I am looking to get a CSM cert. Which ITPRO.TV courses should I take? I see there are two courses in the library:
Accredited Agile Project Management Foundation (Scrum)
Accredited Agile Scrum Master
Which one should I take or do I need both?
Thanks in advance,
Rich
Hi Rich,
Both courses are very similar in content, but they are accredited by 2 different examining boards.
Agile Foundation looks at all flavours of Agile and uses generic terminology, whereas Scrum Master concentrates on Scrum, and uses specific Scrum terminology.
Herein lies the dilemma: the Foundation series will give you a broader overview, but the Scrum Master accreditation is what employers look for on a CV. So if you're basing your decision on content, I would definitely go for the Foundation; however if you're looking to take an exam for your CV then the Scrum Master will be the most relevant.
I hope this answers your question.
Thanks very much
Jo
Jo, thanks for the info!
It is not possible for IT Pro TV to offer a legitimate CSM course. This is because the CSM requires that you “attend an in-person, two-day (16 hour) CSM course taught by a Certified Scrum Trainer
(CST).” The cost of an in-person course is often around $1,400.
Originally, the CSM didn’t even require a test. Once you took the two-day course, you were certified even if you daydreamed the entire time. Now after taking the course you have to get 37 questions right on a 50-question test.
The Scrum Alliance recommends that you “familiarize yourself with the Scrum framework” before attending their two-day CSM course. You can do that by watching IT Pro TV’s Agile courses you mentioned above. After doing that, your best bet for obtaining the CSM is to ask your employer if they will pay for you to attend an official CSM course. Many companies will, as long as it’s related to your job.
A popular test-based alternative to the CSM is Scrum.org’s Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) certification. The cost of taking the certification is $150. Professional Scrum Master certifications “are lifelong and do not require any additional payments or renewals.”
There is a course request for “Professional Scrum Master Level I (PSM I)” near the bottom of IT Pro TV’s Course Request page. I recommend voting for it and subscribing to it. The URL is https://app.itpro.tv/course-request/
Sources:
https://www.scrumalliance.org/get-certified/scrummaster-track/csm-certification
https://www.scrum.org/professional-scrum-certifications/professional-scrum-master-assessments