APM published the 8th edition of its Body of Knowledge in April 2025, edited by Professor Mike Bourne of Cranfield University. If you’re studying for an APM qualification or deciding which edition to buy, here’s what’s actually changed, based on APM’s official change log, and what it means for your exam.
The short version: APM describes BoK 8 as an evolution of the 7th edition, not a rewrite. The core tools, processes and techniques of project delivery are largely unchanged. What’s new is the context around them; strategy, leadership, sustainability, and for the first time, data and AI.
New chapters in the APM BoK 8
BoK 7 (published 2019) was organised into 4 chapters. BoK 8 expands to 6 chapters, with 117 topics across 33 sections, and is restructured to align more clearly with the APM Competence Framework. The basis for APM qualifications and Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) status.
The two genuinely new chapters are:
1. Implementing change: a new opening chapter on the strategic context projects sit in: projects and organisations, governance, leadership, organisational culture, change management, transformation and systems thinking. Most of this content is brand new.
2. Data analytics and AI in project management: entirely new, with nothing in BoK 7 mapping to it. It covers the value of project data analytics, data strategy and sources of data, analysis techniques, practical applications of AI on projects, and ethics and safety. You don’t need to be a data scientist, but the profession is now expected to understand how these tools change project delivery.
What’s been expanded?
Leadership gets the biggest upgrade. New topics include creating vision, judgment and decision making, leadership of self, and situational leadership. A clear signal that APM sees leadership capability, not just technical process, as central to project success.
Sustainability grows from a single BoK 7 topic into a full section covering sustainable processes, sustainable products and sustainability assessments.
Benefits management now has its own dedicated section, adding benefits planning and benefits tracking alongside realisation.
Delivery topics are broken into more granular sections, with new material on dependency management, opportunity management, impact assessment, quality assurance and resource capacity planning.
People topics carried over from BoK 7 but expanded, including, wellbeing, dispersed teams, and new content on inclusive working environments and conscious and unconscious bias.
What stayed the same?
The four middle chapters: Setting up for success, Preparing for change, People and behaviours, Planning and managing deployment keep the familiar BoK 7 flow. Life cycles (linear, iterative, hybrid and extended), governance, sponsorship, stakeholder engagement, scheduling, estimating, contracts and change control all carry over, mostly reorganised rather than rewritten. If you know BoK 7 well, BoK 8 will feel familiar.
What it means for your APM qualification
This is the question we’re asked most by learners, so here’s where things stand:
- The APM PMQ is assessed against the APM Competence Framework. The current exam is the 2.5-hour mixed-format assessment introduced in 2024, and learning resources now reference the 8th edition, which was deliberately restructured to align with the Competence Framework.
- The APM PFQ initially remained aligned to the 7th edition at BoK 8’s launch, with APM updating it as part of a wider qualification review.
If you’re already mid-study, don’t panic. The knowledge you’ve built still applies. But if you’re starting now, make sure your training provider’s materials are aligned to the current syllabus and exam format. As an APM Accredited Training Provider, all of our APM course materials are independently evaluated and authorised by APM, so you’re always studying the right edition for your exam.
One thing not to confuse it with
APM’s Body of Knowledge 8th edition is not the same as PMI’s PMBOK Guide 8th edition. They’re different publications from different professional bodies that happen to share an edition number. PMI’s PMP exam transitions to a PMBOK 8-aligned version on 9 July 2026, that date has nothing to do with APM qualifications.
Thinking about an APM qualification?
Whether you’re starting out with the PFQ, ready for the PMQ, or working towards Chartered status, our accredited trainers can help you choose the right route and pass first time. Not sure which level fits? Our APM certification guide compares the three. View all APM courses or get in touch for advice.
Sources: APM’s official change log: Body of Knowledge 7th to 8th edition (PDF) and 8th edition launch announcement.
FAQ’s
What is the APM Body of Knowledge 8th Edition?
The APM Body of Knowledge 8th Edition is the latest version of APM’s core project management reference guide, published in April 2025. It aligns more closely with the APM Competence Framework and introduces new content on data analytics, AI, leadership and sustainability.
What are the biggest changes between APM BoK 7 and BoK 8?
The biggest changes are two new chapters covering implementing change and data analytics and AI, along with expanded content on leadership, sustainability, benefits management and inclusive working environments.
Is the APM PMQ based on the 8th Edition?
Yes. Current PMQ learning resources reference the APM Body of Knowledge 8th Edition, which was restructured to align with the APM Competence Framework used for assessment.
Do I need a new copy of the Body of Knowledge if I own the 7th Edition?
If you are already studying using BoK 7, much of the core knowledge remains relevant. However, new learners should use materials aligned to the 8th Edition and current exam syllabus.
Is APM Body of Knowledge 8 the same as PMI PMBOK 8?
No. They are separate publications from different professional bodies. The APM Body of Knowledge supports APM qualifications, while PMBOK supports PMI certifications such as PMP.
