CEPS FAQ (Fall 2010)
This document contains Frequently Asked Questions about CEPS.
- What is PMI-VI CEPS?
- What is PMI-VI CEPS Fall 2010?
- What is the purpose of the PMI-VI CEPS program?
- What are the PMP and CAPM certification examinations?
- How many people have taken the PMI-VI CEPS program?
- What is the feedback from participants of prior PMI-VI CEPS programs?
- Who are the instructors?
- How does the PMI-VI CEPS program compare with those certificate programs offered by University of Victoria and Royal Roads University?
- What is the format of the PMI-VI CEPS program?
- Is the PMI-VI CEPS course content the same as the PMBOK?
- How do I register for PMI-VI CEPS Fall 2010?
- What are the prerequisites for registration?
- Should I apply for PMI membership before registering for the course?
- Where do I get a PMBOK?
- What is the cost to take the PMI-VI CEPS Fall 2010 program?
- How do I pay for PMI-VI CEPS Fall 2010 program?
- Why is there a difference in the member versus non-member rate?
- What do I do if I find that I can’t continue once I’ve registered; can I get a refund?
- What do I get when I register for PMI-VI CEPS Fall 2010?
- What is the schedule of the PMI-VI CEPS Fall 2010 program?
- When does PMI-VI CEPS Fall 2010 begin?
- Where will PMI-VI CEPS Fall 2010 be held?
- What times are the PMI-VI CEPS Fall 2010 classes?
- What happens if I miss a class?
- Who do I contact for more information?
PMI-VI CEPS is PMI Vancouver Island Chapter’s (PMI-VI) Project Management Institute Professional Certification Examination Preparation Seminar (CEPS).
PMI-VI CEPS is designed to facilitate and focus the self-study of project managers and project team members who wish to obtain the professional credential of Project Management Professional (PMP®) or Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®), offered through the Project Management Institute (PMI®).
For more information on PMI and the value of the professional credentials, go to www.pmi.org.
PMI-VI CEPS Fall 2010 is PMI Vancouver Island Chapter’s Fall 2010 offering of the PMI-VI CEPS program. PMI VI Chapter has successfully offered PMI-VIVI CEPS in 2004, 2005, 2006, three times in 2007, twice in 2008 and 2009 and, again, twice in 2010PMI-VIVI CEPS Fall 2010 is the twelve offering of this successful program.
The PMI-VI CEPS program is intended to help practicing project managers who aspire to earn the Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification offered by the Project Management Institute.
The PMI-VI CEPS program is also applicable to practicing project team members and entry level project managers who aspire to earn the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), also through PMI.
The PMI-VI CEPS program is designed to facilitate and focus your self-study program as you prepare to take these certification examinations.
In addition to helping you prepare for the certification examinations, PMI-VI CEPS also more than fulfills PMI’s requirement for 35 hours of formal project management training for PMP® certification.
Excerpt from PMI® Certification Program description at www.pmi.org:
This four-hour (PMP®) examination composed of 200 multiple-choice questions measures your ability to apply knowledge, skills and techniques used in project management. The examination is developed by groups of individuals from around the globe who hold the PMP® credential and is routinely reviewed and revised to ensure the best and consistently objective assessment.
Applicants (for the CAPM credential) must pass a three-hour, 150-question, knowledge-based examination that uses the PMBOK® Guide as its only source. The questions are developed by individuals from around the globe who hold the CAPM credential and are monitored to ensure that the examination continues to be a reliable and valid assessment of project management terms and practices.
The computer-based examinations are administered globally with translation aids in 10 languages.
More than 400 project managers and project team members have taken the Vancouver Island Chapter’s PMI-VI CEPS program over the last six years.
Without the CEPS course I would probably not have gone through with the PMP examination. The course provided me with the 35 hours PM training required, but more valuable was the encouragement and tips from the instructors. Also, because all areas of the PMBOK are covered, it forced me to focus on and study all subject areas. I highly recommend it to anyone considering obtaining PMP certification.
– Toby Voss
The sheer volume of information that must be absorbed - and more importantly, understood, in order to do well on a PMI exam - makes this course a must for anyone looking for accreditation. No one information source is comprehensive - not even PMBOK itself - so having a group of experienced guides to point you to what is really important is essential. What you get is in-depth training from people who have learned to think like project managers. That’s what you need in an exam in which 3 out of 4 (sometimes 4 out of 4) responses in a typical multiple-choice question look equally plausible. Take this course!
– Mike Skinner
The CEPS course was extremely well organized and well run. I was able to keep up with the material provided in each session and follow the guidance of the qualified practitioners regarding extra study to make sure that I passed the PMP exam on the first try. The PMP designation has already helped my in my career aspirations. Thanks for your support!
– Bonnie Laine Farrell
The CEPS course just what I needed, with more than 10 years project management experience under my belt I was less interested in learning basic PM techniques, but more about getting “under the skin” of the PMI ethos to help me plan, prepare, sit and pass the exam. Many thanks.
– Ian Hennem
I took a compressed version of the CEPS course which ran twice a week for five weeks and, while it was a heavy commitment at the time, it proved to be vital in preparing me to pass the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification exam. The PMPs, who were obvious subject matter experts, presented the content of the course and many valuable personal experiences. The anecdotes about how the information is applied and how to personally prepare for the exams brought the topic to life. I know that, at the end of the course, the participants will be as ready for the exam as they will ever be.
– Jim Hogg
CEPS is the course you need to pass PMP/CAPM exam the first time. It covers the right material and keeps you confident but honest about yourself.
– Chunying, Dong
The facilitators (instructors) are all certified PMPs and practicing project managers who are members of PMI Vancouver Island Chapter. They are experienced professional project managers who bring a wealth of hands-on knowledge and skill to the PMI-VI CEPS program and are committed to helping fellow project managers who wish to become PMP or CAPM certified.
Facilitators cover a wide range of industries including IT and IS, Construction, Facilities, Communications, Public Policy, and Event Management, and they work in different sectors such as: Federal and Provincial Government, Defence, Health, Education, Real Estate, and Pharmaceuticals.
The University of Victoria and Royal Roads University project management certificate programs and PMI-VI CEPS have very different objectives, purposes, and orientation. The university programs teach project management and offer a Master’s Certificate in Project Management, whereas PMI-VI CEPS is intended to facilitate and focus your self-study in preparation to take the PMP and CAPM certification examinations.
The PMI-VI CEPS program is delivered through lecture-style presentations, which are facilitated by experienced PMPs.
A different area of project management is covered in each session.
The sessions for PMI-VI CEPS program cover:
- Introduction and Orientation
- Scope Management
- Time Management
- Cost Management
- Human Resources Management
- Communication Management
- Quality Management
- Risk Management
- Procurement Management
- Integration Management
- Professional Responsibility
- Exam Review
PMI’s credential examinations are based on content from the “A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Fourth Edition (PMBOK Guide©)” and additional globally-validated knowledge on project management.
The PMI-VI CEPS course covers the content of the PMBOK, plus additional material which is critical to the knowledge needed to successfully pass PMI’s certification examinations. Throughout the PMI-VI CEPS sessions, facilitators will highlight key project management concepts and terms as aids to focus your study. Sample questions will also be reviewed allowing you to become familiar with the particular style of certification examination questions.
PMI-VI CEPS participants are expected to have their own copy of the PMBOK Guide.
A copy of the PMBOK Guide is included in your PMI membership.
Registration information is available at PMI Vancouver Island Chapter’s web site. The Registrar may be contacted at cepsregistrar@pmivancouverisland.com (clicking on this link will generate an email message with a registration form).
Payment must be received by the Registrar one week prior to the start of PMI-VI CEPS for your seat to be confirmed.
You can also register online by clicking on the following link: Register now!
You are strongly encouraged to become a member of PMI and the Vancouver Island Chapter. PMI membership gives you, among other things, your own copy of the PMBOK Guide©. The PMBOK Guide© is an essential aid to getting full value from PMI-VI CEPS.
We also strongly encourage you to begin the process of applying to write your PMP or CAPM exam with PMI. Visiting the PMI examination registration web site https://www.pmi.org/authentication/default.aspx?r=www.pmi.org/certapp/default.aspx&s=true will help you ensure that, on completing PMI-VI CEPS you are ready to write and that you derive the maximum benefit from your time in PMI-VI CEPS.
Yes. Membership is easy and takes only a few minutes on line: http://www.pmi.org/Marketplace/Pages/default.aspx?Category=MembershipIndividual
You can purchase a hard copy of the PMBOK Guide© at the PMI on-line bookstore:
http://www.pmi.org/Marketplace/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?GMProduct=00101095501
Hard copy PMBOK Guide© may also be available through local book stores. A copy of the PMBOK Guide© is included in your PMI membership.
You should get, and start reading, the PMBOK before you start the course.
The PMI member rate is $795.00 and the non-PMI member registration fee is $940.00 (both inclusive of HST since the course starts after July 1st.).
Make cheques payable to “PMI Vancouver Island Chapter” and mail to:
Registrar, PMI-VI CEPS 2010
c/o Dave Bachmann
10296 Gabriola Place
Sidney, BC
V8L 3J8
If you are paying by corporate or government cheque, please ensure that your name is clearly indicated on the cheque.
You may also pay for your registration online using a credit card or your PayPal account via EventBrite – this is the same service VI Chapter uses for our Chapter meetings. There is a small processing fee charged by EventBrite for this service. Register online now!
Receipts will be issued on the last day of class.
By joining PMI, you automatically save $25.00 when registering for PMI-VI CEPS Fall 2010. Also, as a member of PMI, you will receive a significant discount when you apply to write the PMP Certification Examination, a digital copy of the “A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge Fourth Edition (PMBOK Guide©)” and discounts for any books and related study material purchased at the PMI on-line bookstore:
http://www.pmi.org/Marketplace/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?GMProduct=00101095501
Please check the PMI web site www.pmi.org for the most current details on PMI membership rates.
If you decide to join the PMI to take advantage of the special price, please provide us with your PMI member number at Registration time.
The PMI-VI reserves the right to invoice students for the difference if they have paid the member fee and do not join the PMI.
You can get a full refund from the Registrar up to one week before the course begins. After that, the Vancouver Island Chapter will consider partial refunds in exceptional circumstances. If you have paid by Credit Card, some transaction charges will not be reimbursed.
Registration and attendance provides:
- 37 hours of in-person facilitator-led contact hours;
- A PMI-VI CEPS Participant Manual (approximately 600 pages) which presents comprehensive content designed to facilitate and focus your self-study in preparation to take the PMI certification examinations;
- Access to experienced professional project managers to answer questions as you prepare for your examinations;
- One Project Management Professional Sample Examination Questions booklet;
- At the end of the session, a PMP Preparation Book from the Sybex Series to be used as a secondary reference.
- A PMI-VI CEPS 2010 Participant Certificate indicating that the participant has achieved 37 hours (if all the sessions were attended) of project management training ; and
- A positive, helpful learning environment with many tips and suggestions to be done to be successful when you take the certification examination.
PMI VI Chapter has developed a 3 week, 12.5 hour per week program for a total of 37 hours. This schedule offers several advantages:
- To accommodate working professionals who wish to become PMP or CAPM certified but cannot take five straight days off of work.
- To allow people from different locations across the Chapter’s geographical reach to attend with minimal travel expenses.
- To avoid the cost and inconvenience of travel to an off-Island training location.
- To provide participants with different facilitators/instructors for each module. This provides PMI-VI CEPS participants with an exposure to a wide range of professional project managers, who bring their own experience to each session.
- To meet the minimum number of mandatory education hours in project management which PMI requires of a candidate to qualify to sit their certification examination.
PMI-VI CEPS Fall 2010 begins on Friday 15 October 2010 and continues for the next three weekends, ending on 30 October 2010.
Location will be announced one month before the course starts.
Classes begin at 6 PM on Fridays and 8 AM on Saturdays.
All project managers have very busy lives! If you have to miss a class, it is your responsibility to cover the material on your own and you may contact the specific Facilitator if you have any questions. It is important that you notify the PMI-VI CEPS Project Leader, as attendance is checked (you have to sign-in at each session). This course provides 2 more hours than the minimum number of mandatory education hours in project management that PMI requires in order to approve a candidate to sit their PMP© certification examination.
The following contacts will be pleased to provide more information about PMI-VI CEPS Fall 2010: