APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ)

The APM PMQ learning plan will ensure you understand the essential details related to this course. It explains the commitment required to meet the APM assessment criteria and complete the ILX course. You must review the learning plan before booking onto the course.

Some of the learning resources direct you to content within the APM BoK. This is not included as standard with the course, but you have the option to purchase it as an optional extra in the ILX basket. If you are an APM member a digital version of the book is included in your membership.

You will explore the essential frameworks and governance structures that drive successful project management. You’ll learn about life cycles and how dividing projects into distinct stages helps organise and structure your work effectively. The course will guide you through governance arrangements, showing how they establish authority and accountability while aligning with organisational practices. 

You’ll also discover how to create and use a business case to justify decisions based on benefits, costs, and risks. Additionally, you’ll gain insight into sustainability, learning how to balance environmental, social, economic, and administrative considerations to deliver projects with meaningful, lasting impact. 

The APM PMQ course gives you the tools to master planning and resource management. You’ll learn how to develop an integrated project plan, bringing together multiple processes into a single cohesive strategy. Schedule management will help you create effective, time-based plans that balance activities and resources, while resource management shows you how to identify, schedule, and oversee the resources your project needs. You’ll also dive into budgeting and cost control, gaining the skills to estimate costs, agree budgets, and track spending to maintain financial oversight throughout your projects. 

You will build expertise in delivering projects and ensuring quality at every step. You’ll learn procurement strategies to secure the resources you need while maximising value. The course will guide you through quality management, helping you ensure your project outputs meet agreed standards. Risk and issue management will give you the confidence to identify potential challenges and opportunities and plan your responses effectively.  

Through the PMQ course, you’ll also explore change control processes, enabling you to manage requests and adjustments in a structured way. With assurance and review techniques, you’ll gain the ability to assess your project’s status and demonstrate its ongoing viability. 

There is a key focus on the skills you need to manage people and stakeholders effectively. You’ll learn how to engage and communicate with internal and external stakeholders to achieve your project goals. Leadership training will help you empower and inspire your team, while team management techniques will guide you in building and sustaining high-performing groups. You’ll develop strategies for conflict resolution, enabling you to address and resolve disputes to keep your project on track.  

The course also explores diversity and inclusion, showing you how to foster a positive, inclusive environment that values all perspectives. Finally, you’ll strengthen your understanding of ethics, compliance, and professionalism, ensuring your work remains moral, legal, and socially responsible.