How to Transition From ITIL v3 to ITIL 4 with MPT

Share on:

Back in 2017, the announcement of ITIL 4 sent waves across the world of business and IT. Not only would this be an updated version of the most popular IT service management framework out there, but it would also see AXELOS working with the global ITIL practitioner community to make it as relevant and viable as possible. Given the constantly-evolving nature of modern IT, ITIL 4’s commitment to delivering fully-optimized best practices as part of a permanently ongoing process seemed like a dream come true.

Except, there were a few potential spanners in the works. ITIL V3 qualifications had been in demand for several years, and while the insight offered by the older framework was still highly relevant, very few practitioners were jumping at the chance to restart their training from scratch. After all, ITIL 4 would require new students to pass six exams to reach the level of ‘ITIL Expert’, a rank that many students had already spent years working towards.

AXELOS was quick to address this issue. When the organization revealed the ITIL 4 certification path, it also announced a side course: ITIL Managing Professional (MP) Transition. This would be exclusive to existing users and long-time students of ITIL V3, and would allow them to update their qualifications with just one exam, rather than having to restart their ITIL training from the beginning. (Note: The ITIL MP Transition exam has been discontinued as of September 2022).

How Does the ITIL MPT Certification Work?

ITIL MPT covers a total of five ITIL 4 modules:

Together, these modules contain five exams, after which a student will reach the rank of ‘ITIL Managing Professional’.

By passing the ITIL MPT exam, however, students can reach this rank immediately. This will leave them just one more exam away from the ‘ITIL 4 Expert’ qualification.

How do I Qualify for the ITIL MPT Examination?

An important thing to keep in mind is that the ITIL Managing Professional Transition module is not intended for general use. That is, it was specifically designed for students and users of ITIL V3.

To qualify for the exam, a student must fulfill one of the following criteria:

  • They hold the rank of ‘ITIL Expert’ in ITIL V3
  • They have collected a minimum of 17 credits

Should I Take the ITIL MPT Exam?

Students who are currently moving through the syllabus of ITIL V3 are generally encouraged to continue until they meet the requirements for transferring over. The insight offered by ITIL V3 is still highly relevant, and its certification path is far more diverse, making it easier for students to choose modules that reflect their specific needs and interests.

That being said, AXELOS has stated that ITIL V3 exams will likely be discontinued in 2020. Given that most Intermediate V3 courses contain 20-25 hours’ worth of training content, whether or not a student can meet the prerequisites in time really depends on how far along they already are.

If you are just one or two exams away from collecting the 17 required credits, it would be advisable to keep going until you can meet the requirements of ITIL MPT. However, if you are still at an early stage of your training, it will likely be both quicker and more economical for you to start again with ITIL 4 Foundation.

What do I Need to Know About the ITIL Managing Professional (MP) Transition Exam?

As we mentioned before, the ITIL MPT module covers five others. As such, the exam is relatively wide-ranging in terms of the content students are expected to understand. Because of this, it is integral that students fully familiarize themselves with the course modules.

Students should keep in mind that the exam itself is a closed-book. As such, they will not be permitted to bring in outside materials, such as notes or other documentation.

Here is what students can expect from the exam itself:

  • This is a multiple-choice exam consisting of 40 Objective Test Questions (OTQs)
  • There is a time limit of 90 minutes to complete the exam
  • The exam is closed-book, with only the provided materials being permitted for use
  • The pass mark for the exam is 70%: you must get at least 28 out of 40 questions correct
  • In countries where English is a second language, the time allocated for the exam is extended to 113 minutes

What is the exam and accreditation provider for ITIL Managing Professional Transition?

The Good e-Learning ITIL Managing Professional (MP) Transition course is fully accredited by PeopleCert on behalf of AXELOS. The exam can also be taken via the PeopleCert website.

How long does it take to earn the ITIL MP Transition certification?

The course content provided by Good e-Learning amounts to approximately 30 hours worth of study time. Considering that the ITIL 4 modules covered by MPT collectively offer over 76 hours’ worth of content, it makes far more sense for eligible students to invest in the MPT course, rather than starting from the beginning of the ITIL 4 certification path.

Do I need to read the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition book before taking the exam?

While this is not strictly necessary, at least not in terms of meeting the prerequisites for the exam, AXELOS does advise that students read through the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition book. This is simply because of its value as a learning resource.

That said, the Good e-Learning MPT course offers students a variety of other online training resources as part of its package. Students can utilize these assets over the entire 12 month period of course access.

Related course:

Sorry, no content found.