Many project management positions require certification. If you are seeking a Project Manager position in today’s competitive job market, getting certified may significantly increase your chances. Many organizations have started using automated services that review resumes for specific words.

This class is intended to boost the knowledge of the person who:

• Has been a member of project teams for several years and now wants a position as a project team leader;
• Is a project leader who wants to improve their skills and gain knowledge of valuable tools;
• Knows that project management is the direction in which his or her career is headed;
• Has been thrust into project management and needs a fast-paced, intensive education in the discipline or;
• Wants to further define and develop project management, team member, or leader skills.

PMI offers two levels of certification to project managers, depending on their level of experience and training. The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®) is designed for project team members and entry-level project managers, as well as qualified undergraduate and graduate students who want a credential to communicate their value in project team performance. Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification is for experienced project managers who already have some level of project management training and are looking for advanced project management skills.

Candidates must complete Project Management Experience Verification Form(s). The Experience Verification Form is used to properly document and report project management experience. 

PMP® Education or Work Experience Requirements

There are two sets of experience requirements depending on whether or not an applicant holds a baccalaureate degree.

For candidates who hold a baccalaureate degree:

• 4,500 hours minimum PM experience gained within the last 8 years prior to application and covering at least 36 unique, non-overlapping months are required. This experience must include leading and directing project tasks.
• At least 35 contact hours of specific instruction that addresses learning objectives in project management. Hours may include content on project quality, scope, time, cost, human resources, communications, risk, and procurement or integration management. Instruction may be delivered by a PMI Registered Education Provider, university or college, internal corporate learning program, distance-learning program, or any other formal learning resource. No time limit is associated with when the 35 hours were accrued.

For candidates who do not hold a baccalaureate degree:

• 7,500 hours minimum PM experience gained within the last 8 years prior to application and covering at least 60 unique, non-overlapping months are required. This experience must include leading and directing project tasks.
• At least 35 contact hours of specific instruction that addresses learning objectives in project management. Hours may include content on project quality, scope, time, cost, human resources, communications, risk, and procurement or integration management. Instruction may be delivered by a PMI Registered Education Provider*, university or college, internal corporate learning program, distance-learning program, or any other formal learning resource. No time limit is associated with when the 35 hours were accrued.

CAPM Education or Work Experience Requirements

To apply for the CAPM, you need to have:

• A secondary diploma (high school or the global equivalent)
  AND
• At least 1,500 hours experience OR 23 hours of project management education.

The PMP® Credential was established in 1984 in order to recognize practitioners’ skills and knowledge in the field of project management. Passing the Project Management Professional (PMP®) Certification Exam, along with experience and education, is necessary to achieve the PMP® Credential. The PMP® examination is comprised of 200 mutually-exclusive, four-option multiple-choice questions. Of the 200 questions, 25 are considered pretest questions which are not included in the score for the exam, but are used to test the validity of questions for possible use in future exams. The passing score for all PMI Credential examinations is determined by sound psychometric analysis.

• Cost for PMI members is $405
• Cost for non-members is $555

Candidates can save money on the cost of the exam by applying for PMI membership. See the PMI membership webpage for more information.

PMI’s Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® is a valuable entry-level certification for project practitioners. Designed for those with less project experience, the CAPM® demonstrates your understanding of the fundamental knowledge, terminology and processes of effective project management. Designees are required to complete a re-exam every five years to maintain certification.

Whether you’re new to project management, changing careers, or already serving as a subject matter expert on project teams, the CAPM can get your career on the right path or take it to the next level.

If you’re a less experienced project manager looking to demonstrate your commitment to project management, improve your ability to manage larger projects and earn additional responsibility, and stand out to potential employers, the CAPM certification is right for you.

• Cost for PMI members is $300
• Cost for non-members is $225

Candidates can save money on the cost of the exam by applying for PMI membership. See the PMI membership webpage for more information.

No. The exam is administered by a Prometric Center.

Although it certainly depends on individual learning styles and comfort level with exams of this type, on average, we tell our PMP Prep students to expect to spend around 40-50 hours studying for the exam in addition to the time spent in the classroom.

The PMP® examination is comprised of 200 mutually-exclusive, four-option multiple-choice questions. Of the 200 questions, 25 are considered pretest questions which are not included in the score for the exam, but are used to test the validity of questions for possible use in future exams. The passing score for all PMI Credential examinations is determined by sound psychometric analysis. This means that examinees must correctly answer an estimated 56-65% or 98-114, of the remaining 175 questions in order to pass the PMP certification examination.

The CAPM® examination is comprised of 150 multiple-choice questions. Of the 135 questions, 15 are considered pretest questions which are not included in the score for the exam, but are used to test the validity of questions for possible use in future exams. PMI does not publish a baseline pass score, students should aim to score at a proficient level or higher on all twelve sections of the exam which correspond to the chapters of the PMBOK® Guide.

Candidates who do not pass the exam may retake the exam two more times for a total of three times within one year of application approval. If candidates are not able to pass the PMP® or CAPM® certification exam within their one-year eligibility period, they must wait one year from the date of the last attempt to reapply for the PMP® or CAPM® credential. Applicants may choose to apply for a different PMI credential at any time.

PMP®:

• Cost for PMI members is $275
• Cost for non-members is $375

CAPM®:

• Cost for PMI members is $150
• Cost for non-members is $200

The Project Management Essentials and Exam Preparation class takes 10 weeks to complete.

We are using a class handbook that is based on A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®), 6^th Edition.  The cost of the handbook is included in the class cost.  The optional A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®), 6^th Edition can be downloaded in PDF format for free if you are a PMI member.

Project management topics and processes are being taught in the order these occur in a project. After each group of topics and processes are covered there will be small group exercises to apply the knowledge, tools and techniques. Practice exam questions and class discussions are used as well to test the understanding of the material.  This class is highly interactive with over 40 exercises and group activities that stress comprehension of classroom content.

Schoolcraft College Continuing Education and Professional Development department classes do not offer college credit. All participants, however, who complete the program satisfactorily, will receive CEUs.

This program does not include a formal job search component. Participants are encouraged to join the local chapter (Great Lakes Chapter) of PMI where job openings are announced at meetings, through networking, and on the Great Lakes Chapter PMI website.

Although Schoolcraft College is not an REP with PMI, you can earn PDUs. The PDUs for this course fall into Category B: Continuing Education. Courses offered by Other Education Providers. The course does qualify you for 36 PDUs (3.6 CEUs x 10). See 37-38 for Category B activities of PMI’s PMP handbook.

Note for PMPR Credential Holders: Each hour of this course counts as one PDU - Category B Continuing Education. Total PDUs: 36

An individual may be able to claim a tax deduction or a tax credit for the cost of attending continuing education programs. Please keep a copy of your receipt and consult with your tax advisor about whether your payment meets the regulations that apply to tax deductions and tax credits.

For more detailed program information or for specific qualifications, please contact Eric van der Meulen via email at eric@qvive.biz. For questions relating to the registration process at Schoolcraft College, please contact the Continuing Education and Professional Development office.