18 www.pmtoday.co.uk | May 2017

INTERNATIONAL

Certification Mania A Primer on U.S.-Based Project Management Certifications Available Around the World

By Carl Pritchard, U.S. Correspondent

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Are you certified? As a project manager, that’s not

an uncommon question anymore. But of late, if the

answer is “yes,” the follow-on question is: “which

certification do you have?”.

Since project management certifications began

to proliferate in the 1990s, dozens of professional

certifications have sprouted up, each with its own

unique niche. The predominant certifications are

those offered by the Project Management Institute®,

the PRINCE2® certification, and those offered by

the International Project Management Association.

There are still others offered by private institutions

and universities, as well as those supported by

government entities. Some of the key certifications

on the States-side of the equation are listed here, as

well as some of the supporting information about the

credentialing body.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE CERTIFICATIONS (PMI.ORG)

The Project Management Professional (PMP®)The PMP® came into being in 1984 with the first sitting for the exam, which yielded 43 certified professionals. Since that time, over 700,000 have joined their ranks, making the PMP® the single predominant project management certification in the world.

Requirements

Aspirants for the PMP® must be college graduates able to document and prove 4,500 hours of project management experience over the past eight years, spanning at least three years. The requirement jumps to 7,500 hours of project management experience for those who have only a high school diploma or the global equivalent. Those seeking the PMP® must also attain a minimum of 35 hours of project-management-specific training from a reputable training organisation. The hours need not come from a PMI® Registered Education Provider.

Exam/Validation

The PMP® exam focuses on the foundational standards document for PMI®, The Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). When the PMP® exam was originally offered, it was a full-day, 320-question exam. That has since been scaled back to a four-hour, 200-question multiple-choice experience, provided at certified testing centres. Currently, Prometrics (prometric.com) holds the contract to host the lion’s share of the exams. On the exam, only 175 of the 200 questions actually count toward certification. The remaining 25 are not called out separately, but are “pre-test” questions being validated for use in future exams.

The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®)The CAPM® evolved out of the need to provide an alternative for those individuals who have less experience as a project manager, but need to validate that they understand the practices and processes associated with project management. There are over 33,000 active CAPM® certificate-holders today.

Requirements

Aspirants for the CAPM® must hold a high school diploma or its global equivalent, and be able to document and prove 1,500 hours of project experience (not specifically management experience). If they cannot jump that hurdle, they can also become eligible by proving 23 contact hours of formal project management education from a reputable training organisation. The hours need not come from a PMI® Registered Education Provider.

Exam/Validation

The CAPM® exam is a three-hour, 150-question multiple-choice experience, provided at certified testing centers. On the exam, only 135 of the 150 questions actually count toward certification. The remaining 15 are not called out separately, but are ‘pre-test’ questions being validated for use in future exams.

The PMI-Agile Certified Professional (PMI-ACP®) The PMI-ACP® has been PMI’s biggest secondary certification since the release of the CAPM®. In release for less than a decade, over 14,000 individuals have earned the PMI-ACP®.

Requirements

For those seeking the PMI-ACP®, a college degree is not required. However, they must be able to prove that they hold a high school diploma or the global equivalent. They must also document and prove 2,000 hours of project management experience spanning at least one year. That requirement is waived for those who have already earned the PMP® certification. Additionally, they must be able to document and prove at least 1,500 hours of Agile practice over the prior three years. Those seeking the PMI-ACP® must also attain a minimum of 21 contact hours of Agile-specific training from a reputable training organisation.

Exam/Validation

The PMI-ACP® exam is a 120-question multiple-choice experience over three hours, provided at certified testing centres. On the exam, only 100 of the 120 questions actually count toward certification. The remaining 20 are not called out separately, but are ‘pre-test’ questions being validated for use in future exams.

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The PMI-Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP®) The PMI-RMP® takes the risk aspect of project management and serves to ensure that credential-holders can identify, assess, mitigate and communicate risks in a project environment. There are currently just shy of 4,000 credential-holders globally.

Requirements

The PMI-RMP®, like the PMP®, splits the required hours based on degrees of education. Those with a four-year college degree must be able to validate 3,000 hours of risk-specific experience over the last five years. They must also be able to prove 30 hours of project-risk-specific continuing education. For those with a high school diploma or the global equivalent, the risk experience climbs to 4,500 hours, with the continuing education increased to 40 contact hours from a reputable training organisation.

Exam/Validation

The PMI-RMP® exam is a 170-question multiple-choice experience over three-and-a-half hours, provided at certified testing centres. On the exam, only 150 of the 170 questions actually count toward certification. The remaining 20 are not called out separately, but are ‘pre-test’ questions being validated for use in future exams.

The Program Management Professional (PgMP®) The PgMP® takes a different approach than PMI®’s other exams, focusing on real-world experience far more heavily than the other certifications. The application for the PgMP® is far more challenging than the other certification applications. Nonetheless, over 1,800 professionals have earned the credential since its inception.

Requirements

The PgMP® has a two-stage application process, highlighted by a panel review, followed by the multiple-choice examination. The panel review extensively reviews the 4,000 hours of project management experience and the 6,000 hours of program management experience required of applicants. (Those with only a high school diploma must be able to defend 10,500 hours of program management experience over seven years). All of the project and program experience has to have been accrued during the past 15 years.

Exam/Validation

Before applicants can sit for the exam, their application (including multiple essays of 250-300 words describing their program management experience) will be reviewed by a panel of peers to determine if the candidate has worked independently as a program manager with multiple-project oversight. After the four-week review is complete, the candidate is notified if he/she can sit for the exam.

The PgMP® exam is a 170-question multiple-choice experience over four hours, provided at certified testing centres. On the exam, only 150 of the 170 questions actually count toward certification. The remaining 20 are not called out separately, but are ‘pre-test’ questions being validated for use in future exams.

The PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP®) The PMI-SP® takes the narrow aspect of project scheduling and puts a laser-like focus on it, working to highlight individuals who build, maintain and communicate schedules. Just over 1,600 professionals have earned the credential.

RequirementsThe PMI-SP®, like the PMP®, splits the required hours based on degrees of education. Those with a four-year college degree must be able to prove 3,500 hours of schedule-specific experience over the last five years. They must also be able to prove 30 hours of project-schedule-specific continuing education. For those with a high school diploma or the global equivalent, the scheduling experience climbs to 5,000 hours, which the continuing education increases to 40 contact hours from a reputable training organisation.

Exam/ValidationThe PMI-SP® exam is a 170-question multiple-choice experience over three-and-a-half hours, provided at certified testing centres. On the exam, only 150 of the 170 questions actually count toward certification. The remaining 20 are not called out separately, but are ‘pre-test’ questions being validated for use in future exams.

The PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA®) The PMI-PBA® focuses on requirements gathering and analysis, highlighting practices associated with establishing projects and determining their ultimate viability. Just over 1,200 professionals have earned the credential.

RequirementsThe PMI-PBA®, like the PMP®, splits the required hours based on degrees of education. For all candidates, they need to be able to prove 2,000 hours of experience on projects, unless they already have the PMP® certification. Those with a four-year college degree must be able to prove 4,500 hours of business-analysis-specific experience over the last eight years. For those with a high school diploma or the global equivalent, the business analysis experience climbs to 7,500 hours. All candidates must also prove 35 hours of business analysis training from a reputable training organisation.

Exam/ValidationThe PMI-PBA® exam is a 200-question multiple-choice experience over four hours, provided at certified testing

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centres. On the exam, only 175 of the 200 questions actually count toward certification. The remaining 25 are not called out separately, but are ‘pre-test’ questions being validated for use in future exams.

UNIVERSITY CERTIFICATIONS Outside of the PMI®, there are a host of university programs that are not degree programs but are designed to provide a Certificate in Project Management, proving that the certificate-holder has completed a rigorous series of trainings that may or may not apply to the Master’s degree programs within the same institution. Some of the universities and colleges that have jumped on the certification bandwagon include:

l Villanova

l George Washington University

l University of New Haven

l University of California-Berkeley

l Northwestern University

l Stanford

l University of Maryland-University College

l Caltech

And a host of others

Most of these programs embed 5 to 15 days of direct project management training, both classroom and on-line, culminating in a certificate recognising the rigour of the program under the university’s aegis. These are not Master’s Degree programs, but often carry the moniker of “Master’s Certificates” in project management. Most require classroom attendance (either virtual or live) and completion of a set of course criteria (which may include an exam) in order to earn the certificate.

CompTIA+ CERTIFICATIONS Project+ The CompTIA+ certifications don’t require the extensive PM background of the PMI®, but still mandate that candidates pass an exam and illustrate their experience in project management. It is unique in the certification marked, in that it doesn’t require that candidates renew their certification on an iterative basis.

Requirements

The CompTIA Project+ certification requires validating a single year of project management experience or comparable education.

Exam/Validation

The 95-question exam is highlighted by a combination of multiple-choice single answer questions, multiple-choice multiple answer questions and drag and drop. The 90-minute test is available at PearsonVUE test centres.

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION

Master Project Manager (MPM®)The AAPM certification asserts itself to be a global standard in compliance with ISO (but not the project management ISO), in alignment with a host of recognised university programs.

Requirements

The MPM® certification requires validating either three years of project management experience or MPM®-approved education. They offer the education through their own network of training providers, and the training can be used to attain a waiver from the examination.

Exam/Validation

The exam is a 55-minute experience featuring 20 questions. 13 correct answers are required to earn the credential. The exam can be waived through either training or review of a resume by the AAPM board.

NOTES ON THE CERTIFICATIONSIn conducting the research for this article, no less than half-a-dozen one-time certifications led to dead connections. Follow-up phone calls revealed that the owners of the certifications were no longer in business. There are also agency- and department-specific certifications (like Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certification) that serve a very narrow band of project professionals in specific government and private-sector entities. The key? Find out what the employer values and put that information to work.

Carl Pritchard is not only the U.S. Correspondent for Project Manager Today. He is also a certified professional. He is a PMP® and a PMI-RMP®. (He was a certified Earned Value Professional (EVP) through the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineers International, but he let that lapse…)

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