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Scrum Master Certification - The Definitive Guide

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19th Feb, 2024
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    Scrum Master Certification - The Definitive Guide

    What is a Scrum Master?

    The Scrum Master in a Scrum team is responsible for managing the process, while at the same time ensuring that the team is observing the Scrum theory, rules, and practices. They are not a part of the decision-making process, but they act as a guide for the team, thanks to their experience and expertise. They also help in simplifying complex projects. Click here to know more about psm vs csm certification in scrum.  

    Check out the Scrum Master Certification Guide and Scrum Interview Questions here to be well-versed with the concept.

    Scrum Masters act as a facilitator and an advisor for the Scrum team and are always on a continuous lookout for the team’s development. Moreover, they make sure that Scrum adoption is successful in their organisation.

    Roles played by a certified Scrum Master

    Roles played by a certified Scrum Master
    Broadly speaking, the role of a Scrum Master is challenging as they are responsible for the functioning of the team as well as monitoring the Scrum processes and events. Professionals with a Scrum Master certification, however, are acknowledged to be the masters of the art of facilitation and drive their teams to success.

    An efficient (and certified) Scrum Master ensures that the Definition of Done (DoD) is being followed, and this helps him maximize the potential of the team.

    A Scrum Master has several important responsibilities, to name a few:

    • Act as a supervisor for the Scrum Team
    • Keeps the Scrum Team protected from any external requests or disruptions as well as over-commitments
    • Assists the Scrum Events
    • Take measures to  maximise the productivity of the team
    • Build trust and transparency between the team
    • Make sure that there is proper communication between the Scrum Product Owner and Scrum Team
    • Promote daily stand-up, as needed

    The popularity of the role of a Scrum Master has increased exponentially in the past few years. Glassdoor has included Scrum Master in their list of highest-paying jobs, with a rank of 20 and a median salary of $98,239 USD. On top of this, LinkedIn has included Scrum Master in the top 2019 most promising jobs list. 

    To gain a better understanding of roles, responsibilities, and skills, you should also read our tutorial on Scrum Master.

    What are the benefits of Scrum Master certification?

    Legit concern. If knowledge is the fundamental aspect here, what is the need for a Scrum Master certification at all?

    Recently certified Scrum Masters will have so many positive anecdotes to share.

    1. Validation from the industry

    As a professional Scrum Master certified by an accreditation body of global repute has a lot to contribute to the industry. Basic benefits aside, a globally valid Scrum Master Certification lets you:

    • Expand your career opportunities across multiple sectors embracing Agile practices
    • Demonstrate your scrum knowledge and skills
    • Learn about the fundamentals and scope of Scrum
    • Engage with active Agile practitioners committed to continuous improvement and delivery

    Scrum Master certifications do not just merit a raise in salary but offer several additional benefits which include but are not limited to the following.

    Now that you already know the benefits of Scrum Master certifications in terms of knowledge, salary, designation, mindset, and industry value, let us walk you through the roles and responsibilities of certified scrum masters.

    2. Scrum knowledge and skills

    Earning a Scrum Master certification will help you in acquiring the knowledge and skills needed in any project that entails scrum. Having a scrum certification will also give you the motivation and confidence to implement Scrum across different sectors and projects.

    3. Grow in your career

    Being certified as a Scrum Master will make you more marketable and relevant in your field. It equips you with the skills that will help you reach the goals of the business and offer the highest value to the customer. It is the basic validation of an agile mindset, knowledge and skills to apply in organisations.

    4. Boost team’s collaboration

    A certified Scrum Master encourages the whole team to work together in a better manner as (s)he has a good understanding of Scrum.

    5. Change of mindset

    More than doing Agile, being Agile fosters teamwork, avoids conflicts and helps create more successful projects.

    According to a survey conducted as stated in the 2019 Scrum Master Trends, when asked about their current title, the following response was received by the participants:

    ChoicesResponses (%)

    Happy as Scrum Master

    15.85

    Happy as Agile Coach

    10.95

    I am a Scrum Master now, but want to become an Agile Coach

    20.65

    I plan to become a certified trainer or coach

    22.59

    I am working to become a Scrum Master

    11.49

    Other

    18.47

    And when asked about their current titles, the following response was received:

    ChoicesResponses (%)

    Scrum Master

    39.45

    Agile Coach

    15.56

    Development Team Member

    5.84

    Product Owner

    3.15

    Product Manager

    9.62

    Agile Project Manager

    3.26

    Product Manager

    1.24

    Others

    21.87

    Also, about Scrum and facilitation training, it was observed that:

    • 83% of participants had formal Scrum training
    • 17% of participants had formal facilitation training
    • 15% of participants had no certifications
    • 45% of participants had more than one certification

    And, the top three certifications among the participants were:

    • Professional Scrum MasterTM I (PSM I)
    • Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®)
    • Professional Scrum Product OwnerTM  (PSPO I)

    Scrum has been adopted by many big organisations like Google, Spotify, IBM, 3M, etc. Moreover, Scrum is no more limited to the fields of the IT sector. According to a State of Scrum Report 2017-2018, participants voted Scrum Master (85%) as the top certification of 2017.

    The following is a list of departments that use Scrum other than the IT department:

    List of departments that use Scrum

    • Operations or Production - 42%
    • Research and Development - 31%
    • Sales and Marketing - 25%
    • Content Development, Management - 24%
    • Consulting - 22%
    • Human Resources - 19%
    • Financial or Accounting - 18%

    What is the average salary of a certified Scrum Master?

    As a certified Scrum Master, salary is the last thing you need to worry about. A Scrum certification alone will boost your salary manyfold.

    According to a research by Glassdoor in 2018, the role of Scrum Master is one of the highest paid jobs in the United States with a median base salary of $98,239 and with job openings of over 1800. Being certified makes the Scrum Master a more accomplished person for the job, providing prospective employers with acknowledgement of their skills.

    The following is the average salary of a Scrum Master by region, as per the survey: 2019 Scrum Master Trends.

    CityAverage Salary

    North America

    $113,295

    Europe

    $76,889

    South America

    $43,505

    Africa

    $62,571

    Asia

    $40,326

    Oceania

    $149,507

    Average salary of a Certified Scrum Master by region

    Top Cities where Knowledgehut Conduct CSM Certification Training Course Online

    CSM Certification in BangaloreCSM Certification in SydneyCSM Certification in Chennai
    CSM Certification in New YorkCSM Certification in LondonCSM Certification in Chicago
    CSM Certification in SingaporeCSM Certification in Pune CSM Certification in Washington
    CSM Certification in TorontoCSM Certification in DubaiCSM Certification in Los Angeles
    CSM Certification in HyderabadCSM Certification in MelbourneCSM Certification in Atlanta

    Top Scrum Master Certifications

    Here’s is a globally acclaimed Scrum Master certification programs:

    1. Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) by Scrum Alliance®
    2. Professional Scrum MasterTM I (PSM I) by Scrum.org
    3. SAFe® Scrum Master (SSM) Certification by Scaled Agile
    4. EXIN Agile Scrum Master by EXIN
    5. Scrum Master Certified (SMC™) by SCRUMstudy
    6. Scrum Master Accredited Certification™ by International Scrum Institute™

    Advanced & related Scrum Master certifications:

    1. Advanced-CSM® (A-CSM®) by Scrum Alliance®
    2. Certified Scrum Professional®-ScrumMaster (CSP®-SM)  by Scrum Alliance®
    3. Professional Scrum MasterTM II (PSM II) by Scrum.org
    4. Professional Scrum MasterTM III (PSM III) by Scrum.org
    5. PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® from Project Management Institute (PMI)

    How do I get a Scrum Master certification?

    To become a professional Scrum Master, you need to clear an examination or assessment and get certified. This will help you to get a better understanding of the fundamentals of  Scrum framework, values, practices and applications. It also provides a level of expertise and knowledge. Having a certification means an acknowledgement that you hold the core knowledge of Scrum as well as know how to engage with other practitioners for further collaboration and improvement.

    It is necessary to familiarize with Scrum and understand the prerequisites that are needed to attend any certification course. With various certification courses available in the market, it is equally necessary to research well and choose a certification according to their needs and demand.

    The procedure for getting certified is roughly the same for all Scrum Master certifications:

    Step 1: Attend training or take a course, as per the certifying body’s requirement.

    Step 2: Register for an examination as per the certification.

    Step 3: Take a test and score at least the minimum required score.

    Step 4: Get certified.

    To make things easy for you, we have put together a list of the best Scrum Master certifications which will help you get essential knowledge of the how to get certified and can also help you decide which certification to opt for.

    1. Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®)

    Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) is the most widely acknowledged Scrum Master certification. To become a Certified ScrumMaster, it is essential to attend a 2-day classroom training, after which you will be required to take an online test. You will acquire the required essential knowledge in this two-day training, which is conducted by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST®) authorised by the Scrum Alliance®. The topics of discussion during the training include Scrum frameworks, its usage, User Stories, Estimations and Release Planning.

    According to the State of Scrum Report 2017-2018, Certified ScrumMaster® is the most popular certification, selected by 84% of the respondents.

    1.1 Who is the authorised body for Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) certification?

    Scrum Alliance® is the authorised body for the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification.

    1.2. What is the eligibility & prerequisites for Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) certification?

    There are no eligibility criteria for a CSM certification. But, it is advisable to have familiarity with the Scrum framework. You have to take up a two-day (16 hours) course, which is conducted by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST®). This course provides an overview of supporting and organising a Scrum team.

    Taking a course is mandatory for Certified ScrumMaster® certification.

    1.3. What is the cost of Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) certification?

    Cost of 2-day Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) course is around $1000 (depends on your training provider), which also includes the cost of certification and examination fee.

    1.4 How to become a Certified Scrum Master (CSM®) with Scrum Alliance®
    How to become a Certified Scrum Master (CSM®) with Scrum Alliance®

    Attend a 2-day Scrum Master course from a Registered Education Provider (REP) like KnowledgeHut.

    1. After your course completion, you’ll receive an email with a unique username from Scrum Alliance® to register online. Click on the activation link, log in with the given username and create your own password. Fill in your profile information in all the mandatory fields.
    2. Proceed by clicking on “Take CSM® test” form the certification dashboard that can be reached on the settings page. You can take the test within 90 days after completion of the Scrum Master course.
    3. Take the test.
    4. After passing the test, you can download your internationally valid Certified ScrumMaser® certificate from the certification dashboard (under the “Print Certificate” option). Scrum Alliance® has partnered with BadgeCert Inc. allowing you to display a secure and verifiable digital certification badge on social networks, resumes, email signatures, and websites.

    1.5. What will the Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) certification exam be like?

    Take the test, which comprises of 50 multiple-choice questions based on the CSM® learning objectives within a 60 minute time limit. The test can be taken anytime, anywhere and is available to take in English, Spanish (Castilian), Portuguese, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Danish, Czech, and Russian. You’ll be tested on the types of topics and questions as mentioned in CSM Test Specifications Outline. The passing score is 74% - this means you should have answered 37 questions correctly.

    1.6. Reattempts for Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) certification exam

    If you don’t pass your exam in the first attempt, you can take up a second attempt without any extra charge.

    If you fail the second time as well, you can attempt the exam again by paying a fee of $25 to ScrumAlliance.

    If you are a Certified ScrumMaster and are wishing to level up, then you can opt for the Advanced Certified ScrumMaster certification. The Advanced Certified ScrumMaster certification has been discussed further in the blog under the advanced certification section

    How to renew your Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) certification?

    Every two years, it is necessary to get the CSM certification renewed by paying a fee of $100 as well as earn 20 Scrum Education Units® (SEU®). Learn how to earn SEUs here.

    2. Professional Scrum MasterTM I (PSM I)

    Career path of PSM

    Professional Scrum Master I is another highly sought after Scrum Master certification offered by Scrum.org, founded by Ken Schwaber — the co-creator of Scrum — after he parted from Scrum Alliance®.

    Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) is a course with 2-days duration that covers the process theory and the principles of the Scrum framework, also covering the role of the Scrum Master. This course contains instructions as well as team-based exercises, which teaches the core of the Scrum and Agile movement.

    According to the 2019 Scrum Master Trends, on Scrum and facilitation training, the maximum number of votes were obtained for PSM I certification, which is 53 % of the participants.

    Scrum.org says Microsoft uses the PSM I assessment “to validate knowledge as part of its Silver and Gold Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) competencies”.

    2.1. Who is the accreditation body for Professional Scrum MasterTM I (PSM I)?

    Scrum.org

    2.2. What are the eligibility requirements & prerequisites for Professional Scrum MasterTM (PSM I) certification?

    There are no specific prerequisites for undertaking the examination or attending this course. The Professional Scrum Master training can be attended by professionals who are interested in attending the training and giving the examination. After completion of the course, you will receive a password for PSM I assessment conducted by Scrum.org. Subsequently, you can decide if you should proceed and undertake the PSM II and PSM III assessments.

    The following individuals can benefit by taking up the Professional Scrum Master training to showcase the fundamental level of Scrum mastery:

    • Professionals who wish to pursue the Professional Scrum Master Certification
    • Scrum Team managers
    • Teams which are transitioning to Scrum
    • Scrum Team members such a Product Owners and developers

    Taking a course is optional for PSM I certification.

    2.3. What is the cost of the Professional Scrum MasterTM (PSM I)certification? 

    If you are well-versed with Scrum, taking a course is optional. PSM I assessment fee is $150 per attempt.

    But if you to attend a 2-day training, the exam fee for the certification is included in the course price of around $350 and depends on the training provider. If you have attended the training, you’ve two attempts to clear your exam as opposed to only one chance when attempting the exam without any training.

    2.4. Here’s how to become a Professional Scrum MasterTM (PSM) professional

    1. Attend a 2-day PSM training (optional). You’ll need an Assessment Password to take the test - after clearing which you’ll receive the industry recognized PSM I Certification.
    2. If you have paid for your PSM course, you’ll receive the Assessment Password to your email address. If you haven’t taken the course, you’ll have to buy PSM I assessment online to receive the Assessment Password
    3. The password doesn’t have an expiration date but is valid for one attempt only if you haven’t taken the PSM 1 course, and two attempts you have taken the course.
    4. Take the test.
    5. After the completion of the assessment, the results will be emailed to you. Here’s an example Scrum.org Assessment Results email.
    6. If you have scored at least 85% in your test, your certificate and badge will be added to your member profile on Scrum.org. Your name your name will also be added to the public list of certified professionals on their website.

    2.5. What will be the Professional Scrum MasterTM (PSM I) examination like?

    With the knowledge of the Scrum Guide (authored by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland), official Scrum.org resources, and other suggested reading material, you can assess your basic Scrum knowledge before taking the actual assessment that covers topics from multiple Focus Areas defined by the Professional Scrum Competencies.  

    The PSM examination that can be taken in Enlish language only, consists of a total of 80 questions in the following formats: multiple choice, multiple answers and true/false.

    PSM exam can be a bit difficult and you’ll have 60 minutes to attempt all the questions, where you’ll have to score a minimum of 85% in order to pass the examination.

    2.6. How to renew the Professional Scrum MasterTM (PSM) certification

    Along with the PSM certification, any Scrum.org certificate is has a lifelong validity and do not require any additional payments or renewals.

    3. SAFe® Scrum Master

    Gain a thorough understanding of the roles of a Scrum Master in a SAFe® enterprise by attending a 2-day course. With the help of this course, explore the roles of a Scrum Master at the enterprise level and prepare yourself to plan and execute the Program Increment successfully, which is the primary enabler of alignment through all levels of SAFe® organisation. Discover different approaches to become a servant leader and coach to build high performing Agile teams.  

    3.1. Who is the authorised body for SAFe® Scrum Master certification?

    Scaled Agile is the authorised body for SAFe ® Scrum Master certification.

    3.2. What are the eligibility & prerequisites for SAFe® Scrum Master certification?

    The course is open to all, regardless of what experience you hold. But, the following prerequisites are recommended for those who wish to take the SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) certification exam:

    • Insight of Agile concepts and principles
    • Awareness of Scrum, eXtreme Programming (XP) and Kanban
    • Working knowledge of hardware and software development processes

    3.3. What is the certification cost for SAFe® Scrum Master certification?

    The first attempt of the exam is included as a part of the course registration fee, provided the exam is taken within 30 days of completion of the course. Each retake attempt costs $50.

    3.4. Here’s how to become a SAFe® Scrum Master professional:

    1. The very first step is to attend a SAFe® Scrum Master course. This is a requirement as this will help you gain access to all the study material as well as the examination.
    2. Upon completion of your SAFe® Scrum Master course, you can gain access of the examination within the SAFe® Community Platform.
    3. Take the test.
    4. After clearing the test, you’ll get a Certified SAFe® 4 Scrum Master PDF certificate or a Certified SAFe® 4 Scrum Master digital badge along with a one-year membership to the SAFe Community Platform, which includes access to the SSM Community of Practice.

    3.5. What will the SAFe® Scrum Master certification examination be like?

    The SAFe® Scrum Master certification examination can be taken in English, consists of a total of 45 questions of the type multiple choice and multiple select, and out of which you are required to score a minimum of 73% (33 out of 45) to obtain your certification. The time duration for the exam is 90 minutes. Here are a few sample test questions.

    3.6.Reattempts for SAFe® Scrum Master certification exam

    The first retake, that is the second attempt of the examination can be taken immediately after the first attempt. The third attempt requires a 10-day wait, while a fourth attempt requires a 30-day wait. Each retake attempt costs $50.

    3.7. How to renew your SAFe® Scrum Master certification?

    SAFe® certifications hold the validity for one year. After the completion of first year, you will be required to renew your certification by paying a renewal fee of $100.

    4. EXIN Agile Scrum Master (ASM)

    The EXIN Agile Scrum Master certification is a unique certification that combines the Scrum practices and Agile methodologies along with practical assignments. The certification tests the proficiency of a Scrum Master which is required to coach, facilitate and enable a cross-functional team. The course covers various topics like the role of the Scrum master, Adopting Agile, Agile planning estimation, control, monitoring, etc. This certification can be attained by professionals belonging to fields like business management, IT project management, Software development, IT service management.

    4.1. What is the accreditation body for the Agile Scrum Master (ASM) certification?

    EXIN is the accreditation body for Agile Scrum Master (ASM) Certification.

    4.2. What are the eligibility requirements & prerequisites for ASM certification?

    There are no particular eligibility criteria for the Agile Scrum Master course. But it is mandatory for you to successfully complete an EXIN Accredited Agile Scrum Master Training.

    This certification is suitable for professionals in the following fields:

    who should opt for ASM certification?

    • Business management
    • Software Development
    • IT Project Management
    • IT Service Management

    4.3. What is the cost of the Agile Scrum Master (ASM) examination?

    The cost of the examination comes around $260, without any training course. If you have opted for a training course, it will include the exam fee as well.    

    4.4. What is the Agile Scrum Master (ASM) examination like?

    The  EXIN Agile Scrum Master certification examination consists of a total of 40 multiple choice questions (can be taken in English, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Latin American Spanish, Dutch, German, Polish, Czech, Chinese). The difficulty level for the examination is advanced and the exam duration is 90 minutes. You have to score a minimum of 65% in order to pass the examination and to get the ASM certification.

    5. Scrum Master Certified (SMC™)

    The Scrum Master Certified (SMC™) professionals can ensure that the Scrum Team is provided with the proper environment which helps the team in completing the project successfully. It is the duty of the Scrum Master to make sure that the Scrum process is being followed, while at the same time he is responsible to guide, facilitate and teach the Scrum practices to everyone who is involved in the project.

    5.1. Who is the accreditation body for Scrum Master Certified (SMC™)?

    SCRUMstudy is the accreditation body for Scrum Master Certified (SMC™)

    5.2. What are the eligibility requirements & prerequisites for SMC™ certification?

    This certification is suitable for anyone who is interested in becoming a Scrum Master. There aren’t any specific prerequisites needed for this course. But, if you  who have completed the Scrum Developer Certified (SDC™) certification before opting for this certification are highly preferred.

    Moreover, it is recommended that you attend a 2-day SMC classroom training provided by a SCRUMstudy approved Authorized Training Partner (A.T.P.).

    5.3. What is the cost of the Scrum Master Certified (SMC™) examination?

    The cost of the examination is $450.

    5.4. What is the Scrum Master Certified (SMC™) examination like?

    The  SMC™ certification examination consists of a total of 100 Multiple Choice questions. The exam duration is 120 minutes. The current pass rate of this examination is 95%.

    5.5. How do I maintain my Scrum Master Certified (SMC™) certification?

    You are required to maintain 40 Recertification Units (RCUs) every 3 years in order to maintain your certification.

    6. Scrum Master Accredited Certification™

    The Scrum Master Accredited Certification Program is an online test examination that can be taken from anywhere around the world. The examination success rate is 98%.

    6.1. Who is the accreditation body for Scrum Master Accredited Certification™?

    International Scrum Institute™

    6.2. What are the eligibility requirements & prerequisites for Scrum Master Accredited Certification™

    This certification is suitable for anyone who is interested in becoming a Scrum Master.

    6.3. What is the cost of certification for Scrum Master Accredited Certification™?

    The test and certification cost for Scrum Master Accredited Certification is $69, with no other hidden costs or fees involved.

    The number of re-attempts: you can retake your examination for 10 times, without any additional fee. If you fail at your last attempt, the full amount of registration fee will be refunded to you.

    6.4. What will the Scrum Master Accredited Certification™ be examination like?

    The test contains 50 multiple-choice questions that you have attempt within 60 minutes. In order to obtain the certification, you will have to answer at least 60% of your test questions correctly.

    Summary of comparison between Scrum Master Certifications

    CertificationAuthorized BodyDifficulty level Exam  DurationNo. of Questions CostRenewal
    Certified ScrumMaster (CSM®)Scrum Alliance®EasyNo Duration35$1400 (including a mandatory course fee)$100, every 2 years
    Professional Scrum MasterTM (PSM)Scrum.orgMedium1 hour80$150 (course fee not included -depends on provider)Not required, has a lifetime validity
    SAFe® Scrum MasterScaled AgileDifficult1.5 hours45
    $995 – $1,295 (including a mandatory course fee)
    $100, every year
    EXIN Agile Scrum Master (ASM)EXINDifficult1.5 hours40$260Not required, has a lifetime validity
    Scrum Master Certified (SMC™)SCRUMstudyEasy2 hours100$45040 RCUs every 3 years
    Scrum Master Accredited Certification™International Scrum InstituteDifficult1 hour50$69Not required, has a lifetime validity

    Advanced and Related Scrum Master certifications

    Advanced and Related Scrum Master certifications ​

    1. Advanced CSM® (A-CSM®)

    If you have Certified ScrumMaster certification from Scrum Alliance® and have twelve months of working experience as a Scrum Master in the last five years you can get Advanced CSM® certificate after taking the class and “successfully completing all educator-designed components of an approved educational offering”.

    This course demands that you need to have a basic understanding of Scrum along with its practical usage and implementation. This workshop will help you get a deeper insight into the  Scrum Framework and how it relates to the Agile Manifesto and learn the ways to coach the Product Owner and development team members. You can renew your A-CSM® by earning Scrum Education Units® (SEUs) every two years.

    2. Certified Scrum Professional®-ScrumMaster (CSP®-SM) 

    The CSP-SM certification is unique and distinct to developers. Along with the certification, the professional get opportunities to attend exclusive CSP events along with many other leaders in Scrum and Agile. The certification helps professionals to make an impression on the recruiters as well as attract a higher rate of pay.

    If you have an active A-CSM® certification with 24 months of experience as a Scrum Master in the last five years, and attend a CSP-SM workshop which is conducted by the Scrum Alliance® approved ‘Path to CSP Educator’, you can get certified after “Successfully complete all educator-designed components of an approved educational offering”

    You can renew your CSP-SM by earning Scrum Education Units® (SEUs) every two years.

    3. Professional Scrum MasterTM II (PSM II) & Professional Scrum MasterTM III (PSM III)

    The Professional Scrum Master II (PSM II) and Professional Scrum Master III (PSM III) are advanced-level courses from Scrum.org. You can attend an optional 2-day training for PSM II, while there isn’t any training required for PSM III. If you have cleared the PSM I assessment, can opt for PSM II assessment. If you have cleared the PSM and PSM II assessments and if you wish to gain a distinguished level of Scrum mastery can take up the PSM™ III assessment.

    PSM II assessment will cost you $250, will have 30 questions to answer in 90 minutes, and needs at least 85% passing to get certified. Whereas, PSM III assessment will cost you $500, will have 34 questions to answer in 120 minutes, and needs at least 85% passing score to get certified.

    4. PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® from Project Management Institute (PMI)

    PMI-ACP acknowledges your knowledge and skill in Agile principles and techniques. The PMI-ACP covers agile approaches such as Scrum, Kanban, Lean, extreme programming (XP) and test-driven development (TDD.)

    If you have 2,000 hours of general project experience working on teams along with1,500 hours working on agile project teams or with agile methodologies and 21 contact hours of training in agile practices, you can get PMI ACP certified after clearing the exam having 120 multiple-choice questions within 3 hours. You can renew your PMI-ACP certification every 3 years by earning professional development units (PDUs) in agile topics

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    The Career path for a Scrum Master

    Being a certified Scrum Master opens the door for opportunities growth.

    1. Scrum Master

    After completing the Scrum Master certification, the Scrum Master gets to perform all the roles that a Scrum Master is assigned to do. They need to work in this position for a minimum duration of one year to five years.

    2. Senior Scrum Master

    After Scrum Master, you progress to becoming a Senior Scrum Master. A Senior Scrum Master needs to gather advanced knowledge of the best practices of Scrum and should know how to implement them in teams as well.

    3. Agile Coach

    For the transition to become an Agile Coach from a Senior Scrum Master. It is essential for you to have a minimum of five years of knowledge in being a Scrum Master along with at least one year of experience of coaching and mentoring.

    Scrum is an Agile development framework which is used to manage the process of product development. The Scrum Master is a person who is responsible for implementing Scrum amongst the team members, remove the obstacles faced by them and make sure that the team members understand Scrum and its principles. He does the planning, takes care of the team backlog, sprint retrospective and sprint demo.

    Scrum Master certification opens the door to a leap in career growth. There are many certifications options to choose from. With the provided information, we hope you will choose a best Scrum Master certification as per your expectations and requirement work towards your getting your dream job.

    Profile

    Lindy Quick

    Blog Author

    Lindy Quick, SPCT, is a dynamic Transformation Architect and Senior Business Agility Consultant with a proven track record of success in driving agile transformations. With expertise in multiple agile frameworks, including SAFe, Scrum, and Kanban, Lindy has led impactful transformations across diverse industries such as manufacturing, defense, insurance/financial, and federal government. Lindy's exceptional communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills have earned her a reputation as a trusted advisor. Currently associated with KnowledgeHut and upGrad, Lindy fosters Lean-Agile principles and mindset through coaching, training, and successful execution of transformations. With a passion for effective value delivery, Lindy is a sought-after expert in the field.

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