PRINCE2® 7 Foundation Syllabus

PRINCE2® 7 Foundation Certification

PRINCE2 is a globally recognized and established project management method that offers a structured, scalable, and tailorable approach to project management. Its focus on governance, risk management, and benefits realization sets it apart from other qualifications. By integrating agile concepts and emphasizing tailoring, the new PRINCE2 is even more adaptable to diverse project environments.

PRINCE2 7 addresses changes in the project management sector and adapts to evolving working practices and technologies. 

Key Updates for Emboldening Success:

1. Central Focus on People Management, recognising the importance of human capital in project success.
2. Enhanced Flexibility and Customization, adapting to the unique requirements of each project, across sectors.
3. Embracing Digital and Data Management, equipping you with the right tools to keep your projects up to date in the digital era.
4. Integration of Sustainability into Project Performance, aligning projects with environmental and social responsibility goals.
5. Compatibility with Agile, Lean, and ITIL, enhancing overall project performance.
6. Designed for all professionals, including aspiring or experienced project managers, using simplified language and content which makes it more accessible to all.

We have also developed a PRINCE2® 7 AI Practice Guide, available exclusively on our membership platform, to perfectly complement the new AI-ready PRINCE2.

PRINCE2® 7 Foundation Training

Typically, classroom training for PRINCE2® 7 Foundation lasts three days and the examination takes place at the end of the training (this will vary depending on the training provider). You can also self-study for the Foundation exam and you may also choose to take training in another format such as distance learning. Training is delivered by 1WorldTraining.com PeopleCert’s Accredited Training Organizations (ATO).

Target Audience

• All Project Managers (certified and uncertified)
• Aspiring Project Managers
• For everyone aiming to enhance their project management skills

Examination Format

• Multiple choice questions
• 60 questions per paper
• 36 marks required (out of 60 available) to pass: 60%
• One hour’s (60 minutes) duration
• Closed book
• No prerequisites

Certification Renewal

Starting 2023, all PeopleCert Global Best Practice certifications will need to be renewed after 3 years. Looking to renew your certification? Find out more.

1. Introduction

The PRINCE2 Foundation qualification is intended for project managers and aspiring project managers. It is also relevant to other key staff involved in the design, development and delivery of projects, including: project board members (e.g. senior responsible owners), team managers (e.g. product delivery managers), project assurance (e.g. business change analysts), project support (e.g. Project and Programme Office personnel), and operational line managers/staff.

The PRINCE2 Foundation examination is intended to assess whether a candidate can recall and understand the PRINCE2 project management method (as described in the syllabus below). The PRINCE2 Foundation qualification is a prerequisite for the PRINCE2 Practitioner exam, which assesses the ability to apply understanding of the PRINCE2 project management method in context.

2. Exam Overview

Material allowed	None	This is a ‘closed book’ exam. The Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 7 Official Book, should be used for study, but is NOT permitted to be used in the exam.
Exam duration	60 minutes	Candidates taking the exam in a language that is not their native or working language may be awarded 25% extra time, i.e. 75 minutes in total.
Number of marks	60 marks	There are 60 questions, each worth 1 mark. There is no negative marking.
Pass mark	36 marks	You will need to get 36 questions correct (60%) to pass the exam.
Level of thinking	Bloom’s levels 1&2	“Bloom’s level” describes the type of thinking needed to answer the question. For Bloom’s level 1 questions, you need to recall information about the PRINCE2 method. For Bloom’s 2 questions, you need to show understanding of these concepts.
Question types	Standard, Missing word, List & Negative	The questions are all ‘multiple choice’. For the ‘standard’ questions, you have a question and four answer options. ‘Negative’ questions are ‘standard’ question in which the stem is negatively worded. For the ‘missing word’ questions, there is a sentence with a word missing and you have to select the missing word from four options. For the ‘list’ questions, there is a list of four statements and you have to select the two correct statements.

3. Question Types

All 40 questions are Objective Test Questions (OTQs), which present four options from which one option is selected. Distractors (wrong answers) are options that candidates with incomplete knowledge or skill would be likely to choose. These are generally plausible responses relating to the syllabus area being examined. Question styles used within this type are: ‘standard’, ‘missing word’, ‘list’ (2 correct items), and, exceptionally, ‘negative’ standard OTQ.

Example ‘standard’ question:

Which is one of the four integrated elements within PRINCE2?

1. Quality
2. Role descriptions
3. Processes
4. Product descriptions

Example ‘list’ question:

Which two statements about tailoring are

CORRECT?

1. Processes can be simplified or carried out in more detail.
2. Terminology can be changed to suit organizational standards.
3. Themes that are not relevant to the project can be excluded.
4. Project management team members can carry out any combination of roles.

1. 1 and 2
   1. 2 and 3
   1. 3 and 4
   1. 1 and 4

Example ‘missing word’ question:

Identify the missing word in the following sentence.

A purpose of the [ ? ] theme is to control any unacceptable deviations from the project’s objectives.

1. Change
2. Plans
3. Progress
4. Risk

Example ‘negative’ question:

Which is NOT a role within PRINCE2?

1. Role A
2. Role B
3. Role C
4. Role D

NOTE: Negative questions are only used as an exception, where part of the learning outcome is to know that something is not done or should not occur.

NOTE: Two of the list items are correct.

Please see the sample paper for an example of the exam format and content.

4. Syllabus

The tables below give a summary of the concepts that are tested in the exam, and the main parts of the Official Book in which these are described. The book references refer to the section stated, but not the subsections within that section, unless stated.

Learning Outcome	Assessment Criteria	Bloom’s Level
1. Understand key concepts relating to projects and PRINCE2	1.1 Recall key concepts related to project management: a) the definition of the integrated elements of PRINCE2: principles, people, practices, processes and the project context (1.2, fig 1.1) b) the definition of a project and project management (1.3, 1.4) c) the aspects of project performance to be managed (1.4) d) the definition of delivery approaches: linear-sequential iterative-incremental, hybrid (1.5.3)	BL1
	1.2 Describe key concepts related to project management: a) the common reasons why project management is used (1.3) b) the common challenges that PRINCE2 is designed to address (1.4) c) the characteristics of a project (1.3) d) projects in context/project environment (1.5 – excluding 1.5.3) e) the features and benefits of PRINCE2 (1.6)	BL2
2. Understand how the PRINCE2 principles underpin the PRINCE2 method	2.1 Explain the PRINCE2 principles: ensure continued business justification (2.1) learn from experience (2.2) define roles, responsibilities and relationships (2.3) manage by exception (2.4) manage by stages (2.5) focus on products (2.6) tailor to suit the project (2.7)	BL2
	2.2 Explain how and why the principles provide the basis of applying PRINCE2, and which factors influence the way the PRINCE2 method can be tailored and applied, who is responsible, and how tailoring decisions are documented (2, 2.7, fig 2.1)	BL2
3. Understand the importance of people in successful projects	3.1 Define key concepts related to the people element: organizational ecosystem (3.1, fig 3.1) project ecosystem (3.1, fig 3.1) change management (3.2.1) stakeholder (3.2.2) culture (3.2.3) collaboration and co-creation (3.3) leadership (3.3) management (3.3)	BL1

Learning Outcome	Assessment Criteria	Bloom’s Level
	3.2 Explain the difference between concepts related to the people element: people within the project and people affected by the project (3.1) leadership and management (3.3)	BL2
	3.3 Explain key concepts related to the people element: change management and why it is important (3.2.1) stakeholder engagement (3.2.2) communication (3.4) effective teams, including diversity, capability and competence (3.3)	BL2
	3.4 Explain the purpose of the management products required to support the people element of projects: PID: change management approach (3.2.1) PID: communication management approach (3.4)	BL2
	3.5 Explain how people aspects integrate with other PRINCE2 elements (3.5 including all subsections)	BL2
4. Understand the PRINCE2 practices and how they are applied throughout the project	4.1 Explain the purpose of PRINCE2 management products, including: PID (4.3.1) Project log (4.3.2)	BL2
	4.1.1 Explain the purpose of the ‘business case’ practice (5.1)	BL2
	4.1.2 Describe the key relationships between the ‘business case’ practice and the principles (5.7, tab 5.2)	BL2
	4.1.3 Explain the purpose of the key management products required to support the ‘business case’ practice (5.5): project brief business case PID: benefits management approach PID: sustainability management approach	BL2
	4.1.4 Define key concepts related to the ‘business case’ practice: (5.1) output outcome benefit dis-benefit business objective	BL1
	4.1.5 Describe the guidance for effective management of the business case, including: (5.2) business case lifecycle (5.2.1, fig 5.2, fig 5.3) aligning products to business objectives and tolerances (5.2.2) establishing business justification (5.2.3)	BL2
	4.1.6 Describe the PRINCE2 technique for the ‘business case’ practice (5.3.1)	BL2
	4.2.1 Explain the purpose of the ‘organizing’ practice (6.1)	BL2
	4.2.2 Describe the key relationships between the ‘organizing’ practice and the principles (6.7, tab 6.5)	BL2

Learning Outcome	Assessment Criteria	Bloom’s Level
	4.2.3 Explain the purpose of the key management products required to support the ‘organization’ practice: (6.5) PID: project management team structure PID: role descriptions PID: commercial management approach	BL2
	4.2.4 Define key concepts related to the ‘organizing’ practice: project board (6.2.1, 6.2.4.4) project team (6.2.3)	BL1
	4.2.5 Describe the guidance for effective organizing of: the three project interests (6.2.1) PRINCE2 roles (6.2.4) work breakdown structure (6.2.5)	BL2
	4.2.6 Describe the PRINCE2 technique for the ‘organizing’ practice (6.3.1)	BL2
	4.3.1 Explain the purpose of the ‘plans’ practice (7.1)	BL2
	4.3.2 Describe the key relationships between the ‘plans’ practice and the principles (7.7, tab 7.2)	BL2
	4.3.3 Explain the purpose of the key management products required to support the ‘plans’ practice: (7.5) work package description project product description plan (including project, stage, team & exception plan)	BL2
	4.3.4 Define key concepts related to the ‘plans’ practice: schedule (7.3.1.4)dependency (7.3.1.2)project plan (7.2.2.1)stage plan (7.2.2.2)team plan (7.2.2.3)exception plan (7.2.2.4)scope (7.1.2)	BL1
	4.3.5 Describe the guidance for effective management of plans:the planning horizon (7.2.1)project stages (7.2.3)product-based planning (7.2.5)using tolerances to manage constraints (7.2.4)delivery sustainability (7.4.4)	BL2
	4.3.6 Describe the PRINCE2 technique for the ‘plans’ practice (7.3.1)	BL2
	4.4.1 Explain the purpose of the ‘quality’ practice (8.1)	BL2
	4.4.2 Describe the key relationships between the ‘quality’ practice and the principles (8.7, tab 8.3)	BL2
	Explain the purpose of the key management products required to support the ‘quality’ practice: (8.5)product descriptionPID: quality management approachproject log: quality registerproject log: product register	BL2

Learning Outcome	Assessment Criteria	Bloom’s Level
	Define key concepts related to the ‘quality’ practice:user quality expectations (8.1.1, 8.2.1.1)acceptance criteria (8.1.1)quality specifications (8.1.1)requirements (8.1.1)	BL1
	Describe the guidance for effective management of quality:quality planning (8.2.1)quality control (8.2.2)quality assurance (8.2.3)	BL2
	4.4.6 Describe the PRINCE2 technique for the ‘quality’ practice (8.3.1)	BL2
	4.5.1 Explain the purpose of the ‘risk’ practice (9.1)	BL2
	4.5.2 Describe the key relationships between the ‘risk’ practice and the principles (9.7, tab 9.4)	BL2
	Explain the purpose of the key management products required to support the ‘risk’ practice: (9.5) PID: risk management approachProject log: risk register	BL2
	Define key concepts related to the ‘risk’ practice:a risk: threat or opportunity based on uncertainty (9.1)risk appetite (9.2)risk tolerance (9.2)risk cause, event and effect (9.2.1)risk exposure (9.2)risk owner and risk action owner (9.2)risk probability (9.2)risk impact (9.2)	BL1
	Describe the guidance for effective management of risk:risk planning (9.2.1)risk analysis (9.2.2)risk control (9.2.3)risk culture (9.2.4)understand decision bias (9.2.4)recommended risk response types (9.2.3.1, tab 9.1)use of data (9.3.2.6)	BL2
	4.5.6 Describe the PRINCE2 technique for the ‘risk’ practice (9.3.1)	BL2
	4.6.1 Explain the purpose of the ‘issues’ practice (10.1)	BL2
	4.6.2 Describe the key relationships between the ‘issues’ practice and the principles (10.7, tab 10.3)	BL2
	Explain the purpose of the key management products required to support the ‘issues’ practice: (10.5) PID: issue management approachproject log: issue registerissue report	BL2

Learning Outcome	Assessment Criteria	Bloom’s Level
	Define key concepts related to the ‘issues’ practice:issue (including types of issue: change, problem/concern, business opportunity, request for change, off-specification) (10.1, 10.2.2, 10.2.3)project baseline (10.1)change control (10.2.3)	BL1
	Describe the guidance for effective management of issues:baselines (10.2.1)issue resolution (10.2.2)change control (10.2.3)delegating authority for changes (10.2.4)change budget (10.2.5)	BL2
	4.6.6 Describe the PRINCE2 technique for the ‘issues’ practice (10.3.1)	BL2
	4.7.1 Explain the purpose of the ‘progress’ practice (11.1)	BL2
	4.7.2 Describe the key relationships between the ‘progress’ practice and the principles (11.7, tab 11.4)	BL2
	Explain the purpose of the key management products required to support the ‘progress’ practice: (11.5)checkpoint reporthighlight reportend stage reportend project reportlessons reportexception reportproject log: daily logproject log: lessons logPID: digital and data management approach	BL2
	Define key concepts related to the ‘progress’ practice:forecast (11.1)exception (11.1)tolerance (11.2.1)event-driven and time-driven controls (11.2.2)	BL1
	Describe the guidance for effective management of progress:tolerances for progress control (11.2.1 – excluding tab 11.1)types of control (11.2.2)reviewing progress and lessons (11.2.3)reporting progress and lessons (11.2.4)forecasting (11.2.5)escalating (11.2.6)use of data and systems in progress management (11.2.7)	BL2
	4.7.6 Describe the PRINCE2 technique for the ‘progress’ practice (11.3.1)	BL2

Learning Outcome	Assessment Criteria	Bloom’s Level
5. Understand the PRINCE2 processes and how they are carried out throughout the project	Explain the purpose of the PRINCE2 processes:starting up a project (13.1)directing a project (14.1)initiating a project (15.1)controlling a stage (16.1)managing product delivery (17.1)managing a stage boundary (18.1)closing a project (19.1)	BL2
	Explain the objectives of the PRINCE2 processes:starting up a project (13.2)directing a project (14.2)initiating a project (15.2)controlling a stage (16.2)managing product delivery (17.2)managing a stage boundary (18.2)closing a project (19.2)	BL2
	Explain the context of the PRINCE2 processes:starting up a project (13.3)directing a project (14.3)initiating a project (15.3)controlling a stage (16.3)managing product delivery (17.3)managing a stage boundary (18.3)closing a project (19.3)	BL2

5.  Exam Specification

The PRINCE2 Foundation examination will consist of five (5) sections with the following structure:

Learning Outcome	Weighting %
1. Understand key concepts relating to projects and PRINCE2	3%
2. Understand how the PRINCE2 principles underpin the PRINCE2 method	8%
3. Understand the importance of people in successful projects	14%
4. Understand the PRINCE2 practices and how they are applied throughout the project	60%
5. Understand the PRINCE2 processes and how they are carried out throughout the project	15%
Total	100%