Pursuing a job in the current job market may feel nearly impossible, but there is one key position that could aid you immensely in your job search. Project management is a profession that is both in-demand and applicable to many different careers.
Many schools offer a project management degree program. Earning a project management degree is a great investment and can lead to many job opportunities. Before you decide to pursue a career in project management, you should make sure that this is the right field for you.
Below, you’ll find a list of the top 7 online project management master’s programs. Before jumping in, let’s first explore this profession in greater detail.
Project Management: The Basics
Project management is a broad term that includes skills like:
- Leadership
- Time management
- Budget creation, allocation and management
- Task delegation
- Risk management
- Communications
Project management is the act of applying these skills, tools and techniques to propel a team toward a goal. A degree in project management shows employers that an applicant is a goal-oriented, results-driven individual who would be a benefit to their team.
Project management skills equip a professional to work with and lead a team. If you’re a natural leader or are looking to develop leadership skills, entering a project management program could be a great way to achieve your career goals. Some of the common courses in a project management program include:
- Project risk assessment
- Project leadership
- Project scheduling with AGILE
- Global project management
Although project management skills can be a huge asset to a job search, these skills aren’t as common as you may think. So when you’re applying for your next position, especially if it is for a competitive position in IT management or data science, having project management on your resume will give you a huge advantage over your competition.
You can learn more about project management by taking a look at three of the most commonly used project management methodologies:
Project Management Job Prospects
Project management is a rapidly growing field. The Project Management Institute expects 22 million new project management openings in the next seven years.
This job is also pays well. Project managers typically earn a base salary of $66,137 with the potential to exceed $100,000, according to Glassdoor.
Practically every field requires a project manager to assist with operations, so you can enter nearly any job sector with a project management degree. If you have a bachelor’s degree in project management, you can also advance your career with a master’s degree in the field to open more job opportunities.
Now that you’re familiar with project management and how it can advance your career, let’s learn more about how to develop skills in project management through a master’s program.
Top 7 Online Project Management Programs
Choosing the right online project management master’s degree program is a big decision. It’s important to do your research before committing to a program to ensure it is the right fit for you and your career goals. Additionally, you should make sure your program is accredited, meaning it complies with national standards of education. Below are 7 schools with top-ranked project management degree programs.
1. Georgetown University
- Graduation Rate: 94%
- Tuition Per Credit: $1,441
- Credit Requirement: 30 credits
- Program Length: 2 to 5 years
Georgetown University’s Master’s in Project Management program is taught asynchronously, with 100 percent of course materials delivered online. This learning format provides the greatest amount of flexibility to the online learner. Students can customize their degree by choosing three elective courses. Some of the course requirements of the program include courses in project management fundamentals, project initiation and project planning.
In addition to a quality education and foundational project management skills, students enrolled in Georgetown’s project management program are given access to the Cawley Career Education Center, which offers students resources like Handshake software and resume help.
Applicants to Georgetown University’s Master’s in Project Management program are required to submit undergraduate transcripts, a statement of purpose and three letters of recommendation. Georgetown also has financial aid opportunities such as the Yellow Ribbon Program, which provides a tuition discount to military veterans.
2. George Washington University
- Graduation Rate: 82%
- Tuition Per Credit: $1,765
- Credit Requirement: 36 credits
- Program Length: 1.5 to 4 years
Students admitted to George Washington University’s online master’s in project management program can choose to enroll in the 36-credit program either full- or part-time. Courses are administered asynchronously with a hybrid format, with both online and on-campus opportunities. Students are required to complete two electives and a capstone project in their final semester. Some of the additional course requirements include project portfolio management and risk management.
George Washington students have access to GW’s Career Center, which provides resources like ResumeGenius, InterviewStream and GoinGlobal software. The majority of graduates from the program go on to pursue careers in government, private or nonprofit organizations.
Application requirements for GW’s project management program include undergraduate transcripts, GRE or GMAT scores and two recommendation letters. GW’s financial assistance includes merit-based fellowships and tuition discounts to students employed by a partner employer.
3. Brandeis University
- Graduation Rate: 88%
- Tuition Per Credit: $1,179
- Credit requirement: 30 credits
- Program Length: 2 years
Brandeis’ part-time project management program allows its students to customize their degree by choosing three electives from eight different options. While there is no master’s thesis or capstone requirement, some of the required courses cover subjects like conflict resolution and communication techniques for effective leadership. Brandeis’ program is administered both synchronously and asynchronously, with 100 percent of lectures and course materials taught online.
With its small class sizes of approximately 20 students, Brandeis promises an individualized education to its distanced learners. Through Brandeis’ Hiatt Career Center, students can explore recent job openings and speak with advisors virtually. Within six months of graduation, 98 percent of Brandeis graduates secure a career.
Applicants to Brandeis are required to submit transcripts, a goal statement and a letter of recommendation. It’s important to note that Brandeis does not offer need- or merit-based scholarships to its online graduate students.
4. Colorado State University
- Graduation Rate: 54%
- Tuition Per Credit: $500
- Credit Requirement: 36 credits
- Program Length: 2 years
Students enrolled in CSU Global’s project management program can choose from four concentrations such as criminal justice leadership, applied business management, healthcare administration or international management. Required courses include business analysis, project metrics, an 80-hour practicum and a capstone. Courses are administered completely online in an asynchronous format.
CSU’s Career Navigation Services offer 50-minute guidance sessions and resume help.
Almost 100 percent of graduates from CSU’s program are hired for careers in project management soon after graduation. CSU’s low tuition rate is also an attractive feature of the program.
Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to apply, although some students may qualify for conditional admission even if they do not meet this requirement. The deadline to apply for institutional scholarships is November 1.
5. New York University
- Graduation Rate: 85%
- Tuition Per Credit: $6,204
- Credit Requirement: 36 credits
- Program Length: 2 years
NYU project management students can create their own specialized program by selecting five elective courses. The program is entirely online with courses delivered asynchronously. Program requirements include coursework in leading global organizations and organizational ethics, as well as a capstone project in enterprise project management.
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New York University provides its students with access to the Wasserman Center for Career Development, which offers personalized coaching and webinars. These services have helped nearly 96 percent of NYU students find a career in project management within six months of graduation from the program.
Learners can apply for the summer, fall or spring semester, meaning they can choose a start date that best fits their schedule. Additionally, some applicants may be eligible for the Professional Studies Grant, which provides a student with $800 to $1,000 per year.
6. Northeastern University
- Graduation Rate: 88%
- Total Tuition: $32,700
- Credit Requirement: 45-48 credits
- Program Length: 1.5 to 2.5 years
Northeastern University’s project management program delivers a 100 percent online, asynchronous education to its online students. Required courses include topics in project scope and project risk management. Students with less than three years of prior experience in project management are required to take one additional course.
Students can choose from a wide variety of concentrations, including:
- Clinical trial design
- Construction management
- Geographic information systems
- Information security management
- Leadership
- Leading and managing technical projects
- Organizational communication
- AGILE project management; program and portfolio management
- Project business analysis
This customizable aspect of Northeastern’s project management degree is an attractive feature of the program and 97 percent of students secure a job in project management or go on to pursue a doctoral program within six months of earning their degree.
Students can seek career help from the Department of Employer Engagement and Career Design, where they can schedule 30- to 60-minute consulting meetings.
Applicants to the program are required to submit a resume, two recommendation letters and a purpose statement. Students seeking financial assistance can pursue one of five endowed scholarship opportunities, some of which involve an additional application
7. Boston University
- Graduation Rate: 88%
- Tuition Rate: $905/credit (part time), $27,360/credit (full time)
- Credit Requirement: 40 credits
- Program Length: 1.5 to 2 years
In addition to taking core courses like financial concepts, global supply chains and the innovation process, Boston University project management students can customize their project management program to fit their career goals and interests. BU’s project management program equips students with the real-world skills required to work as project management professionals. BU’s program is taught fully online and asynchronously to deliver the optimum online learning experience for its part-time and full-time students.
BU’s Center for Career Development provides students with career resources like resume critique and interviewing tips. With the help of the career development center, 96 percent of BU project management students find positions in project management within six months of graduation.
Some of the financial assistance opportunities for BU students include the Bryan D. Willard Scholarship, which gives $2,500 to $5,000 to qualifying veterans. Although standardized test scores are not required, applicants to the program are recommended to submit GRE or GMAT scores. BU’s program does not use a GPA cutoff.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a recent college graduate or a working professional looking to advance your career, acquiring project management skills through an accredited master’s degree program is a great investment. A background in project management can be a huge asset to your job search and lead to many career opportunities.
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