Contact hours are the actual amount of time a candidate spends receiving instruction in project management or any of the 5 domains of project management (Initializing, Planning, Executing, Controlling, Closing). For example, if a candidate takes a 1-day class that last 8 hours and provides instruction in project management, the candidate earns 8 contact hours. Contact hours are not equal to PDUs. Additionally, Test Candidates cannot obtain PDUs; they can earn contact hours only. Candidates can submit any class, seminar, on the job training, online training, and distance teaching classes whose learning objectives include Project Management or any of its domains. Independent study and PMI chapter meetings are not accepted for the contact hour requirement.

Yes. The activity would be claimed under Category 2C, “Speaker on a Project/Program Management Topic.” The only qualification is that the program must be delivered to a new audience each time you present it.

Following are the qualification requirements:

When submitting an application, you do not need to send any documentation. However, PMI uses a random auditing process to check applications. If you are selected for a random audit, you will receive a notification via email with the instructions and forms needed to complete the audit.

Candidate applications are valid for 2 years from the date of approval. If a candidate allows their eligibility to lapse, they can re-apply by submitting a short application form within 1 year of their eligibility expiration date. If the candidate’s eligibility is expired for more than 1 year, a new application must be submitted. When submitting the short or a full application, the candidate will include the full certification fee as payment for the examination.

Candidates have 1 year from the date of their last exam, to apply for a re-examination. Candidates wishing to take a re-examination will pay a reduced certification examination fee. Candidates can apply for a re-examination at any time within 1 year of the exam as often as they wish.

The PMP (and CAPM) Credential Examination is offered globally at Prometric Testing Centers during normal business hours Monday through Saturday, except holidays. You can not schedule your examination appointment until your receive your eligibility letter. The Prometric Examination Center in Thailand is located at Kasem Bundit University, Romklao Campus, Minburi, Bangkok. Click here for directions.

Until late 2005 PMI maintained a candidate must score at least 61% or 106 out of 175 questions to guarantee passing the exam. This is no longer true. Read this post for a detailed response.

The PMI Talent Triangle represents the skill set that global organizations have deemed critical for project practitioners. The PMI Talent Triangle illustrates the three skill areas employers need. They are as follows:

• Technical Project Management
• Leadership
• Strategic and Business Management

Knowledge, skills and behaviors related to specific domains of project, program and portfolio management or the technical aspects of performing one’s job/role. This skill area will vary from certification to certification. For example, the technical skills required for agile project management are different than those needed to function in a program management role. However, there could be areas of overlap.

These are a few examples of topics that would fall under the “Technical Project Management”:

• Requirements gathering techniques
• Project controls and scheduling
• Risk management
• Scope management
• Agile tools and techniques
• Certification maintenance courses

Knowledge, skills and behaviors specific to motivating and guiding others. Leadership is the ability to articulate a vision and guide or influence others to help achieve that objective.

These are a few examples of topics that would fall under the “Leadership” skill area of the Talent Triangle.

• Negotiation
• Conflict management
• Motivation
• Giving/receiving feedback
• Influencing
• Problem solving
• Team building
• Emotional intelligence

• Knowledge of and expertise in the industry or organization that enhances performance and better delivers business outcomes.
• Strategic and Business Management is the ability to connect the dots between your work and larger organizational strategy to drive project outcomes
• Understanding of overall business context

These are a few examples of topics that would fall under the “Strategic and Business Management” segment of the Talent Triangle.

• Business acumen
• Finance
• Operational functions – e.g. marketing, legal
• Strategic planning/alignment
• Contract management
• Complexity management

The PDU is the measuring unit used to quantify approved learning activities. One PDU is earned for every hour spent in a planned, structured learning experience or activity related to project management. To align an activity to more than one skill area of the Talent Triangle, you will need to determine the time spent per skill area, to accurately determine the amount of PDUs. Talent Triangle skill area activities can be awarded in PDU increments of .25, beginning with .25. For example, for an 8 hour activity (excluding breaks and lunch hours): 7 hours were spent on Technical Project Management topics; 45 minutes were spent on Leadership topics; and 15 minutes were spent on Business and Strategic management. You would then assign 7 PDUs to Technical and .75 PDU to Leadership and .25 to Business and Strategic management.