Way to Earn PDUs for PMIs Certification

Project Management is a constantly changing profession. As a PMI Certified professional you are expected to keep yourself up to date. PMI measures your learning it form of Professional development units or PDUs. Every professional needs to renew their PMI certificate and report these PDUs to PMI every three years. This blog is a comprehensive guide to earn PDUs for CCR (Continuing Certification Requirements) of your PMI’s certificate.

The new CCR changes went into effect on December 1, 2015 and if that has puzzled you a bit, read on…

The question is How PDUs helps in maintaining the PMIs certificate?

After you have cleared your PMI Certificate you can immediately start learning and keep your CCRS updated with new PDUs. Do note that, you need to earn PDUs within the CCR cycle to continue your PMI certificate. Earning PDUs ensures that you are up-to-date, competent, and relevant within domains of your certificate.

The goal of PMI is to make sure that you are always prepared to meet the demands of your profession.

For example, if you are PMP® certified you need to earn Sixty PDUs within the period of three years. Here three years represent the CCR cycle of your PMP® certificate.

PMI CCR Handbook defines ways of Earning PDUs:

Let’s move to the details of various activities help in earning PDUs. As a professional you may have different interest and desires in advancing your career.  Thus PMI introduced many ways to earn Your PDUs. You may decide on activities and take part in them to earn PDUs.
PMI® has divided the acquiring PDU process under ten broad categories, which are further grouped under two sections –

• First Educational PDUs and
• Second, Giving Back to the Profession.

Under Educational PDUs we have five categories: 

These five categories need to be aligned with the PMI Talent Triangle. Education includes activities in the Technical, Leadership, and Strategic areas of Talent Triangle.

The PMI TALENT TRIANGLE and the PMI Talent Triangle logo are marks of Project Management Institute, Inc.

Under Giving Back to the Professional group we also have five categories

Minimum and Maximum PDUs Requirements for your CCR:

Before moving into the details of these activities, let’s first explore the minimum and maximum PDUs requirements for each category.

This information will help you to decide activities in earning PDUs.

Here, one of the interesting points to note that PMI did not constrain the minimum PDUs requirements with ‘Giving Back to Profession’.

Thus, PDUs from ‘Giving Back’ to the profession is optional.

If you are PMP® and/or PMI-PBA® credential holder:

• There are no minimum PDU requirements for “Giving Back to Profession
• You need to earn at least Thirty-Five PDUs from the Education Category. Thus the maximum allowed PDUs from ‘Giving Back to Profession’ are Twenty-Five (60-35 = 25).
• You have to earn at least Eight PDUs for ‘Leadership’, ‘Technical’ and ‘Strategic’ categories of Talent Triangle.
• You can earn remaining 11 (35 – (8 Leadership + 8 Technical + 8 Strategic)) across any area of the Talent Triangle.
• If you choose to earn PDUs from “Work as a Practitioner” from the ‘Giving Back to the Profession”, you can earn a maximum of eight in one CCR cycle.
• You can choose to earn all sixty PDUs from any category of Education.

If you are PMI-ACP® credential holder:

• There are no minimum PDU requirements for “Giving Back to Profession
• You need to earn at least Eighteen PDUs from the Education Category. Thus the maximum allowed PDUs from ‘Giving Back to Profession’ are Twelve (30-18 = 12).
• You have to earn at least four PDUs for “leadership” “technical” and Strategic categories of the Talent Triangle.
• You can earn remaining six (18 – (4 Leadership + 4 Technical + 4 Strategic)) across any area of the Talent Triangle.
• If you choose to earn PDUs from “Work as a Practitioner” from the ‘Giving Back to Profession”, you can earn maximum of four in one CCR cycle.
• You can choose to earn all thirty PDUs from any category of Education.

Some other important points to note:

• All the Technical PDUs earned for PMI-ACP® and/or PMI-PBA® certification are also counted in your PMP® certification. But the reverse may not always true. For more details, kindly refer my blog- “Earning Technical PDUs”
• Once you earn Leadership and Strategic PDUs, you can apply them to any PMIs certification. You can go through my blogs on Leadership, and Strategic for more details

Now come to the details of earning these PDU earnings:

Earn PDUs under Education Categories:

1. Course or Training: This is the most popular category for earning PDUs. Under this category, you earn PDUs:

• By doing programs either organized by PMI REPs (Registered Education Providers),
• Or by other third-party providers.

If PMI REPs host the course, you can find their program details at the official website of PMI. For more details, you can refer my blog on “Earning PDUs Against Activity Code”

2. Organization Meetings:   Many REP(s), PMI chapters and third parties host activities that include educational component. If PMI REPs host the event, you can find their program details at the official website of PMI. Irrespective who is hosting these events, these educational sessions give you opportunities:

• To earn PDUs, and
• Also give you chance of networking in your community.

Generally, these Organization meetings limited to 1-2 PDUs

3. Online or Digital Media: This is the most interesting category as includes self-paced learning. You can do self-paced learning through pre-recorded webinars, podcasts, and digital media. For more details, kindly refer my blog “How to report Online and Digital PDUs

4. Read: You can earn PDUs by reading materials including (but are not limited to) informational, non-fiction books, articles, white papers, or blogs. If you like reading to enhance your knowledge and skills this could be an interesting category for you. For more details, kindly refer my blog “How to report Read PDUs”.

5. Informal Learning: You can also earn PDUs by attending activities including (but are not limited to) mentoring sessions, panel discussions, lunch and learn sessions, or other structured discussions. PMI understand that attending mentoring sessions and panel discussions are good way to take your skills to the next level. Attend them and also grab the opportunity to earn PDUs.

Earn PDUs under Giving Back to Profession:

1. Work as a Practitioner: This is a sure kind of category. If you are working in as per the profession of your certificate, now the question is – how many PMI PDUs can I claim for working as a practitioner? The answer is, working as a Project Manager; you can report a maximum of 8 PDUs if you are PMP® certified.
2. Create Content: This category is all about creating and spreading knowledge about Project Management and/or business analysis depend on your certificate. This involves writing in the community about project management and/or business analysis. The activities listed below can help you get PDUs in this category
   • Authoring Whitepaper / book / blog on project management and/or business analysis
   • Creating a presentation / training on project management and/or business analysis
3. Give a Presentation: You can earn PDUs by presenting on topics relevant to the project management and/or business analysis depending on your certificate. You can speak in professional conferences, at a PMI chapter event, or within your organization.If you give presentation in project management or business analysis, the PDUs earned will be equal to the hours spent. If you also created the content of the presentation, then in the same claim, you can count any time spent preparing for the presentation in PDUs.
4. Share Knowledge: Mentoring, teaching, coaching or applying your knowledge and subject matter expertise also give you opportunity to earn PDUs.
5. Volunteer: You can earn PDUs by providing volunteer, non-compensated project management service to non-employer or non-client customer groups.
   The activities listed below can help you get PDUs in this category
   • Serve as an elected volunteer officer for a project management organization, including PMI® chapters and communities of practice
   • Serve as a volunteer/appointed committee member of a project management organization
   • Providing project management related volunteer services to PMI® or other professional project management association.
   • Provide volunteer project management-related services to a community or charitable group or colleges

Simple ways to earn PDUs:

Not every time you have to pay a hefty sum to earn PDUs, you can earn them for free. Yes, you read it right; Here are few ways to earn PDUs for free without spending a nickel.

You can subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Watch videos on to earn PDUs under Category Online and Digital Media.

You can also read a book on certificate topics and earn PDUs. Attend our Periodic Webinars and earn PDUs under ‘Online and Digital Media.
You can club Earning PDUs with some next level certification you may like to think in near future. In this case, courses from REPs are best way to earn PDUs.
In other words, ‘Read’, ‘Online and Digital Media’ and Course from REPS are easy and popular ways to earn PDUs.

Report PDUs and Renew your PMIs certificate:

As soon as you earn PDU(s), you can report them. For more details on how to report PDUs, you may refer my blog:

• How to report ‘Read’ PDUs.
• How to report ‘Online and Digital’ PDUs.

You should remember that renewal is not only collecting PDUs but also paying the renewal fee to PMI. Upon earning all these PDUs, PMI will send an email to renew and payments. A new CCR cycle starts after the renewal process.
The renewal fee is different for member and non-member. I see a good number of test takers not renewing their membership after doing certificate. In case you are renewing your certificate, better to take one more advantage and save 90 USD. The renewal fee for member is 60 USD and nonmember is 150 USD. Also, many of you are unaware that they do not have to wait for complete CCR cycle to renew certificate. As you get required PDUs, you can pay the fee and renew it for next cycle. So, if you renew it in your exam year, you will get the renewal for six years.
In summary, the following are basic steps in the CCR of your certificate:

• Earn PMI certificate
• Attend or take part in activities to earn PDU for your CCR
• Record and Report PDUs.
• Upon earning all these PDUs, PMI will send an email to renew and payments
• A new CCR cycle starts after the renewal process

I hope this blog has answered your all queries related to ‘How to earn PDUs and maintain your PMI Certification’ during your professional career without spending much.
If you have follow-up questions, kindly post them in the comment box provided.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Do I need to be a member of PMI to keep my PMP® certification?

Answer:  No, it is not needed. It is not necessary to be a member to keep PMP® certification status. You can choose to be a PMI member to get discount in the renewal fee. The renewal fee for member is 60 USD and nonmember is 150 USD.

Can I claim PDUs for a single Education activity in more than one skill area of the PMI Talent Triangle?

Answer: Yes.  You can. You can divide your PDUs under Technical, Leadership, and Strategic categories of talent triangle. For example, if you attend a course that includes:

• Content on project management tools and
• How a leader can motivate the team,

You can claim this activity in the areas of technical project management and leadership.

Do I need a special username or password to use CCRS?

Answer: No, it is not needed. You can use the same credential which you use for pmi.org.

How are the three areas of focus for the PMI Talent Triangle defined?

Answer: The PMI Talent Triangle includes three skill areas critical for project management:

Technical Project Management: Technical skills represent topics of PMIs certificate within the project, program, and portfolio management. For more details, please refer: Earning Technical PDUs For PMP®, PMI-ACP® And PMI-PBA® Certifications

Leadership: Leadership skills are essential in working together to meet the upcoming project milestone. For more details, please refer: Earning Leadership PDUs For PMI Certification

Strategic and Business Management: Strategic category of Talent Triangle represent the skills helps to deliver better business outcomes. These are the processes; tools & techniques contribute to the broader organizational strategy. For more details, please refer: Earning Strategic PDUs For PMIs Certification

Are the skill areas of the PMI Talent Triangle aligned with activities that Give Back to the Profession?

Answer: No. Only education categories belong to the skill areas of talent triangle.

What are the minimum PDUs requirements for Giving Back to the Profession?

Answer: Earning PDUs from ‘Giving Back’ to the profession is optional. There is no minimum PDU requirement for this category.

How can I maintain several credentials at once?

Answer: If you have multiple PMI certificate, you can report same PDUs across certifications. Leadership and Strategic can be applied to any PMI certification. You can go through my blogs on Leadership and Strategic for more details.  For Technical PDus, as I mentioned earlier:
All the Technical PDUs earned for PMI-ACP® and/or PMI-PBA® certifications are also counted in your PMP® certificate. But the reverse may not always true. For more details, kindly refer my blog-“Earning Technical PDUs”

Please watch following for more details about how to maintain multiple PMI certificates: https://www.brainshark.com/pmiorg/ManagingMultipleCertifications?&fb=1&r3f1=&nodesktopflash=1