Certified Associate in Project Management Exam Prep (CAPM) with Organizational Leadership

Hours: 300 / Access Length: 12 Months / Delivery: Online, Self-Paced

Retail Price: $1,942.00

Course Overview:

This comprehensive course combines essential project management preparation with foundational leadership training to equip entry-level professionals for success in the field. Students will gain the knowledge and skills required to successfully complete the Project Management Institute's nationally recognized Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) exam through targeted practice exams, assignments, and learning activities. Simultaneously, the curriculum explores fundamental leadership theories, styles, and strategies using applied case studies and self-assessments to foster effective decision-making and team management. By integrating rigorous project governance with practical leadership principles, learners will master the entire lifecycle of a project from initiation to closure. Ultimately, this student-centered program ensures that participants graduate with both a high-demand industry credential and actionable strategies for leading diverse organizational teams.

Certified Associate in Project Management Exam Prep Objectives:

• Describe the importance of project management, organizational project management maturity and the CAPM® certification process
• Identify the nine knowledge areas of PMI’s Guide to the PMBOK®
• Describe the project management process from start to finish
• Identify the 47 key processes of project management and how they relate
• Describe projects and project management disciplines
• Identify the steps taken when initiating a project
• Describe how to plan project work
• Develop project schedules, cost estimates, and budgets
• Explain how to plan project quality, staffing, and communications
• Describe the process for monitoring and controlling project work, schedules, costs, quality, staffing, and communications
• Explain how to monitor and control project risks and contracts

Organizational and Behavioral Leadership Objectives:

• Define leadership and explain the evolution of the concept of leadership
• Identify the different traits of leaders
• Describe how to engage people’s strengths through the leadership process
• Define the three types of leadership: the authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire styles, and develop an individual leadership style and philosophy
• Describe the strategies used to attend to both tasks and relationships as part of the leadership process
• Describe the importance of developing leadership skills, and identify common leadership skills that improve effectiveness
• Describe the process of developing a workable vision within any context of leadership
• Identify the strategies used to establish a constructive climate, manage conflict, and overcome obstacles

This course prepares the student to take the Project Management Institute (PMI) Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification exam.

Course Outline:

Certified Associate in Project Management Exam Prep Curriculum:

Lesson 1: Introduction To Project Management

Project management is not merely a set of processes; it is a structured way to intervene in organizational reality to produce controlled change. In this sense, the project manager does not simply coordinate tasks but orchestrates decisions under conditions of uncertainty, constraints, and strategic objectives. This lesson will help you understand the evolution of the discipline, the role of the project manager, and required competencies.

Lesson 2: Project Management Fundamentals

This module provides the structural foundation of project management. Its purpose is not only to define concepts but to build an integrated conceptual architecture that explains how projects operate within organizations. You will develop a deep understanding of fundamental project management concepts including their role in the value delivery system, development approaches, and uncertainty management.

Lesson 3: Organizational Environment And Value Delivery System

One of the most common misconceptions is that a project begins when scope or schedule is defined. In reality, it begins within the organizational system that creates it. A core PMI principle: A project must be understood from the system outward—not from the inside out. In this module, you will learn how to analyze the organizational context and the factors that influence the project.

Lesson 4: Project Work Structure

Once you understand that projects operate within an organizational system, the next step is determining how the work should be organized to deliver value effectively. The approach selected influences how work is planned, managed, and ultimately how value is delivered. Rather than focusing on different types of projects, this module examines the various ways project work can be structured to achieve successful outcomes.

Lesson 5: Project Planning

Planning represents the transition between strategic intent and disciplined execution. Rather than simply creating a rigid schedule, planning focuses on organizing uncertainty so informed decisions can be made throughout the project. This module develops your ability to understand how project information is structured, documented, and managed throughout the project life cycle.

Lesson 6: Leadership, Roles, & Team

Contemporary project management recognizes that project success depends not only on well-defined processes but also on how people work together within a value delivery system. This module explores the human elements that support successful project outcomes by examining the roles and responsibilities of project participants, the leadership practices that guide teams, and the ethical principles that promote professionalism, accountability, and trust throughout the project life cycle.

Lesson 7: Predictive Planning

This module marks the transition from planning to execution, where projects move from concept to reality. It introduces the predictive project management approach, a structured model in which project scope, schedule, and cost are defined early and managed throughout execution. Unlike adaptive approaches, predictive project management emphasizes reducing uncertainty through detailed upfront planning and disciplined execution.

Lesson 8: Execution & Value Delivery

This module consolidates the project manager's operational capabilities by focusing on disciplined execution, purposeful communication, and systematic problem-solving. These skills are not isolated processes but integrated aspects of effective project performance that support successful delivery, team collaboration, and stakeholder engagement. Throughout this module, you will apply execution practices, communication techniques, and problem-solving approaches to coordinate project work, manage stakeholder interactions, and address challenges that arise during project execution.

Lesson 9: Predictive Monitoring And Control

Project control is not an isolated process but a continuous capability that provides reliable information to support informed decision-making throughout the project life cycle. Effective project control involves not only measuring performance but also interpreting results and taking appropriate corrective actions to keep the project aligned with its objectives. Throughout the module, you will work with a single project case study, progressively expanding your analysis as you apply key project control concepts and techniques.

Lesson 10: Agile Framework

In many projects, particularly those involving digital products, technology, or innovation, it is not possible to define every requirement at the beginning of the project. Agile approaches address this challenge by emphasizing rapid learning, continuous feedback, and the ability to adapt throughout the project. Throughout this module, you will apply agile principles and adaptive practices to manage uncertainty, deliver incremental value, and strengthen collaboration in dynamic project environments.

Lesson 11: Business Analyst

Business analysis plays a critical role in achieving this outcome by identifying the underlying business need, defining why the work is important, and ensuring that the proposed solution effectively addresses the problem. This module follows a value-driven approach that guides you from understanding the business problem and identifying requirements to evaluating solutions and validating that the desired outcomes have been achieved.

Organizational and Behavioral Leadership Curriculum:

Lesson 1: Understanding Leadership

In this lesson, you will explore the multifaceted nature of leadership, examining six unique perspectives. You will learn to distinguish between leadership and management, analyze significant findings from global leadership studies, and identify examples of destructive leadership. Additionally, you will understand the key factors that contribute to effective leadership in various contexts.

Lesson 2: Recognizing Your Traits

In this lesson, you will explore the essential traits that contribute to effective leadership. You will examine six key traits that successful leaders commonly exhibit and compare how these traits have manifested in the leadership of renowned global and historical figures. You will also gain insights into how specific traits influence the leadership process in various contexts.

Lesson 3: Understanding Leadership Styles

In this lesson, you will explore the concept of personal leadership styles and their impact on effectiveness. You'll analyze the implications of Douglas MacGregor’s theories, compare and contrast authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire leadership styles, and assess your own leadership style in various contexts. This exploration will help you develop a deeper understanding of your personal leadership philosophy.

Lesson 4: Attending to Tasks and Relationships

In this lesson, you will examine the dual dimensions of leadership behavior: task orientation and relationship orientation. You'll compare these styles and discuss their significance in effective leadership. By reflecting on your own inclinations toward tasks and relationships, you will better understand how to balance these behaviors to enhance your leadership effectiveness.

Lesson 5: Developing Leadership Skills

This lesson focuses on the crucial skills required for effective leadership, grouped into administrative, interpersonal, and conceptual categories. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of how these skills contribute to successful leadership by enhancing your ability to influence others and address challenges effectively.

Lesson 6: Engaging Strengths

This lesson addresses recognizing and leveraging leadership strengths. You will assess the role of strengths in leadership development and learn to engage your own strengths and those of others. The focus will also be on understanding how to utilize these strengths to foster better team dynamics and drive organizational success.

Lesson 7: Creating a Vision

This lesson focuses on the importance of creating a compelling vision in leadership. You will learn to identify the five key characteristics of a vision and assess the skills needed to transform a vision into reality. Understanding how to develop and communicate a vision will enhance your leadership effectiveness.

Lesson 8: Working With Groups

This lesson examines the dynamics of working with groups in an organizational setting. You will learn about different types of groups, the stages of group development, and the roles individuals play within groups. Additionally, the lesson will cover practical strategies for enhancing group effectiveness, including setting goals, establishing norms, and building cohesiveness.

Lesson 9: Embracing Diversity and Inclusion

This lesson explores the critical concepts of diversity and inclusion in leadership. You will review the interrelated processes of diversity and inclusion and evaluate how they impact organizational outcomes. Additionally, you will analyze Brewer’s assertion that inclusion requires both assimilation and differentiation and summarize the six key components of the experience of inclusion.

Lesson 10: Managing Conflict

This lesson addresses the inevitability of conflict in groups and organizations, highlighting it as both a challenge and an opportunity for leaders. You will learn how to manage conflict to produce positive change, explore various approaches to resolving conflicts, and understand the crucial role of effective communication in conflict resolution.

Lesson 11: Addressing Ethics in Leadership

This lesson examines the ethical responsibilities inherent in leadership. You will learn to define ethical leadership, analyze its key factors, and recognize the challenges of universally defining ethical behavior. Understanding these aspects will help you better navigate the moral dimensions of leadership and make decisions for the common good.

Lesson 12: Exploring Destructive Leadership

This lesson explores destructive leadership and its impact. You will examine the three defining components of destructive leadership and the Toxic Triangle framework. The lesson also covers how to identify and address toxic leadership by evaluating the roles of leaders, followers, and situational factors.

All necessary course materials are included.

Certification(s):

This course prepares the student to take the Project Management Institute (PMI) Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification exam.

To apply for the CAPM, students will need to have:

• Secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree or the global equivalent)
• 23 hours of project management education completed by the time you sit for the exam.

System Requirements:

Internet Connectivity Requirements:

• Cable, Fiber, DSL, or LEO Satellite (i.e. Starlink) internet with speeds of at least 10mb/sec download and 5mb/sec upload are recommended for the best experience.

NOTE: While cellular hotspots may allow access to our courses, users may experience connectivity issues by trying to access our learning management system.  This is due to the potential high download and upload latency of cellular connections.   Therefore, it is not recommended that students use a cellular hotspot as their primary way of accessing their courses.

Hardware Requirements:

• CPU: 1 GHz or higher
• RAM: 4 GB or higher
• Resolution: 1280 x 720 or higher.  1920x1080 resolution is recommended for the best experience.
• Speakers / Headphones
• Microphone for Webinar or Live Online sessions.

Operating System Requirements:

• Windows 7 or higher.
• Mac OSX 10 or higher.
• Latest Chrome OS
• Latest Linux Distributions
  

NOTE: While we understand that our courses can be viewed on Android and iPhone devices, we do not recommend the use of these devices for our courses. The size of these devices do not provide a good learning environment for students taking online or live online based courses.

Web Browser Requirements:

• Latest Google Chrome is recommended for the best experience.
• Latest Mozilla FireFox
• Latest Microsoft Edge
• Latest Apple Safari

Basic Software Requirements (These are recommendations of software to use):

• Office suite software (Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice)
• PDF reader program (Adobe Reader, FoxIt)
• Courses may require other software that is described in the above course outline.