Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) Foundation and Practitioner – Blended learning

Blended option - the best of both ways to learn.

Combining the best of self-paced and instructor-led live learning, with access to world-class industry experts, we focus on ensuring you can drive impactful results in your workplace. What's more, our digital platform gives you the tools to track your progress and manage your own learning.

MSP is the go-to certification and guidance for programme managers, business change managers and the next step for project managers to develop their knowledge and skills to be able to positively respond to the challenges they face when managing programmes and larger, more strategic or multiple projects.

This course is accredited by PeopleCert and includes the Managing Successful Programmes Foundation and Practitioner examinations.

In this Blended Learning course, learners will have access to both digital and live learning to provide the best possible preparation to pass the MSP Foundation and Practitioner examinations. This includes the official MSP manual and Self-Paced Learning designed around the MSP syllabus, including sample exam questions, quizzes, and a combination of video and written content.

The 3-day virtual Live Event focuses on deepening learners’ understanding of the key topics and feedback sessions on exam craft, specifically tailored to MSP exam-style questions. Day 1 of the Live event will focus on the Foundation content and conclude with the Foundation exam. Days 2 and 3 will delve deeper into the Practitioner-level content, focusing on how to apply the principles explored at Foundation as well as covering Practitioner exam techniques to enable learners to confidently progress on to the Practitioner exam.

At the end of this course, the learner will be able to:

• Understand key concepts relating to programmes and MSP.
• Understand how the MSP principles underpin the MSP framework.
• Understand the MSP themes and how they are applied throughout the programme.
• Understand the MSP processes and how they are carried out throughout the programme.
• Understand how to apply the MSP principles in context.
• Understand how to apply and tailor relevant aspects of the MSP themes in context.
• Understand how to apply and tailor relevant aspects of the MSP processes in context.

There are no prerequisites for taking the MSP 5th edition Foundation exam. However, to take the MSP 5th edition Practitioner exam, candidates are required to have an MSP 5th edition Foundation certificate which is included in this blended course.

Target Audience

This course is designed for anyone who is looking to grasp the fundamentals of programme management. Learners might be:

• Programme Managers who want to formalise their knowledge of best practice and gain accreditation.
• Aspiring programme managers and project managers
• Programme Sponsors / Senior responsible Owners
• Portfolio managers / Directors
• Business Change Managers

The course covers the following topics:

• Introduction to MSP
• MSP Principles (Lead with Purpose. Collaborate Across Boundaries, Deal with Ambiguity, Align with Priorities, Deploy Diverse Skills, Realise Measurable Benefits, Bring Pace and Value)
• MSP Themes – Organisation, Design, Justification, Structure, Knowledge, Assurance, Decisions
• MSP Processes – Identify the Programme, design the Outcomes, Plan Progressive Delivery, Deliver the Capabilities, Embed the Outcomes, Evaluate New Information, Close the Programme

Delivery Method

This Blended Learning course consists of two key parts and two exams.

Self-paced learning

The self-paced learning is valid for 12 months from the start date and is estimated to take 20 hours. It is recommended that learners allow a 4-week period to complete this before joining the instructor-led element of the programme. In addition to covering the MSP foundation syllabus through a combination of video and written content the self-paced learning includes quizzes, exam hints and tips and sample exam questions.

Instructor-Led live event

Please note, it is critical that you have completed the self-paced learning before joining a live event. During live events learners will work individually and in teams to consolidate the MSP Foundation and Practitioner theory through practical, exam-focused activities. The facilitator will use Miro to create a digital workspace environment, enabling a collaborative and interactive learning experience.

For the live event please ensure you have a device such as a mobile phone, tablet or laptop to be able to load your course material on to as you may need this for use in the evenings in addition to during the day.

Live events are structured as follows:

Day 1: Foundation consolidation focus

Introduction, foundation exam orientation and tips

Principles – exam-based activities and exploration

Processes - exam-based activities and exploration

Themes - exam-based activities and exploration

Exam preparation

Foundation exam from 16.30 (assuming you have pre-booked an exam slot)

Day 2: Practitioner focus

MSP Practitioner overview, exam orientation and tips

MSP case study exploration

Principles – exam-based activities and exploration

Themes – exam-based activities and exploration

(Organisation, Design, Justification, Structure)

Day 3: continued Practitioner focus

Themes Continued - exam-based activities and exploration

(Knowledge, Decisions, Assurance)

Exam practice session

Processes (all) – exam-based activities and exploration

Exam preparation

Exams and Assessments

The exams take place remotely via PeopleCert Online Proctoring. Exam slots are available 24/7 and learners need to be pre-book an exam time with the proctoring service. After purchase you will receive instructions on how to do this and exam vouchers to redeem for booking. Once an exam slot is booked you can amend the date/time providing it’s within the voucher expiration date. Please note that if you change a booked exam slot within 48 hours of the time booked PeopleCert will charge an admin fee.

You will be required to download and install ExamShield and conduct a compatibility test prior to sitting the exam. We strongly recommend you do not leave this until just before your exam time slot.

Foundation exam:

On the live event day 1 learning will continue until approximately 4.00pm to enable you to take the foundation exam from 4.30pm onwards should you wish to do so. Some learners prefer a short break after the course has concluded to revise the content, however, we recommend that you don’t leave it too long. Please note that the foundation exam must be passed before you can attempt the practitioner exam. You may, however, progress to practitioner level learning without having passed the foundation exam should you choose to do so.

Foundation exam details:

• 60-minute exam
• 60 questions
• Closed book
• Multiple-choice questions
• 60% pass mark

Practitioner exam:

We recommend you do not leave a long time gap between completing the live event and taking the practitioner exam. As stated above, you must pass the foundation exam before you sit the practitioner exam and if you amend an exam slot booking within 48 hours of the booked time PeopleCert will charge an exam fee.

Practitioner exam details:

• 2 hour 30 minute exam
• 70 questions
• Open book
  • The official manual may be annotated and tabulated, but no sticky notes or loose-leaf papers containing additional notes will be allowed.
  • For PeopleCert open book exams learners are permitted to use a second device to access the official course manual, however, the use of dual monitors is not permitted during the exam.
• Scenario based
• Multiple-choice questions
• 60% pass mark

Reasonable adjustments policy

The exam provider (PeopleCert) allows additional time for candidates who have a disability, short or long-term condition, such as dyslexia and severe visual impairment. You will usually need to provide documentary evidence of your condition. Upon booking you will receive information a link to advise us of any such condition / requirements. We recommend that you give as much notice as possible. Also, QA Exam Administration can be contacted by email exam.admin@qa.com or by phone 44(0) 1793 696162.

Also Included: Learning Materials

Learners undertaking this course will be provided with an eBook of the official course manual to support their learning, instructions on how to access the eBook will be provided with the course joining instructions.