Recommend Project Management Course

S

suzyann

Registered User
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149
Hi
I am currently working in IT as an engineer and would like to become a Project Manager- I would like to do a PM course that would give PMI accreditation with a view to sitting the PMI exams. I looked on the PMI site and the fees are quite expensive.

Can anyone recommend an alternative course? So far the only alternative I can see is offered at Dorset College
Thanks
suzyann
 
The only people who can give PMI accreditation are the PMI themselves. However, I did an Advanced Diploma in Project Management course in DBS earlier this year which covers the PMI requirements and you can then book the PMI exam. I found it very thorough, if a little frustrating - PMI is very 'by the book' and I didn't necessarily find it very applicable to my real life work.

I haven't gone for the PMI accreditation yet as you have to log your PM experience over the last few years in some detail and I just haven't got around to doing that.

Have you considered any other accreditation like Prince2? If you want any more info about the DBS course, let me know.
 
Blanchardstown IT also do PM courses which are geared to the PMP certification. I don't know how good these are as I did everything myself.

PMBOK is one of the dullest reads you'll ever come across.

I found this much better and some of the simulation are quite useful

http://www.amazon.com/PMP-Exam-Prep-Rita-Mulcahy/dp/0971164738

Some people I work with have also done a course through UL. They can run this remotely so if there were some people in your company interested you might be able to presuade the company to pay to have the course run on-site.



Have you considered some of the other PMI certification like CAPM that might be a stepping stone to PMP.
 
PMBOK is terrible, it's true. I would second the recommendation of the Rita Mulcahy book if you decide that PMI is the way you want to go.
 
Forgot to add but to become PMI certified you need to be able to demonstrate that you are working in a PM role or at least have PM experience. I can't remember the exact requirements. If you have a degree it's something like 3 years PM experience plus 40 hours of PM training.

It's self certification.
 
I did the Blanchardstown course. It covered everything in detail using the PMBOK. PMBOK is very dull but I found the course worthwhile doing in the classroom setting for some of the more complicated discussions.
All in all pretty good course...
 
I've known a few people in the public sector who have done the Open University Project Management module. It can be studied as a stand alone module or can count to many of their academic awards if you study additional modules. This module has Association of Project Managers accreditation. It costs approx €1800 - includes all materials and support - takes 6 months, 8 hours total study per week in your own time - starts in Nov or May. So if DL is an option worth considering, you need Level 6/7 study behind you to tackle this.

[broken link removed]
 
SuzyAnn
Hi I would recommend the Project Management courses either diploma or Masters from the University of Limerick. They are distance education courses and although quite time consuming are both very detailed and recognized worldwide.

I completed the course last year and had the option of doing a short 3 day course(there are plenty providers around-however most are not recognized worldwide or accreddited by PMI) but decided against it and am now glad.

Funding is available I believe from Fas through your employer for this course, depending on where you live and tax relief etc, it may cost less than €1500.

Pm me if you want to know more

Irishgurl
 
You can book the PMP exam yourself and study for it in your own time. I recommend Rita Mulcahy's PMP exam Prep book (look for it on Amazon.com). It is excellent.

The Irish Project Management Institute do a 6 month Diploma course which is very good (and quite hard work). It is expensive, but FAS pay 70% of the cost if you are in employment, so it works out at only €1800 or so. Look at www.projectmanagement.ie for details.
 

I agree about the Rita Mulcahy book


For some reason, the Dublin course in not covered by FAS, but the Cork one is, the total cost must be paid, if you do it in Dublin.
No amount of complaining to the IPMI has convinced them to push for FAS approval. I assume not enough of theri customer have complained enough.
 
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