How to Pass Your PMI-CP Exam

What is PMI-CP certification?

The PMI Construction Professional (PMI-CP)™ is the only internationally recognized certification that offers an in-depth curriculum focused on the construction industry.

This advanced certification empowers working professionals — like you — to elevate your career. It prepares construction project managers to lead, plan and manage contracts. It also equips you to navigate challenges and stay relevant in an ever-evolving field.

Given the global economic infrastructure investment projected at US$3.5 trillion per year through 2035, as noted by McKinsey, there’s a growing reliance on skilled construction professionals. The PMI-CP certification caters to this demand by equipping professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead, plan, and manage construction projects efficiently and effectively.

Professionals who earn the PMI-CP certification can demonstrate their advanced knowledge in construction project management, which includes leading teams, managing contracts, and applying best practices tailored to the construction industry.

So, you are interested in becoming PMI-CP certified, but you can’t find much information on it from PMI.org or elsewhere? Don’t fear, yours truly has gone through the pain of studying for the entire 7 modules and passed with ‘Above Average’.

As of February 2024, you only need to study for 4 of the 7 available PMI-CP modules for the capstone exam. The 4 modules are:

Construction Contract and Risk Management

Construction Project Communication

Construction Interface Management

Construction Scope and Change Order Management

Not sure why, but PMI felt it was necessary to pre-fix the course names with ‘Construction’, which I don’t think is necessary but to be sure, it is for professionals in that industry.

How do you study for success?

Unlike PMP, you’d be hard pressed to find much help on the internet in the way of free books or $20 Udemy courses for PMI-CP exam preparation.

So here is a short and concise way forward:

Option 1: You can purchase the 4 eLearning modules (they are priced between USD 90 – 190 each) and study on your own. If you have enough will-power, this would be the most cost-effective method of study – For the total investment of around USD 490. Of course, there is the matter of exam fee, which is another USD 400.

Option 2: Find an Authorised Training Partner (ATP) who is equipped to help you with your exam preparation. It’s important that the ATP has qualified instructors, otherwise you will find yourself led by a proverbial blind. You can expect to pay around USD 1,900 and upwards, but the probability of passing the exam would increase proportionally to the money invested.

Check out our (qualified) instructor led PMI-CP courses here https://www.pm-coe.com/pmicp/

How did I pass my PMI-CP exam?

Back in September 2023, when PMI-CP was in its infancy, I think I was the 29th person to pass the exam globally, since the inception of the program. I must admit, the exam was about 3 times more difficult than the PMP exam, as the capstone exam encompassed all 7 PMI-CP modules.

But that’s now reduced to 4, as mentioned previously, which should lessen the study effort.

I took the option of doing the self-study using PMI’s eLearning modules, only because there were no qualified instructors anywhere in the world. In fact, I think I became one of the first PMI-CP qualified instructor ever.

I stuck to an 8-week study plan that looked like this:

Each week, finish one eLearning module

Prepare an exam note while completing each eLearning module

On the 8th week, go over the exam notes 2-3 hours a day, or until I felt comfortable

Take the exam on the 9th week

It worked in the end, but my word it was a hard slog (work)! I was so relieved to learn that I passed the exam, I think I skipped dinner that night and hit the beer straight after the exam.

Any last words of wisdom?

Even with the reduced number of modules, PMI-CP is a difficult exam. Be prepared to put in some hard work, and seriously consider taking an instructor led course with an Authorised Training Partner.