Professional Scrum Master™ III Certification
Certify Your Distinguished Level of Scrum Master Expertise
The Professional Scrum Master™ III (PSM III) certification validates your deep understanding of how to apply Scrum, Scrum practices, and the Scrum Values. PSM III tests your ability as a Scrum Master in a variety of complex team and organizational situations. Earning the PSM III requires a very high level of Scrum knowledge and extensive experience as a Scrum Master.
Attending a course is neither required nor sufficient for certification. However, attending Professional Scrum Master and Professional Scrum Master II training is recommended. Similarly, possessing a PSM I and PSM II certification is not required, but is strongly recommended. Evidence shows it is important to pass the PSM I and PSM II to get a good baseline of your level of knowledge. Anyone scoring below 90% on the PSM I and PSM II will find earning the PSM III very difficult.
Preparing for PSM III
PSM III questions ask you to know the content and understand the context of the Scrum Guide, then apply your own experience. While the Scrum Competencies are similar to those of the PSM I and PSM II, you will be required to move beyond simple knowledge. You will be asked to describe how you would respond to different scenarios while remaining true to Scrum.
PSM III draws broadly from the following Professional Scrum Competencies and Focus Areas;
- Understanding and Applying the Scrum Framework:
- Empiricism, Scrum Values, Scrum Team, Events, Artifacts, Done
- Developing People and Teams:
- Self-Managing Teams, Facilitation, Coaching, Mentoring, Teaching
- Managing Products with Agility:
- Forecasting & Release Planning, Product Value, Stakeholders & Customers
While experience is most important, reviewing material about how to prepare for PSM I and PSM II may also be helpful. Familiarity with the changes to the 2020 Scrum Guide will also be beneficial as the use of outdated terminology from prior versions of the Scrum Guide will count against you.
Translation
Many people successfully use the Google Translate Plugin to take the test in their native language. If you plan to use the Google Translate Plugin you MUST follow these instructions for using the Google Translate Plugin. We cannot guarantee the quality of the translation, however feedback has been quite good.
Accommodations for Physical or Intellectual Disabilities
We take these considerations very seriously and examine each case individually. Please contact support@scrum.org regarding your circumstances and we can advise you on next steps.
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Certification Details
- $500 USD per attempt
- Scoring: Pass/Did Not Pass
- Language for questions and responses: English
- Responses are scored by a team of Scrum experts using a common grading guide. Each response is evaluated to determine if it meets, exceeds, or does not meet the grading expectations. After all questions are scored, the entire test is reviewed to determine whether a passing score was earned.
- Time limit: 2.5 hours (150 minutes)
- Number of Questions: 24
- Format: Essay questions only. All responses must be typed - no pasting of prepared responses. Please review the Standard of Conduct for more information.
- Grading takes approximately 4 weeks. The score is emailed as soon as grading is complete.
- Difficulty: Expert
- Free Credly digital credential included
- Recommended courses: Professional Scrum Master, Professional Scrum Master II
- Recommended certifications: PSM I, PSM II
- Practice assessments: Scrum Open, Nexus Open, Developer Open, Product Owner Open, Evidence-Based Management Open, Facilitation Skills Open, Agile Leadership Open
- Passwords have no expiration date, but are valid for one attempt only
- Lifetime certification - no annual renewal fee required
Why Scrum.org
Unlike other Scrum certifications that are awarded for attendance in a class, earning a Scrum.org certification requires proof of knowledge and understanding by passing the certification test. You can take the Professional Scrum certification test whether you have attended a Scrum.org class or not, though each Scrum.org training class is a great learning experience and includes a free attempt at the associated certification.
Protecting the integrity of the certification process is very important to us. By taking a test with Scrum.org you agree to abide by our Standard of Conduct. You will not receive information about the specific questions that were answered correctly or incorrectly, however you will receive a breakdown of your performance based on the Professional Scrum Competencies.
Find out more about what makes Scrum.org different.
Professional Scrum Master™ Training
In the Professional Scrum Master course, gain a strong understanding of Professional Scrum and the role of the Scrum Master. Dive into the accountabilities of the Scrum Master and the underlying principles of Scrum.
Professional Scrum Master™ II Training
In the Professional Scrum Master II course, gain a deeper understanding of the accountabilities of the Scrum Master. Explore the challenges that Scrum Masters face, apply the principles and values of Scrum to help support the Scrum Team, and dive deep into how Scrum Masters serve the Scrum Team, Product Owner and the organization.