Are you working on many big projects with lots of smaller tasks that all depend on each other? If you become a PgMP-certified pro, you can make things run smoothly. You can learn more about this by taking a PgMP certification course.
Getting PgMP certified doesn't just help your career—it also teaches you important things about how organizations work. If you're not sure if it's worth it, here are some good reasons to consider.
In this blog, I'll talk about different types of certifications and what's special about PgMP certification. While you might think it's only about managing programs and projects, it covers a lot more. Let's explore all the benefits of this certification.
What is PgMP Certification?
PgMP refers to program management professionals. In simple and broad terms, a PgMP certification caters to the management personnel who oversee multiple projects within a program. As a program manager, we believe that your primary goal is to look for discrepancies within a particular program and lend a hand to the ongoing task.
As a PgMP-certified professional, you must ensure that all programs and their processes fall back to their designated places after a task is accomplished. To ensure this, you will closely work with project managers and all stakeholders in the project.
You would need to align the objective of projects and establish morale for your team members. Apart from this, you will also validate your skills in the workplace by working on multiple projects. After all, what is a manager without their management?
Your secondary goals, on the other hand, would be to navigate through complex projects and find problems. At the same time, you will utilize your skills to find a viable solution and deliver the best when it comes to the organization.
So, remember to utilize your skills and put them up for display when someone mentions PgMP certification. After all, it is thanks to your skills as a program and project manager that you can manage and achieve organizational goals.
Who Should You Apply for PgMP?
In order to help you navigate PgMP requirements better, I have listed a bunch of pointers that can guide you to complete your application. In addition to this, you can go through a Project Management course training to claim your stake in the field.
1. Educational Requirements
The PgMP course requires a certain educational prerequisite for understanding the contents of the course. This includes a secondary degree education, high school diploma certification, an associate’s degree, or an equally relevant degree. Once you have these predetermined requirements, you can easily move through your application. Another way to go for PgMP certification is to acquire a four-year degree course first.
2. Experience Requirements
If it is a 4-year degree course that you hold, you will only require a minimum of 6000 hours in project management. Additionally, you can have up to 6,000 hours of program management experience.
On the other hand, if it is a secondary degree, you will only need 6,000 hours of project management experience but with 10,500 hours of program management experience.
How to Apply for the PgMP Certificate Exam?
To apply for the PgMP certification, you can start by finding an appropriate portal and register with your details. Now, coming to the first step of applying for a PgMP certification, the eligibility criteria decide whether or not you make it to a successful certification. Apart from these, there are other steps. These include:
- Eligibility criteria: Achieving a certain stage of education is necessary to become eligible for this certificate. If you possess a high school diploma or its equivalent, along with a set time for both project management and program management, you can move on to the next step.
- Study the PgMP Handbook: The handbook for PgMP certification preparation should guide you through the whole process diligently. You will find in that handbook detailed information regarding the exam along with the application process. Other information included would be exam fees, and the outline set by the panel for the exam.
- Create an account through the PMI portal: Once you figure out the previous requirements, you can create an account on the PMI website, where you will receive access to various services. This should help you with the information provided by PMI.
- Finish the online application: Once you’ve made an account on the portal, you can access it to navigate the PgMP application page. Over here, you will get to fill in different types of details regarding your education, work experience, and personal contact details.
- Record your experience: In the application, remember to put your best foot forward. You can do that by mentioning your experiences through the mention of objectives, outcomes and stakeholders, along with the challenges faced during the whole process.
- Submit the application: After filling up the form with sufficient information, you can submit it online. To move forward, you have to pay an application fee.
PgMP Exam Fee
The PgMP (Program Management Professional) exam fee can vary depending on whether you are a PMI member or not. As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, here's a breakdown of the fees:
- PMI Member: If you are a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI), the exam fee for the PgMP certification is $800 USD.
- Non-PMI Member: If you are not a PMI member, the exam fee is $1,000 USD.
- The PgMP program fee for a member comes close to INR 47,000 for a member. For a non-member, the program fee can easily go up to INR 78,000.
It's important to note that these fees are subject to change, and there might have been updates since my last knowledge update. Additionally, PMI often offers discounts and promotions, so it's a good idea to visit the official PMI website for the most up-to-date information on exam fees and any available discounts.
What is the PgMP Exam Like?
We believe that a PgMP exam certification is fairly simple to acquire. However, in order to obtain it, you need to follow a few prerequisites, which make it easier for you to excel at this certification process.
1. PgMP Exam Format
This exam will cover a total of 170 multiple-choice questions. As it is a computer-based exam process, you will have four hours to complete the whole process.
2. PgMP Exam Outline
This exam mainly covers five domains of program management. These include —strategic program management, benefits management, stakeholder management, program life cycle, and governance.
How Are the Skills Assessed in the PgMP Exam?
I have listed and discussed the main skills assessed through a PgMP exam here. Bear in mind that the certification evaluates one’s skills primarily through three domains. These are:
- Strategy Alignment: The strategy alignment part of the domain evaluates the candidate’s ability to create and manage strategy goals in accordance with the image of the company. These goals include strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, benefits management, and governance.
- Benefit Delivery: The benefit delivery part of the domain accesses the candidate’s ability to perform in the test. This includes performance metrics, and tracking their progress on a certain task. If you're looking to acquire skills, go for benefits identification, measurement, and realization.
- Stakeholder Management: As a stakeholder engager, you can identify and engage all stakeholders in the project. You can talk to them and understand their needs and expectations while also communicating them to the team.
How to Prepare for PgMP Certification
To prepare for the PgMP program, you must be aware of certain tools and techniques. After all, following the right route will get you through the certification exam quickly. I would suggest you follow these steps to prepare for the PgMP certification:
- Familiarize yourself with the handbook: Once you start preparing for the PgMP certification, the handbook is your bible.
- Meet the eligibility criteria: Ensure that you have all the required experience and educational qualifications.
- Attend a PgMP preparatory course: You can always consider enrolling in KnowledgeHut’s PgMP preparatory courses to have an idea about what lies beyond.
- Study the PMI standard for program management: The PMI standard for program management is the primary resource required for the exam.
- Go for additional study resources: In addition to standard rules, you can always go for additional resources that may prove beneficial for the test.
- Devise a study plan: A study plan keeps you focused on the route in which you plan to partake. Additionally, set up realistic short-term goals to crack the exam.
- Practice with sample questions: Sample questions are the key to your success. With samples at hand, you can put forward your best foot in the exam.
- Review and revise: The best way to achieve something is to find a way to reinforce your understanding of the whole thing.
Is PgMP Certification Worth It?
Obtaining a PgMP certification can definitely increase your chances of getting promoted. It shows your professional credibility and demonstrates your ability to achieve heights. To put it simply in professional terms, a PgMP certification upscales your ability to manage bigger and large-scale projects.
Here are the benefits of going for a PgMP program:
- Enhanced skill set in program management, continuous delivery, and project management
- Increased chances of higher earning
- Expanded network and industry connections
- Global inclusion in a community of certified management professionals
- Higher credibility in your professional career
The Final Word
To wrap it up, I think we have established it this far as to why a PgMP certification takes all credits for being one of the most sought-after courses in the project management area. While it can be an extremely fulfilling area of management, acquiring it is challenging.
With the right skill set, one can easily go through the entire process and come out undefeated. If you're someone who has the right caliber for the project and wishes to make a difference in the management field, you can go for this certification.
With KnowledgeHut's best PgMP course, you can expect the best in the market in very little time. I believe that not only will it be a game-changer in the field of project management, but it will also benefit you professionally. Register for the PgMP certification today and reap the benefits!
