The Best PMP Certification Programs of 2024

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Last updated October 23, 2024

You could be a marketer launching a new campaign. You could be a developer creating a new mobile app. You could be in HR, planning a training program for a team of employees.

No matter what area of the business, much of the work we do is project-based. Successfully running projects, however — especially when they span multiple departments or involve third parties — is often more complicated than it first appears. This helps explain why Project Management Professional (PMP) certifications have become sought-after in organizations across Canada and the world.

According to Project Management Institute’s Salary Survey, for example, Canadian project managers earn about $97,000 – with far less time and financial commitment than earning an MBA.

The global demand for PMP talent, however, suggests those who obtain the certification will have plenty of opportunity outside of Canada too.

While there are almost a million PMP certification holders worldwide already, the Project Management Institute (PMI) estimates that employers will need almost 88 million project management roles filled over the next several years. About 2.2 million new project management roles will need to be filled leading into 2027.

Part of the increased interest in PMPs may be tied to trends like digital transformation in business. In other cases there may be changes in regulatory and compliance needs that create cross-functional projects where PMPs are essential.

Although the day-to-day activities will vary, project managers are relied upon to gather all available data, corral knowledge, and ensure all deliverables are ready on time, on budget and at a high quality. They’re also the people who can effectively lead teams, develop plans, minimize risk, implement strategy and deliver value to stakeholders.

Explore the rankings to find out which project management professional (PMP) designation – the gold standard certification for project management professionals — is right for you, and what you can expect when you enroll.

1.

University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies 4.15/5

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2.

Schulich ExecEd 5/5

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3.

Humber Polytechnic 4.7/5

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4.

University of Calgary 5/5

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5.

The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, Toronto Metropolitan University 5/5

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6.

Smith School of Business at Queen's University 5/5

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7.

UBC Sauder School of Business 5/5

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8.

University of Waterloo 5/5

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9.

Simon Fraser University 4/5

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10.

George Brown 3.6/5

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11.

Brain Sensei 4.6/5

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12.

Centennial College 4.65/5

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13.

Simplilearn 4/5

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1

University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies

4.15/5
$ $ $ $

UofT’s Project Management Certificate is based on a three-year program that offers seven different courses for students to consider. These include Foundations of Project Management, Leading Projects in Organizations and Project Implementation and Control. Three courses must be completed to obtain the certificate. All courses are intended to align with the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK).

Why Study Project Management At U of T?

U of T’s program emphasizes the need to arm students with the “people skills” that can often have a major influence on the success or failure of a given project. These are coupled with more foundational areas that include project scheduling, evaluating risk and developing a project charter.

The number of PDUs vary by course but Leading Projects in Organizations, for example, qualifies for 20 Leadership PDUs and four Strategic PDUs.

Overall, the student leaves with the potential for increased professional standing, and increased career prospects, according to the school. 

Locations

Toronto

2

Schulich ExecEd

emba-executive-mba
$ $ $ $

The Schulich School of Business at York University is one of the largest business schools in Canada, and they offer a Foundations of Project Management and Masters Certificate in Project Management through Schulich ExecEd (formerly the Schulich Executive Education Centre, or SEEC). A part-time online course called Lean Six Sigma White Belt is also on offer.  As of Spring 2020, more than 11,000 people across North America have completed the masters certificate here. The program is led by over a dozen instructors with expertise in the field.

The goal of the course work is for the graduate to be proficient in leadership, building teams, identifying risks, communication, and stakeholder management skills. In fine detail, students will leave with the ability to navigate cost management to procurement, contracting management, to assessing and managing risk.

Why Study Project Management At Schulich?

The program aims to minimize time away from work and home by attending eighteen days of instruction — spread out into nine one, two and three-day modules — that run every second week, including one weekend day.

Students will receive an extensive review of PMP exam requirements and enjoy exclusive access to online videos, interviews and articles on the future of Project Management. Some of the topics include artificial Intelligence, digital transformation, blockchain and data analytics. You’ll earn 126 Professional Development Units (PDUs) as part of the program. 

Locations

Toronto

3

Humber Polytechnic

pmp-certification
4.7/5
$ $ $ $

Humber College, the largest college in Canada with more than 200 programs and 33,000 full-time and 23,000 part-time students, offers a comprehensive live online project management certificate program through its Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology (FAST). The Ontario graduate certificate runs two semesters and is closely aligned to the Project Management Institute’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK).

What Students Are Saying

The program is intensive, you learn a lot in a very short time. The professors were incredible, really know their stuff and cared about helping me and other students. The live online format was perfect for my busy schedule. The course fit my budget and delivered great value. Very happy I chose Humber College!

Jakub Nowak, Project Management

Why Study Project Management at Humber College? 

Humber College has developed a rigorous learning experience for aspiring project management professionals. The curriculum is broad and will be relevant to learners across a range of industries, covering key stages of the project life cycle, including financial analysis, procurement, risk and stakeholder management, leadership skills and the Agile approach to product development and its sub-specialties. The live online format offers maximum flexibility while maintaining the benefits of face-time with instructors and social learning opportunities in cohorts of diverse professionals.

Adding to the appeal of a well-designed program is a strategic partnership with the Project Management Institute (PMI), a leading U.S.-based certification body and membership association for the project management profession. Humber College recently renewed its partnership with PMI’s Toronto chapter to support industry networking initiatives, mentorship, job fairs, experiential learning and other student support opportunities.

Locations

Live online

4

University of Calgary

$ $ $ $

The University of Calgary’s Continuing Education school offers a 200 hour Project Management Fundamentals Certificate, and prepares students to write the PMP exam.

It is a wide ranging course that imparts various knowledge sets of organizational project management.

This includes (but is not limited to) learning how to plan and execute a project, quality management, procurement management, dynamic leadership and the best practices used in different industry sectors.

Why Study Project Management At University Of Calgary?

U of C is a sponsor of the local chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI-Southern Alberta Chapter) with close ties to the PMP community. 

After finishing their studies, students will know what processes and knowledge areas are needed to review in order to achieve a passing grade in the PMP® exam. They will also know how to implement PMP exam question approach strategies.

Locations

Calgary, online

5

The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, Toronto Metropolitan University

chang-school
$ $ $ $

The Chang School has been a Project Management Institute (PMI) Registered Education Provider (REP) since 2001. In 2007, they received the PMI Professional Development Provider of the Year Award – Academic Category. The program is led by professionals who already work in the field.

This program – which can be taken online or in-class – allows the student to acquire an industry-specific certificate specialization, a broad overview of project management as well as extras above what is necessary to pass the exam.

Why Study Project Management At The Chang School?

Students can earn Professional Development Units, and prepare for the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® and Project Management Professional (PMP)® certifications.

They’ll get their by familiarizing themselves with areas such as cost, risk, procurement, human resources and communication management. They’ll also learn how they integrate within a project management system, and the role of the project manager and project support staff. Earn 39 hours of PDUs. 

Locations

Toronto, Online

6

Smith School of Business at Queen's University

Smith School of Business
$ $ $ $

This interactive two day in-person program is targeted towards Vice Presidents, Directors or Managers of Operations, Engineering, IT/MIS, Development, and R&D. They enroll as executives, or leaders, who have been deployed for change strategies, or a new product/services launch.

The program, led by two leaders in the field of project leadership, will impart lessons on how to become a better executive, and to manage projects in order to meet (or ideally exceed) expectations.

Why Study Project Management At The Smith School Of Business?

Students will learn how to implement best practices to overcome project obstacles, and manage risk. They’ll also become more aware of how to increase project visibility and effectively lead new plans from initiation to delivery.

Other topics include delving into why projects can and do fail, how to be cognizant of early signs of missed deliverables, and how to properly react to prevent a crisis

Earn 15 PDUs with this program.

Locations

Toronto

7

UBC Sauder School of Business

$ $ $ $

Whether experienced leaders or those just starting out, the Project Management program welcomes all levels who seek to foster better skills in this industry. The program includes five online courses, each six to eight weeks long, guided by an instructor.

The student will come out with an understanding of why various projects fail, and how to execute a plan that takes into account risk, time, budget, quality, and team players. The student will also develop a project within the course work, plotting out the specifics for a successful outcome.

Why Study Project Management At UBC Sauder School Of Business?

Some of the skills to be gained include how to face project obstacles, contingencies to obviate risk, effective communication and documentation, and how to align project objectives to overall business goals and vision.

Ultimately, the student will know exactly how to lead a diverse and cross-functional team, employing cooperation techniques to reach a project’s goals. You’ll also acquire PDUs or Continuing Development Units (CDUs), which can be used towards Project Management Institute or International Institute of Business Analysis certifications.

Locations

Online

8

University of Waterloo

online-universities-canada
$ $ $ $

This certificate is comprised of five in-class courses, providing the student knowledge and skills to succeed as project manager.

In completing the courses for the certificate, students will be prepared to deliver projects on-target, on time and on budget. They’ll leave with greater people skills and be prepared to manage stakeholder expectations.

Why Study Project Management At The University Of Waterloo?

The program includes key information to help students prepare for the Project Management Professional (PMP) and the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) exams. Two days are spent on course work, and two days on exam preparedness, thus only half the program applies towards the certificate requirements.

Meanwhile, the advanced project management certificate is comprised of six elective in-class courses (6 days of training), with an aim to increase the knowledge base, in specific areas of project management.

Locations

Waterloo

9

Simon Fraser University

sfu
$ $ $ $

SFU’s part-time Project Management Certificate is taught by industry leaders and experienced faculty who teach a variety of concepts and skills essential for any level of project manager.

Classes meet every few weeks on Friday and Saturday, for 13 courses overall, that could take as little as five months to complete. This includes a combination of lectures, discussions and practical examples brought into the classroom.

Why Study Project Management At SFU?

SFU’s program focuses on discussing real-life case studies and scenarios that project managers can expect on the job. Students will do group work that prepares them for contributing to a high-performance project team, give presentations and receive feedback.

After completion, students will be equipped with the skills necessary to create and lead teams through an entire project life cycle, as well as use collaborative techniques for problem solving.

They’ll also be able to fluidly manage and engage with project stakeholders.

Locations

Surrey, B.C.

10

George Brown

digital-marketing-certificate
3.6/5
$ $ $ $

Are you looking to use your detail-oriented mind to organize and meet challenges, while coming up with thoughtful solutions? This eight month advanced diploma and graduate certificate could be for you. Understanding that each task in each organization can be quite different, every step could need a nuanced or unique approach.

In this program, the focus is on managing project scope and change, creating project plans, understanding staffing and risk management, as well as goal setting, among many other skills. Whether the knowledge needs to be applied in career or a contract job, the skills imparted can be applied either way.

Why Study Project Management At George Brown?

As part of their coursework, students will participate in the coordination and execution of a real industry project. Some of the steps involved include learning to identify goals, challenges, deliverables and performance criteria for project management expectations.

The coursework also includes using technology tools for communication, data management and cooperation, as well as legal and ethical standards

George Brown students will also come to understand how to adapt and adopt project management practices to an array of industries, such as manufacturing, tech, government, arts, media and charities.

Locations

Toronto

11

Brain Sensei

pmp-certification
4.6/5
$ $ $ $

Brain Sensei is a unique and innovative PMP and CAPM exam prep platform based on a simple principle: online learning shouldn’t be so boring. Using that philosophy, the certified project managers at Brain Sensei designed an exam prep platform which teaches practical principles through an engaging, animated story scientifically designed to help retain what you’ve learned and have fun doing it. Brain Sensei has also developed an impressive exam simulator, which enables students to hone their exam-taking skills using more than 1,500 questions from the most recent year’s PMP exam.

What Students Are Saying

I really enjoyed the Brain Sensei self learning course as well as the virtual course with the instructor. I was able to pass the PMP with above target ratings for every section. I am so pleased with how easy and efficient the courses were to navigate, and how simply the PMI approach was placed into every day situations. I would highly recommend this course to everyone wanting to either freshen up on their Project skills or to master the PMP.

Thais Greca, PMP Exam Prep Complete Course

Why study Project Management at Brain Sensei?

Brain Sensei delivers a variety of risk-free study options to suit all learners and lifestyles.

A self-paced online course employs e-learning modules, knowledge assessments, video walkthroughs and other engaging tools, as well as a new exam simulator generating a unique exam every time from a dynamic bank of over 1,500 questions. Students can choose a monthly subscription model, meaning the faster you study, the more you can save.

Online, instructor-led courses are delivered on varying schedules, with five-day bootcamps, full-day weekends or weekday evening courses.

Both courses deliver the 35 hours of project management education required by the PMI, and combine both adaptive and predictive learning to best arm you for the exam ahead. Brain Sensei also boasts a 100% pass guarantee promising extended support and ultimately a full refund if you don’t pass your PMP exam.

Locations

Online

12

Centennial College

4.65/5
$ $ $ $

This Project Management Graduate Certificate can be completed in one year (three semesters), providing the student with the fundamentals to manage projects on time, and within budget.

The school touts this as an ideal learning supplement for experienced project managers, looking to increase their understanding of project leadership. Ideally, those enrolled possess upper tier communication skills, superb analytical skills, are organized and are excellent problem solvers, and can handle high pressure situations.

Why Study Project Management At Centennial College?

The program includes hands-on integration of technological tools such as Microsoft Project, as well as an exploration of leading-edge case studies  with emphasis on organizational leadership.

Eligible candidates who have completed the third semester may participate in a full time 14-week internship with an organization. Centennial says this provides valuable learning experiences for the student in a real environment (though additional assignments are required).

Locations

Toronto

13

Simplilearn

simplilearn
$ $ $ $

This PMI-RMP® Masters Certification Training imparts the key foundations of project management, including Waterfall, Agile, Scrum and Lean Six Sigma methodologies.

This program helps the student master the processes of risk management, the structured and objective approach to addressing uncertainty in projects. In addition, the student will learn how to plan and implement projects using the Microsoft Project tool, the industry’s most popular project management software.

The MS Project training will offer the student a thorough understanding of project planning and scheduling, collaboration techniques, customized reporting and updates on new Microsoft Project features.

Why Study Project Management At Simplilearn?

Students will enjoy a diversity of expertise in this program — the school is offering access to more than 200 live instructor-led classes led by industry professionals.

Those taking part will also be offered more than of 150 hours of e-learning, as the lessons take a deep dive into real life case studies, simulation exams and community-moderated assignments. 

Locations

Online

Interested in learning more? Compare project management courses, CAPM certification courses or PMP exam prep courses.

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CourseCompare is Canada's marketplace for education. Its editorial staff consists of award-winning journalists, visual storytellers, data analysts and web developers working together to help prepare people for the future of work.

10 thoughts on “The Best PMP Certification Programs of 2024”

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