| Project Managers who aspire to take the PMP exam | | | | B. PMI Component organizations - PMI chapters, |
| need to have 35 hours of documented training in the | | | | specific interest groups, colleges, or the PMI. |
| area of project management. However, many believe | | | | C. Employer/company-sponsored programs - as long |
| they must take specialized and expensive courses, | | | | as content can be logically mapped to the knowledge |
| and some are not aware that some of the training and | | | | areas. |
| education they already have may qualify. Others think | | | | D. Training companies or consultants - as long as |
| they need to acquire a single 35 hour certificate. Here | | | | content can be logically mapped to the knowledge |
| is a survey of the ways PMP aspirants can satisfy the | | | | areas. |
| 35 contact hour requirement. | | | | E. Distance-learning companies, including an |
| The Requirement | | | | end-of-course assessment - can include live |
| In the Project Management Professional (PMP) | | | | instructor-lead training online, or pure online packaged |
| Credential Handbook, it states that the candidate must | | | | courses that are available 24x7, as long as content |
| "Document 35 contact hours of project management | | | | can be logically mapped to the knowledge areas. |
| education." This requirement applies to all applicants, | | | | F. University/college academic and continuing education |
| regardless of degree or project management | | | | programs, as long as content can be logically mapped |
| experience level. So, just what must the candidate do | | | | to the knowledge areas. |
| to satisfy those "Contact Hours of Project | | | | Note that one hour of classroom instruction equals one |
| Management Education", where at least 35 contact | | | | contact hour. Non-classroom instruction, such as online |
| hours of specific instruction addressed learning | | | | training, also must comply with the rule that one hour of |
| objectives in projectmanagement? | | | | classroom instruction equals one contact hour. Project |
| Documenting Project Management Training and | | | | Management podcasts can also satisfy all or a portion |
| Education | | | | of the requirement. The important thing is to be able to |
| The first step is to document all education hours | | | | provide complete and authoritative documentation of |
| regardless of when they were accrued. PM education | | | | the training and education, such as certificates, tests, |
| hours for these purposes do not expire and do not | | | | syllabus, course descriptions, and transcript to properly |
| need to be within any recent time frame. However, | | | | support your claim. |
| before submitting the application, the course work must | | | | Here are some scenarios of what should qualify: |
| already be completed. PMP Prep coursework does | | | | 1. Completion of a 15 week university or college course |
| qualify, as it is project management oriented, but it | | | | on project management that met for three hours per |
| would need to occur before the candidate actually | | | | week would qualify for 45 contact hours. |
| submits the application. Note that "one contact hour is | | | | 2. Completion of a university or college course that |
| equivalent to one actual hour (60 minutes) of training or | | | | was approximately 50% on the subject of project |
| instruction received", as per the PMI. | | | | management that met for two hours per week for 15 |
| After documenting all hours, PMP candidates need | | | | weeks would qualify for 50% x 30 contact hours, or 15 |
| "classify" content of the courses according to the | | | | contact hours. The additional 20 contact hours could |
| PMBOK knowledge areas, including project quality, | | | | be earned with an 8 hour REP classroom training, and |
| project scope, project schedule, project budget, | | | | 12 hours of REP 24x7 online training. |
| project communications, project risk, project | | | | 3. Completion of a single REP classroom course or |
| procurement, and project integration management. If all | | | | online, 24x7 set of courses that add up to 35 hours or |
| hours add up to 35 or more, the candidate has already | | | | more. |
| satisfied the requirements. In many cases, the | | | | 4. Completion of some combination non-REP |
| candidate will have either no hours or less than 35 | | | | classroom project management training, live |
| hours of PM training, and they will need to fill that gap | | | | instructor-lead online project management training, |
| with additional project management training. | | | | online 24x7 project management training courses, or |
| What Qualifies? | | | | project management podcasts, as long as they are |
| These educational requirements can be met by | | | | clearly documentable. |
| demonstrating the successful completion of courses, | | | | What does not satisfy the PMP Educational |
| workshops, and training sessions offered by one or | | | | Requirements? |
| more of the following types of education providers: | | | | The following do not satisfy the education |
| A. PMI Registered Education Providers (R.E.P.s) - | | | | requirements: |
| Pre-approved courses offered by PMI R.E.P.s. These | | | | 1. PMI chapter meetings, unless spent conducting a |
| can be classroom instruction, live instructor-lead training | | | | learning activity |
| online, or pure online packaged courses that are | | | | 2. Self-study (e.g., reading books) |
| available 24x7. | | | | 3. |