Everything you need to earn and report Professional Development Units (PDUs) through PMO Strategies programs, resources, and the IMPACT Engine System.
PMI uses two different types of learning requirements depending on where you are in the certification journey. They are related but not interchangeable.
To apply for the PMP exam, PMI requires 35 contact hours of formal project management education. These are required before you sit for the exam, are a one-time eligibility requirement, do not expire, and cannot be used for certification renewal or reported as PDUs after the exam. This is defined in PMI’s PMP Certification Eligibility Requirements.
Once you earn your PMP, you move into PMI’s Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program. PMP holders must earn 60 PDUs every 3 years to maintain their certification. PDUs can be earned through education, teaching, volunteering, or giving back to the profession and are tracked after certification only.
35 contact hours = qualify to take the PMP exam. PDUs = keep your PMP active. Even though both are measured in hours, PMI treats them as separate requirements governed by different rules. Reference PMI’s PMP Certification Requirements and the CCR Handbook for full details.
Time spent = PDU credit. One hour equals one PDU. You need a minimum of 35 credits in the Education category and a maximum of 25 credits in the Giving Back category per 3-year cycle.
Reading The IMPACT Engine book counts in the Education category under Read for the number of hours spent reading. We recommend estimating 4 to 6 hours for the full read depending on your pace. Self-report PDUs using the Education Read category for the total hours spent reading. Follow the reporting instructions in the section below.
Each video counts in the Education category under Online or Digital Media for the number of minutes or hours watched. You can find the PMI Talent Triangle Category on each session page with the topic description. Free access users self-report PDUs for time spent watching. VIP and On-Demand members receive PDU certificates and a course transcript after watching sessions inside their paid account.
Each episode counts in the Education category under Online or Digital Media for the number of minutes or hours of each episode. You can find the PMI Talent Triangle Category on each speaker page underneath their topic description.
Live workshops count under Course or Training. Replays count under Online or Digital Media. Both count equally regardless of how you watch. Track your time and claim .25 PDU for every 15 minutes. 1 hour equals 1 PDU. Time spent applying what you learned using provided resources counts in either Course or Training or Working as a Practitioner. Workshops are all Strategic and Business Management PMI Talent Triangle category.
Training webinars and IMPACT After Hours sessions count under Course or Training if you attend live or Online or Digital Media if you watch the replay. They count equally either way. All IMPACT After Hours sessions are Strategic and Business Management PMI Talent Triangle category.
Our courses offer PDUs covering all three areas of the PMI Talent Triangle under Online or Digital Media. The total PDUs include the full time it takes to complete course videos, companion readings, exercises, workbooks, worksheets, and Knowledge Checks.
Live coaching sessions count under Course or Training if you attend live or Online or Digital Media if you watch the replay. Track your time and claim .25 PDU per 15 minutes. Mastermind sessions are 90 minutes so you can claim 1.5 PDUs per full session. All coaching sessions are Strategic and Business Management PMI Talent Triangle category. When you answer a question or share an insight that counts in the Giving Back Sharing Knowledge section.
You can access 300 or more training programs, 100 or more templates, guides, assessments, eBooks, and other resources to support you. The Inner Circle is designed so that members can earn all 60 PDUs needed for an entire certification cycle in one place.
The IMPACT Project Management Playbook includes prerecorded videos, content to read, and templates to apply. You can earn education credits and Giving Back credits across all three categories of the PMI Talent Triangle. The Playbook is available as part of the IMPACT Engine System program.
Each time you leverage a template you are Working as a Professional and those credits count in the PMI Giving Back category.
Reading eBooks counts toward your PMI Education category under the Read section. Blog articles may also be claimed depending on their length and your active engagement with the material.
