XClose

Short courses

Home
Menu

APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ)

  • 32 hours contact time + 40 hours self study + 2.5-hour exam
  • 3 to 5 weeks

Overview

APM Training Provider

This short course will give you an effective grounding in project management

It's aimed at anyone who has worked in a project environment for approximately two to three years, or those undertaking a project management degree or apprenticeship.

It will help you understand how the different elements of project management interact, and how your project fits into your strategic and commercial environment.

This course is run by UCL's Technology Management Group and is accredited by the Association for Project Management (APM).

To qualify for APM's Project Management Qualification, you'll need to successfully pass an exam set by APM. 

When is the next delivery?

APM's has introduced a new version of its APM Project Management Qualification. To be ready for this change, we are updating our course materials to match the updated syllabus and new exam format. We are expecting our next course to be delivered at the end of the 2024; however, we don’t yet have the dates confirmed

To find out when the next course opens, please sign up to receive updates on future dates from the UCL Centre for Systems Engineering.

What is the APM PMQ?

APM's Project Management Qualification (PMQ) is a knowledge-based qualification developed by APM, the chartered body for the project profession.

It’s an internationally recognised qualification at SCQF Level 7.

The new syllabus and course are now aligned to the APM Competence Framework, and are applicable to projects in any industry or in the public sector.

The new syllabus provides an overview of the content covered within the APM Project Management Qualification. Content is grouped into the four main areas within the APM Competence Framework:

  • Setting up for success
  • Preparing for change
  • People and behaviours
  • Planning, management and deployment

The order of these areas reflects the stages that you move through in the delivery of a project. The syllabus includes the relevant competences from the APM Competence Framework for each of these four areas. There is a learning objective for each of these competences, which provides an overview of the learning associated with the competence. Learning outcomes provide a greater level of detail regarding the knowledge and understanding that you will have acquired once you have completed the qualification.

PMQ assesses breadth and depth of knowledge in all areas of project management. The syllabus is intentionally broad in its application, and is not restricted to any particular methodology, project lifecycle or industry sector. More information about the qualification is available on APM's website.

Who this course is for

The APM Project Management Qualification is designed for people who already have some knowledge, understanding or experience of project management and are looking to move deeper into a project management career. If you’re a practising project professional, have taken some project management qualifications, or just want to refine your understanding of project management then this qualification is right for you. It’s also the ideal next step for anyone holding the APM Project Fundamentals Qualification.

There are no specific requirements for experience or other qualifications that you must have before studying for the APM Project Management Qualification. However, you will most likely:

  • Be working in a project environment.
  • Have two to three years of experience as a project professional or be actively undertaking a project management apprenticeship or degree.
  • Be looking to progress your career and improve your employability.
  • Be interested in learning about all areas of project management and not a particular methodology.

If you don’t already have any of the experiences referred to above, you might want to take our APM Project Fundamentals Qualification before studying for the APM Project Management Qualification

Course structure and teaching

YouTube Widget Placeholderhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6FzUJBcqlg&t=3s&ab_channel=UCLCentrefor...

In the video above, Matt Whyndham, the course leader, gives an overview of our course: who it is run by, what will be covered and why we run it as a blended online and classroom course.
 

The course is delivered to groups of up to 20 learners. On enrolment, you’ll have access to UCL Extend, our online teaching and learning platform for short courses. Here you’ll be able to access all the course materials, including slides and reference texts, quizzes and exercises. You’ll also have access to interactive features such as forums where you can contact course tutors and fellow learners.

As well as presentations and summaries, the classroom workshops will include discussions and exercises to reinforce your learning and to develop your PMQ exam technique.

You can also choose to attend an optional exam preparation workshop (fee payable) aimed at finalising your revision for the PMQ exam.

After the teaching have finished, you will then revise, reflect on your learning and practice the examination technique. This, and the feedback from the PMQ-style test, will help you decide when to take your PMQ exam.

In addition to the 32 hours of guided session time, you will require 40 hours of additional preparation and practice time to successfully complete the course and pass the APM PMQ exam. 

Assessment

The APM PMQ is assessed by an online exam, in controlled conditions and is set by APM. The exam is 2.5 hours, split in two parts, with an optional break of up to 30 minutes in between.

You will require additional preparation and practice time to successfully pass the APM PMQ exam. The course tutors will assist you with feedback and guidance to help you select the most appropriate time for the exam.

The exam includes 40 questions, worth a total of 90 marks, covering all learning objectives included in the APM Project Management Qualification syllabus. The four questions types are:

  • Multiple response (20 questions × 1 mark each)
  • Select from list (5 questions × 2 marks each)
  • Short response (5 questions × 2 marks each)
  • Long response (10 questions × 5 marks each)

Language requirements

The course and exam and delivered and assessed in English. It’s important that you have an appropriate level of English language skills, to be successful in the qualification. We recommend that anyone taking this course has a good level of English proficiency (UCL Standard level, IELTS 6.5 or CEFR B2/C1). During the course you'll have to deal with a wide vocabulary, and both formal and informal discussion. This will require listening, reading, speaking and writing skills. 

Costs and concessions (2023-24)

Course (excluding exam):

  • £2,275 – standard fee
  • £2,050 – UCL alumni and staff

Optional revision session:

  • £325 – standard fee
  • £295 – UCL alumni and staff

Exam registration: 

  • £580 – non-member of APM
  • £460 – APM member
  • £410 – re-sit 

Course information last modified: 26 Jul 2024, 18:06