Project Management Institute (PMI) is one of the world’s largest not-for-profit membership associations for the project management profession.

PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP^®) designation is among the most globally recognized and demanded credential in project management. A PMP designation demonstrates to employers, clients and colleagues that a project manager possesses project management knowledge, experience and skills to bring projects to successful completion. As the demand for skilled project managers is at a critically urgent level, practitioners who hold the PMP credential are well positioned to provide the professional skills necessary to lead project teams and achieve successful project results. ^[1]

The PMP recognizes the competence of an individual to perform in the role of a project manager, specifically experience in leading and directing projects. Year after year, the PMP credential has garnered global recognition and commanded a higher salary for credentialed individuals over non-credentialed individuals. ^[2]

Some other popular project management designations include PRINCE2 (http://www.prince-officialsite.com/) and IPMA Four Level Certification (Level D-A) (http://ipma.ch/certification/competence/4-l-c-features/). PMP still remains the most popular and globally recognized designation, especially in North America.

PMP Eligibility Requirements

In order to qualify to write the PMP exam, you should meet either of the below requirements in terms of education, experience, and project management education.

Requirement 1

• Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree or global equivalent)
• Minimum five years/60 months unique non-overlapping professional project management experience during which at least 7,500 hours were spent leading and directing the project
• 35 contact hours of formal education

OR

Requirement 2

• Four-year degree (bachelor’s degree or global equivalent)
• Minimum three years/36 months unique non-overlapping professional project management experience during which at least 4,500 hours were spent leading and directing the project
• 35 contact hours of formal education

Tips:

• The scope of “professional project management experience” as required by PMI is very broad, refer to the PMP Credential Handbook^[3] to check if you meet the experience requirements.
• 35 contact hours of formal project management education can be acquired through various means, classroom PMP preparation courses, online courses, or relevant training related to project management.