Online Project Management Degree Programs

Online Project Management Degree Programs

Project management is an essential function in a variety of different fields. Online project management degree programs provide students with a solid foundation in project management and help students gain and build on their organizational, time management, detail orientation, communication, problem solving, critical thinking, and persistence skills to effectively manage all aspects of projects. Read more about online project management degree programs.

Some Stats

In 2006, there were 1,455 bachelor and 139 master degrees in construction management (1). Computer and information systems managers (including project managers) held 264,000 jobs in 2006, with 1 in 4 being employed in service-providing industries (2). According to Payscale.com, people employed in the project management field had average annual salaries from around $63,000 to $85,000 depending on position and field (3).

Employment Outlook

Career outlook for project management jobs varies greatly among field, degree, and position, but the need for project management employees is expected to increase as organizations recognize their need for efficiency, quality, and speed within their projects. Employment of computer and information systems managers is expected to grow faster than average for all professions from 2006 to 2016, increasing 16% and adding 43,000 new jobs (2). The average annual salary for construction project managers with less than 1 year experience is between $39,393 and $59,124 (3).

Specialties

Project management offers many different specialties that students can focus their academic study to pursue a meaningful career. Project management specializations include information technology project management, business project management, construction project management, healthcare project management, software development project management, human resources project management, organizational project management, enterprise project management, resource planning, international projects, and engineering project management. Students interested in a particular specialty should select schools that offer strong programs in that certain area.

What to Expect

Most project management professionals start their career with a bachelor degree in project management. Many pursue a bachelor of business administration degree with focus on project management. All bachelor degree programs in project management require general education courses in English, composition, math, science, and humanities. Coursework varies by program, but many programs require courses such as introduction to project management, foundations of project management, project management methods, project procurement management, project planning and implementation, planning project activities, and project budgeting and costs. Graduate degree programs in project management provide a more in depth study of tools of project management and prepare graduates for higher level positions.

The End Result

Undergraduate project management degrees can be applied to a variety of different fields and open the door to a variety of career options. Project management professionals often work in the healthcare, automotive, engineering, construction, business, information technology, aerospace, and communications fields. Students who decide to pursue graduate degrees will be prepared to transition into higher level positions with larger salaries. Career opportunities for project management graduates include:

Individuals who enjoy managing projects and activities and can adapt to many different problems and priorities will find a career in project management as rewarding. Project management professionals use their knowledge and skills and apply them to the planning, organization, maintenance, integration, and completion of a variety of projects in many different fields.

(1) SOURCE: U.S. National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics
(2) SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2008-2009 Edition
(3) SOURCE: Payscale.com, Salary Survey for Skill: Project Management