How do I get 35 hours PMP?

Learning Mudra, Category - PMP


Lets talk about "How do I get 35 hours PMP ?" According to the Project management Institute (PMI), in order to apply for the PMP exam candidates must fulfill the minimum criteria of having 35 contact hours of training. However, understanding the concept of contact hours sometimes become a complicated task. Therefore, through this article, we will we will try to understand everything we need to know about contact hours. In order to know and understand the intricacies of contact hours, let's first try to remove some popular confusion and misinformation regarding it. Simply defined, contact hours is equal to the number of hours you go through the training sessions for project management training. For instance, one hour of project management training in classroom under Project Management Institute will amount to one contact hour.

Why do you need contact hours ?

The online handbook for project management professionals provided by the PMI, states that the PMP certification eligibility is dependent on certain criteria based in education and experience. The precondition for it is minimum 35 hours of formalized training, with every hour of training equated with single contact hour. Most importantly, the scope of contact hours is highly limited and defined in accordance to time spent in the classroom, excluding the break time in between. However, the training doesn't have any effect on the contact hours, therefore they are calculated for both online courses and management projects.

Consequently, it is very crucial for a candidate to choose an online or offline training institute which have credible reputation. As you may need their assistance with certificate of attendance to fulfill the PMI requirements while you go through their audit. Alongside, it is also important to know about the topics which are counted as part of the PMP training. Although managers tend to find other courses interesting aside from involving scope, quality and schedule, but courses in basic leadership is not accepted as hours of training. Alongside, all the courses and training should be followed by proper documentation proof for the same i.e. transcript and certificate.

Confused between contact hours and PDUs ?

Additionally, there is a catch here, the training hours in project management doesn't come with any expiry date like PDUs. Simply put, the courses and classes which you took through your educational years in school or college will be counted for lifetime. This implies that your past knowledge and experience is also counted as the contact hours. The only prerequisite here is the maintaining the minimum criteria of 35 contact hours in order to fill up the PMP certification application . This additional incentive of contact hour makes it one of the most valuable feature of the PMP training and certification.

Now let's try to clarify other myth which we have already addressed before, i.e. difference between PDUs and contact hours. As we know that PDUs are not counted and equated with the contact hours there are also significant differences amongst the two. Contact hours are essential the minimum basic criteria before taking the exam which should be 35 hours before partaking the PMP exam. However, PDUs come into the picture after you clear the PMP exam, as you are required to maintain minimum 60 hours of PDU credits in every 3 years after PMP exam to signify continuity in your learning and growth. Additionally, even if you have PDU training before the PMP exam those training hours will be converted to credits and will be counted as hours of training post exam too.

How to get contact hours ?

Now the big question comes as how to get the 35 contact hours. The easiest method to get nowadays to get the necessary contact hours is through online sources. As there is no restrictions by PMI that you should get you hours only through a Registered Education Provider (REP), hence it allow candidates to get their essential hours to multiple online as well as offline sources. Most often it is recommended to go through training by Registered Education Provider (REP) which go through evaluation by PMI, but it’s not a necessary condition. There are numerous providers available in online mode which could provide the minimum required 35 hours of contact hours training. In case of you want to save some cost, PMI also have availability of training sessions which are also counted as contact hours.

how do i get 35 hours pmp

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Additionally, one of the most preferred way to get 35 contact hours is through the self-paced distance learning programs which have various PMP audio-visual workshops and seminars. One of the biggest incentives of self-paced online PMP training is its availability in the virtual mode which allows anyone to have unrestricted access to it through internet without any constraints of time and place. However, in the self-paced virtual mode determination and motivation becomes self-prerogative, especially in the absence of an instructor physically near you. Alongside, in this method of gaining contact hours candidate also have to go through an assessment of the course after the completion of the training, so be prepared for it.

As we have tried to gain some clarity regarding training hours or contact hours in project management, it also become important to know about things which are not counted as contact hours. One thing which need special consideration is that the sessions led by the PMI are not always necessarily covered as hours of instruction, for instance meetings on PMI chapter dining. Alongside, although learning from PMBOK guide is very important, but the time you spend in reading is not counted as training hours. On the hindsight, your hours of instruction through degree program such as MBA are also not calculated as hours of instruction entirely. According to PMP handbook, hours which are spent on the management of projects are only counted as hours of instruction for taking the PMP exam.

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