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Key Facts: APMG Change Management Foundation Exam

100+

Practice Questions Here

OpenExamPrep APMG Change Mgmt bank

50%

Passing Score (25/50)

APMG International

40 min

Time Limit

APMG International

Closed Book

Exam Format

APMG Foundation

Lifetime

Certification Validity

Foundation does not expire

2026

Content Refresh

Effective Change Manager's Handbook

APMG Change Management Foundation is a 40-minute, 50-question closed-book exam requiring 50% to pass (25/50), with no negative marking. The current CM3 third edition launched in April 2024 and covers five syllabus areas: organisational context and approach (Kelman, Cynefin, culture, force field analysis, co-design, ADKAR, Kotter, delivery strategy, agile change practices), people and change (personality preferences, SCARF, the change curve, Bridges, Pink, the change formula, learning), change leadership and teams (change roles, psychological safety, Taylor, Tuckman, Lencioni), stakeholder engagement and communication (power sources, engagement barriers, tell-sell-include, lean and rich channels), and the work of the change manager (impact and severity, resistance, change analytics). No prerequisites. Lifetime certification.

Sample APMG Change Management Foundation Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the APMG Change Management Foundation exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 150+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1According to the Kubler-Ross change curve, which sequence best represents an individual's emotional response to change?
A.Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance
B.Shock, anger, bargaining, recovery, mastery
C.Awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, reinforcement
D.Endings, neutral zone, new beginnings, integration, mastery
Explanation: The Kubler-Ross 'change curve' (originally a five-stage grief model) describes the emotional journey as denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Change managers use it to anticipate where individuals are emotionally. Exam Tip: APMG questions often test exact terminology and order of stages.
2In Bridges' Transition Model, what are the three phases an individual passes through during change?
A.Endings, the neutral zone, new beginnings
B.Unfreeze, change, refreeze
C.Denial, resistance, exploration
D.Awareness, desire, reinforcement
Explanation: William Bridges distinguished 'change' (the external event) from 'transition' (the internal psychological process). Transition has three phases: endings (letting go), the neutral zone (uncertainty), and new beginnings (commitment to the new state). Exam Tip: Bridges' phases are about psychology — Lewin's are about organisational state.
3Which behaviourist is most associated with operant conditioning, where behaviour is shaped by its consequences?
A.B.F. Skinner
B.Ivan Pavlov
C.Albert Bandura
D.Abraham Maslow
Explanation: B.F. Skinner developed operant conditioning, where behaviour is reinforced or punished by its consequences (reward shapes future behaviour). Pavlov is associated with classical conditioning (stimulus-response). Exam Tip: Pavlov = classical (involuntary), Skinner = operant (voluntary).
4Albert Bandura's social learning theory emphasises which key mechanism of learning?
A.Learning by observing and modelling others
B.Conditioning through repeated reinforcement
C.Insight gained through cognitive restructuring
D.Self-actualisation through hierarchy of needs
Explanation: Bandura's social learning theory states that people learn behaviours, attitudes, and emotional reactions by observing others (modelling), without necessarily experiencing reinforcement directly. This is central to mentoring, role-modelling, and 'walk the talk' leadership in change. Exam Tip: Bandura = observational/modelling.
5Which level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is at the very top of the pyramid?
A.Self-actualisation
B.Esteem
C.Belonging
D.Safety
Explanation: Maslow's hierarchy from bottom to top is: physiological, safety, belonging/love, esteem, self-actualisation. Self-actualisation — realising one's full potential — sits at the apex. Exam Tip: Lower-level needs (food, safety) must generally be met before higher needs become motivating.
6In Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, which of the following is classified as a 'motivator' rather than a 'hygiene factor'?
A.Recognition for achievement
B.Salary
C.Working conditions
D.Company policy
Explanation: Herzberg distinguished motivators (intrinsic — achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility, advancement) from hygiene factors (extrinsic — pay, supervision, conditions, policy). Hygiene factors prevent dissatisfaction; only motivators produce satisfaction. Exam Tip: Improving hygiene removes dissatisfaction but does not motivate.
7Vroom's expectancy theory of motivation states that motivation is the product of three factors. Which set lists them correctly?
A.Expectancy, instrumentality, valence
B.Achievement, affiliation, power
C.Awareness, desire, ability
D.Hygiene, motivators, environment
Explanation: Vroom proposed Motivation = Expectancy x Instrumentality x Valence. Expectancy is belief that effort produces performance; instrumentality is belief that performance produces a reward; valence is the value placed on that reward. If any factor is zero, motivation is zero. Exam Tip: All three multiply — a single weak link kills motivation.
8McClelland's theory of needs identifies three social motives. Which option lists them?
A.Need for achievement, need for affiliation, need for power
B.Physiological, safety, self-actualisation
C.Autonomy, mastery, purpose
D.Expectancy, instrumentality, valence
Explanation: David McClelland identified three learned needs that drive behaviour: achievement (nAch), affiliation (nAff), and power (nPow). Different individuals are motivated to different degrees by each, which affects how they respond to change. Exam Tip: People high in nAch want challenging-but-achievable goals; high nPow want influence; high nAff want belonging.
9Honey and Mumford identified four learning styles. Which option correctly lists them?
A.Activist, reflector, theorist, pragmatist
B.Visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, reading
C.Concrete, abstract, active, reflective
D.Innovator, early adopter, late majority, laggard
Explanation: Honey and Mumford (building on Kolb) defined four preferred learning styles: activists (learn by doing), reflectors (learn by observing), theorists (learn by understanding models), and pragmatists (learn by applying ideas). Effective change interventions cater to all four. Exam Tip: Honey-Mumford styles map onto Kolb's experiential learning cycle.
10An MBTI assessment classifies people across four dichotomies. Which option lists them correctly?
A.Extraversion-Introversion, Sensing-Intuition, Thinking-Feeling, Judging-Perceiving
B.Activist-Reflector, Theorist-Pragmatist, Detail-Big Picture, Logic-Emotion
C.Visual-Auditory, Verbal-Kinaesthetic, Solo-Group, Fast-Slow
D.Driver-Analytical, Amiable-Expressive, Internal-External, Action-Reflection
Explanation: The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) measures four preferences: where you focus attention (E/I), how you take in information (S/N), how you decide (T/F), and how you orient to the outside world (J/P). The combination produces 16 personality types. Exam Tip: Change managers use MBTI to anticipate how different team members react to change.

About the APMG Change Management Foundation Exam

The APMG Change Management Foundation certification validates understanding of how change affects, and is affected by, individuals, teams and organisations. The current qualification is the third edition (CM3), launched in April 2024 and based on the APMG Change Management Study Guide, aligned with the Change Management Institute's body of knowledge. The exam covers five syllabus areas: organisational context and approach, people and change, change leadership and teams, stakeholder engagement and communication, and the work of the change manager. It is a 40-minute, closed-book exam with 50 multiple-choice questions requiring 50% (25/50) to pass. APMG Change Management is widely recognised across the UK, Europe and Commonwealth countries.

Exam sponsor: APMG International. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Questions

50 questions

Time Limit

40 minutes

Passing Score

50% (25/50)

Exam / Certification Fees

~$406 USD

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: Not published. APMG does not publish pass rates for this qualification Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

Context

Organisational context and approach

Benefits and dis-benefits, Kelman's three levels of adoption, VUCA and Cynefin, planned versus emergent change, systems thinking, organisational culture and its three levels, force field analysis, co-design, ADKAR, Kotter's eight accelerators, delivery strategies, agile change practices, the continuous change cycle and the change strategy

People

People and change

Personality preferences, neuroscience and Rock's SCARF model, Dweck's mindsets, the change curve, Bridges' transition model, rewards and punishment, Pink's three motivators, positive psychology and Appreciative Inquiry, the Beckhard-Harris change formula, Schein's survival and learning anxieties, the learning dip and learning preferences

Leadership

Change leadership and teams

Key roles in change, the change sponsor, the change agent, local leadership and the two-source rule, Rogers' core conditions, Edmondson's psychological safety, Carolyn Taylor's culture mechanisms, organisational climate, team structures, change agent networks, Tuckman, Lencioni and team diversity

Stakeholders

Stakeholder engagement and communication

Stakeholder identification and segmentation, analysis and WIIFM, positional and personal power sources, two-dimensional mapping, barriers to engagement, know-feel-do, communication theory and noise, cognitive biases, tell-sell-include, hearts and minds, VARK, lean and rich channels and communication planning

Practice

The work of the change manager

Change management as risk management, the three impact categories, McKinsey 7-S impact areas and gap analysis, impact profiles, severity through costs and organisational and stakeholder factors, Oreg's four neural factors, Kanter's causes of resistance and responses, resistance strategy, measurement types, the Kaplan and Norton scorecard and change analytics

Preparing for the APMG Change Management Foundation Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 50% (25/50)
  • Exam length: 50 questions
  • Time limit: 40 minutes
  • Exam / certification fees: ~$406 USD Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 150 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

APMG Change Management Foundation: Suggested Study Strategy

1Learn the fixed-count lists first — SCARF has five domains, Pink three motivators, Taylor three mechanisms, Lencioni five characteristics and Hay McBer six climate dimensions
2Separate ADKAR's Knowledge from Ability: training builds knowledge, while practice opportunities and support systems build ability
3Know Kelman's three levels of adoption and what distinguishes identification from internalisation
4Memorise the four Cynefin domains and the response each calls for, especially the experimental, emergent approach in the complex domain
5Watch for negatively worded questions — roughly one in six is a NOT question, and misreading them is the commonest source of lost marks
6Ignore revision material built on the retired 2015 syllabus; Burke-Litwin, Morgan's metaphors, Galpin, Ackerman, Belbin and Mendelow are not on the CM3 syllabus

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the APMG Change Management Foundation passing score?

The APMG Change Management Foundation exam requires 50% to pass, which means at least 25 correct answers out of 50 multiple-choice questions. The exam is 40 minutes long and closed-book. It is delivered online or at accredited training organizations through APMG International.

Do I need change management experience for the APMG Foundation exam?

No. APMG Change Management Foundation has no prerequisites — anyone can take the exam. It is designed as an entry-level certification for those new to change management or wanting to validate their understanding of the discipline. Accredited training is recommended but not required.

What is the difference between APMG Change Management Foundation and Practitioner?

Foundation tests knowledge and understanding of change management theories and models at Bloom levels 1 and 2 (50 multiple-choice questions, 40 minutes, closed book, 50% pass). Practitioner tests the ability to apply change management to a scenario: 80 marks split into five 16-mark sections matching the five syllabus areas, 2.5 hours, open book with the APMG Change Management Study Guide, 50% pass. You must pass Foundation before taking Practitioner.

How does APMG Change Management compare to Prosci?

APMG Change Management is a broad, model-based qualification aligned to the Change Management Institute's body of knowledge, covering frameworks such as Kelman, Cynefin, Kotter, Lewin, Bridges, Rock's SCARF, Tuckman and Lencioni — and it includes ADKAR as one model among many. Prosci is a single-methodology certification built entirely around its proprietary ADKAR model. APMG is more popular in the UK and Europe; Prosci is more popular in North America. Many practitioners hold both.

Is the APMG Change Management Foundation certification valid for life?

Yes. The APMG Change Management Foundation certification does not expire and requires no renewal or continuing education. The Practitioner certification is valid for 5 years and requires re-registration between years 3 and 5 to maintain Registered Practitioner status.

Which book is the APMG Change Management exam based on?

The current qualification is the third edition (CM3), launched by APMG in April 2024, and its main publication is the APMG Change Management Study Guide. It is aligned with the Change Management Institute's body of knowledge. The previous 2015 edition was based on The Effective Change Manager's Handbook, and accredited providers could deliver that version only until September 2024, so check that any revision material you use covers CM3.