Course Requirements for Scrum Alliance Trainers

Updated October 10, 2024

These course requirements are a reference for the requirements to list and deliver Scrum Alliance courses. Please note that Scrum Alliance reserves the right to remove or alter these requirements at any time. [Note that we have highlighted the changes from the previous version.]

Course Listing Requirements

Course Formats

• In-Person: Instruction is fully in-person. Trainer meets in person with students at the same physical location.
  • In-Person listings must include the start and end date of the course and clearly state the structure of the course (e.g., 4 days for 4 hours each day, 4 consecutive Saturdays from 10am-2pm, etc.). 
  • Any In-Person course must be completed no more than three months from the date the course begins.

• Live Online: Instruction is fully online and live. Trainer meets and interacts with students using online communication tools in a live setting (e.g., Zoom).
  • Live Online listings must include the start and end date of the course and clearly state the structure of the course (e.g., 4 days for 4 hours each day, 4 consecutive Saturdays from 10am-2pm, etc.). 
  • Any Live Online course must be completed no more than three months from the date the course begins.

• Live Online + Self-Paced: Instruction is provided through a mix of live instruction (whether delivered online or in person) with some self-paced (student-led) learning in accordance with the Course Structure Requirements listed below.  
  • Note: This category may only be used for A-CSM, A-CSPO, CSP-SM, and CSP-PO.  Advanced and Professional courses should be listed as Live Online or In-Person courses when they do not include self-paced elements.
  • The Live Online + Self-Paced learning format may not be used unless you have an approved combination of structured, clearly defined self-paced elements that clearly align with and support the learning objectives.  You must include guided live online instruction to support and reinforce the self-paced elements of your course.
  • Any course other than those specified above may not be structured, described, delivered, nor listed as “Live Online + Self-Paced.” 
  • Some Live Online + Self-Paced courses have been approved with a “rolling admissions” structure (i.e., not having a fixed start or fixed end date) to allow eligible students to enroll at any time. Scrum Alliance’s Course Search tool does not currently provide a “rolling admission” option. 
  • Each course may be posted up to once per any 7-day period (per course type) and must include a detailed description and defined agenda of the structure of your course.
  • Any Live Online + Self-Paced course must be completed no more than six months from the date the course begins. 

Requirements for Listing Scrum Alliance Courses:

• In accordance with Scrum Alliance Trainer License Agreements, licensed trainers and organizations posting courses on their behalf may not (i) post a course without a good faith intention and ability to hold such course, or (ii) cancel any course for the purpose of consolidating multiple course listings into a single course. 
• Trainers may not list more courses than they are reasonably able to deliver in any time period and may not list more than one course occurring during the same time frame. Please refer here to review current course conflict guidelines.  
• There is a 50-person capacity for any course - whether in-person or live online (effective January 1, 2025 for in-person), except in the case of private courses not listed on Course Search. Please include the maximum number of students that will be permitted in the course in the course description. 
• Any content included in a course listing must be accurate and fact-based. For example, a listing that says “guaranteed to run” must in fact be guaranteed to run, as canceling would be a breach of the guarantee. 

Trainer Information:

• Course listings must include the name of the primary trainer. In the event that there is a change in the primary trainer, the course listing must be promptly updated to reflect the new primary trainer and students must be notified and given the opportunity to receive a refund or change to a course taught by their desired primary trainer.
• Where a course will be co-instructed by anyone other than the listed primary trainer, the course listing must clearly state this. 
• Co-instruction must be performed in accordance with the requirements below in the Course Structure Requirements section below.  

Discounts:

• You may list any applicable discounts, including for students, veterans, out of work individuals, or early sign-ups. To qualify as a discount shown in Course Search filters, discounts must be at least five (5%) of the list price of the course (including at least 5% of the numeric value of the early course price, if any).

“Register” Links:

• The “Register” link on each Course Search listing and any on the Course Details page must link directly to the webpage that lists that specific course on the trainer / training organization website (i.e., it should not link to a homepage, customer information form, or other page on the website).
• Such a page must prominently and obviously allow the student to immediately register and pay for the course in as few clicks as possible.
• Such a page may not feature paid products (AKA product for sale) that are not Scrum Alliance products. Free resources for the purpose of leadgen and nurturing are allowed. 
• Prices displayed on such a page must match the prices and currency displayed on the Scrum Alliance course listing.

Course Structure Requirements

Contact Time

Total trainer:student contact time must include the following:

• Live Online + Self-Paced Courses (A-CSM/A-CSPO/CSP-SM/CSP-PO only): at least 16 hours per course, where at least 4 of those hours must be live with the instructor, whether in person or virtual, following a defined agenda and structure. 
• Unless otherwise stated, all other certification courses require at least 16 total hours of trainer:student live contact time, whether delivered live online or in person (effective January 1, 2025 for live online).
• Coverage of all applicable learning objectives.

Trainer:student contact time DOES include:

• Live Online or In-Person interactions with the trainer.
• Live, trainer-guided, facilitated interactions with other students.
• Synchronous, short, pre-recorded video content (no longer than 15 minutes each, not exceeding the applicable percentage of overall class time as described in the Pre-Recorded Content section below).
• Trainer-guided, facilitated reading assignments, learning modules, and/or worksheets.
• Trainer-guided, facilitated discussions, activities, and exercises.
• Reasonable session breaks, coffee breaks, or lunch breaks.
• Reasonable transition time from one tool or activity to another.

Trainer:student contact time DOES NOT include: 

• Time it takes for the student to take the CSM test.
• Asynchronous content (self-study, paired/group work, homework, pre-work, e-learning modules, etc.).
• Course time may apply only towards the applicable Scrum Alliance course being taken and not towards any additional credential, whether it is a Scrum Alliance or third-party course.
• Participants must be engaged with the trainer for the entirety of the required trainer:student contact time for any course, other than the permitted amount of pre-recorded content. In Live Online breakout rooms, every effort should be made to have students accompanied by a trainer. If students are not accompanied by a trainer, the trainer must provide explicit and clear activity instructions and guidelines. All activities and discussions in breakout rooms should be debriefed with a trainer. 

Breaks and Camera Policies

• Course sessions should not exceed two hours without adequate breaks of a minimum of 10 minutes.
• Trainers may use their own discretion to set a reasonable policy regarding students’ camera activation during Live Online courses and communicate such policy to students in advance.

Pre-Recorded Content

• No more than 30% of any In-Person or Live Online course's total required time may be pre-recorded content. If there is ANY pre-recorded content included, there MUST be a debrief/discussion opportunity with the primary trainer. 
• No more than 75% of total required time for any Live Online + Self Paced course (A-CSM, A-CSPO, CSP-SM, and CSP-PO only) can be pre-recorded content. The trainer must provide guided, agenda-driven live instruction for at least 25% of the course duration. 

Pre-recorded content includes: 

• High-quality video recordings relevant to the course content and aligned with current Scrum Alliance learning objectives.
• Interactive E-learning modules, whether containing video content or not.
• Online assessments (quizzes, etc.).

Co-instruction with aspiring trainers

• We encourage Scrum Alliance trainers to allow aspiring trainers the opportunity to co-instruct courses. The purpose of permitting co-instruction is for professional development, to sharpen training skills, and complete qualified training events that may be required to become a licensed Scrum Alliance trainer. 
• Where a course is co-instructed by anyone other than a licensed Scrum Alliance trainer, the primary licensed trainer must be present in the course at all times during co-instruction. The primary licensed trainer will remain responsible for all aspects of the course, including course maintaining quality and meeting all applicable requirements.
• It is recommended but not required that anyone co-instructing a course hold the highest certification level from Scrum Alliance in the applicable learning track. 

Feedback

• All uploaded students for all Scrum Alliance courses are invited to to complete an anonymous survey about their course experience via Trustpilot. We encourage you to regularly review your survey responses from each course for actionable feedback. 

Please contact the Providers Team with any questions regarding your course offerings