CompTIA Project + Independent Study

CompTIA Project+ is the only certification that teaches IT professionals the basic skills needed to manage small to medium projects. It shows that someone can plan, carry out, and finish projects on time while staying on track with goals. The certification also focuses on good communication and using resources wisely. CompTIA Project+ emphasizes practical, hands-on skills to handle real-world project challenges.

Project Management Concepts (33%)

• Project characteristics and methods: Learn about different types of projects, methods, and frameworks.
• Agile vs. Waterfall: Compare when to use each method, team setups, and communication styles.
• Change control: Manage project changes properly.
• Risk management: Identify risks, plan responses, and know who is responsible.
• Issue management: Track and solve problems, and keep records.
• Schedule management: Set milestones, plan activities, estimate resources, and keep on schedule.
• Quality and performance: Use retrospectives, sprint reviews, SLAs, KPIs, audits, and testing cycles.
• Communication management: Choose communication methods, set up platforms, and manage messaging.
• Meeting management: Set agendas, assign roles, track time, and record action items.
• Team and resource management: Spot gaps, manage team performance, and define roles.
• Procurement and vendor selection: Evaluate vendors, contracts, and buying methods.

Project Life Cycle Phases (30%)

• Discovery phase: Understand business cases, prequalified vendors, and basic finances.
• Project initiation: Create project charters, identify stakeholders, make responsibility matrices, and hold kickoff meetings.
• Project planning: Assign resources, make communication plans, define scope, schedule tasks, and assess risks.
• Project execution: Manage tasks, vendors, meetings, budgets, conflicts, and reviews.
• Project closing: Confirm deliverables, close contracts, release resources, archive documents, and hold closure meetings.

Tools and Documentation (19%)

• Project tools: Use Gantt charts, burndown charts, PERT charts, issue/change logs, risk registers, dashboards, and time-tracking tools.
• Productivity tools: Compare tools for communication, collaboration, meetings, documentation, scheduling, and ticketing.
• Quality and performance charts: Analyze histograms, Pareto charts, scatter plots, fishbone diagrams, burnup/burndown charts, and decision trees.

Basics of IT and Governance (18%)

• Environmental, social, and governance (ESG): Know project impacts on the environment, rules, company values, and brand.
• Information security: Learn physical, operational, digital, and data security basics.
• Compliance and privacy: Understand confidentiality, legal requirements, and privacy rules.
• IT concepts: Know basic infrastructure, cloud models, and software.
• Change control in IT: Learn how to manage IT changes, software updates, CI/CD, and production vs. testing environments.

Recommended Level of Digital Skills

Students should be able to:

• Use Microsoft Office programs like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint confidently
• Create and edit spreadsheets using basic formulas
• Organize and manage files and folders
• Use collaboration tools such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365
• Navigate learning management systems and other online platforms

Other Recommended Prior Learning

• High school–level math skills, including basic statistics
• Experience working on group projects or team activities
• Basic understanding of timelines, deadlines, and managing tasks
• Familiarity with organization and planning concepts
• Basic written and verbal communication skills

Recommended Background or Learning

• You don’t need any CompTIA certifications to start.
• Basic computer, Windows, and Excel knowledge are required.
• Having a Tech+ or A+ certification can help you understand IT projects better.
• Experience with school projects or clubs can give you similar knowledge.

Course is offered as a virtual independent study or virtual independent study on demand (includes a CompTIA instructor). 

For our independent study and on-demand CompTIA courses, there is no set start date. These courses are offered all year long. Students can begin as soon as their enrollment is complete.

When we post these courses on CareerForce, we are required to enter a start date. This date is only for the posting and does not mean the class starts on that day.

Course must be completed within three months of receiving materials and the exam is to be completed a month after completing the course. If an exam retake is needed, it must be taken within two months of the previous exam. Both the course materials and exam vouchers have expiration dates with no extensions.

You should have basic knowledge of Windows 11 and Excel before taking this course. To check your skills, please complete the assessment here. Only complete the Windows 11 and Excel sections. If you already have a NorthStar account, you can log in. If not, simply enter your first and last name to get started.

Certification renewal every three years from date of the exam.

Level: Intermediate

After you complete our course and pass the exam, we offer career exploration and job support through our MTFS Gather Program.