PMI-ACP Certification: A Guide

As you’ve probably seen, this week we launched our newest training course, PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®. But what is it? Why would you enrol onto a PMI ACP certification training course, and how do you become certified? This guide will answer these questions and more...

In a nutshell

PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® is essentially the agile equivalent of PMI’s popular Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification. Like PMP, it is a recognition of excellence in the project management field, certifying a good amount of familiarity with, and knowledge of, agile methodologies, although it does not require as much experience as PMP.

Why take PMI-ACP certification training?

If you work in agile project management, certification in PMI-ACP essentially shows everyone that you know your stuff. It will help you stand out among your peers and demonstrate to employers that you can be relied upon to bring your knowledge and experience of agile working methods to any project requiring them, which can only increase your chances of a promotion.

What does it cover?

The basis of the PMI-ACP syllabus comes from a Role Delineation Study (RDS) in which agile practitioners were asked about the tasks and knowledge required to carry out their role to an industry-wide standard.

The syllabus is split into seven modules, with each covering a different aspect of the agile approach.

The seven domains are:

1. Agile Principles and Mindset

2. Value-Driven Delivery

3. Stakeholder Engagement

4. Team Performance

5. Adaptive Planning

6. Problem Detection and Resolution

7. Continuous Improvement (Product, Process and People)

How do I achieve a certificate in PMI-ACP?

To apply for PMI-ACP® certification training, individuals must meet a number of prerequisites. The good news is that PMI-ACP does not require as much project experience as PMP and it doesn’t require a college degree, only a high school diploma, associate’s degree or global equivalent.

The requirements are as follows:

• 2,000 hours of general project experience working on teams, gained over the last five years. PMP® or PgMP® satisfies this requirement but is not necessary.
• 1,500 hours of working on agile project teams or with agile methodologies, gained over the last three years.
• 21 contact hours of training in agile practices.

Our PMI-ACP course, which is available online or in the classroom, satisfies the 21 hours requirement, so all that’s left for you to gain is the 2,000 hours of project experience and 1,500 hours of agile work. Once you’ve gained your hours of experience, the final step is the PMI-ACP exam.

What is included in the PMI-ACP exam?

You can expect the following during your PMI-ACP® exam

• 120 multiple-choice questions.
• 3 hours to complete the exam.
• The exam syllabus spans a range of agile approaches including Scrum, Kanban, Lean, extreme programming (XP) and test-driven development (TDD).

What happens after I gain my PMI-ACP certification?

The certification works on a 3-year cycle. In order to stay certified, you will need to earn and report 30 PDUs (professional development units) within the 3 years after you receive your certification. If you do not earn the required PDUs during this period, your certification will be suspended for one year. If you do not earn the require PDUs this year, your certification will expire and you will have to reapply and take the exam again.

How do I earn PDUs? 

Professional Development Units can be earned in a number of ways. Training courses, educational content, organization meetings, and self-directed reading can all help you to earn PDUs in order to stay certified. You may also earn them through volunteering, working in project management as a professional, and contributing to knowledge, for example by writing articles.

The most recent change to the Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) means that there are now two categories of PDU: Education and Giving Back, with a minimum number that must be earned in each category. For PMI-ACP®, out of the 30 PDUs required, 18 must be in the Education category and 12 must in the Giving Back category.

For more information, see the CCR handbook here.

How can The Knowledge Academy help me?

Our recently released PMI-ACP® training courses follow the same high standards as our PMP® courses. Designed to prepare you fully for the PMI-ACP exam, we utilise PMI trainers who understand what is expected of candidates, as well as common tripping points and areas where learners may need extra help.

As well as classroom based learning, we also offer PMI-ACP online training, with eLearning courses to be released in the coming months.

About PMI

PMI credentials are highly respected in the project management industry, often ranking high in lists of essential qualifications for project managers. PMI (Project Management Institute®) is a global organisation which advocates for better project management standards and seeks to move the profession forward through providing teaching, certifications, and research.

If you want to find out more about project management and PMI, take a look at our comprehensive guide to becoming a project manager.