Project Management

Institutes Certification
Program
Herman Walter, PMP
VP Administration & Finance
Project Management Institute
Assembly of Chapter Presidents

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.

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.

Eligibility Requirements
Category 1: Bachelors Degree or

Equivalent
Minimum of 1,500 hours of project
management experience within three-year
period prior to the application.
Must indicated at least 24 unique (nonoverlapping) months of experience.
Must identify hours per process area.

Minimum of 23 contact hours of project

management education.
Contact hours will be defined later.

Eligibility Requirements (Contd)

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 indicated at least 24 unique (nonoverlapping) months of experience.
Must identify hours per process area.

Minimum of 23 contact hours of project

management education.
Contact hours will be defined later.

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.

Sources of Contact Hours

University/college

Courses or programs

academic and
continuing education
programs.
Courses or programs
offered by training
companies or
consultants.
Courses or programs
offered by PMI
components.

offered by PMI
Registered Education
Providers (REP).
Courses or programs
offered by employer/
company-sponsored
programs.
Courses or programs
offered by distancelearning companies

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.

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.

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.

PMP Certification Exam

Targeted for project management

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

Eligibility Requirements
Category 1: Bachelors Degree or

Equivalent
Minimum of 4,500 hours of project
management experience within six-year
period prior to the application.
Must indicated at least 36 unique (nonoverlapping) months of experience.
Must identify hours per process area.

Minimum of 35 contact hours of project

management education.

Eligibility Requirements (Contd)

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 (nonoverlapping) months of experience.
Must identify hours per process area.

Minimum of 35 contact hours of project

management education.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 - Systems

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.

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.

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 recognized individualized
learning opportunities
Offer a standardized and objective method
for attaining and recording professional
development activities

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.

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.

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: youll 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.

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 Managers Desk Reference by A.J.

Thomas, PMP and Dick Billows, GCA.

Available through the Hampton Groups website:
http://www.4pm.com.

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PMP References (Continued)

Available through the PMI Bookstore

(http://www.pmibookstore.org) and ESIs

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.

PMP References (Continued)

Available through the PMI Bookstore

and International Institute for Learnings

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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