PCAP Certification Prep
- Level High School
- Contact Hours 33
- Timeframe Quarter
The PCAP Certification Prep course prepares students for the Python Institute PCAP-31-03 (Certified Associate in Python Programming) exam. It is designed as a companion prep course for Advanced Python and AI Programming and covers PCAP topics beyond the main course: modules and packages, advanced exceptions, advanced strings, advanced OOP, comprehensions, lambdas, closures, generators, and file I/O. It also includes a PCEP refresher module and three full-length practice exams.
To view the entire syllabus, click here or click to explore the full course.
MODULES - 7
An orientation to the PCAP-31-03 exam: format, blueprint weighting, and how to use this course.
Import variants, module search mechanics, the platform module, and building user-defined modules and packages.
The exception hierarchy, handler variants, raising exceptions, assertions, and self-defined exceptions.
Character encodings, advanced string operations, and the essential built-in string methods.
Class and instance variables, name mangling, introspection, and multiple inheritance with the MRO.
List comprehensions, map and filter, closures, generators and iterators, and file input/output.
Three full-length PCAP-31-03 practice exams matching the real exam blueprint and timing.
Explore programs that your students will build throughout this course!
| Standards Framework | Alignment |
|---|---|
| PCAP-31-03 Exam | 100% View |
Create and organize Assignments in any CodeHS course that you're teaching. You can even add custom assignments to pre-existing CodeHS courses.
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PCAP Exam Prep is a CodeHS course that prepares students for the PCAP: Certified Associate in Python Programming exam from the Python Institute (OpenEDG). It builds intermediate Python skills and gives students practice with the topics and question styles they will see on the exam.
PCAP is an associate-level, industry-recognized credential from the Python Institute. It shows that the holder can write intermediate Python code, including object-oriented code, and can work with modules, exceptions, strings, and other core language features. The certification is valid for 5 years.
The course is for high school students who already know Python basics and want to earn an industry credential. It is designed as a companion course to Advanced Python and Artificial Intelligence. It also fits CTE pathways, advanced electives, and students moving on from an introductory Python course.
Yes. PCAP is an intermediate exam, so students should already be comfortable with variables, data types, conditionals, loops, functions, and lists. Students do not need to pass the entry-level PCEP exam before taking PCAP.
The course follows the Python Institute's PCAP exam areas: modules and packages, exceptions, strings, object-oriented programming, and other topics such as list comprehensions, lambdas, closures, generators, and file input and output.
On the current PCAP-31-03 exam, object-oriented programming is the largest section at 34 percent. Next come miscellaneous topics like comprehensions, lambdas, closures, and I/O at 22 percent, then strings at 18 percent, exceptions at 14 percent, and modules and packages at 12 percent. The course gives each area time in proportion to its weight.
The current PCAP-31-03 exam has 40 questions and a 65-minute time limit, plus about 10 minutes for the exam agreement and tutorial. Question types include single-select, multiple-select, interactive, and scenario-based items. Students need a score of 70 percent to pass.
Yes. The Python Institute has scheduled a new version, PCAP-31-04, for release on October 31, 2026. Before testing, schools should check which exam version their students will take on the Python Institute website.
The exam is given through Pearson VUE, either at an authorized test center or online with OnVUE remote proctoring. It is also available through OpenEDG TestNow. Students or schools register with the testing provider directly.
Students write and run Python in the CodeHS browser-based editor, so nothing needs to be installed. Coding exercises give students immediate feedback while they work toward exam-level skills.
Python is among the most widely used programming languages in software development, data science, and AI. A PCAP credential gives students third-party proof of their skills that they can list on college applications, resumes, and internship applications. It can also count toward CTE pathway credential goals.
