Actually the other way to ask this question would be if PMP Certification is worth it for professionals with Post Graduation? There can be certainly more than one answer for it as there are more than one way to look at it. The obvious answer would be it depends on one or more of the following factors possibly. PMBOK exam.
- If a professional is already working in a particular field or stream that requires PMP Certification for the betterment and success of the project.
- If a professional is looking out for a job which demands the PMP Certification credential.
- If a professional is an author or probably writing blogs or articles or a book, or if the professional is in the teaching profession where having the PMP Certification credential would enhance the perception of looking at things in a better way and in an expert’s manner.
- If a professional really values both knowledge (by constantly upgrading himself) along with the relevant experience to stay afloat in this competitive professional market.
- There are many more such circumstances which would define if PMP Certification is worth for post graduate professionals but the above ones may take priority.
Some professionals may get to choose the opposite is by doing the PMP Certification first gaining sufficient knowledge and expertise in the area / field of Project Management and then go for PhD – Doctorate. There are not many professionals who achieve both. They are normally in the field of education as teaching professionals or speakers with professional experience, or some maybe blog, article or book writers on Project Management and its related topics. PMP test fee.
There may be a situation where getting PhD, could be a part of career shift where in spite of utilizing all the project management skills, principles or processes he or she may not be a titled Project Manager. I your first appearance you may say you are a Project Manager, there is no hesitation in saying yes! For a particular individual to enhance in career get PMP Certified. PMP application fee.
Benefits of doing PhD
In real life there is every person who is one or the other way managing projects. Right from changing an electric bulb to managing state of the art cancer research teams across the globe. Many of the professionals may not be even aware that they are working on projects, but they excel quite well in their work in completing it. Although they may not have any formal training or know how of Project Management. PMP certification application form.
There is a challenge in these kind of scenarios though, the human tendency of not able to repeat the same success or win which they had achieved in the past, to get it again in all the future endeavors. This a looked upon as a limitation where an expert in using a hammer sees every issue or problem as a nail to punch and rectify it. PMP credential application.
When a professional studies for a certification exam, he or she actually gains immense knowledge and you go on putting more and more tools expertise in your toolbox. Since every project is unique and different you have to manage it differently as per the requirement. The team is comprised of different people, with different mindset, different skill-sets, and each of them having their unique set of problems and challenges. PMBOK current edition.
The scope also differs from project to project, the work pressures, and pressure of completing the projects are different. When a project manager applies a set of processes and practices which suits the particular type of project, they achieve hugely better outcome. If not doing a PMP Certification will keep the business continue as usual? Even the successful Vs failed projects ratio might remain same however there is one big risk of your success ration getting worse and worse. PMP exam changes 2022.
Bosses always thing about the success vs failure ratio of a particular project manager before handing him any project to manage, the more the success ration the better chances of getting more and more complex, challenging and interesting projects in the future. Since you have a proven track record of making the projects successful as far as possible. This record definitely comes to your aid and advantage when it comes to bagging projects from your managers. PMP certification registration.
Assuming that anyone who wishes to pursue PhD, should have done a Master’s degree in the specific field in which they aspire to do research. Normally PMP Certification is looked upon for career growth and salary hike, even though one learns the aspects of Project Management in depth, it may not be as deep as a person who is doing research in that particular area or field, in this consider Project Management. Current PMBOK.
Comparison between PhD and PMP
So ideally there should not be a comparison between going for PMP Certification and doing PhD. It is individual choice where a person is looking to go deep in a particular subject doing thorough research and gain complete (end-to-end) knowledge and become a subject matter expert (SME). PMP eligibility application.
There can be a comparison to some extent between a PMP Certification Trainer and a PhD Degree Holder, in terms of the depth of knowledge each of the individual possess as a PMP Certification Trainer keeps on enhancing his knowledge and skills say for ex of Project Management since he or she is continuously taking training, whereas PhD holder does research and study in depth to gain complete dominance over a particular stream, subject or process. Sign up for PMP exam.
There is always an important factor to consider as a PhD research student, to confirm and find out if the domain of project management which is of specific interest, can also be a viable area and domain to do your PhD research. It will definitely need to be the area where your literature review has not be done till end by many and still there is a kind of scope to research further knowing that there is still a knowledge gap existing which needs to be filled through PhD. PMP application.
Why Research Is Important in PhD
When you do a thorough review of related research literature in a particular area can also reveal, recommendation by a past researcher, who has not yet studied or done thorough research and suggests others to go for it, there one can consider to go for such research area. PMI membership.
Even after certain reviews related to research literature one may not be able to identify his or her area of research for PhD, in this case, the PhD aspirant should consult or ask his guide or mentor / supervisor to suggest to you a relevant stream in project management to complete your research and in turn PhD.
All this hassle is not required when one is doing PMP Certification, here one needs to attend the mandatory training of 35 hours and study well for the exam and clear the certification. Start implementing the learned best practices, principles and processes in your day to day live project.
Earn respect in your and any further organization you work for, get a promotion and a salary hike in your career to reap the benefits of PMP Certification. PhD is more of a very thorough process. Probably one could think of going for a PhD degree after achieving PMP Certification, there would be an advantage for it. You will already be learning in-depth and end-to-end knowledge of Project Management during your PMP Certification training, study preparation and exam.
You could be in benefit of utilizing this knowledge for doing your PhD, which anyways involve a thorough research to be it, so one can say that PhD can be a next step to PMP Certification. The most important factor here is the patience and the keen desire to become the absolute expert in a particular field or subject be it Project Management or any other stream.
As per my opinion people who pursue PhD don’t always look at it from the financial gain or career growth point of view, they normally have the passion to be the best in a particular subject not necessarily to make the financial use of it. Although once PhD, they can have so many doors open to get into teaching field, to work as a consultant and subject matter expert in an organization or as a freelancer.
PhD in Project Management is a very niche an unique field, not many as per my know how go for research in Project Management. Some people even make a choice to go for further certifications from PMI which are useful at higher level of designation like Program Manager or Portfolio Manager Etc. and some may choose to go for PhD after completing PMP Certification and complete their research and thesis to submit it to their guide and mentor for approval, even there is a scope of their research getting patented depending upon how much breakthrough that particular research is drawing.