Project Management Certifications: Which Ones are Out There and How to Get Them

You are a Project Manager looking for additional certifications to either increase your wealth of knowledge, get those amazing letters after your name, and/or show value to you and your organization. Where do you turn?

Overall, there are a couple different certification paths you can turn to for Project Management Certification:  Axelos.com for the PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner path or PMI.org (Project Management Institute) for the CAPM, PMI, etc. route.

There are benefits to each, and it may just come down to preference. Overall, PMI is more well known in the States as PRINCE2 in the UK.

Below are some data on both programs so you can delineate your own achievable route. If this is a little ahead of where you would like to begin, my suggestion is the CompTIAProject+ program. You are the only one that can decide the correct path; have fun finding your way.

CAPM  – Certified Associate in Project Management

Supported by PMI.org

Step One: Meet prerequisites

• Secondary Degree
• 1500 hours of project Experience (roughly 6 months/40 hrs week)Apply

Step Two: Apply

• The application will have you log all necessary prereq then approve once submitted within 24 hours

Step Three: After Approval

• After Approved you have 12 months to complete the program to take the test

Step Four: See Outline for Exam Content

Step Five: Schedule Exam (within 12 months of application)

• Online  at designated center (Pierce and View Center, M-Sat, year round)
• 3.5 hours to take exam
• 150 questions

Step Six: The Cost

• For members: ($150 initial, $129 thereafter)
  1. Purchase hard copy $49
  2. Test fee $225
• For non-members:
  • Purchase Hard copy $99
  • Test Fee $300

Step Seven: Certification Lasts for Seven Years

Additional Resources

PRINCE2: Project in Controlled Environments

Supported by Axelos.com
PRINCE2 – Foundation Certification/Practitioner Training Course

Step One: Prereq

• Foundation – none
• Practitioner – must complete and pass Foundation or PMI certification

Step Two: Methods for Taking the Exam

• Exam through The Knowledge Academy (theknowledgeacademy.com)
  • In Person: $5995 (5-day session, 9AM – 5PM)
  • Virtual: $19955 (5 day session, 9AM – 5PM)
  • Online: $1168 (Self-paced, 90 day limit to complete courses and pass exam)

Step Three: Materials Reviewed

• 21 Chapter Book (Chapter 4 free preview–16 pages)
• Foundation Exam: mult choice/60 ques/1 hour/pass mark 33/60
• Practitioner Exam: objective testing(type of mult-choice)/68 ques/2.5 hours/ pass mark 38/68

Beth Zange-Sellers, PEI