Overview
QA Total Learning™ is our newest and most effective way to learn.
Combining the best of digital and live learning, with access to world-class industry experts, we focus on ensuring you can apply your learning to help you 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.
This Total Learning course is for existing and aspiring project managers looking to develop their skills and knowledge and earn an industry-standard qualification in project management.
Learners could be in their first role as a project manager and looking to develop a deeper understanding of the theory of project management. Alternatively, they could be more experienced project managers looking to refine their skills and enhance their project credentials.
In this course, learners will have the best of both digital and live learning to provide the best possible preparation in advance of the PMQ examination. This includes digital learning designed around the PMQ 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 aligning to the question types in the PMQ exam.
Accreditation
This course is accredited by the APM (Association for Project Managers) and includes the PMQ examination.
Given the effectiveness of this Total Learning course, we aim for our learners to pass the exam on their first attempt. However, if you are not successful on your first attempt, our Exam Pass Pledge assures you that we will arrange a free resit, taking the cost and hassle away from you.
Prerequisites
APM PMQ is not an introductory qualification and APM expects candidates to possess a minimum of 2 years' experience in managing projects.
If you don’t have this experience, we suggest you book onto the APM Project Fundamentals qualification (PFQ).
APM Project Fundamentals qualification (PFQ).
This course provides comprehensive coverage of the PMQ syllabus aligned to the Body of Knowledge 7. The PMQ syllabus contains:
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learning outcomes.
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67 assessment criteria: the specific topics you are required to know.
The PMQ syllabus showing full topic coverage is available on the APM website.
At the end of this course, the learner will be able to:
- understand the project organisation, life cycles, and roles and responsibilities of the main project roles.
- understand the project environment and be able to explain the differences between projects, programmes, and portfolios and how they link to an organisation’s strategic objectives.
- understand the context phase, describing the purpose and content of a project’s business case.
- gather and analyse the project requirements in order to create a detailed scope to define the project.
- explain the activities, tools, and techniques to differentiate between risks and issues in order to control project deployment.
- describe how to build, develop, and lead a successful project team.
- describe the activities required to effectively and efficiently transition the project outputs to operational business as usual.
Outline
This Total Learning course consists of three key stages, all explained during a 1-hour virtual kick off session, which includes a Q&A session:
- Digital stage - up to 20 hours completed over a minimum of four weeks
- Live event – 3 days
- Exam – 3 hours examination and 15 minutes reading time
Digital stage
The Digital Learning is valid for 6 months from the date of the kick off session
During the Digital stage, learners will work through online content exploring the complete APM PMQ syllabus through a series of modules.
The Digital content follows a linear lifecycle approach, telling the story of project management. Along the way, learners will cover exam questions and reflective activities to consider how project management theory translates to their workplace.
Digital modules include:
- Module 1: The Project Organisation
- Differentiate between projects and operational work.
- Describe the content of a project management method and how it supports the governance of projects.
- Explain the differences between linear and iterative life cycles and what type of project would be suitable for each approach.
- Describe the responsibilities for each of the main project roles.
- Explain three types of organisation structure within which projects might be delivered.
- Module 2: The Project Environment
- Explain the differences between projects, programmes, and portfolios and how they link to an organisation’s strategic objectives.
- Explain tools and techniques that can be used to analyse the project environment (including PESTLE, SWOT, and VUCA).
- Explain the impact of legislative and regulatory constraints on a project.
- Identify and analyse the stakeholders who have a vested interest in a project.
- Module 3: The Concept Phase
- Describe the purpose and content of a project’s business case.
- Explain the steps in the definition and management of project benefits.
- Appraise the financial viability of a business case.
- Explain the steps in selecting a suitable supplier and how to determine the most suitable relationship between the contracting parties.
- Explain how to prepare for, and conduct, a negotiation.
- Module 4: Defining the Project
- Explain how to gather and analyse the project requirements.
- Define the detailed scope of a project.
- Estimate how long a project will take and how much it will cost.
- Describe the various terms that are used in project scheduling.
- Explain how to optimise the resourcing of a project.
- Explain each element that forms the project budget.
- Describe the purpose and content of the Project Management Plan (PMP).
- Explain each step in a risk management process.
- Module 5: Controlling Project Deployment
- Explain the activities that will ensure that project stakeholders have the information and knowledge required to make effective decisions.
- Explain tools and techniques that can be used to monitor and control progress on the project (including earned value management).
- Differentiate between risks and issues and explain the steps in an issue management process.
- Explain the main activities that will ensure that project deliverables are fit for purpose – quality planning, quality assurance, and quality control.
- Identify what causes scope change in a project and explain a process for controlling this change.
- Describe how to manage the different versions of deliverables and documentation that are created in a project.
- Module 6: The Project Team
- Describe how to build, develop, and lead a successful project team.
- Explain the different leadership qualities and styles that are needed for a particular situation.
- Identify the challenges of leading a virtual team and explain how the project manager can help to overcome these.
- Describe the factors that can positively and negatively impact project communication and explain how these can be addressed by a communication plan.
- State what causes conflict in projects and explain how this conflict can be resolved.
- Module 7: Transitioning to Business As Usual
- Describe the activities required to effectively and efficiently transition the project outputs into operational use.
- Explain the purpose and content of a post-project review.
- Exam Preparation
Live event
During the 3-day Live event, learners will work individually and in teams to consolidate the PMQ theory through practical, exam-focused activities. The facilitator will use Miro to create a digital workspace environment, enabling a collaborative and interactive learning experience.
- Live Day 1:
- Introductions
- Organisation structures
- Governance
- Project reviews
- Linear vs. iterative
- Project context
- Projects vs. programmes
- Communications factors
- Conflict
- Leadership qualities
- Situational leadership
- Live Day 2:
- Exam practice
- Team development
- Social roles
- Benefits map
- Investment appraisal techniques
- Estimating
- PMP
- EVM
- Information management
- Requirements management
- Configuration management
- Live Day 3:
- Exam practice
- Linear vs. Iterative
- Planning
- Critical path and Gantt chart
- Contractual relationships
- Supplier reimbursement
- Risk identification
- Risk responses
- Mock exam
- Quality
- Exam recap quiz
- Exam and revision tips
Exam
After the Live event, learners will progress on to the PMQ exam. The PMQ exam is typically scheduled for 2 working days after the live event commencing at 1pm.
- The APM PMQ exam is a 3 hour and 15 minute closed-book examination.
- Learners must select and answer 10 from 16 questions.
- Examinations take place via APM’s qualification platform, Surpass and the remote invigilation is conducted by ProctorExam.
- Find out more about online APM exams, including technical and systems requirements here
APM certification paths
= Required
= Certification
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