PMP PDU Requirements for Maintaining Your PMP Credential
Last Updated October 7, 2021
Once you’ve earned your Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification, you’ll need to fulfill your PMP PDU requirements to maintain your credential. As a Project Management Institute (PMI) credential holder, you’ve proven that you have acquired the knowledge and experience necessary to meet certain eligibility requirements. In addition, your PMP certification shows your dedication to your profession, vocation, organization and clients.
Now that you’ve received this credential, you need to enhance your professional development to maintain an active status. PMP certification holders need to earn 60 professional development units (PDUs) over three years to maintain the credential. Your certification and/or Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) cycle starts the day you pass the PMP certification exam and ends on the same date three years later.
Five Tips for Maintaining Your PMP Certification
Earning 60 PDUs over three years is manageable, especially if you map out a plan for when and how you will attain your PDUs. From taking an e-learning course to getting involved in PMI chapter and community activities, there are many ways to gain these valuable PDUs. Typically, you will earn one PDU for every hour (60 minutes) spent on acceptable professional development activities. The Project Management Institute provides these five tips for maintaining your PMP credential:
- Start early. Establish a strategy for attaining your PDUs before your cycle begins
- Maintain a personal folder for all your PMP PDU claims documentation
- Report activities soon after completion. PDUs can also be reported online through the Continuing Certification Requirement System (CCRS)
- Take advantage of the opportunity to transfer PDUs from one cycle to the next. If you are a PMP credential holder, you can transfer up to 20 PDUs earned in the last year of your current cycle
- Make sure you have the registered program number for R.E.P. classes, which is required on the Continuing Certification Requirement System
PMI Talent Triangle Requirements
PMI has updated how PDUs are classified, and project managers will need to follow these new stipulations to maintain project management certifications. PMI’s Talent Triangle™ focuses on helping project managers develop additional skills needed to meet the evolving demands of the profession.
The Talent Triangle is composed of three categories:
- Category 1: Technical Project Management
- Category 2: Leadership
- Category 3: Strategic and Business Management
Under the new rules, professionals must earn at least 8 PDUs from each component of the three triangle groups.
Education and Giving Back Requirement
PDU requirements are broken down into two categories – one for Education and one for Giving Back. The graph below shows the breakdown of PDU requirements in each category.
According to PMI, project managers must earn a minimum of 35 Education PDUs and can earn a maximum of 25 Giving Back PDUs. Professionals may fill all their PDU requirements only through Education, for example, as long as at least 8 PDUs are earned in each of the three Talent Triangle categories.
9 Ways to Fulfill Your PMP PDU Requirements
There are many opportunities each year to earn the necessary PDUs to maintain your PMP certification. As a PMP holder, you are required to abide by the CCR program, which supports ongoing professional development. Although courses and seminars are ideal for staying current with project management best practices, there are many other activities happening in your daily professional life that can count toward PDUs as well.
PMI’s Knowledge Shelf
Post your articles about project management and information to help professionals and organizations advance the practice of project management. A team of volunteers along with PMI staff reviews the articles before posting them. Your paper could be a part of this virtual collection and earn you PDUs if you are its sole author.
PMI Publication Quizzes
PMI Publication Quizzes allow you to earn PDUs from the comfort and convenience of your personal computer. When you purchase a quiz bundle from PMI.org, you receive PMI-published articles and white papers with accompanying quizzes that test your knowledge. A PMP holder who passes one of PMI’s quizzes can earn between 0.5 and 2.5 PDUs depending on the length of the content.
Volunteer Service
Earn PDUs for providing your professional services to an organization outside of your employer. You could serve as an elected officer or volunteer committee member for a project management organization. Or you could provide a project management-related service to a community or charitable group. PMI also has multiple volunteer opportunities.
Registered Education Provider (R.E.P.) Courses
There are more than 900 PMI R.E.P.s worldwide, including Villanova University, who offer courses that are pre-approved for PDUs. All of Villanova’s courses are approved for PDU credit.
PMI Global Congresses
Congresses offer opportunities to network with colleagues and attend seminars that go toward receiving PDUs.
PMI Community Offerings
PMI’s chapters, specific interest group (SIGs) and colleges hold events, meetings and educational sessions that are pre-approved for PDUs. PMI members are welcome to join these communities and take advantage of their offerings.
Professional Activities
Authoring an article about project management or speaking at a project management event can quickly earn you PDUs. PMI has specified a number of professional activities – things you may already be doing – that can translate to varying amounts of PDUs.
Self-Directed Learning
Obtain PDUs by sharing project management knowledge with your colleagues. PMI will recognize activities that involve personally conducted research or study. This includes discussions or coaching sessions with colleagues or clients that put to use informational materials such as articles, books, videos or instructional manuals.
Educational Programs by Outside Providers
PMI recognizes relevant educational activities or programs offered by organizations not registered with PMI. Use the following formula to calculate the number of PDUs earned: One hour of learning relevant to project management within a structured activity or course equals one PDU.
Gain Practical Project Management Skills With Villanova
Villanova empowers professionals with essential skills and in-depth knowledge through 100% online video-based e-learning. At your convenience, you can earn PDUs online through one of Villanova’s approved courses.
