Scrum Alliance's Certified ScrumMaster

As of September 1, 2012 the Scrum Alliance’s CSM post-course exam will transition from a pass-only to a pass/fail system. This change comes after a 3-year testing period where the Scrum Alliance was able to fine-tune questions and determine an appropriate passing score. They determined a passing score to equal twenty-four or more correct answers out of thirty-five.

The new pass/fail system will ensure that students, after having completed a certified Scrum training course, have a proper level of Scrum understanding. Students who pass the exam will be awarded with a Certified ScrumMaster title. They will also receive a list of all their missed questions and a list of possible answers with the correct answer indicated.

Students who fail to pass the exam on their first attempt will have one more opportunity to take the exam free of charge. They will also be supplied with a list of their missed questions and a list of possible answers to help them re-prepare. However, the correct answers will not be indicated on their list. If a student fails to pass the exam on their second attempt they will be required to pay $25 USD for each additional attempt until they obtain a passing score.

Since fall of 2010, Scrum Alliance member volunteers, staff, and testing partner Castle Worldwide, Inc. (Castle) have been working to transform the Certified Scrum Master (CSM) program into a more rigorous certificate program. The intent is to provide an updated content outline with learning objectives as well as a more rigorous exam with a pass/fail outcome.

The updated Learning Objectives – the basis for the structure and content of the new CSM exam are available for download from the Scrum Alliance website.

The Scrum Alliance will be introducing a Professional Development Unit Program (PDUs) no later than January 2013. CSMs will be required to obtain Professional Development Units (PDUs) to maintain their certification. Details regarding the PDU program are forthcoming.

Additional Information (Source: Scrum Alliance)

Non-english speaking students

There will be an opt-out function available via the Scrum Alliance Support Team for non-English speaking students where a translation is not available.

Background Report

Scrum Alliance, with our testing partner, Castle Worldwide, has prepared a CSM report, available to all Scrum Alliance members on the web site. It chronicles the recent work on the new CSM exam, starting with the efforts by Andrea Tomasini and a group of volunteer subject-matter experts (SMEs), and continuing development by volunteers, Castle, and Scrum Alliance staff to the exam’s availability in January 2012: www.scrumalliance.org/pages/CSM. [The report is only accessible to Scrum Alliance members - the editor]

Exam Item References

A number of CSTs inquired about the references our SMEs consulted to write the exam items. Each item on the test was written based on information from one of the following:

• Succeeding with Agile: Software Development Using Scrum
• Agile User Stories Applied
• Agile Software Development with Scrum
• Agile Project Management with Scrum
• Agile Product Management with Scrum
• Agile Manifesto & Twelve Principles of Agile Software (online at http://www.agilemanifesto.org)

Online Resources

Similar to the CSP pages on the Scrum Alliance web site, we are developing more comprehensive CSM information, FAQs and resources for those new to Scrum principles and practices. You can help us by suggesting content for these pages. Send your ideas to certification@scrumalliance.org.

Translation to multiple languages

Thanks to all of you who participated in the language-priority survey; your input provided us with essential information to start this process. With a total of 44 CSTs responding, we found that four languages emerged as your top priorities for translation of the CSM exam: Chinese, French, German, and Spanish.