions Architect - Designing a Data-Driven Architecture
- Designing a Data-Driven Architecture
- Data processing Foundations and Infrastructure
- Analytics And Visualization
- AWS Solutions Architect - Summary and Resources
Course 5
AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Exam Prep
Sharpen your AWS architecture knowledge with official questions, labs, simulations, and focused SAA-C03 exam preparation.
4 weeks
2 hours per week
Week 1
Exam Preparation Part 1
- Exam Prep Overview
- Domain 1 Review
Week 2
Exam Preparation Part 2
- Domain 2 Review
- Domain 3 Review
Week 3
Exam Preparation Part 3
- Domain 4 Review
- Official Practice Question Set
Week 4
Exam Preparation Part 4
- Exam Prep Summary
- Walkthrough of the AWS Well-Architected Tool
Prove you're job ready
Highlight the new, job-relevant skills you’ve gained and supplement existing qualifications with a hard-earned, industry-specific digital certificate – plus one for every course within your Professional Certificate.
- Learn the latest in your chosen industry or subject.
- Complete each course and pass assessments.
- Receive certificates validated by the educating organisation.
- Impress employers with learning outcomes you can add to your CV.
- Make your career dreams a reality.
Download a PDF
How Professional Certificates work
Join a Professional Certificate to specialise your skills in your chosen area. Work through a series of topic-focused courses at your own pace, and pass the final assessment to earn a digital certificate award which proves your expertise.
Decide if the Professional Certificate is right for you with free access to the full suite of courses and assessments for 2 days.
Pay a monthly subscription fee of $74 for as long as it takes you to complete the Professional Certificate. You can learn at your own pace and cancel at any time.
Receive a certificate for every completed course and pass the final assessment to earn a digital certificate.
Use your specialist training to progress further in your career or build expertise in areas you’re passionate about.
World-class learning with Amazon Web Services (AWS)
AWS is the world’s most comprehensive cloud, enabling organizations to accelerate innovation, reduce costs, and scale more efficiently.
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn
What are our learners saying?
Add a new skill or forge a new path
"I recommend Futurelearn to anyone looking to learn and upskill...If you are in the job market, you might want to add a new skill or forge a new path."
They bring the classroom right to you
"FutureLearn courses are always interesting and informative. They bring the classroom right to you and send you on a journey to explore new ideas and offer interesting topics."
Start learning today - free 2-day trial
After your free trial you can:
- Pay $74 per month to keep learning online
- Have complete control over your subscription; you can cancel any time
- Work at your own pace and set your own deadlines at every stage
- Only pay while you’re learning; the subscription will cancel automatically when you finish
- Complete online assessments to test your knowledge and prove your skills
- Earn digital course certificates and a final award that you can share online, with potential employers, and your professional network
FAQ
Professional Certificates are a series of online courses designed to help you specialise your skills. You pay a monthly subscription fee which includes access to all courses within the Professional Certificate, as well as assessments and the final digital certificate.
Each Professional Certificate comes with a 2-day free trial period. You may cancel your subscription at any time and your subscription will automatically cancel when you finish the courses and assessments in your chosen Professional Certificate.
Yes. All of our Professional Certificates come with a 2-day free trial. You may claim one free trial period per Professional Certificate.
You have two days before you will be charged your first monthly subscription fee. When you join a Professional Certificate you automatically receive a 2-day free trial period. You can cancel at any time during the trial period and no payment will be taken from your account.
Please see our full refund policy here.
No, all of our Professional Certificates consist of fully online courses. This means you can take a Professional Certificate from anywhere in the world.
Recognition varies by Professional Certificate. Some may offer professional accreditation or recognition from an industry body, while others are designed to help you demonstrate your skills and professional development. Check the individual course page for full details.
Have more questions about Professional Certificates? Read the FutureLearn FAQs, or contact us.