Pursuing a master's degree in business administration has many benefits, especially if you enroll in a national accredited online MBA in project management. Anyone with a desire to build a rewarding career in project management should consider enrolling in this type of program, especially if you have the opportunity to attend graduate school at a reduced cost under tuition reimbursement programs offered by your employer. Choosing the right program depends on properly evaluating your needs, developing goals for your graduate education and researching each program thoroughly.
What is a National Accredited Online MBA in Project Management?
An online MBA in project management is a graduate business administration degree that you complete online. In addition to the core business courses included in any solid MBA program, you also complete specialized coursework in project management. Many students look for nationally-accredited programs, which are accredited by bodies designed to accredit specific types of schools. This allows schools that offer non-traditional degree programs to have their programs compared to similar programs and accredited accordingly. Enrolling in an accredited program increases the likelihood that completed credits will transfer to other institutions. Completing an accredited MBA program also adds more prestige to your resume than completing an unknown, non-accredited program.
Project Management
Project management involves planning and organizing projects, managing resources during the life of a project and completing projects successfully. Project management education teaches students the knowledge and skills they need to successfully manage extensive projects, giving them a competitive advantage in the job marketplace. All types of companies need good project managers, especially information technology firms, software development companies and publishing companies. Project management degree programs contain coursework on team management, the project life cycle, estimating project costs, scheduling for projects, risk management and project management best practices.
Aspen University
Aspen University has an online MBA program with a focus on project management. This school is approved as a registered education provider with the Project Management Institute, the organization that offers training and certification in project management principles. The MBA program covers all of the principles of the Project Management Body of Knowledge, which makes up the certification test for the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. Required courses include accounting, marketing management, finance, strategic management, project management organizational framework, quantitative analysis, managerial economics, business ethics, project management essentials, project management integration framework and a capstone project. Students must take one elective course, which they can choose from management, organizational behavior or information technology project management.
Columbia Southern University
Columbia Southern University also offers a national accredited online MBA in project management. The MBA requires 25 credits of core courses. Required courses include management information systems, advanced marketing, student orientation, human resource management methods, international business, organizational research and theory, research methods, business ethics, and strategic management and business policy. The core project management requirements include project management strategy, project management, managing project teams and managing complex projects. The program includes a total of 37 semester hours of coursework.
Grantham University
Grantham University Mark Skousen School of Business offers an MBA in project management that consists of 36 credit hours of study. This program also follows the PMI Project Management Body of Knowledge guide, which helps prepare students to take the PMP certification exam once they complete the MBA program. The program teaches students to evaluate project costs, manage project risks and develop the tools needed to manage projects. Required coursework for this program includes project management organizational framework and risk, project management essentials, marketing management, eBusiness and quantitative analysis. Students who graduate from this program have the skills to apply for positions such as management consultant, manager of project development and management analyst.
University of Management and Technology
The University of Management and Technology offers a project management-focused degree in business administration. Core coursework for this program includes e-commerce, project finance and budgeting, information technology, communication and soft skills, operations and supply chain management, marketing and sales, planning and control, risk and quality management, project management, accounting, business policy and economics. The program at UMT focuses on the skills needed to manage projects in a world driven by technology, but it also includes coursework in business principles that apply to any business situation. Students learn about effective management and develop skill in managing projects from planning to completion. Students must complete a total of 45 credit hours to graduate from this program.
Prior Certification
Students with project management experience who have already obtained a Project Management Professional certification may not have to complete all of the project management coursework typically required by these degrees. PMP certification may eliminate the need to enroll in introductory project management courses since you have already proven you have the basic knowledge and skills needed to achieve professional certification. If you are interested in using your certification to fulfill some of the requirements of your selected program, discuss your goals with an academic counselor or college advisor. Your school may require proof of your PMP certification status or a transcript of all previous project management coursework before the registrar will grant you credit for prior experience in the project management field.
