BIM-EP & CM-BIM FAQ

 

Program Overview
 
CM-BIM Details
 
Instructors and Hosting Courses
 

 


Tell me a little about the AGC’s BIM Education Program. How do I register for the courses? Are there any prerequisites to be completed before taking the courses? Who is eligible to take the course?
AGC's BIM Education Program—developed in conjunction with leading BIM practitioners, technology firms and educators—is designed to prepare construction professionals at all experience levels to successfully implement BIM on a construction project.

Unit 1 – An Introduction to Building Information Modeling (3rd Edition)

Unit 2 – BIM Technology (3rd Edition)

Unit 3 – BIM Project Execution Planning (3rd Edition)

Unit 4 – BIM Adoption, Implementation, and ROI (3rd Edition)

We primarily rely on AGC Chapters to offer the curriculum programs throughout the country with both in-person and virtual offerings. The courses available are posted by AGC Chapters directly on the national calendar. If you don’t see something near you, you should contact your local AGC Chapter to express interest and see if/when they plan on offering the courses. You can find a listing of AGC Chapters here: http://www.agc.org/cs/about_agc/find_a_chapter.


Where can I take the courses?
Courses can be delivered virtually, at local training centers or in-house at construction firms. See a calendar of upcoming courses here.


Are the classes offered online?
The courses are offered in-seat and virtually. Participants must attend all four courses virtually or in a classroom environment, delivered by an approved instructor, to be eligible to sit for the exam.


Can I self-study for the course?
No. Participants must attend all four courses virtually or in a classroom environment, delivered by an approved instructor, to be eligible to sit for the exam.


Do I have to take all four courses? Can I just take the exam?
Participants must attend all four courses virtally or in a classroom environment, delivered by an approved instructor, to be eligible to sit for the exam.


How long are the courses?
Four, eight-hour courses (32 hours total).


Can I take the courses in multiple locations?
Yes. The BIM Education Program is developed in a manner to allow consistent delivery across the country and you should feel free to mix-and-match training locations as your schedule allows. 


Do I have to take the courses in order?
It is not required that the courses be taken in order, however, the course materials do build upon each other and it is strongly recommended that they be taken in order to maximize your learning experience. 


Do I have to be an AGC member in order to attend the classes or sit for the exam? If I want to become an AGC member how do I join?
No, you do not need to be an AGC member to attend the courses and sit for the exam. Becoming an AGC member has many benefits such as providing you with a menu of products, programs, and services to support your business. Join at a local level! 


I reside outside the U.S., do I have to be a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident in order to take the classes or exam? Does AGC have a chapter or representative outside the U.S. to host the classes and/or exam? Can I take the courses and exam online?
No, you do not need to be a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident to take the classes or to sit for the exam.

BIM classes are now taught virtually and are open for registrants outside the US. 

Courses can be hosted by anyone so long as the following conditions are met:

  • Courses are taught by an approved instructor.
  • Each participant has and retains their own copy of the Participant’s Manual for that unit and the participant’s attendance is documented with AGC of America for each participant upon completion of each unit.
  • The courses are taught as designed and to their required duration.

What is the CM-BIM credential?
AGC’s CM-BIM credential is an assessment-based certificate program—simply put, it is a credential that acknowledges your completion of a training program and an exam that verifies that you have learned the information provided in that program. The CM-BIM program is designed to set a baseline of BIM knowledge across the industry; it does not denote a level of expert knowledge in all facets of BIM. 


How do I earn my CM-BIM? How do I register for the CM-BIM exam? Which application(s) do I need to fill out?
Individuals earn the CM-BIM credential by:

Completing all four BIM Education Program courses, facilitated by an approved instructor.

Must have an approved application in advance of exam administration. Once an individual has completed the four mandatory courses and is ready to take the exam, they need to fill out the online CM-BIM application.


Can I sit for the exam without taking the courses?
Participants must attend all four courses virtually or in a classroom environment, delivered by an approved instructor, to be eligible to sit for the exam. 


How much does it cost to earn my CM-BIM?
Participants will need to pay to attend all four BIM Education Program courses and the exam fee. The cost of the individual BIM EP courses varies by training location but is generally somewhere between $1,200 and $1,850 for all four courses. This typically includes the price for the course books.

The fee for the CM-BIM exam is $575.00. In the event you need to re-take the exam there is a re-testing fee of $100.00.


What is covered in the CM-BIM exam?
The CM-BIM exam tests only the concepts learned in the BIM Education Program. Participants are not required to have any outside knowledge and should base their answers solely on what was taught in the courses and what is in the course materials. 


What is the format of the exam and how much time will I be given?
The CM-BIM is a 125 question, multiple-choice exam, derived directly from the BIM Education Program course content. Each question provides four answer options with one correct option. All items on the exam will be scored with the same point value. Four hours are provided to complete the exam and the total exam time is calculated in the testing software.


Does the CM-BIM expire?

No. Once the CM-BIM credential is earned, it does not expire.


How do I show that I’ve earned my CM-BIM?
Following the passing of the exam and completion of the post-exam survey, participants can immediately begin using the designation “CM-BIM” following their name. Within one month participants will also receive a certificate from AGC of America acknowledging their credential. 


What does it mean to be a BIM Education Program approved instructor?
Instructors interested in teaching the courses must be approved by AGC of America. Following verification that the instructor meets the qualifications to facilitate that courses, they will be notified of their approval by the Director of BIM Education Programs.

Instructor approval may be revoked at any time due to poor participant evaluations or instructors failing to meet any of the standards outlined in the instructor requirements forms. 


How do I become an approved instructor?
Instructors must complete the Instructor Requirements form and submit that, along with a resume detailing BIM experience, to AGC of America. The form details the qualifications necessary to become approved to instruct the courses and other requirements, such as a review of the course materials and instructor orientation webinars.

More information on becoming an instructor can be found at the Instructor Resources Page.


I am an approved instructor for one or more courses—do I still have to attend the course as a participant to sit for the exam?
Approved instructors, who have facilitated a course in the BIM Education Program are not required to additionally take that specific course as a participant. Instructors should submit an application and include the course dates they taught each unit. All courses must be taught or attended in order to qualify to sit for the exam.


I would like to host the program at my company. How do I do this?
Courses can be hosted by anyone as long as the following conditions are met:

• Courses are taught by an approved instructor.

• Each participant has and retains their own copy of the Participant’s Manual for that particular unit and the participant’s attendance is documented with AGC of America for each participant upon completion of each unit.

• The courses are taught as designed and to their required duration.

For more detailed information, visit the AGC website here or email curriculum@agc.org.