If you’re considering obtaining a Master’s Degree in Project Management, whether through a university-based program or online, then we would recommend you reconsider. Instead, you can save yourself several hundred thousand dollars by pursuing the PMP certification.
It will be as effective as pursuing a Master’s Degree in Project Management, yet the hit on your wallet will be considerably less than with student loans and interest payments.
The reason why I say this is because the PMP certification is a hugely respected certification worldwide and provides you with the same level of knowledge that a Master’s degree would provide. Additionally, with focus and dedication, the PMP certification can be acquired much faster and at a lower cost than the Master’s degree. Further, due to its massive popularity, if you tell anyone, such as an employer, about the PMP, they would know about it or at least have heard about it from someone they know who already has it.
What is the PMP certification?
PMP, which stands for Project Management Professional Certification, is open to individuals from any industry or background. The only prerequisite that PMP has is that you need to demonstrate project management experience, and if you have at least 3 to 5 years of experience, you can possibly qualify for the exam. If you like technology, IT Certification Dumps Questions can test you knowledge and help guide you, too.
I’ve outlined the requirements of the PMP below for your understanding, according to PMI, who awards the PMP certificate:
- For individuals holding a 4-year Bachelor’s degree, the qualification criteria include 36 months of project management work experience, along with 35 contact hours of project management education.
OR
- For those with only a High School diploma or an Associate’s degree, the requirements consist of 60 months of project management experience, along with 35 contact hours of project management education.
The 35 hours of project management education can be acquired in many ways. These include online courses, classroom training, or PMP Blended Learning, which combines self-paced and classroom learning with a coaching component.
You will need to apply to PMI with your project management experience and professional education and once your PMP application is approved, you can write the PMP certification exam.
How to apply for the PMP?
To apply for the PMP certification, you must create an account on the PMI website and fill out the application form.
This form will require you to provide details of your academic and professional education, as well as your work experience. Additionally, you will need to write descriptions of your projects.
You must pay special attention to your PMP application project descriptions since PMI rejects many PMP applications due to poorly documented project information.
If you’re unsure about how to articulate your project management experience and need help translating this experience into project management experience, you should consider using a PMP application assistance service. These are individuals or companies who can help ease the burden of writing the application by crafting your project descriptions for you.
What is the PMP exam like, and what should you study for the exam?
The effort required to study for the PMP exam is as much as what you would probably need to do to get your Master’s Degree or maybe a little less than that, but it is still quite a lot.
PMI will test you on your project management understanding, and they are going to evaluate your knowledge at an application level rather than relying solely on book-based knowledge.
So, you’ll need to truly grasp project management concepts on a deeper level and be ready to take multiple practice exams to fill any gaps and reinforce your understanding.
I would suggest reading the PMBOK6 or 7, Agile Practice Guide, and also gaining some knowledge of Scrum. This will help you establish a foundational understanding of various project management methodologies and improve your ability to handle exam questions effectively.
The preparation time could vary for most individuals, but on average, most people need 2 to 3 months to prepare for this exam and feel confident about passing it.
Don’t attempt to take this exam in less than 1 month unless you’re prepared to study for over 8 hours every day. Even then, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to absorb all the information and achieve a passing percentage on the exam.
Also, do not pursue the certification solely to pass the exam; do it to understand or enhance your knowledge of project management.
What is the PMP exam format, and what type of questions are asked in the exam?
The PMP certification exam contains 180 multiple-choice questions, which you must answer within 230 minutes.
Most PMP exam questions are situational, designed to assess your real-world experience in line with exam concept knowledge. Many questions depict project scenarios or brief 3-4 line situations, requiring you to select the best response for the given scenario.
Therefore, in addition to understanding the material thoroughly, practicing answering exam questions with the right mindset is crucial.
Besides the standard multiple-choice questions, the PMP exam also includes multiple-response, matching, limited fill-in-the-blank, and hot spot type questions. A proper PMP exam preparation course can provide a deeper understanding of all question types.
How difficult is the PMP exam?
By now, you would have understood that the PMP exam is challenging. However, to a large extent, the perceived difficulty of the exam also depends on your experience. If you have worked as a project manager, led projects, or applied project management concepts in your job, the exam content may seem easier. However, if you lack exposure to a project management environment, have primarily worked in operations, or have been a project team member, you should study the materials carefully and diligently.
In conclusion, getting your PMP certification will be just as beneficial for your career as earning a Master’s Degree, but at a significantly lower cost and time investment than pursuing a Master’s Degree in Project Management.
