APM Project Management Qualification
(APM PMQ)

What are the Topics Covered in this Course?

Course Introduction - An overview of the course syllabus, assessment criteria and the exam arrangements.

Context and Environments - Projects are not delivered in isolation they need to fit within the overall business, legal and political environment. In this session we explore how projects transform ongoing operations and how projects support strategic change as part of a co-ordinated programme or portfolio of projects. In this session, we also examine, relevant legislation that is applicable to projects including health and safety, environmental, employment and contract law.

Organisations and Project Structures - Projects need to work with a wide range of different organisations and cultures. To be effective a project team needs clear roles and responsibilities. In this session we explore the different types of organisation and the key responsibilities of the project manager, sponsor, user and the project office.

Project Lifecycles - In this session we explore the project lifecycle and the benefits of adopting a standard lifecycle for a project. This includes the importance of project reviews and benefits of capturing lessons learned from projects.

Organisation and Governance - In this session we explain the principles of project governance and how a project management method supports project governance. We also discuss the advantages of using a standard across the project lifecycle.

Communications - The key to good communications in a project environment is the identification and management of stakeholders. In this session we explore the processes for managing stakeholders, the contents and structure of a communications plan and the factors affecting communications in a project environment.

Conflict and Negotiation - All projects have periods of conflict, resolving these conflicts by negotiations is a critical skill for many project managers. In this session we look at the different approaches to conflict resolution and the stages in the negotiation process.

Leadership and team work - People deliver projects and so in this section we look at how to develop and lead successful project teams. This includes discussions on the leadership qualities of a project manager, the principles of motivation, the impact of leadership on team motivation, the advantages of adopting situational leadership models and the benefits of effective teams and team working.

Scope Management - In this session we will define scope in terms of outputs, outcomes and benefits and explain how to manage scope through requirements management and configuration management. We will also look at the different stages in change control and the relationship between change control and configuration management. Finally in this session we explain the advantages and disadvantages of a change control process.

Planning for Success - Planning projects relies on a clear understanding of the project outcome, business benefit and a structured project management plan. In this session we explore the first stage in planning a project from the business case to the project management plan. We will explain the purpose of a business case, benefits management and describe the authorship and ownership of a business case. We also explore the importance of payback, internal rate of return and net present value for project business cases.

In this session we will also explain project information management and a typical project reporting cycle.

Finally in this session we will discuss the purpose of the project management plan and the authorship and ownership of the project management plan.

Scheduling and resource management - Planning and controlling activities and resources is a vital part of project control. In this session we look at detailed project planning including estimating techniques, the process of creating a schedule, the techniques of depicting a schedule and the advantages and disadvantages of using scheduling software.

In this session we also explore the management of resources including categories and types of resources used by projects and how resources are applied to a scheduling process. This will include differentiating between smoothing and levelling.

Cost is also an important of project control so in this session we will explain budgeting and cost management, including the use of earned value management. Finally we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of earned value management.

Risk Management - Every project takes a risk. In this session we look at a proactive risk management process. This includes examining the stages in a risk management process, risk response planning, the benefits of risk management and the difference between risk and issue management. In this section we will also examine the importance of a risk and issue escalation process.

Quality Management - Poor quality management leads to poor customer satisfaction, additional cost and project delay. In this session we look at the elements of project quality management including quality planning, assurance, control and continuous improvement. In particular we look at the practical application of quality management in the project environment.

Procurement - Most projects involve selecting and working with suppliers. Finding the right supplier and then working with them constructively to complete the project is vital to project success and the quality of the future relationship. In this section we explore the role of a procurements strategy in project delivery and the different forms of contractual relationship and payment types as described in the APMBoK (Body of Knowledge).

The final session is tutor lead exam preparation followed by the exam.

What's Included in the Distance Learning Package from Parallel Project Training?

For the distance learning course, Parallel worked in partnership with the APM to write the official study guide for this qualification. Our distance learning course is presented by the authors of the study guide (John Bolton and Paul Naybour). As with our APM PMQ classroom course, we include a wide range of learning materials, providing with you with a flexible approach to your study. You can study in print, on-line, or as you travel in the car or the train.

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  The APM Project Management Qualification study guide published by APM and written by Parallel Project Training

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  Eight on-line e-learning modules which are closely integrated with the study guide

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  Twenty-five podcasts which you can download and listen to as you travel

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  An on-line tutor support via our study group

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  A full sample exam paper

If I study distance learning... How Do I Take the Exam?

Once you have completed the APM PMQ distance learning course, listened to all of the podcasts and feel confident to take the exam, you need to purchase and register on one of our APM PMQ Exam Prep and Exam days. These are hosted every month in various locations including Reading and London.

As part of the exam prep day you will work closely with a tutor to practice exam technique, typical questions and timing. You will also have the opportunity to work through topics you are feeling less confident about. You will then sit the exam in the afternoon.

We don't expect you will use all these resources as we find that different people have different learning styles; some prefer the printed resources, some find the podcasts fit into their working week, whilst other prefer the on-line lectures.