Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®)
Whether you want to serve as a scrum master, are adopting scrum, or just need the skills to be more agile, our Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) course is the right place to start. You’ll gain a solid understanding of scrum and learn practical ways to apply it to your team and throughout your organization.
Scrum Mastery
What is a scrum master?
The scrum master on a scrum team fosters an effective and productive working environment. One way they do so is by guiding others to understand scrum values and practices. Some of the common characteristics of a scrum master are:
- People-oriented
- High emotional intelligence
- Enjoys helping people grow and learn
A scrum master's day may include facilitating conversations, managing impediments to the team's progress, and coaching individual team members in the use of scrum; however, this accountability is certainly not limited to those activities!
A scrum master's day-to-day activities and overall objectives will look different from organization to organization. When you work in this accountability, your duties and focus are derived from the goal of improving team and organizational agility.
The Certified ScrumMaster course
If you're ready to grow more agile with scrum, our scrum master learning track is designed for you. As an introductory course, the CSM covers the scrum framework, including team accountabilities, events, and artifacts. You'll learn how to guide your team to apply scrum and gain a deeper understanding of the agile principles and values that are the foundation of this way of working.
The scrum master course equips you with knowledge you can apply to virtually any job role. You'll learn widely applicable agile principles as well as the details of working on a scrum team.
Beyond CSM, the Advanced Certified ScrumMaster and Certified Scrum Professional® - ScrumMaster courses set you apart from the crowd of agile professionals. You'll be able to prove your advanced proficiency and experience as a scrum master when you achieve these certifications, providing talking points with potential employers about what you can do to support agility at their organizations. The CSP-SM is also a great option if you aspire to become a trainer or agile coach.
See the CSM Learning Objectives for more course details.
Why certify with Scrum Alliance?
Scrum master certification sets you apart from other job candidates. CSM certification from Scrum Alliance is one of the most well-known to employers. Here are a few other reasons to consider it:
- 95% of CSMs would recommend the certification to a friend (Indeed)
- 71% of CSMs took the course to advance their careers (Indeed)
- Scrum master certifications were the 9th most-requested professional certifications in recent years (Indeed)
In the CSM course, you'll discover new knowledge and techniques for guiding a team through not only the practices of scrum but also the agile principles and values that support scrum.
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What to expect in a CSM course
The CSM is one of the most demanded certifications by employers and recruiters. The certification course is taught by Certified Scrum Trainers®, who are highly vetted, intensely evaluated agile trainers globally. Each course covers core topics as described in the learning objectives, and trainers may include unique examples, exercises, and materials to bring the subject matter to life.
You'll have access to the required scrum master test after you've completed the course. This test consists of 50 multiple-choice questions; you must correctly answer 37 of the 50 questions to pass the test and receive your certification. The cost of your course includes two test attempts.
CSM training gives you hands-on skills that you can immediately apply and leverage to expand your career opportunities. Once you complete the course, you will have everything you need to take and pass the CSM exam.
Who should take the CSM course
You should take the scrum master certification course if any of the following apply:
- You want a broad set of professional skills
- You want to increase your competitiveness as a job candidate
- You want to show employers and recruiters that you are committed to skill growth
- You want to know how to use one of the most popular agile frameworks
- You're interested in practicing an agile mindset, not simply following prescribed steps
- You want to work as an adept and effective scrum master
- You want to improve your practice of scrum
- You want to learn more about agility
Scrum has grown beyond its origins in software development. Professionals from a wide range of industries are applying scrum, including marketers, data scientists, HR representatives, and others who are looking for a better way to build products and services and deliver the most value to customers.
Earn the high demand skills employers want most
Not only does the CSM prepare you for a career as a competent and effective scrum master, it also puts you on the path to develop an array of in-demand skills:
- Communication
- Team dynamics
- Conflict resolution
- Cross-functional teamwork
- Leadership and coaching
- Continuous improvement
Learn more about the skills employers want most—download the latest skills report for free.
Certifications with substance
Choosing Scrum Alliance means you will earn a certification badge that is recognized by employers and recruiters globally.
Established in 2001, Scrum Alliance provides certifications with substance: Once you earn the badge, the renewal requirements include proof that you've continued to grow your knowledge—by reading books, watching webinars, attending events, etc.
Earn Scrum Education Units with every learning opportunity you complete. SEUs are required for certification renewal every two years. Instead of a one-and-done lifetime certification, you'll have a badge that proves to employers your commitment to continuously growing, evolving, and expanding what you know.
Testimonials from our members
The instructor was knowledgeable and provided clear explanations of the various concepts and practices associated with scrum, such as the scrum framework, the role of the scrum master, and techniques for facilitating effective scrum meetings.
Though I had knowledge of scrum before attending, I left feeling more equipped and confident that I would be able to excel in my current as well as future role(s) as a scrum master.
Register for CSM today!
Advance your career, unlock new professional opportunities, and acquire in-demand agile skills with the CSM.
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The scrum master course is 16 hours of training (with most classes spanning 2-3 days) based on the learning objectives, followed by an online multiple-choice test. After you complete the course, you have 90 days and two attempts to pass the test. The test must be completed in one hour.
Certification is not required to get a job as scrum master, but certain employers ask for the CSM as part of a position's qualifications.
The time it takes to become a scrum master varies. Some scrum masters start at the entry-level, while other employers are looking for scrum masters with previous experience. Like any job, the time it takes to become employed as a scrum master is highly variable.
For more information, please see the CSM Learning Objectives. This course also covers the Scrum Foundations® learning objectives.
The price range for the scrum master certification course is $250-$2,495 USD*. When you browse the CSM courses, you'll see that trainers set the prices for the courses they offer. Price varies by region, format, and other market factors. Filter and sort by price to find a course that fits your budget but also take note of any additional offerings, resources, or benefits a specific course may offer.
*Price ranges are based on publicly available course prices on scrumalliance.org as of October 2023. Scrum Alliance does not control course prices, which may vary based on many factors, including, but not limited to: delivery method (online versus in-person), the course’s location, class size caps (limits on total students in session), additional resources provided (practice exams, copies of course material, etc.), taxes, and other market factors. Prices are listed in USD, but may be available in different currencies.
As a CSM, you can work on a scrum team as its scrum master or another type of scrum team member. As any type of team member, you can use what you learn in the course to improve your scrum practice.
A scrum master—certified or not—coaches their team to use scrum effectively. They lead by supporting the team, facilitating, managing impediments, and teaching. Scrum masters help their teams thrive in an agile environment.
The Certified ScrumMaster is worth the cost, time, and effort because you will receive an in-demand badge and membership when you pass the test. This badge on your resume presents an opportunity to highlight your agile knowledge and experience when you get into job interviews and promotion discussions. Many people use the certification as a stepping stone to get into roles and other opportunities where they can continue to build their scrum master experience and resume.
You can pursue scrum master openings even if you've never worked as one before. Many scrum masters gain experience on the job. The CSM certification kick starts your skills and the badge sets you apart from other job candidates without certification.