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Earning PDUs to Maintain your PMP

Serena Bogert

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Home The Savvy PM Blog Earning PDUs to Maintain your PMP

Maybe you’re thinking about getting your Project Management Professional (PMP) certificate? Or maybe you just earned your PMP – If so, Congratulations! Now that you worked so hard to earn that credential, you don’t want to lose it. This blog breaks down everything you need to know about earning your Professional Development Units (PDUs) and maintaining that credential. Let’s dive right in…

For project management professionals (PMPs), maintaining your PMP credential is essential for career growth and development. A key component of this maintenance is earning Professional Development Units (PDUs). PDUs help ensure that you stay current with industry practices, but understanding how to earn them can be a bit overwhelming. We’ll explore the various ways to earn PDUs, the associated requirements and restrictions, and the importance of the PMI Talent Triangle.

What Are PDUs?

PDUs are the measuring units used to quantify approved learning and professional service activities. 1 hour of training equals 1 PDU. PMI requires certified professionals to earn a specific number of PDUs over a three-year cycle to maintain their credentials. As of 2024, here is a breakdown of the PDU requirements for each PMI credential:

  • Project Management Professional (PMP)
    • Total PDUs Required: 60 PDUs every three years
    • Minimum Education PDUs: 35 PDUs
    • Maximum Giving Back PDUs: 25 PDUs
  • Program Management Professional (PgMP)
    • Total PDUs Required: 60 PDUs every three years
    • Minimum Education PDUs: 35 PDUs
    • Maximum Giving Back PDUs: 25 PDUs
  • Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP)
    • Total PDUs Required: 60 PDUs every three years
    • Minimum Education PDUs: 35 PDUs
    • Maximum Giving Back PDUs: 25 PDUs
  • PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
    • Total PDUs Required: 30 PDUs every three years
    • Minimum Education PDUs: 21 PDUs
    • Maximum Giving Back PDUs: 9 PDUs
  • PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)
    • Total PDUs Required: 30 PDUs every three years
    • Minimum Education PDUs: 18 PDUs
    • Maximum Giving Back PDUs: 12 PDUs
  • PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP)
    • Total PDUs Required: 30 PDUs every three years
    • Minimum Education PDUs: 18 PDUs
    • Maximum Giving Back PDUs: 12 PDUs
  • PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)
    • Total PDUs Required: 60 PDUs every three years
    • Minimum Education PDUs: 35 PDUs
    • Maximum Giving Back PDUs: 25 PDUs

Always refer to PMI’s official website or the certification handbook for the most current information and specific details related to each credential.

Ways to Earn PDUs

You probably noticed a minimum and maximum requirement outlined above. Don’t worry, we’ll get into that. First, let’s note that PMI defines two main categories for earning PDUs: Education and Giving Back to the Profession. 

Education PDUs: 

This category encompasses activities that help you develop your skills and knowledge in project management. You can earn Education PDUs through a couple different ways. Here are a few:

  • Formal education through a University or Training Provider like Velociteach
  • Online courses (Velociteach offers over 200 PDUs through InSite)
  • Webinars and Seminars
  • Workshops and Conferences
  • Self-directed reading relevant to the certification you hold
  • Listening to PM Podcasts like Manage This!

Educational PDUs are further divided into three skill areas defined by the PMI Talent Triangle. We’ll get into this more in a moment.

Giving Back PDUs: 

This category allows you to earn PDUs while contributing to the project management community. Ways to earn these PDUs include:

  • Creating content (writing articles, blogs, or books related to project management)
  • Working as a practitioner by applying your knowledge and skills in a practical setting
  • Presenting at conferences or workshops
  • Volunteering for PMI or other professional organizations
  • Mentoring other project managers

The PMI Talent Triangle

All certifications require PDUs that align with the PMI Talent Triangle. According to PMI, the “PMI Talent Triangle represents the ideal sets of skills Project Professionals must develop and hone to be successful and work smarter in today’s evolving world of project management.” These 3 skill categories include:

  1. Ways of Working: Whether it’s predictive, agile, design thinking, or new practices still to be developed, it’s clear that there is more than one way that work gets done today. That’s why we encourage professionals to master as many ways of working as they can – so they can apply the right technique at the right time, delivering winning results.
  1. Power Skills: These interpersonal skills include collaborative leadership, communication, an innovative mindset, for-purpose orientation, and empathy. Ensuring teams have these skills allows them to maintain influence with a variety of stakeholders – a critical component for making change.
  1. Business Acumen: Professionals with business acumen understand the macro and micro influences in their organization and industry and have the function- or domain-specific knowledge to make good decisions. Professionals at all levels need to be able to cultivate effective decision-making and understand how their projects align with the big picture of broader organizational strategy and global trends.

Each PDU activity falls into a specific category, and you need to ensure that you diversify your PDUs across the PMI Talent Triangle’s three areas to maximize your learning.

Each certification has different requirements, but as a PMP certification holder, you must earn a minimum of 8 PDUs in each skill area of the PMI Talent Triangle.

Reporting PDUs

Now that you know what PDUs are, how PMI categorizes them, and how to earn them, you are probably curious how you go about reporting them.

The good news is that part is easy. Simply log into your PMI Dashboard and submit your PDUs there. We have a great page that walks through this process step-by-step when you are ready. 

I’m sure if you just earned that PMP, the last thing on your mind right now is planning your required 60 PDUs for the next three years. I think the important part to note now is that you want to start documenting ASAP. Begin maintaining records of all your PDU activities. This shouldn’t be hard if you go with formal or online training. Reputable training organizations, like Velociteach, will provide you with a certificate of completion at the end of your program which will include all the information needed to report those PDUs with PMI. 

Earn Meaningful PDUs

Earning PDUs for PMI certifications is not only a requirement, but also an opportunity for personal and professional growth. While it might be tempting to chase after quick and easy PDUs to fulfill your certification requirements, consider the long-term benefits of investing in your professional development. Rather than simply accumulating units, aim to engage in learning experiences that will genuinely enhance your skill set and expand your toolbox. 

By focusing on courses and activities that align with your career goals, you can develop competencies that not only contribute to your current role but also prepare you for future opportunities. Whether it’s mastering new project management methodologies, honing your leadership skills, or diving deeper into strategic planning, you will find that each PDU you earn can be a stepping stone toward greater career advancement.

A perfect solution offered by Velociteach is the PDU Passport, an all-access-pass to every online PDU course on InSite. With unlimited access, you can customize your training curriculum to align with your personal goals and interests, allowing you to earn the PDUs you need while learning what you truly want—on your own schedule. With the PDU Passport, you can mix and match courses to design a unique learning experience that not only fulfills your PMP renewal requirements but also empowers you to become the best project manager you can be.

Final Thoughts and Tips

Make sure to keep track of your PDUs and remember the importance of the PMI Talent Triangle in guiding your professional development journey. By approaching your PDU accumulation strategically, you can stay relevant in the ever-evolving field of project management and advance your career.

For keeping up with your PDUs, set whatever reminders will help you best. Calendar entries, annual goals with quarterly check-ins. Find a system that works best for you. 

Utilize your dashboard on pmi.org to track your progress.

This should go without saying, but don’t wait until the last minute to do your homework. Pace yourself, or earn your PDUs early! You worked so hard to get certified, don’t let it go to waste. 

Lastly, think of your PDU journey as a chance to build a stronger foundation for your professional future. When you prioritize meaningful learning over convenience, you’ll find that the skills you gain will have a lasting impact, setting you apart in a competitive job market. Invest in your growth, and make your PDU experience a catalyst for career success.

Have more questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out to any member of our team. We’re here to support your journey, every step of the way.