An article I came across for those of you interested in pursuing a PMP certification, written by Joseph Philips.
The Program Management Professional Certification from the Project Management Institute is for experienced program managers. It certifies that the individual has years of program management experience, competency in project and program management, and has passed evaluations of their professional experience. In this article, project management expert Joseph Phillips shows you how to earn your PgMP.
If you like complicated and expensive certifications, then you might like earning the Program Management Professional (PgMP) designation from the Project Management Institute (PMI). This PMI title is an elite certification that has strict requirements[md]even to apply for the examination and review process. It’s based largely on PMI’s book The Standard for Program Management and your professional program management and project management experience.
First, let me define what a program is: It’s a collection of projects that are orchestrated to realize benefits that couldn’t be realized any other way. The construction of a skyscraper is a good example of a program. Think of all the different projects in the skyscraper that must work together: architectural design, framing, elevators, interior design, landscaping, and so many more. It wouldn’t make much sense to complete these projects independent of one another, because of the integration of these projects help the timing, costs, and even the overall quality of the skyscraper.
A program manager is the person who oversees the benefits and management of each of the individual projects in the program. There are still project managers, and generally the program manager stays out of their way, but the program manager can trump the project manager when it comes to timing, project decisions, and change control. The program manager is the head honcho, the big man on campus, and the god of all things program-related.
Qualifying for the Exam
Not just anyone can appoint him- or herself as a program manager, stroll in, and pass this examination. You have to qualify for the PgMP certification process first. Candidates who have only a high school diploma must document four years of project management and seven years of program management experience. Candidates who have a bachelor’s degree must document four years of project management experience and four years of program management experience.
Note that PMI is serious when it requires project and program documentation. The candidate must, as part of the certification application, document what happened in each project and program, what was created, and provide contact information for projects and programs the candidate managed. It’s a grueling application process.