The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® certification is designed for project managers who do not yet have the practical experience associated with a Project Management Professional (PMP)® certificate. It can be seen as a milestone in the process of obtaining PMP® certification. However, receiving a CAPM® certificate before the PMP® certificate is not a requirement.
To be admitted to the exam, all you need is a secondary diploma (high schooldiploma/global equivalent) and at least 23 hours of project management training completed before the exam (our CAPM® Preparation Course can help fulfill this requirement).
And the best thing is that the CAPM® certificate no longer expires without replacement after 5 years, but you can renew it by collecting just 15 PDUs within 3 years. That is, for example, 2 days of training on any topic in project management – without any further examination.
A CAPM® credential holder is expected to behave ethically correct at any time. For this purpose the PMI has fixed a code of behavior. It addresses many different topics, for example the behavior in conflicts of interest. The knowledge of these standards will also be checked within the exam. Infractions to the code can result in the loss of the CAPM® title.
This is confirmed by a very demanding test conducted by PMI. Here the candidates need to answer 150 questions concerning all themes of project management within 3 hours. The exam is organized centrally by PMI and can be taken at one of the Pearson Vue Testing Centers or even as a proctered exam in your office or at home.
The fee is USD 300,- for non-members and EUR 225,- for members of the PMI. The annual PMI membership fee is 139,- USD.
If you decided to become a CAPM credential holder, you should download the latest version of the Certification Handbook and read it carefully. It contains all relevant information concerning the admission, prerequisites, fees and registration for PMI ® Certifications.