APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ) Bridging Course

The Association for Project Management’s (APM) PMQ is a knowledge-based qualification and is APM’s most popular certification, enabling you to demonstrate knowledge of all elements of project management. This workshop will guide learners who have recently undertaken a full PMQ study course and have yet to sit the exam - or who may have been unsuccessful in their previous attempt. The workshop is based on the new syllabus and exam format that will be used on PMQ exams from August-2024 onwards.

95% of people believe that taking an APM qualification will add value to their career.

Source: APM Qualifications Survey

What’s included?

Your pre-course learning will include:

• Qualification Handbook – includes all the key information that you need to know about the PMQ, including the syllabus, exam format, and logistical details.
• PMQ 2024 Bridging Guide – QA authored workbook that guides you through each of the new syllabus topics and contains examples of the new format exam questions.

The PMQ-2024 syllabus is based on APM’s Competence Framework and not APM’s Body of Knowledge. There are 24 individual learning objectives spread across four key areas.

• Setting up for success – we analyse the optimum delivery model for a project and how it should be governed throughout its life cycle.
• Preparing for change – key techniques in this section consider how organisations judge whether a project represents value-for-money and how to ensure that the business (or customer) is ready for any resultant change.
• People and behaviours – project managers must engage with internal and external stakeholders (including the project team) in a professional and ethical manner.
• Planning and managing deployment - irrespective of the chosen delivery model, projects must be planned and delivered in a way that respects the key constraints of schedule, budget, and quality. Risk and scope change must also be managed in a proactive and structured manner.

Learners attending this workshop must have undertaken a full PMQ study course no later than 6 months prior to the date of the Bridging workshop.

Learners who studied prior to this are strongly recommended to attend the full 5-day workshop that is based on the new PMQ syllabus (see QA course code QAPMQ - to be released on 2nd September 2024)

Attendees are also expected to satisfy APM’s target candidate requirements:

• Project management professionals with two-to-three years’ experience in the role – or
• Learners who have embarked on a project management apprenticeship or degree programme

Learners who don’t satisfy either criteria should consider the APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ) - APM Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ) (PMAPMIC) (qa.com)

APM has set the qualification at Regulated Qualifications Framework Level-4 (or Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Level-7). 72 hours of total study time are recommended prior to taking the exam:

• 40 hours of personal study
• 32 hours of guided learning (this should have been satisfied by your previous PMQ course)

PMQ 2024 – New Topics

The new syllabus contains additional topics that were not previously examined in PMQ certification.

• Diversity and inclusion – consider the benefits and responsibilities of embracing diversity and treating people fairly.
• Sustainability - investigate the importance of balancing the environmental, social, economic, and administrative considerations that may impact a project.
• Ethics, compliance, professionalism - examine the different facets to be navigated and the need to work consistently in a moral, legal, and socially responsible manner.
• Transition management – understand the process of handing over the project outputs commissioned and accepted by the sponsor, culminating in formal project closure.

PMQ Learning Objectives

The full list of 24 PMQ learning objectives can be found below. Each of these topics will be covered during your course. Full details of the content for each learning objective can be found in the syllabus section of the new PMQ Handbook. This can be downloaded from APM’s website.

Setting up for Success

• Life cycles
• Governance arrangements
• Sustainability
• Business case

Preparing for Change

• Procurement
• Reviews
• Assurance
• Transition management
• Benefits management

People and Behaviours

• Stakeholder engagement and communication management
• Conflict resolution
• Leadership
• Team management
• Diversity and inclusion
• Ethics, compliance, and professionalism

Planning and Managing Deployment

• Requirements management
• Solutions development
• Quality management
• Integrated planning
• Schedule management
• Resource management
• Budgeting and cost control
• Risk and issue management
• Change control

PMQ-2024 Examination Details

You will sit the online PMQ exam at 9:30 the Monday following your bridging course.

The workshop will provide tips on how to attempt the new format exam and also offer practise with each of the four new style questions. Use of any study materials is still not permitted during the exam.

• Duration: 2.5 hours and completed in two parts. You can take an optional break of up to 30 minutes between part-1 and part-2. The break is in addition to the 2.5 hours exam time. You cannot go back to Part-1 of your exam after it is submitted.
• 40 questions worth a total of 90 marks. You will attempt all questions.
  • 20 ‘multiple response’ questions (worth 1 mark each)
  • 5 ‘select the missing words’ questions (worth 2 marks each)
  • 5 ‘short-response’ questions (worth 2 marks each)
  • 10 ‘long-response’ questions (worth 5 marks each)
• APM has implemented a variable pass-mark for each exam paper that will be determined by the difficulty of the specific paper that you are assigned.

Full details of the APM qualifications can be found at: Project management qualifications & training | PFQ | PMQ | PPQ; (apm.org.uk)