Should I Take The Applying Professional Scrum (APS) Or Professional Scrum

So you have decided you want to learn Scrum, but you are unsure which course is right for you.

99% of people learning with Scrum.org start with either the Applying Professional Scrum (APS) or Professional Scrum Master (PSM) courses.

So which is the best option?

Both Applying Professional Scrum (APS) and Professional Scrum Master (PSM) provide a full introduction to Scrum for those new to it or looking to improve their use of it. So either will serve you well if you are relatively new to Scrum.

The main difference between the courses is that Applying Professional Scrum (APS) is more practical. In the APS course, you learn Scrum and work in Sprints to build a product during the course. This provides real experience in using Scrum as you learn.

In the Professional Scrum Master (PSM) course, the same content is covered, but it is done via discussions and team exercises. As this is faster, it allows more space to go deeper into some topics and to cover more content on the Scrum Master specifically.

Both courses provide up to 2 attempts at the Scrum.org Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) assessment so the assessment/certification options are the same.

So here is my recommendation to you:

For those planning to attend a public course – I recommend Professional Scrum Master (PSM). You will cover more content including more on the “why” behind the theory and benefit from learning alongside others in a similar position.
For those planning to attend/set up a private/in-house course – I recommend Applying Professional Scrum (APS). APS works best when you have entire teams attending who will learn and practice Scrum together going forward.

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Hi, my name is Simon Kneafsey and I am a Professional Scrum Trainer with Scrum.org and TheScrumMaster.co.uk. I am on a mission to simplify Scrum & Agile for 1 million people. I have helped 10,000+ people so far, and I can help you too. Find out more & get in touch.