Hi Clint Williams,
First of all, a warm welcome to CodeRanch!
Clint Williams wrote:As someone very new to the field, where would this certification be useful?
I am a double major, graduating with an animation and a computer science degree. My educational bubble has burst and I have recently learned that the majority of what I will need to do to obtain a job will have to be learned on my own. Would this certification help me?
A certification could definitely be useful if you try to obtain a Java developer position, but it's certainly not a guarantee. But it might make the difference between some equivalent candidates. It shows different positive aspects for a developer: eager to learn, want to study and improve your knowledge (in your own time), you are up for a challenge, you have an eye for details,... But you probably not get a job just because you are certified. So a certification is never a guarantee for a job, but it may help turn the scale in your favor.
To become an
Oracle Certified Professional, Java SE 8 (or 7) Programmer, you'll need to (purchase and) pass two exams: the OCA exam (Java && OO basics) and the OCP exam (much more advanced topics). So for Java 8 (the latest and greatest), you need to pass OCA8 (
1Z0-808) + OCP8 (
1Z0-809). If you would opt for some reason for Java 7, you need to pass OCA7 (
1Z0-803) + OCP7 (
1Z0-804). And although it makes sense to take the entry-level exam (OCA) before the more advanced one (OCP), it's not a requirement. You can take both exams in random order.
Hope it helps!
Kind regards,
Roel