Use it toward CAPM or PMP.
Several learners in an August 2026 thread said PMI approved the course as their 35 hours of project management education for PMP. Another 2025 commenter used it to meet the CAPM education requirement.
Google Project Management Professional Certificate Program Guide
Validates practical skills in project management, including initiation, planning, execution and Agile approaches, applied through a capstone project.
Work through 6 courses in order, following a project from initiation and planning through execution and closing, then Agile. The capstone asks you to apply this to a project scenario. There is no final exam.
Understand the program
Courses
Rows are courses with Coursera's hour estimates, plus one optional AI course.
Course 1Foundations of Project Management
- Embarking on a career in project management
- Becoming an effective project manager
- The project management life cycle and methodologies
- Organizational structure and culture
Course 2Project Initiation: Starting a Successful Project
- Fundamentals of project initiation
- Defining project goals, scope, and success criteria
- Working effectively with stakeholders
- Utilizing resources and tools for project success
Example scenario: A manager asks you to "improve onboarding" by next quarter. How would you turn that into a SMART goal and a scope statement?
Course 3Project Planning: Putting It All Together
- Beginning the planning phase
- Building a project plan
- Managing budgeting and procurement
- Managing risks effectively
- Organizing communication and documentation
Course 4Project Execution: Running the Project
- Introduction to project execution
- Quality management and continuous improvement
- Data-informed decision-making
- Leadership and influencing skills
- Effective project communication
- Closing a project
Example scenario: Halfway through, two team members disagree about whether a deliverable meets the quality standard. How would you settle it?
Course 5Agile Project Management
- The fundamentals of Agile
- Scrum 101
- Implementing Scrum
- Applying Agile in the organization
Course 6Capstone: Applying Project Management in the Real World
- Initiating a project
- Building out a project plan
- Maintaining quality
- Effective stakeholder communication
Course 7Accelerate Your Job Search with AI
- Career exploration: Using AI tools to match your skills to roles.
- Applications: Building a resume and tracking applications with Gemini and Google Sheets.
Format
- Courses
- 6 + 1 optional
- Duration
- 136h
- Assessment
- Quizzes and a capstone
- Delivery
- Online, self-paced
- Languages
- English
Enrolment
Anyone can enroll on Coursera, which offers a 7-day free trial and financial aid. Google Career Skills offers the same certificates for $49 a month.
Make a study plan
Coursera's course estimates add up to 142 hours. Google suggests 3 months at 20 hours a week or 6 months at 10.
Most candidates spend 100–160 hours. Plan for the low end if you already manage projects at work; allow more time if project management terms are new to you, and leave room for the capstone.
- 1Understand the programLook through the courses and how the program is graded.7 h
- 3Learn the core conceptsWork through the courses in order and complete the graded work.128 h
- 4Finish the programFinish the remaining assessments and claim your certificate.7 h
Learn the core concepts
The program is the course. If CAPM or PMP is next, keep your certificate for the PMI application.
Best official programGoogle Project Management Professional Certificate
Best multi-certificate planGoogle Career Certificates subscriptionBest broad catalogCoursera PlusUse a real project. Practise the charter, schedule and risk plan on something from your own work. It gives you better examples for interviews and a PMP application.
Finish the program
Complete the coursework on your own schedule.
- Finish all 6 required courses, including the capstone. The AI course is optional.
- Retry any quiz or activity you have not passed, and complete your peer reviews.
- Download your certificate and claim the Credly badge, which carries the ACE recommendation of up to 9 college credits.
- If CAPM or PMP is next, use PMI's Google certificate page for the discount.
- Cancel your subscription and the free Google AI Pro offer if you do not want to keep paying. Google AI Pro renews at $19.99 a month.
Advice from learners
Aim for coordinator roles first.
Replies to people hoping to start as project managers say the field is rarely entry-level and point to project coordinator or analyst roles.