Syllabus
Certified Project Manager, IPMA Level C®
1.
Overview
This syllabus is intended to help candidates prepare for IPMA-USA’s version of the IPMA Level C® exam. It is also
intended to help trainers who wish to assist candidates with their preparation.
The exam is designed to assess the candidate’s level of knowledge of key project management concepts as
documented in the USA National Competence Baseline. The USA-NCB can be downloaded for free here:
http://www.IPMA-USA.org/standards/national-competence-baseline-usa-ncb
The syllabus has been organized according to the structure of the USA-NCB. Training courses do not have to be
organized in the same way.
The exam is domain-independent. This means that they ask about project management generally rather than
project management in any one domain or application area. For example, the meaning of the term work package
differs in construction and in defense contracting. As a result, there are no questions on what a work package is.
Section 2 provides a link to the discipline’s most widely used glossary, and Section 3 provides a list of additional
reading material that may be useful to both candidates and course developers.
The core content of the syllabus is presented in Sections 4, 5 and 6 in the form of learning objectives.
2.
Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations
Project management terminology can often be confusing. For example, some define an activity as a collection of
tasks, some define a task as a collection of activities, and others treat the two terms as synonyms. Rather than add
to the confusion, we have chosen to use the online version of the Wideman Comparative Glossary of Project
Management Terms as our basic glossary:
http://www.maxwideman.com/pmglossary/
The Wideman glossary often presents multiple definitions for the same term. Where the definitions are
compatible (e.g., Activity on Node), the meaning should be clear. Where the definitions are in conflict (e.g. activity),
assume that the Editor’s Choice (shown by a red checkmark) will be used.
3.
Suggested Readings
3.1
Fundamentals
The following list of books is provided without endorsement. Reviewing one or more of these should help the
candidate develop a broad perspective of project management that will be useful in taking the exam.
Each of these volumes is available in several editions. For purposes of exam preparation, any edition will do.

Cleland, David and Ireland, Lewis, Project Management: Strategic Design and Implementation, McGraw-Hill

Larson, Erik and Gray, Clifford, Project Management: The Managerial Process, McGraw-Hill

Meredith, Jack R. and Mantel, Samuel J., Project Management: A Managerial Approach, Wiley

Pinto, Jeffrey K., Project Management: Achieving Competitive Advantage, Prentice Hall
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3.
Suggested Readings
3.2
More Advanced Topics
In addition to the basic references above, candidates and trainers may find the references below useful. This list is
provided without endorsement. Reviewing these sources should help the candidate develop a deeper perspective
of project management that will be useful in taking the exam.
 United States Government Accountability Office, GAO’s Best Practices for Project Schedules: Exposure Draft,
http://www.gao.gov/assets/600/591240.pdf
 United States Government Accountability Office, GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide: Best Practices for
Developing and Managing Capital Program Costs http://www.gao.gov/assets/80/77175.pdf
 Humphreys, Gary, Project Management Using Earned Value, Humphreys & Associates
4.
Contextual Competences
USA-NCB Reference
Learning Objectives for Level C
1.01 Projects and Project
Management
 Define project and project management
 Explain the purpose and scope of project management
 Describe the role and typical responsibilities of a project manager
 Differentiate between projects and operations (business-as-usual)
1.02 Programs and Program
Management
 Define program and program management
1.03 Portfolio Management
 Define project portfolio and project portfolio management
 Distinguish between program management and project management
 Distinguish between project portfolio management and project management
1.04 Project, Program, and
Portfolio Orientation
 Identify criteria likely to be used to prioritize projects
1.05 Permanent Organization
 Distinguish between project organizational structures and the
organizational structures of permanent organizations
 Describe how governance is established for project management
 Distinguish among functional, matrix and projectized permanent
organization structures
1.06 Business Processes
 Identify the elements of a business case
 Describe the relationship between the product life cycle and the project life
cycle
1.07 Systems Approach and
Integration
 Define systems approach
 Describe the typical contents of a Project Management Plan
 Explain the difference between system dynamics (feedback loops, timing)
and cause-and-effect analysis
1.08 Human Resource
Development
 At this level, covered as part of competence element 2.13, Project Resources
1.09 Safety, Security, Health, and
the Environment
 Describe the responsibilities of a project manager regarding safety, security,
health, and the environment
1.10 Legal Aspects
 At this level, covered as part of competence element 2.15, Procurement and
Contracts
1.11 Finance and Accounting
 At this level, covered as part of competence element 2.14, Project Costs
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4.
Contextual Competences
USA-NCB Reference
Learning Objectives for Level C
1.12 Management of
(Organizational) Change
 Not covered at this level
5.
Technical Competences
USA-NCB Reference
Learning Objectives for Level C
2.01 Project Success Criteria
 Define project success criteria
 Describe when and how project success criteria are used
 Explain the difference between product-oriented success criteria and
project-management-oriented success criteria
2.02 Stakeholders and Interested
Parties
 Define stakeholder
2.03 Objectives and Strategies
 Differentiate between objectives and strategies
 Identify major steps in managing stakeholder relationships
 Describe S.M.A.R.T. objectives
 Discuss how objectives and strategies affect project decisions
2.04 Risk: Threats and
Opportunities
 Describe the major steps in project risk management
 Explain the use of a probability-impact matrix to prioritize risks
 Explain the use of expected monetary value to prioritize risks
 Describe common responses to threats i.e. avoid, reduce, transfer, and
accept
 Describe common responses to opportunities i.e. exploit, enhance, share,
and ignore
 Describe the contents and use of a risk log/register
 Explain how contingencies are developed and used
2.05 Project Quality
 Describe the difference between quality and grade
 Describe the differences between quality planning, quality assurance, and
quality control
 Identify the two areas of quality in projects (quality of the product and
quality of the project management process)
 Describe the use of Pareto diagrams and Isikawa diagrams
 Explain how quality improvement is expected to reduce costs
2.06 Project Organization
 Describe an Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS)
 Explain how to construct a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)
2.07 Teamwork
 Describe the difference between a team and a work group
 Identify factors that may interfere with effective teamwork
 Describe Tuckman’s model of the stages of team development
 Describe how to develop team governance agreements
2.08 Problem Solving
 Describe the steps required to solve problems effectively
 Explain root-cause analysis
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5.
Technical Competences
USA-NCB Reference
Learning Objectives for Level C
2.09 Project Scope
 Describe the difference between project scope and product scope
 Describe how to develop and use a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
2.10 Product Scope
 Describe the impact of poor product scope definition
2.11 Project Life Cycle and Phases
 Describe the purpose of a project life cycle
 List the names of common project life cycle phases
 Describe the purpose of phase-end (stage-gate) reviews
2.12 Project Schedules
 Define critical path and total float
 Describe the difference between a Gantt chart (bar chart) and a network
logic diagram
 Calculate schedule variances (without earned value)
 Describe common approaches to monitoring schedule performance
 Describe fast tracking and crashing
 Explain the difference between total float and free float
 Describe the purpose of project calendars and resource calendars
 Distinguish between resource smoothing (time-limited scheduling) and
resource leveling (resource-limited scheduling)
2.13 Project Resources
 Identify the major categories of project resources (i.e., money, staff, time,
materials, and equipment)
 Describe common approaches to estimating resource requirements
2.14 Project Cost
 Define and differentiate estimate, budget, and actual
 Describe the challenges of estimating costs early in the project life cycle
 Define and describe bottom-up, top-down, parametric, and range estimating
 Describe common approaches to monitoring cost performance
 Calculate cost variances (without earned value)
 Differentiate direct and indirect costs
2.15 Procurement and Contracts
 Describe the typical steps in the procurement process
 List the four characteristics of a legal contract
 Explain the differences between fixed price (lump sum), cost reimbursable,
and unit price (re-measureable) contracts
 Explain the differences between cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-plus-incentivefee contracts
 Explain the differences between contracting and partnering
2.16 Configuration Management
 Explain the purpose of configuration management
 Describe the major steps in a typical change control process
 Describe the contents and use of a change log/register
2.17 Project Control
 At this level, covered as part of competence element 2.20, Performance
Measurement
2.18 Documentation,
Information, and Reporting
 At this level, covered as part of competence element 2.19, Communication
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5.
Technical Competences
USA-NCB Reference
Learning Objectives for Level C
2.19 Communication
 Describe the 4 major forms of communication
 Describe methods of ensuring that meetings are effective
 List common barriers to communications
 Describe post-project reviews
 Explain the benefits of exception reporting
2.20 Performance Measurement
 Define the 3 basic values used in Earned Value Management (EVM)
 Explain the advantages and disadvantages of EVM
 Perform earned value calculations and interpret the results
2.21 Project Startup
 Describe the activities involved in project startup
 Describe the objectives of a project kickoff meeting (startup workshop)
2.22 Project Closeout
 Describe the activities involved in project closeout
 Describe the activities involved in capturing lessons learned
 Describe actual lessons learned on one of the candidate’s projects
6.
Behavioral Competences
USA-NCB Reference
Learning Objectives for Level C
3.01 Leadership
 Recognize effective and ineffective leadership behaviors as identified in the
USA-NCB
3.02 Engagement and Motivation
 Recognize effective and ineffective engagement and motivation behaviors
as identified in the USA-NCB
 Describe the difference between motivation and hygiene as described in
Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory
 Describe the relevance of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
3.03 Self-Control
 Recognize effective and ineffective self-control behaviors as identified in
the USA-NCB
3.04 Assertiveness
 Recognize effective and ineffective assertiveness behaviors as identified in
the USA-NCB
3.05 Relaxation
 Recognize effective and ineffective relaxation behaviors as identified in the
USA-NCB
3.06 Openness
 Recognize effective and ineffective openness behaviors as identified in the
USA-NCB
3.07 Creativity
 Recognize effective and ineffective creativity behaviors as identified in the
USA-NCB
3.08 Results Orientation
 Recognize effective and ineffective results oriented behaviors as identified
in the USA-NC
3.09 Efficiency
 Recognize effective and ineffective efficiency behaviors as identified in the
USA-NCB
3.10 Consultation
 Recognize effective and ineffective consultative behaviors as identified in
the USA-NCB
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6.
Behavioral Competences
USA-NCB Reference
Learning Objectives for Level C
3.11 Negotiation
 Recognize effective and ineffective negotiation behaviors as identified in
the USA-NCB
 Describe the characteristics of a win-win result
 Describe the differences between interests and positions
3.12 Conflict and Crisis
 Recognize effective and ineffective conflict and crisis management
behaviors as identified in the USA-NCB
3.13 Reliability
 Recognize effective and ineffective reliability behaviors as identified in the
USA-NCB
3.14 Values Appreciation
 Recognize effective and ineffective values appreciation behaviors as
identified in the USA-NCB
3.15 Ethics
 Recognize effective and ineffective ethical behaviors as identified in the
USA-NCB
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