Better Business Cases Practitioner course

The only formal prerequisite for the Better Business Cases Practitioner course is holding the Better Business Cases Foundation certificate – there is no requirement for a specific number of years of work experience.

The Foundation certificate is awarded by APMG International upon passing the Better Business Cases Foundation exam. If you do not yet hold this certificate, you have two options:

• Complete the Better Business Cases Foundation course first, then progress to the Practitioner course separately.
• Enrol on the Better Business Cases combined course, which covers both levels together and includes both exams – a practical choice if you are starting from scratch.

In terms of professional background, the Practitioner course is designed for people who work with business cases in practice. Typical attendees include project, programme, and portfolio managers, business case authors, reviewers and approvers, finance and commercial professionals, and public sector professionals involved in investment decisions. Prior familiarity with business case development is useful but not a formal requirement.

The course builds directly on the Five Case Model – the structured framework for developing spending proposals – which is taught at Foundation level, so having that grounding before attempting the Practitioner course is strongly recommended.

The right format depends on how you learn best and how much flexibility you need – both options include the Better Business Cases Practitioner exam and lead to the same APMG-accredited qualification.

Instructor-led training

• Duration: 2 days of live online sessions on fixed scheduled dates
• Interaction: Live Q&A with an accredited trainer throughout
• Materials: Mock exams included; 1 year of post-course resources
• Best for: Learners who prefer structured guidance, real-time feedback, and accountability

Self-paced training

• Duration: 15 hours of interactive online modules, with 12-month access
• Interaction: Tutor and technical support available by email and phone
• Materials: Interactive content and mock exams included
• Best for: Learners who need flexibility to study around work or other commitments

Key decision criteria

Choose instructor-led if you benefit from direct trainer interaction, prefer a defined study period, or want to ask questions as topics arise. Choose self-paced if you need to fit study around a busy schedule or prefer to revisit material at your own pace.

Note that the official Better Business Cases manual is not included as standard with the standalone Practitioner course in either format – it is included in the combined Foundation and Practitioner option.

The Better Business Cases Practitioner exam is taken online and is included as part of the Knowledge Train Practitioner course, so no separate booking is required once you are enrolled.

Exam format at a glance

• Format: Multiple choice (objective test)
• Questions: 4 questions per paper, with 20 marks available per question (80 marks total)
• Pass mark: 50% (40 out of 80)
• Duration: 150 minutes (2.5 hours)
• Open book: Yes – you may use the official Better Business Cases guidance manual during the exam
• Access: Online via the APMG Candidate Portal
• Results: Provisional results available the same day

Before you sit the exam

You must hold the Better Business Cases Foundation certificate before attempting the Practitioner exam. You will also need to register for a free APMG Candidate Portal account, which is where you book your exam, view your results, download your certificate, and claim a digital badge via Credly.

After the exam

Official results and a marks breakdown are published in the APMG Candidate Portal, typically within two working days. The Better Business Cases Practitioner certificate is valid for life and does not expire – there is no re-registration requirement.

Provisional results for the Better Business Cases Practitioner exam are available immediately after you finish the online exam, with official results and a marks breakdown published in the APMG Candidate Portal typically within two working days.

Here is what to expect after you sit the exam:

1. Immediate provisional result – a pass or fail indication is shown on screen as soon as you complete the exam.
2. Official result and marks breakdown – published in your APMG Candidate Portal account within approximately two working days.
3. Digital badge and electronic certificate – available to claim from the Candidate Portal within two business days of the result being issued, via a linked Credly account.

To access results and certificates, every candidate needs a free APMG Candidate Portal account, which is also used to book exams.

Importantly, the Better Business Cases Practitioner certificate is valid for life and does not expire. There is no re-registration exam and no renewal requirement, so once you pass, your qualification remains current indefinitely. This differs from some other APMG Practitioner qualifications, such as AgilePM or Change Management, which carry a five-year registered status window.

The Better Business Cases Practitioner exam is more demanding than the Foundation level, but most candidates who prepare properly pass first time – Knowledge Train reports a 90% pass rate for the Practitioner exam.

The exam is harder than the Foundation for several reasons:

• Longer duration: the Practitioner exam lasts 150 minutes, compared with 40 minutes at Foundation level.
• Applied thinking: rather than testing recall, the exam presents realistic scenarios and asks candidates to apply the Five Case Model – covering the strategic, economic, commercial, financial, and management cases – to those situations.
• Question format: the paper contains 4 questions, each worth 20 marks, totalling 80 marks. Candidates need to score at least 40 marks (50%) to pass.
• Open book, but demanding: the exam is open book, meaning candidates can refer to the official guidance manual – however, time pressure means familiarity with the material is essential.

Preparation makes a significant difference. The Better Business Cases Practitioner course from Knowledge Train covers exam technique, timed practice questions, and scenario-based application of the Five Case Model, all of which are directly relevant to the exam format. Candidates who engage with mock questions and practise navigating the manual under timed conditions tend to be best placed to pass.

The Practitioner certificate is also valid for life with no re-registration requirement, so the effort to achieve it has lasting professional value.

Yes, you can retake the Better Business Cases Practitioner exam if you fail, but an additional exam resit fee applies – the resit is not covered by the original course fee.

The Better Business Cases Practitioner exam is delivered online through the APMG Candidate Portal, where you register, book your exam, and view your results. Provisional results are available immediately after most exams, with official results and a marks breakdown typically published in the Candidate Portal within two working days.

If you do not pass first time, here are the key points to be aware of:

• Resit fee: You will need to pay an additional exam resit fee to book another attempt. The exact fee is not published here, so contact Knowledge Train directly for current pricing.
• Pass mark: The Practitioner exam requires a score of 50% – that is 40 out of 80 marks across four questions.
• Open-book format: The exam is open book and lasts 150 minutes, so familiarising yourself with the official guidance before sitting again is strongly recommended.
• No expiry once passed: The Better Business Cases Practitioner certificate, once awarded by APMG International, is valid for life and does not require renewal or re-registration.

Knowledge Train reports a 90% pass rate on the Better Business Cases Practitioner course, which reduces the likelihood of needing a resit for most learners.