When requirements change faster than your project plan, as a project manager you can quickly lose track of time, become disoriented and appear unreliable. Our working world is becoming more complex, and developments are increasingly difficult to predict. This is precisely where agile project management comes in. Working on projects requires a clearer focus on business value, innovative strength and shorter, more reliable planning horizons. Agile project management certifications help you gain the right qualifications and strategically plan your career development.
Key Takeaways
- Agile project management certifications provide guidance: they confirm your knowledge and support you in your professional development in an agile project environment.
- PSM I and CSM help you get started with Scrum: both certificates cover important basics and confirm your understanding of the Scrum Framework.
- PMI-ACP goes beyond Scrum: the certification includes different agile methodologies such as Scrum, Kanban, Lean and SAFe. It is geared towards people with experience of agile methodologies.
- CSP and SAFe have a different focus: CSP helps expand your Scrum expertise. SAFe supports you in scaling agile working practices across multiple teams.
- The appropriate certification depends on your goal: this article shows you which certificates are best suited to your experience and desired role.
What you will find out in this article:
- New job descriptions emerging through agile project management
- Why Scrum certifications make sense
- Further approaches and certificates for agile project management
- Overview of key agile certifications
- Which agile PM certification is right for you?
- Conclusion – Agile PM certifications
Let us get started!
Agile is not your thing? Read about traditional project management certifications.
New Job Descriptions through Agile Project Management
Did you know that Scrum Master and increasingly Product Owner are turning into fully-fledged job titles?
Originating in the name of a role in the Scrum team, these terms are explicitly used in job advertisements more and more often. Moreover, companies are including these terms in the career path for employees.
As in every field, the candidate’s experience is key. It must not be underestimated. Beyond professional experience, Scrum Masters require the below skills in their highly mediatory and supportive role:
- Knowledge of human nature
- Tact
- Ability to moderate
- Conflict resolution skills
PDF Download: Comparing PM Methodologies: Agile, Traditional, and Hybrid
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Why Scrum Certifications Make Sense
In and around Scrum, there are countless misunderstandings. The successful introduction of the methods is also hugely dependent on the participants’ stock of knowledge.
This is why the basics of agile project management certifications, such as the Professional Scrum Master I by Scrum.org or the Scrum Alliance’s Certified Scrum Master, can be very helpful.
These two certifications are meant for those starting out in agile methods. Certificate holders indicate that they have understood the fundamental principles of the Scrum Framework and have demonstrated this in an exam.
By means of one of the above certifications, they furthermore show their readiness to:
- lead and support others in such a role.
- help the organization implement Scrum.
- gain more experience with Scrum.
The last point is particularly relevant if you are still at the beginning of your Scrum career.
Your agile project management certifications will demonstrate that, as a Scrum-Master-to-be or an active Scrum Master:
- You are familiar with the relevant contents of the Scrum Guide and further literature.
- You have demonstrated this knowledge in an exam situation.
Further Approaches and Certificates for Agile Project Management
Excellent Scrum Masters do not limit themselves to Scrum alone. There is a variety of agile methods and approaches. They can be combined and have many aspects in common. For example, many methods are based on the following:
- A trusting and open concept of man
- An iterative-incremental method of operation
If in doubt whether a project needs an agile, traditional or hybrid approach, read this article.
Moreover, there are environment issues in organizations to which agile methods often pay little attention. For instance, we could name the following here:
- Portfolio management
- Resource management
- Project selection methods
- Organizational structuring
- etc.
All this takes us back from product development at individual team level for which Scrum was primarily developed to project management issues. This requires a more holistic and higher-level perspective on things.
This is where the PMI-ACP® (“Project Management Institute Agile Certified Practitioner”) comes in.
PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
The PMI-ACP certificate is geared towards people with experience of agile methodologies. It does not limit itself to a single framework but covers various agile approaches and methodologies such as Scrum, Kanban, Lean and SAFe.
The focus is on agile mindset, leadership, project development and delivery. It claims to gather the ideas of all agile methods and consolidate them in a standardized way.
The Project Management Institute (PMI)® is actually very serious concerning this goal: after all, its standard manual for the project management industry, the “Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge” (PMBOK® Guide) in the 6th edition was published in a bundle together with the new Agile Practice Guide in 2017.
The PMBOK® Guide is now in its 8th edition – the Agile Practice Guide has been available in its second edition since July 2026.
Agile Practice Guide
Apart from the consideration of individual agile methods, the Agile Practice Guide also contains guidelines and assistance for situational method selection. In addition, it bridges the gap between agile and traditional project management methods.
These are still very much needed in all the situations in which agile approaches are not sufficient to tackle problems.
The contents of the Agile Practice Guide are the result of the collaboration of the PMI with the Agile Alliance (an association of many promoters of agile ideas, not to be confused with the Scrum Alliance).
This indicates a solid expert base for the new Agile Practice Guide.
Since March 2018, this guide has also been the official exam reference for the PMI-ACP – but only as one of many relevant sources from the catalogue of agile literature.
As of late, the popularity of the Agile Certified Practitioner certificate has risen sharply. Hence, there is a demand for high quality material to prepare for the exam.
To prepare for the exam, the current PMI-ACP Examination Content Outline (ECO) is particularly important. It describes exam domains, subject areas as well as the knowledge, tools and techniques relevant to the exam.
The Agile Practice Guide – currently available in its second edition – can serve as supplementary reading to help understand agile approaches.
Combination of PMI-ACP with the PMP Certification
By the way, the PMI-ACP certificate and the traditional PMP® (Project Management Professional) of the PMI are an excellent combination of certificates.
Interested in hybrid project management? Learn how to combine agile and traditional methods in this article.
A valid PMP® certification makes it easier to get access to PMI-ACP certification, as it fulfils the requirement of agile work experience. Yet, proof of the required 21 hours of formal training in agile practices, frameworks and methodologies will be requested all the same.
Since January 2021, the PMP® exam has included additional questions on the following three project management approaches:
- Predictive
- Adaptive / Agile
- Hybrid
This means that even prospective PMPs must be familiar with a few agile ideas and methods now, e.g. Backlog maintenance, estimation methods or Retrospectives.
Overview of Agile Project Management Certifications
Below, you will find a comparison of the agile project management certifications mentioned in this article. In addition, we have included information on the certifications Certified Scrum Practitioner (CSP) for advanced agile project managers and Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) for agile scaling.
The PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
Certificate awarded by: Project Management Institute
- Prerequisites
- – Secondary school leaving certificate or an internationally comparable qualification
– 21 contact hours of formal training in agile practices, frameworks and methodologies
– Professional experience of working with agile methodologies via one of the routes specified by the PMI, e.g. two years’ agile experience within the past five years; otherwise certain combinations of agile certification or GAC qualification and professional experience or a valid PMP certification are also accepted.
- Type of Exam
- On-site at the test center, 120 questions in 180 minutes. The exam includes various question types, including multiple-choice, multiple-response, drag-and-drop and exhibits. 100 of the 120 questions are marked; 20 are unmarked pre-test questions. A ten-minute break is scheduled after question 60.
Alternative: Online proctored exam (online exam with webcam monitoring by an offsite proctor)
Languages include English and German.
- Exam Content
- Exam domains: Mindset 28%, Leadership 25%, Product 19%, Delivery 28%
- Passing Score (share of required correct answers)
- Secret (estimated at approx. 70%)
- Exam Fee
- $435 (PMI® members, a little higher for non-members)
- Validity
- 3-year cycle (30 Professional Development Units – PDUs must be earned over this period in agile environments and / or topics)
- Purpose
- Standardization of as many agile practices as possible
- Target group
- People looking to prove and improve their experience with agile methods and their understanding thereof
Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
Certificate awarded by: Scrum Alliance
- Prerequisites
- Completion of an authorized CSM training course with a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST). Access to the online exam will only be granted once the course has been completed.
- Type of Exam
- Online; 50 multiple-choice questions, 60 minutes
- Passing Score (share of required correct answers)
- 74%
- Exam Fee
- Exam can only be taken after booking a training and is covered by the training fee
- Validity
- 2-year cycle; to renew a foundational certificate such as CSM, 20 Scrum Education Units (SEUs) and the applicable renewal fee are required.
- Purpose
- Clarification and promotion of Scrum
- Target group
- People wishing to take a first step towards mastering Scrum
Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)
Certificate awarded by: Scrum.org
- Prerequisites
- No formal prerequisites (deep understanding of the Scrum Guide is necessary to pass the exam; practice exam “Scrum Open” is available at scrum.org)
- Type of Exam
- Online: 80 multiple-choice questions with a range of different answer options and one or more correct answers, to be answered in 1 hour
Tip: At TPG, we offer a Scrum company seminar with the option of taking the exam directly after. After only three days, participants will be able to hold their PSM I certificate in their hands.
- Passing Score (share of required correct answers)
- 85%
- Exam Fee
- $200 per attempt
- Validity
- Unlimited
- Purpose
- Clarification and promotion of Scrum
- Target group
- People wishing to take a first step towards mastering Scrum
Certified Scrum Professional
Certificate awarded by: Scrum Alliance
- Prerequisites
- – Certificate as an A-CSM (Advanced Certified ScrumMaster), minimum of 2 years of experience in the role of Scrum Master within the last 5 years
– Completion of the homework assigned at the end of the course within 12 monthsParticipation in the course is also possible without meeting these prerequisites. However, in this case no certificate will be acquired.
- Title
- Certified Scrum Professional – ScrumMaster (CSP-SM)
- Type of Exam
- –
- Passing Score (share of required correct answers)
- –
- Exam Fee
- $250
- Validity
- 2 years; the Scrum Alliance’s requirements for professional-level certifications apply to renewal.
- Purpose
- To strengthen professional Scrum Master, coaching and facilitation skills
- Target group
- The CSP-SM certification is suitable for Scrum Masters whereas the CSP-PO certification is suitable for Product Owners.
Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)
Certificate awarded by: Scaled Agile, Inc.
- Prerequisites
- No formal prerequisites; to sit the exam via the standard route, candidates must complete the relevant Leading SAFe training path.
Since 2026, the exam syllabus has also included content on AI-empowered SAFe, prompting and responsible AI.
- Title
- AI-Empowered SAFe Agilist
- Type of Exam
- 45 multiple-choice questions, 90 minutes, web-based
- Passing Score (share of required correct answers)
- 80%
- Exam Fee
- The first two attempts within 60 days are covered by the course or examination fee according to the current examination guidelines; any further unproctored attempts currently cost $50.
- Validity
- 1 year after the validity expires, the certification can be renewed for a fee of $100 without taking another exam.
- Purpose
- Agile scaling / Scrum methods
- Target group
- Senior staff, Scrum Masters, Product Owners, managers of requirements, releases and testing, coaches, project managers who wish to organize multiple teams successfully using agile methods
Which Agile PM Certification is Right for You?
You are familiar with the most important agile project management certifications now. Yet, how do you know which one is right for you? Initially, it makes sense to begin with the basics of Scrum – thus, you create a good basis for the majority of the above certifications. Afterwards, you have the option to expand your knowledge as shown in the following figure:
Conclusion – Comparison of Agile Project Management Certifications
This article has introduced you to agile project management certifications. You have also found out where the application of agile methods can make sense. Particular emphasis was placed on Scrum.
You have become familiar with the following agile certifications:
- PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
- Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
- Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)
- Certified Scrum Professional (CSP)
- Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)
This will make it easier for you to judge which path would be most advisable for you and your employees.
Our final tips
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Are there important agile project management certifications or aspects that we have missed? Did you find the tips helpful? We look forward to receiving your comment below.
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About the author:Antje Lehmann-Benz, PMP, PMI-ACP, PSM expert is a trainer for project management with a particular focus on agile practices and Scrum seminars. Furthermore, she has experience as a software trainer (JIRA, Confluence) and consultant. In addition to teaching frameworks and theory, she is experienced in the use of agile games and practical exercises to reinforce the knowledge gained.
Read more about Antje Lehmann-Benz on Linkedin.
