APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ)

The APM Project Management qualification (PMQ), is a knowledge-based qualification developed by APM, the chartered body for the project profession. You will be able to demonstrate an understanding of how all elements of project management interact and how your project fits into your strategic and commercial environment. This course is aligned to the APM Body of Knowledge version 7.

This course includes the PMQ examination, and all course material to prepare you fully for your exam.

Target Audience

The PMQ is aimed at anyone with pre-existing project management knowledge, and it is the ideal next step for anyone holding the APM Project Fundamentals qualification (PFQ)

Benefits of taking this course

By taking this course you will achieve a broad level of project management knowledge sufficient to participate in projects from individual assignments through to large capital projects.

By passing the PMQ exam, you will achieve an internationally recognised qualification.

According to the APM Salary and Market Trends Survey 2019:

• 46% of PMQ holders earned £50,000 or more
• 94% of candidates would recommend PMQ

Why QA should be chosen

QA are a market leader in the PMQ, training thousands of people every year with market-leading pass rates. QA offers PMQ training in a format that suits you:

• Classroom (public courses or client–specific, at a QA venue or client venue)
• Virtual
• Live Streaming
• Digital/online

The PMQ exam is also available online, for added convenience.

By attending this course, you will:

• Understand how organisations and projects are structured
• Understand project lifecycles
• Understand the situational context of projects
• Understand communication within project management
• Understand the principles of leadership and teamwork
• Understand planning for success
• Understand project scope management
• Understand schedule and resource optimisation
• Understand project procurement
• Understand risk and issue management in the context of project management
• Understand quality in the context of a project

APM PMQ is not an introductory qualification and APM expects candidates to possess a minimum of 2 years' experience in managing projects.

If you don’t have this experience, we suggest you book onto the APM Project Fundamentals qualification (PFQ).

APM Project Fundamentals qualification (PFQ).

Pre-Course Learning:

APM expects that PMQ candidates undertake somewhere in the region of 56 hours’ study prior to their exam. To help you prepare for your course, you’ll receive a comprehensive list of activities that:

• Fully prepare you so that learning and participation is maximised during the actual course
• Support you in the creation of a personal study plan – complemented with study guidance and tips
• Ensure that your IT complies with the online exam requirements

These activities are an essential part of your PMQ learning and will take around 20 hours. Learners who complete all activities in full will gain much more benefit from their course and will be better prepared for the PMQ exam.

Proof of Identification

Photographic identification is required to sit your PMQ exam. Examples include:

• Driving licence

• Passport

• Work Badge

You are required to show the invigilator your photographic identification – failure to do so will mean you will not be allowed to sit your exam.

Online Exams

If you are taking an online exam, we advise you to familiarise yourself with the remote invigilation exam platform. The following documents can be found on the APM website:

• Online examinations: what to expect

• Step-by-step guide to your new candidate experience

• Online invigilation FAQs

• APM rules and regulations for remote invigilated examinations

• User guidance: Taking a remote invigilated examination

• If you are a registered PRINCE2 Practitioner, you are eligible to sit the PMQ for PRINCE2 Practitioners examination. Please take a look at our course that leads to this qualification: PMQ for PRINCE2 Practitioners

Reasonable Adjustments Policy

The exam provider allows additional time for candidates who have a disability. At least two weeks' notice will be required for processing this request. Failure to advise QA and provide evidence when requested, may result in the additional support not being offered via the policy. QA Exam Administration can be contacted by email exam.admin@qa.com or by phone +44(0)1793 696162.

Any other assistance

If you require any other assistance to attend your course, please get in contact and we will do everything we can to make your time at QA comfortable. Please contact your account manager, or via one of the options below:

• 0345 757 3888

• info@qa.com

• www.qa.com/contact

This course covers provides comprehensive coverage of the PMQ syllabus aligned to the Body of Knowledge 7. The PMQ syllabus contains:

• 11 learning outcomes (above)
• 67 assessment criteria – the specific topics you are required to know

The PMQ syllabus showing full topic coverage is available on the APM website.

The way our course is structured is that it follows a lifecycle approach, rather than following the sections in the PMQ syllabus. Our structure enables you to understand how the tools, skills and techniques are applied at each phase of a project.

A full breakdown of subject areas is provided below:

• Projects and project management
• Programme and portfolio management
• Temporary structures (matrix, functional and project)
• Governance
• Lifecycles (including: linear, iterative and hybrid life cycles)
• Sponsorship
• PMO
• Reviews
• Implementing strategy
• Regulatory environment
• Stakeholder engagement
• Business case
• Success and Benefits
• Investment decisions
• Procurement
• Negotiation
• Requirements management
• Scope management
• Estimating
• Scheduling
• Resource optimisation
• Cost planning
• Deployment baseline (the Project Management Plan)
• Risk management
• Information management
• Knowledge management
• Progress monitoring and reporting
• Issue management
• Quality management
• Change control
• Configuration management
• Teams
• Team development
• Leadership
• Communication
• Conflict management

PMQ Examination

You will sit your PMQ examination in the afternoon of day 5. Some details about the PMQ examination:

• 3 hours 15 minutes duration
• Short essay-style questions
• Choose 10 questions from 16
• Each question is worth 50 marks, so 500 marks in total
• Pass mark is 275 (55%)
• Closed-book

Your course includes preparation for your examination. This includes undertaking mock examination questions, and answer reviews. Questions will also be set to be completed in the evening, and you can expect to spend approximately 1-2 hours per evening on this additional work. Please ensure you can dedicate time to this evening work.