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Project Management Institute’s Certification ProgramHerman Walter, PMP

VP Administration & Finance

Project Management Institute – Assembly of Chapter Presidents

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Presentation Goals Discuss the three current certification

programs available through the Project Management Institute (PMI®) .

Discuss the eligibility requirements for each exam.

Discuss recertification requirements for the Project Management Professional (PMP®).

Review study tips for the PMP® exam. Answer any questions.

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Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM™) Exam

Targeted for PM practitioners who are in supporting roles.– Assists in evaluation of project control plans.– Suggests performance indicators and limits.– Assists in refining project requirements,

assumptions, and constraints.– Supports administrative and financial

closure.

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Eligibility Requirements

Category 1: Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent– Minimum of 1,500 hours of project

management experience within three-year period prior to the application.

• Must indicate at least 24 unique (non-overlapping) months of experience.

• Must identify hours per process area.

– Minimum of 23 “contact” hours of project management education.

• Contact hours will be defined later.

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Eligibility Requirements (Cont’d)

Category 2: High School Diploma or Equivalent– Minimum of 2,500 hours of project

management experience within three-year period prior to the application.

• Must indicate at least 24 unique (non-overlapping) months of experience.

• Must identify hours per process area.

– Minimum of 23 “contact” hours of project management education.

• Contact hours will be defined later.

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Contact Hours

Instruction hours in a learning environment that must have been accrued prior to the submission of the application, but there is no time limit.

Instruction hours must include content on one to all nine knowledge areas per the PMBOK® Guide.– Quality, Scope, Time, Cost, Risk,

Procurement, Human Resources, Communications, and Integration.

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Sources of Contact Hours University/college

academic and continuing education programs.

Courses or programs offered by training companies or consultants.

Courses or programs offered by PMI® components.

Courses or programs offered by PMI® Registered Education Providers (REP).

Courses or programs offered by employer/ company-sponsored programs.

Courses or programs offered by distance-learning companies

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CAPM™ Exam Structure Multiple-choice format.

– 150 questions.– Three hours allotted time.– Recall level assessment: define terms.

• Covers the five domains plus Professional Responsibility.

Computer-based exam.– Given at secure Prometric Testing Center

(PTC) sites.– Paper exams will be administered outside of

North America when there is no PTC site available.

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CAPM™ Exam Fees First Time Sitting for Exam:

– Eligibility letter is valid for 6 months.– $225 US fee for PMI members.– $300 US fee for nonmembers.

Retaking the Exam– Must submit re-examination form within one

year of original test date.• Reduced fee needs to be paid to retake the exam.

– Individual has six months to re-take the exam upon issuance of the eligibility letter.

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Maintaining CAPM™ Credential Initial designation is valid for a

maximum of five years.– Final year is the fifth full calendar year after

the year in which the exam was passed.– No requirements for continued education.– Within five years, individual must apply

again for CAPM™ exam and pass it to maintain his/her credential.

An individual can take the PMP® certification exam anytime during the five-year period upon meeting eligibility criteria.

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PMP® Certification Exam

Targeted for project management practitioners.

Is constructed to measure the individual’s application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques that are utilized in the practice of project management.

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Eligibility Requirements

Category 1: Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent– Minimum of 4,500 hours of project

management experience within six-year period prior to the application.

• Must indicate at least 36 unique (non-overlapping) months of experience.

• Must identify hours per process area.

– Minimum of 35 “contact” hours of project management education.

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Eligibility Requirements (Cont’d)

Category 2: High School Diploma or Equivalent– Minimum of 7,500 hours of project

management experience within eight-year period prior to the application.

• Must indicate at least 60 unique (non-overlapping) months of experience.

• Must identify hours per process area.

– Minimum of 35 “contact” hours of project management education.

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PMP® Exam Structure Multiple-choice format.

– 200 questions.– Four hours allotted time.– Many questions are scenario-based.

• Covers the five domains plus Professional Responsibility.

Computer-based exam.– Given at secure Prometric Testing Center

(PTC) sites.– Paper exams will be administered outside of

North America when there is no PTC site available.

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PMP® Exam Fees First Time Sitting for Exam:

– Eligibility letter is valid for 6 months.– $405 US fee for PMI members.– $555 US fee for nonmembers.

Retaking the Exam– Must submit re-examination form within one

year of original test date.• Reduced fee needs to be paid to retake the exam.

– Individual has six months to re-take the exam upon issuance of the eligibility letter.

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Maintaining PMP® Credential

Certification is valid for three years.– Final year is the third full calendar year

after the year in which the exam was passed. PMP® must obtain 60 Professional

Development Units (PDUs) during the three years to maintain his/her credential.– Details on the Continuing Certification

Requirements (CCR) Program will be provided later in this presentation.

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Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) Exam Targeted for project management

practitioners in specific industries.– Applicant must be PMP® certified.– Needs to demonstrate industry-specific

knowledge.

Credential identifies individual as being knowledgeable in both project management and the specific industries.

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Available CAQ Exams

Automotive – Scheduled yearly since 1999.

Information Technology – Systems– First exam will be offered in July 2002.

Project Management Office– First exam will be offered in July 2002

Future Exams– Capital Projects, Pharmaceutical,

Information Technology - Networks

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Eligibility Requirements

Must be a certified PMP®. Must have 1,500 hour of industry-specific

experience .– Must be over a minimum of a two-year

period within the previous four years prior to filling out the application.

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CAQ Exam Structure

Multiple-choice format.– 75 questions.– 2 hours allotted time.

Paper and pencil based exam.– No computer based testing available.– PMI HQ establishes test sites.

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CAQ Exam Fees

First Time Sitting for Exam:– Eligibility letter contains scheduling

information.– $100 US fee.

Retaking the Exam– Must submit re-examination form within one

year of original test date.– Individual must take the next exam

administered.

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Maintaining CAQ Credential

CAQ certification is valid for three years.– Final year is the third full calendar year

after the year in which the exam was passed. 10 of the 60 PDUs required for PMP®

recertification must be related to the specific industry that the credential was granted for.– Future editions of the CAQ handbooks will

have additional information regarding this process, especially for individuals that have more than one CAQ credential.

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Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) Program The purpose of the CCR program is to:

– Sustain the PMP® as a global certification credential

– Enhance the ongoing professional development of PMPs

– Encourage and recognize individualized learning opportunities

– Offer a standardized and objective method for attaining and recording professional development activities

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Professional Development Unit

One PDU = one hour spent in a planned, structured learning experience or activity.– Activities must be related to project

management topics.– Activities must be consistent with the

knowledge areas and processes as outlined in the 2000 edition of the PMBOK® Guide.

PDUs can be claimed in 0.25 increments.

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PDU Categories Category 1: Formal Academic Education

– No limit on amount that can be claimed. Category 2: Professional Activities

– Covers writing articles, making presentations, or developing a program.

– PMP® can claim 5 PDUs per year for providing professional project management services to employers or other groups.

– Can claim a maximum of 15 PDUs over three-year period for “self-directed learning” activities.

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PDU Categories (Continued)

Category 3: PMI REP Programs Category 4: Programs from Other

Providers– PMP® must maintain registration form,

certificate or letter of attendance, and a brochure or course materials.

Category 5: Service to Professional or Community Organizations– Can claim a maximum of 20 PDUs during

three-year period.

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PDU Reporting

Fax or mail completed Activities Reporting Form to the PMI/CCR Records Department at:

PMI/CCR

College of Continuing Education

1700 Asp Avenue

Norman, OK 73072-6400 USA

Email completed forms to pmirecords@pmi.org. Fill out form and submit online. Form can be

found at http://www.pmi.org/certification/ccr/forms.htm.

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PMP® Exam Preparation Tips

Know the 2000 edition of the PMBOK® Guide and its definitions.– Retype the PMBOK® Guide and paraphrase

it in your own words.– PMI® administers the exam, not other

sources – including your employer. Therefore, go with the answer that reflects the PMI® point of view.

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PMP® Exam Tips (Continued)

Use multiple references to prepare for the exam.

Take as many practice exams as you can.– Be careful: you’ll start to remember answers

without knowing why they are correct. Participate in a study group and/or a

formal PMP® preparation class. Review incorrect answers and

understand why your answer was wrong and why correct answer is correct.

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Recommended References

PMP Exam Prep and PM FASTrack CD-ROM by Rita Mulcahy, PMP.– Available through the PMI Bookstore (

http://www/pmibookstore.org) or http://www.rmcproject.com.

– PM FASTrack simulates actual computer-based test.

Project Manager’s Desk Reference by A.J. Thomas, PMP and Dick Billows, GCA.– Available through the Hampton Group’s website:

http://www.4pm.com.

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PMP® References (Continued)

Available through the PMI Bookstore (http://www.pmibookstore.org) and ESI’s website (http://www.esi-intl.com):– Project Management Terms – A Working

Glossary by J. LeRoy Ward, PMP.– PMP Exam Practice Test and Study Guide by

J. LeRoy Ward, PMP.– PMP Challenge! By J. LeRoy Ward, PMP

and Ginger Levin, D.P.A.

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PMP® References (Continued)

Available through the PMI Bookstore and International Institute for Learning’s website (http://www.iil.com):– Project Management – A Systems Approach to

Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling by Harold Kernzer, Ph.D.

• Mixed reaction from people on this book. Some swear by it, others swear at it!

– Project Management IQ CD-ROM.• Simulates actual computer-based test.

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Questions?

Thank You.