What is PMI

With more than 240,000 members in over 160 countries,PMI is the leading membership association for the project management profession. PMI is actively engaged in advocacy for the profession,setting professional standards,conducting research and providing access to a wealth of information and resources. PMI also promotes career and professional development and offers certification, networking and community involvement opportunities.
History
PMI was founded in 1969 by five forward-thinking individuals who understood the value of networking, sharing process information and discussing common project problems. After their first official meeting in October of that year at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, the group officially incorporated the association in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA.
Since then, the Institute has grown to become the global advocate for the project management profession with more than 240,000 members in over 160 countries. And with nearly 242,000 credential holders worldwide, PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP^®) certification is the most widely recognized in the profession.
Regional Service Centres
PMI operates two Regional Service Centres outside the United States for the convenience of its members around the world. To help members in the EMEA region, PMI has an office in Brussels, Belgium, while its Singapore office assists members in the Asia Pacific region.
Representative Offices
PMI offices in Beijing, China, and Washington, D.C., USA, allow the Institute to extend the scope and impact of its outreach and education.

Getting Certified With PMI

Obtaining a Credential
The preparation process for each of PMI’s credentials differs but always includes intensive study and examination.

Program Management Professional (PgMP)

Project Management Professional (PMP®)

Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®)

Program Management Professional (PgMP)
PMI's Program Management Professional (PgMP) credentialing service offers PMI's first credential designed to demonstrate project and program management skills. To be eligible for the PgMP credential, you must meet specific guidelines that objectively measure experience, education and professional knowledge, and undergo a rigorous application process as well as three assessments. You also must agree to adhere to the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. The CAPM or PMP credential are not prerequisites for the PgMP credential.
Eligibility
• With a Bachelor’s Degree (or a global equivalent): Over the last 15 consecutive years, applicants must have at least four years of project management experience and four years of program management experience.
• Without a Bachelor’s Degree (or a global equivalent): Over the last 15 consecutive years, applicants must have at least four years of project management experience and seven years of program management experience.

The Project Management Professional (PMP®)
Credential Individuals who hold PMI’s PMP credential demonstrate a proficient level of project management leadership skills, and as a result are able to command salaries that exceed those of their non-credentialed counterparts.
To be eligible for a PMP credential, you must meet specific guidelines that objectively measure experience, education and professional knowledge. You also must agree to adhere to the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and pass a rigorous multiple-choice examination that assesses your abilities in project management.
Eligibility
• Applicants must have 35 hours of specific project management education.
• With a Bachelor’s Degree (or the global equivalent): Applicants must have a minimum three years’ professional project management experience, during which 4,500 hours are spent leading and directing project tasks, up to eight years from the time of application.
• Without a Bachelor’s Degree (or the global equivalent): Applicants must have a minimum five years’ professional project management experience, during which at least 7,500 hours are spent leading and directing project tasks, up to eight years from the time of application.

The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®)
Credential Designed specifically for project team members, the CAPM credential is aimed at improving overall project success by helping to ensure project management knowledge. To become a CAPM credential holder, you must meet specific guidelines designed to objectively measure experience, education and professional knowledge. You must pass an examination that assesses your knowledge of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), and you must agree to adhere to the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.
Eligibility
Applicants must have:
• Minimum of a high school diploma or the global equivalent
• 1,500 hours of work on a project team or 23 contact hours of project management education

What are PDUs

Professional Development Units OR (PDUs) are the measuring units used to quantify approved learning and professional service activities. Typically, one PDU is earned for every one hour spent in a planned, structured learning experience or activity. Fractions of PDUs may be reported in quarter (0.25) increments following one full hour. For conversion purposes, one Continuing Education Unit (CEU) equals 10 PDUs. The CCR Program organizes PDUs into five categories which are described within this handbook.

Credential Registry Verification

Certification claims can be verified through the PMI's Web site .PMI's Online Credential Registry allows verification of PMI's credential holders. To look up a credential holder in the registry, please enter the individual's last name. You may also filter your search using first name, credential and country. Please note that not all certified individuals choose to appear in the registry. You can chek at www.pmi.org/CertApp/Registry.aspx.

Project Management Professional (PMP)

Project Management Professional (PMP) is a globally recognized certification in project management. It is managed by the Project Management Institute and is based on the PMP Examination Specification published by PMI in 2005. Most exam questions reference to PMIs ANSI standard A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, abbreviated to PMBOK Guide.
Overview
The PMI (Project management Institute) has three levels of certification, starting with the CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) which is the basic level and is intended as certification for project team members. The PMP (Project Management Professional) is the second, higher, level of project management and considered the standard of all PM certifications. Individuals who have passed the PMP certification test successfully and have met the PMI requirements for documenting their professional experience are entitled to use the abbreviation PMP with their names.

Eligibility criteria

First, a high school diploma is required to be certified. A Project Management Professional has also met specific education and experience requirements, has agreed to adhere to a code of professional conduct, and has passed an examination designed to objectively assess and measure project management knowledge. In addition, a PMP must satisfy continuing certification requirements (through professional development) or lose the certification.


Requirements include a candidate to have completed a high school degree or equivalent, performed 7,500 hours in a lead role directing tasks, performed tasks associated with being a Project Manager over a period of 60 months within the past 8 years, and completed

35 hours of education specific to Project Management and aligned with PMI methodologies. Persons possessing a bachelor's degree only require 4,500 hours leading and 36 months of experience.
The candidate is also required to pass a test to demonstrate his or her knowledge of Project Management. The test consists of 200 multiple-choice questions.

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Examination process

After a candidate's application is approved by PMI, he or she may schedule an examination at any of a large number of Prometric testing centers. A variety of times are available, including weekends and after "normal working hours." The examination is a multiple choice test, which can be taken either on a computer or in written form. Candidates have to answer 200 questions in 4 hours (though 25 are trial questions not counting toward the final score. Candidates will not know which ones are dummy when taking the exam - implies that candidate has to answer 200 questions to the best of their ability) and must have a success rate of at least 60.5% (106 out of 175 questions).