MSP® Foundation and Practitioner 5th edition Virtual

Why should I take the Managing Successful Programmes Foundation and Practitioner virtual course?

MSP LogoThe MSP Foundation and Practitioner course will give you the skills and knowledge for leadership roles in major change programs. As a certified MSP Practitioner, you will be ready to apply the MSP themes, principles and transformational flow to different types of program. You will be able to tailor MSP to different types of program and analyze program situations to make appropriate decisions. As a qualified MSP Practitioner, you will be able to align multiple projects with strategic requirements and co-ordinate product delivery to ensure real benefits for your organization.

Virtual classroom training allows you to benefit from real-time teaching in the comfort of your home or office. You get the same interactions as an on site course and will be able to ask questions to the instructor. Since the exams are not done on paper during the class but online, you will also benefit with time to study and prepare until you are ready to get the certification.

Who should attend this class?

Typical job roles include:

  • Program Sponsor, Director or Senior Responsible Owner responsible for delivering the program
  • Program Managers responsible for the setup, management and delivery of a program
  • Portfolio / Program Office staff who provide information and standards to the program management team
  • Business Change Managers or Change Agents who work with the program to embed new products into business as usual and realize benefits
  • Project Managers who manage projects in the program or want to advance their career to the program level

What is included:

The course includes:

  • 5-days virtual classroom from a MSP Accredited Trainer
  • Official manual: “Managing Successful Programmes” (Hard copy)
  • Accredited course material including sample exam questions
  • MSP Foundation and Practitioner exams + ebook
  • 50 PDUs if you are a PMP

What will I learn:

  • Create value by ensuring that program investment is aligned with strategic needs
  • Lead change by managing complex tasks and multiple stakeholders
  • Plan and control programs using the MSP transformational flow
  • Deliver measurable improvements with the tools in MSP’s benefits management theme
  • Manage multiple projects to deliver new capabilities
  • Reduce uncertainty and aggregate risks and issues at the program level
  • Identify and communicate the better future which will be delivered by your program.

What are the course prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites for this course. Having some knowledge of project or programme management is beneficial. You need to complete some study before the course. We’ll provide all the reading materials you need so you will be well prepared before you come to class.

What are the course contents:

This is the full PEOPLECERT International MSP 5th edition course. It covers the MSP syllabus to Practitioner level.

Key Learning Points:

An Introduction to MSP

  1. What is programme management
  2. Why use programme management
  3. The Programme environment

MSP Principles 

  1. Lead with Purpose
  2. Collaborate Across Boundaries
  3. Deal with Ambiguity
  4. Align with Priorities
  5. Deploy Diverse Skills
  6. Realize Measurable Benefits
  7. Bring Pace and Value

MSP Themes

  1. Organization
  2. Design
  3. Justification
  4. Structure
  5. Knowledge
  6. Assurance
  7. Decisions

MSP Processes

  1. Identify the Programme
  2. Design the Outcomes
  3. Plan Progressive Delivery
  4. Embed the Outcomes
  5. Evaluate New Information
  6. Close the Programme

Exam:

Which exams are included in this course?

This course includes the MSP Foundation and Practitioner exams.

MSP Foundation exam

This is your first exam designed to test your knowledge and understanding of MSP

  • 60 multiple choice questions with 1 mark for each question
  • Closed book exam
  • 60 minutes duration
  • 60% needed to pass so a score of 36 / 60 is required

MSP Practitioner Exam

Your second exam tests your ability to apply the MSP guidance to a realistic scenario. You are required to show that you can analyze situations and make decisions using the standard appropriately. You must pass the Foundation exam to sit the Practitioner.

  • 70 multiple choice questions with 1 mark for each question
  • Open book exam
  • 2h30 duration
  • 60% needed to pass so a score of 42 / 70 is required

When are the exams taken?

On day 1 of the virtual course, we will send you a prepaid voucher for the exam authority PeopleCert. You will be able to schedule the exams in the portal anytime you want 24/7. You can change the time of the exam as you please. However, if you change the date 48hrs prior to start time, PeopleCert will charge a fee. A webcam is required to identify yourself to the proctor with a photographic ID and then you can do the exam online from home.

What are the technical requirements for the online exam?

A personal computer is recommended to avoid any technical issues. If you are using an office computer, make sure you have the access rights or IT support at the time of the exam. For the online proctored exam an interface needs to be installed. Administrative rights are therefore essential. Exams can be taken on a recent MAC or PC with Windows. A webcam and working microphone (internal or external) are required. The online exam is not available on a tablet (Ipad) or Cellular phone at the moment.

How does the course prepare me for the MSP Foundation and Practitioner exams?

The course follows the official MSP Foundation and Practitioner exam syllabus. The accredited training materials are cross referenced to areas of the exam so that you are fully prepared. During the course, you practice with the latest exam papers from PeopleCert International. Day 4-5 of the course are dedicated to practicing for your Practitioner exam and our expert trainer will guide you through a series of exercises and discussions to get you ready for the exam itself.

Do I need ID for the MSP exams?

You must have a photographic ID with you. A driver’s license or passport is fine. A work ID, with photograph, is also acceptable.

English is not my native tongue?

For exams done in another language than your native tongue, you will be attributed 25% more time. We can also make arrangements to help with dyslexia or medical issues regarding exams if you submit a doctor’s note in advance.

How long does my MSP qualification last?

T

The MSP certificates are valid 3 years.
You can join the MyAXELOS membership for a small fee, maintain your digital badge and certification by recording 20 points of continuous development per year. Otherwise retaking the exams after 3 years will be costly.

Candidates who do not renew will still be included on the Successful Candidates Register (SCR) and the Candidate Verification Service, but a note will be added to their record to indicate that their certification needs to be renewed to align with current certification requirements.

What happens if I don’t pass an exam?

If you don’t pass the exam, you can do a re-sit. We will send you a new voucher code for an additional fee. If you feel insecure, it is possible to purchase a re-sit insurance from PeopleCert up to 15 minutes prior to taking the exam. This will provide you a second attempt, if necessary, within the following 6 months.

FAQs:

What are the class hours?
Start time for the Western classes is usually 8h30 a.m. or 9h00 a.m. Central time zone, and for Eastern classes 8h30 a.m. or 9h00 a.m. Eastern time zone. You can check our schedule for more details.
How do I prepare for MSP training?
You have about 10 hours of preparation to do before you attend the MSP Foundation course. Before the class, we will send you the official MSP manual: “Managing Successful Programmes” as well as a reading list. During the pre-course, you read key chapters of the manual. It seems a lot at first but the more work you can do in advance of the course, the better. Even if you don’t 100% understand things before you come along – don’t worry. If you’ve done the work, our trainers are experts in MSP. We’ll get you understanding the method in no time at all.
How does the virtual class work?
You connect to the online platform (Zoom) and the instructor will deliver the course to you wherever you are. We ask that you keep your camera open as much as possible so that the trainer can get a good sense of how learning is evolving. Some time periods will be allocated for questions, interactive exercises, lunch and breaks.
Do I need to pass PRINCE2 before taking the MSP course?
You don’t need to pass or have any knowledge of PRINCE2 project management to attend MSP training. If you are a Program Sponsor or Programme Manager, you are not required to manage the individual projects in your programme so PRINCE2 is not essential before attending the MSP course. MSP and PRINCE2 share a common glossary of terms so, if you have taken PRINCE2, you will already know some of the terminology which is used in MSP.
How does MSP distinguish between a project and program?
For MSP, a programme is a temporary structure set up to co-ordinate related projects and activities. Although a program is temporary it’s life span will probably be several years and the end may not be exactly determined, although the programme is always working towards this. The programme delivers outcomes and benefits to achieve strategic objectives. In contrast, a project has a well-defined life span and produces clear outputs or products according to a specified business case. The MSP course shows you how to distinguish between a large project and a programme and when it would be suitable to apply MSP.
Can I take only the Practitioner course to Re-Register?
No. The 5th edition of MSP has many changes. If you wish to Re-Register as a MSP Practitioner under the latest version, you must pass the MSP Foundation 5th edition exam before taking the Practitioner exam. Therefore, it’s best to take the full course presented here to obtain a worthwhile refresher of the MSP method.
Can exams be taken on paper?
No. As of February 1st, 2022, the exam authority PeopleCert has eliminated paper exams in favor of online.
I am not sure my computer is up to date for the online exam?
You can use the contact form to send us a message in advance. We will be able to verify if your computer meets the technical requirements.
What is the process for a proctored exam?
The exam authority has a strict procedure for online exams to ensure the security of the session. Some of them are: You will be asked to be alone in a well-lit room with no background noise. The proctor will ask you to rotate your webcam in order to verify the area. Your desk must be clean of papers, books or notes. Glass walls and/or doors are prohibited unless they are covered. You will be asked to position yourself in a way that doors are behind you and visible to the proctor through the webcam. You can use the contact form to send us a message in advance if you wish to obtain more information on the remote proctoring process.
How many PDUs do I get for this course?
PMPs can claim 50 PDUs at the PMI for the MSP Foundation and Practitioner virtual course. (25 Ways of working, 13 Power skills, 12 Business acumen).
MSP® is a registered trademark of AXELOS Limited, used under permission of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved. The Swirl logo™ is a trademark of AXELOS Limited, used under permission of AXELOS Limited. All rights reserved. This MSP® course is offered through ATO OKAZY Consulting.

MSP® Foundation and Practitioner 5th edition Virtual