Achieving IPMA level-D certification is international recognition of your knowledge about managing projects. You have shown you know the competences as described by the Individual Competence Baseline® and know how to apply them.
IPMA level-D is IPMA’s starting level, aimed at new project professionals who want to demonstrate their knowledge to employers and clients. Candidates usually have broad project management knowledge and may work in a project team.
No prior PM experience is required and only knowledge of project management-specific competence elements are assessed in the exam.
About the Exam
This exam is conducted online, divided into two parts:
- Part 1: Multiple Choice Questions — Candidates will have 80 minutes to answer 50 multiple-choice questions covering 14 competence elements with 3-4 questions per element. Candidates must have at least two questions correct in each competence element to pass this portion of the exam.
- Part 2: Short Answer Questions — Candidates will have 90 minutes to answer 14 questions covering 14 competence elements.
Upon completion of the exam, it will be submitted to a pool of assessors for marking and candidates will receive an email with their results typically within 2-3 weeks and a digital certificate, if the candidate passes both parts of the exam.
How to Apply
To apply, individuals must submit a completed application and self-assessment of their knowledge of the competence elements in the Individual Competence Baseline. Additionally, applicants must make a payment of $570 for members or $765 for non-members. The exam is designed to comply with IPMA's International Certification Regulations.
Validity and Recertification
An IPMA Level-D (Certified Project Management Associate) will remain valid for a period of five years, which will be indicated on the certificate issued by the association. Validity can also be checked in our Directory of Certified individuals and in the IPMA Register of Certified Professionals.
During the period of validity, certified individuals earn the right to call themselves Certified Project Management Associates and use the letters CPMA or IPMA-D after their names.
Nearing certification expiry, an individual may renew their certification. For a full description of the process and requirements, please refer to IPMA's International Certification Regulations (ICR). If you are interested in re-certification, please contact certification@pmac-agpc.ca.