Project Management Professional (PMP)® Exam Preparation

PMP® Exam Preparation is an in-depth, live, virtual course offered by Purdue University Online. This course follows our Project Management Essentials course. Some learners also complete the Agile Certificate Online Course before taking this exam preparation course.

This course offering assumes you qualify to take the PMP Exam according to Project Management Institute (PMI) criteria, which includes being an experienced project manager (minimum 36 months of experience leading projects within the past eight years, with a four-year degree).

The PMP exam also requires you to have 35 hours of project management education, which this course fulfills.

You should already be familiar with the content of the PMBOK® Guide before enrolling. If you feel like you need a refresher on the content of the PMBOK® Guide, taking the Project Management Essentials course first is strongly suggested.

To learn more about Purdue University’s online PMP® Exam Preparation course and download a free brochure, fill out this form. You can also call (888) 390-0499 to speak to one of our program advisors.

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PMP Exam Preparation is a live, virtual course based on the PMBOK® Guide.

Enrollment includes 90-day access to all of the course material, which is 100% aligned to the Project Management Institute’s PMP® Exam Prep content. Purdue also provides complimentary 90-day access to the PMtraining™ online practice test website (a $59 value).

PMI’s PMP exam consists of 180 multiple-choice, multiple response, matching, hotspot and limited fill-in-the-blank questions. The exam is demanding and learners must engage in independent study following the course to pass.

Only individuals who pass PMI’s PMP exam are officially certified as a Project Management Professional®. A certificate of achievement from Purdue University, however, is awarded to learners who successfully complete the PMP exam prep course.

Deciding Between The PgMP vs. PMP? Here’s What You Should Know

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Two globally acknowledged project management titles are the Project Management Professional (PMP)® and Program Management Professional (PgMP)®. The Project Management Institute (PMI) confers both of these credentials.

If you’re starting a career in project or program management, it can be tough to decide whether to pursue PgMP vs. PMP certification. This guide explores both designations and the benefits of each. Let’s get into it.

The PMP certification validates a project manager’s leadership skills, technical aptitude and understanding of the business environment as a whole.

Earning the PMP credential gives a project manager an extra level of credibility, distinguishing them as an expert. PMPs understand the intricacies of project management and know the processes and language needed to help organizations achieve their goals.

The PMP exam fee is $405 for PMI members and $575 for nonmembers. If you plan to take the exam, becoming a PMI member is worthwhile. The annual membership fee is $149, or $32 for students. PMI membership saves you money on the PMP, qualifies you for discounted prices for other exams and provides access to the PMI job boards.

All prospective PMPs must have 35 hours of formal project management education, or “contact hours.” Alternatively, you may hold the Certified Associate in Project Management® designation.

You can complete formal contact hours through the following avenues.

When applying for PMP certification, you must show that you accrued 35 contact hours by outlining the institutions you attended, the courses you completed and the number of qualifying hours you completed.

A four-year degree is not required to pursue PMP certification, but it does reduce professional experience requirements for PMP designation. Candidates without bachelor’s degrees must complete at least 60 months of nonconcurrent project management experience. For applicants with four-year degrees, the minimum experience requirement is 36 months.

When submitting your professional experience, you must provide PMI with a timeline of projects you led, the true title of each project, the project duration, your roles and responsibilities, the number of team members, the budget, a short description of the project’s purpose and a summary of the final project deliverables.

The PMP exam reflects what project managers do in the field. Each question on the exam is written and reviewed by individuals who have earned PMP certification. The exam is accredited against standards set by the International Organization for Standardization 9001 and American National Standards Institute 17024.

The exam consists of 180 questions, which are divided into the three domains of project management: people (42%), process (50%) and business environment (8%). Each domain is further divided into tasks, such as managing conflict, engaging stakeholders, and evaluating and delivering a project’s benefits and value. The questions are formatted as multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, hot area, multiple response and matching.

Note that from the date you become eligible to take the PMP exam, you have one year and three opportunities to pass. All exam attempts must take place in proctored settings, either online or at a testing site.

There are many benefits of PMP certification. For starters, PMPs generally earn higher salaries than their non-certified peers, according to a PMI salary survey. Across 21 countries surveyed, project managers with PMP certification earn salaries 33% higher than those without the credential, on average.

Earning certification confirms that you know how to get the job done right. Employers want a project manager who can meet deadlines and do so on budget and as efficiently as possible. PMP certification demonstrates that you can meet these expectations.

Lastly, a 2021 PMI report projects that 25 million new project managers are needed to meet the global economy’s projected demand by 2030. This increasing demand can lead to greater career and advancement opportunities, and PMP certification can help you stand out from the crowd. Furthermore, you open up new networking opportunities by becoming part of an internationally recognized group of over 1 million PMP holders.

Unlike a project manager, who focuses on the intricacies of individual projects, a program manager oversees multiple complex projects that align with their organization’s objectives. The PgMP certification is one of the highest credentials an experienced program manager can receive from PMI.

The PgMP exam costs $800 for PMI members and $1,000 for nonmembers. Like the PMP, PMI membership may be worthwhile if only for this price reduction, with the members-only perks as an added benefit. Because the PgMP application process includes a panel review of your work, you do not have to pay until the panel gives its approval.

Like the PMP, the PgMP application process requires you to write detailed descriptions of your previous project and program management work.

PgMP candidates with four-year degrees must have at least 48 months of project management experience or PMP certification plus 48 months of nonconcurrent program management experience in the last 15 years.

Those without four-year degrees must have a minimum of 48 months of project management experience or PMP certification, plus 84 months of nonconcurrent program management experience within the last 15 years.

The PgMP’s evaluation process comprises two sections: a panel review of your program management experience and a multiple-choice exam. You must pass the panel review process before you can take the exam.

During the review process, a panel of PgMP-certified volunteers evaluates the program management summaries you wrote in your initial application. This process ensures that your experience took place under minimal supervision and meets certification standards. This process can take up to 60 days.

After the panel review, you must take a 170-question multiple-choice exam. Certification seekers are allotted four hours to complete the proctored exam in a testing center.

The test is divided into five domains: program life cycle, strategic program management, benefits management, stakeholder management and governance. Most questions concern the program life cycle, which is composed of initiating, planning, executing, controlling and closing.

Obtaining the PgMP credential means more than just gaining a new title. Program managers must demonstrate more skills than project managers, including big-picture thinking, leadership, team building and resource management. PgMP certification verifies that you excel in each of these skills, making you an attractive candidate to employers.

New and intermediate project managers tend to aim for PMP certification. This credential requires fewer months of project management experience, making it a good option for those who do not yet qualify for the PgMP designation.

The PgMP, on the other hand, demonstrates that your skills go beyond those of a project manager. That said, the PgMP panel review process is stringent and requires concise explanations of each program you’ve managed, so it is critical to first make sure your previous experience lives up to PgMP standards.

How Long Does It Take To Get PMP Certification? Requirements And Timeline

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If you’ve ever thought about obtaining Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification, one of the first questions to come to mind might have been: How long does it take to get PMP certification? If you’re still wondering about this, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we’ll fill you in on everything you need to know about how to get PMP certification and how long this process takes. From work experience to applying for and passing the exam, you’ll be armed with the knowledge you need to approach the process with confidence.

The time it takes to earn PMP certification varies from person to person depending on each candidate’s professional experience and education level. For starters, prospective PMPs must satisfy a hefty work experience requirement of three to five years, depending on whether they have a bachelor’s degree.

If you haven’t earned a four-year degree, you need to have 60 months of experience leading projects before you qualify for PMP certification. This work should include experience in each of the five project management process groups (initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing).

In addition, you’ll need to complete the standard 35 hours of professional development, also called “contact hours.”

If you have a bachelor’s degree, you’ll need only 36 months of experience leading projects. The 35 required contact hours remain the same.

The PMP certification process involves work experience, completion of contact hours through a PMP certification course and time to prepare for and take the certification exam. Below, we’ll break down the steps involved in obtaining PMP certification.

The best way to complete the required 35 hours of professional development is through a PMP certification training course. You must first determine whether you want to complete these hours in person or online.

Online courses are often self-paced and allow you to complete coursework from any location. In-person options, on the other hand, tend to follow a more rigid structure. However, these courses also allow for more collaboration and interaction with your instructor and peers.

Once you’ve met your work experience requirements and completed your PMP certification training course, it’s time to apply to take the exam. To do this, you must fill out an application from the Project Management Institute (PMI) website. Once you’ve applied, you should hear back from PMI within three to five days.

Note that applicants do not need to submit supporting materials with their application, but should have supporting materials available in case they are selected for an audit. PMI randomly selects individuals for an audit during the application process. If selected for an audit, applicants have 90 days to submit audit paperwork.

When PMI accepts your application, you should receive a unique ID to present when you schedule your exam. PMI recommends that you schedule your exam far in advance of your preferred testing date.

You can take the PMI certification test in person at a proctored location, or you can opt for computer-based testing. The test format is the same regardless of where or how you take it.

Expect 180 multiple-choice questions spanning a variety of project management concepts and styles. You’ll have about four hours to complete the exam, with two 10-minute breaks for online test-takers and no breaks for in-person test-takers.

Everyone learns at a different pace and in different ways. Only you can determine how much time you should spend studying and preparing for the PMP certification exam.

If you’re looking for PMP exam prep resources, you’re in luck. You can prepare for the certification exam through PMI-authorized training partners, company-sponsored programs, training schools and higher education institutions, among other providers. Consider creating a study timeline for yourself and taking practice exams, such as the $99 PMP prep test authorized by PMI.

Once you’ve completed the prerequisites and paid the fee to take the exam (the PMP exam costs $405 for PMI members and $575 for everyone else), the only thing left to do is pass the test.

Here’s where things get a bit complicated. PMI does not disclose what a passing score is for the PMP exam. When it comes to passing the exam, your best bet is to aim for a score of at least 75% on your practice exams. This should help you succeed on test day, though this isn’t a hard and fast rule.

Once you receive approval from PMI to take the PMP certification exam, you have one year to do so. You can take the exam up to three times in this one-year period. Retakes cost $375, or $275 for PMI members.

Once you successfully complete the PMP exam, you’ll be responsible for keeping your skills and knowledge up to date. You’ll do this by taking courses through PMI’s Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program.

You must renew your PMP certification every three years to keep it active. In each three-year period, you should earn 60 professional development units (PDUs). If you don’t manage to keep your certification up to date, it will be suspended for one year.

Once you’ve completed the required PDUs, you may renew your PMP certification. Renewal costs $60 for PMI members and $150 for nonmembers.