Degree Specialization inPROJECT MANAGEMENT

In today’s fast-paced, highly competitive, global business world, professionals who can effectively plan and manage complex projects are in great demand.

By earning a graduate certificate in project management, or by adding a project management specialization to your master’s degree program, you’ll show employers that you have the hard and soft skills to make sure the job gets done, even with complex, cross-functional projects, short time horizons, and limited budgets. Project Management Professionals are valuable assets in any industry.

You’ll learn systematic problem-solving and decision-making skills, business analytical skills, organizational development, strategic planning, cost and risk management, financial metrics, change management, monitoring tools, and more. The courses in this program cover the topics, skills, and knowledge required for professional certifications associated with the Project Management Institute (PMI), including the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® and the Project Management Professional (PMP)®.

This program consists of four graduate online project management courses for a total of 12 credit hours.

• PJM500: Project Management

  This course introduces the tasks and challenges fundamental to project management. Topics include how to manage teams, schedules, risks, and resources in order to produce a desired outcome. Case studies are incorporated into the course, allowing students to apply knowledge and skills associated with selecting, managing, organizing, planning, negotiating, budgeting, scheduling, controlling, and terminating a project.

• PJM530: Contracts, Procurement, and Risk Management

  This course provides students with the best practices of contract management and purchasing. Topic areas include risk management planning, risk identification, risk analysis, responses to risk, risk monitoring, and risk control. In addition, the course covers the project manager's responsibilities in identifying and obtaining resources from vendors as well as the legal requirements and contracting processes involved.

• PJM535: Project Metrics, Monitoring, and Control

  In this advanced graduate level course, students will learn financial and success metrics as well as the techniques associated with monitoring and controlling project. Projects are typically short in duration and the project manager must incorporate steps to monitor the progress of the project as well as develop an assessment plan to measure the effectiveness of the project. Students in this class will learn the scope, pricing, cost, trade-offs, learning curves, and quality management within a project environment.

• PJM560: Project Management Office (PMO)

  This course emphasizes the Project Management Office (PMO). The responsibilities of a PMO and the Project Management Professional (PMP) are identified, including defining and maintaining standards, policies, processes, and methods for project management within the organization. Students learn how to report to executive management on project activities, problems, and requirements as a strategic tool in keeping decision makers moving toward consistent, business- or mission-focused goals and objectives. Global best practices in project management are also discussed. Prerequisite: PJM535