Why Project Management?
The Master of Science in Project Management is designed to provide you with the practical skills and theoretical concepts you need to lead complex projects.
Companies succeed or fail based on their ability to bring quality products and services to market in a timely manner. Without skilled project managers in place, companies are challenged to deliver projects on time, on budget, and according to specifications. From inception to completion, project managers are responsible for every step in the process: project definition, cost and risk estimation, schedule planning and monitoring, budget management, negotiation and conflict resolution, project leadership, and project presentation and evaluation. Rapid technological and digital transformation, with never-ending disruption, require project managers to be true innovators within their organizations.
Featuring real-world case studies, this project management degree presents techniques and tools for managing long- and short-term projects, successfully and cost-effectively. Augmenting the core project management courses are concentrations that provide you with content-specific expertise—enabling you to deepen your knowledge in your field of interest.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Master of Science in Project Management in the College of Professional Studies is to prepare learners as project management practitioners capable of applying project management processes and the technical, professional, and strategic expertise necessary for managing projects successfully. With emphasis on experiential learning, the program provides dynamic opportunities for learners with varying degrees of work experience to practice their knowledge both globally and collaboratively while implementing traditional and innovative project management concepts to real-life and complex projects.
More Details
Unique Features
- Option to engage in experiential learning and co-op education program
- Program curriculum can be tailored to student's past professional experience with project management
- Concentrations allow students to focus their study on content-specific knowledge
- Boston location is a hub for healthcare, education, finance, business, biotechnology, and the life sciences
- This is a STEM-designated graduate degree
Program Objectives
- Specialized Knowledge – Effectively lead and manage sometimes interrelated, complex projects in a mature manner while avoiding common project management pitfalls.
- Broad, Integrative Knowledge – Manage project scope, risk, quality, and performance metrics while effectively communicating with all project stakeholders.
- Civic Learning – Understand the need for ethics and social responsibility in the practice of project management as outlined in the PMI Code of Ethics.
- Intellectual Skills – Develop the critical-thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills necessary to lead projects in a complex and dynamic project environment.
Accreditation Description
In October of 2016, the Master of Science in Project Management accreditation was re-affirmed for the maximum five-year accreditation cycle (originally accredited in 2009) by the Project Management Institute's Global Accreditation Center (GAC), the world's leading association for project management professionals. Accreditation is achieved by meeting the GAC’s rigorous standards, which include an assessment of program objectives and outcomes, a review of onsite and online resources, evaluations of faculty and students, and proof of continuous improvements in the area of project management.
Graduates of our GAC-accredited program are granted a substantial 12-month reduction credit toward the experience requirement when they complete an application for any PMI certification. This means that those applying for the PMI certification will only need 24 months of project management experience, instead of 36 months as outlined by GAC. This new benefit applies retroactively to our program’s initial accreditation date of 2009.
Enrollment Data
| Enrollment Data | |||||
| Annual Enrollments | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| MS in Project Management | 962 | 1059 | 1188 | 1249 | 1362 |
| MS in Leadership. Project Management Concentration | 134 | 124 | 90 | 67 | 64 |
| Degrees Conferred | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| MS in Project Management | 270 | 398 | 386 | 413 | 481 |
| MS in Leadership. Project Management Concentration | 51 | 46 | 43 | 20 | 20 |
Career Outlook
According to PMI, through the decade ending in 2020, 15.7 million new project management roles will be created. The profession is expected to grow by US $6.61 trillion. Now is the time for professionals and job-seekers to build project management skills, as demand for these skills outstrips supply.
In the United States, this growth will mean:
- Rising salaries
- Growth in the project-intensive sectors of manufacturing, business services, finance and insurance, oil and gas, information services, construction, and utilities
In 10 countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom) with established or quickly developing project-intensive sectors, project management roles are expected to grow by 13.4 million through 2020.
What you'll study
General Requirements
Based on your experience, complete one of the options below (PJM 5900 is for students with fewer than three years' experience directing or leading project tasks and is recommended for students who do not have a basic working knowledge of Microsoft Project software):
Fewer than 3 years of experience
3+ years of project management experience
Complete the following:
The following course should be taken last:
Project Management Required Electives
Complete two of the following. Note: Students who take PJM 5900 are required to take only one course in this section:
Electives
Complete two of the following:
Concentrations
Students are required to complete a minimum of 15 quarter hours dedicated to a concentration in order to meet overall degree requirements. This minimum also applies to students who elect to create a custom concentration as approved by their advisor.
Students in this concentration are only required to complete one project management required elective.
Students are required to complete a minimum of 15 quarter hours dedicated to a concentration in order to meet overall degree requirements. This minimum also applies to students who elect to create a custom concentration as approved by their advisor.
Students are required to complete a minimum of 15 quarter hours dedicated to a concentration in order to meet overall degree requirements. This minimum also applies to students who elect to create a custom concentration as approved by their advisor.
Required Courses
Elective
Complete one of the following:
Students are required to complete a minimum of 15 quarter hours dedicated to a concentration in order to meet overall degree requirements. This minimum also applies to students who elect to create a custom concentration as approved by their advisor.
Students are required to complete a minimum of 15 quarter hours dedicated to a concentration in order to meet overall degree requirements. This minimum also applies to students who elect to create a custom concentration as approved by their advisor.
Required Course
Electives
Complete four of the following:
Students are required to complete a minimum of 15 quarter hours dedicated to a concentration in order to meet overall degree requirements. This minimum also applies to students who elect to create a custom concentration as approved by their advisor.
Please note: The Analytics concentration will be available to students beginning in the Fall 2020 term.
Students are required to complete a minimum of 15 quarter hours dedicated to a concentration in order to meet overall degree requirements. This minimum also applies to students who elect to create a custom concentration as approved by their advisor.
Choose one from the following:
This program requires successful completion of a minimum of 45 credit hours that meet the degree requirements.