Project Management Major: What It Includes, Classes and Careers

A Project Management major teaches you to plan, schedule, budget and deliver projects of any kind. Project management programs cover project planning, scheduling, cost control, risk management and team leadership, along with both traditional and agile methods.

A Project Management major includes coursework in project planning and scheduling, cost and budget management, risk management, agile and Scrum methods, and procurement and contracts and more. You build skills such as scheduling, budget tracking, risk assessment, and stakeholder communication. Typical degrees: certificate, bachelor's and master's degrees.

Typical courses include project planning and scheduling, cost and budget management, risk management, agile and Scrum methods, procurement and contracts, and project leadership. Exact course names and requirements vary by college, and most degrees also include general education courses.

It depends on the level. Project Management is offered as certificate, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s awards at U.S. colleges; certificates take from a few months to about two years, an associate degree usually takes about two years of full-time study, a bachelor’s degree usually takes about four years of full-time study, and a master’s degree usually takes one to two years after a bachelor’s. Part-time study takes longer.

Certificate, bachelor's and master's degrees. In the latest federal data, 120 colleges reported certificate awards, 8 colleges reported associate awards, 35 colleges reported bachelor’s awards, and 59 colleges reported master’s awards.

Career paths connected to project management include project manager, construction manager, IT manager, management analyst, logistics manager, and event planner. Some roles need additional training, experience, certification or a license.

Examples include project manager (typical training: 1–4+ years), construction manager (typical training: 4 years plus field experience), it manager (typical training: Bachelor’s plus 5+ years of IT experience), management analyst (typical training: Less than 5 years of experience), logistics manager (typical training: 5+ years of experience), and event planner (typical training: 4 years or event experience).

Project Management majors build skills such as scheduling, budget tracking, risk assessment, stakeholder communication, and project software.

Good pairings include Business (connects projects to finance and strategy), Information Technology (prepares you to manage IT and software projects), and Construction Management (applies project skills on construction sites).

It can be a good fit if you are interested in the work it leads to, such as project manager, construction manager, and IT manager, and enjoy subjects like project planning and scheduling and cost and budget management. No major guarantees a job, so compare the coursework, the careers and the education each career requires before deciding.

How hard it feels depends on your strengths. Core coursework includes project planning and scheduling, cost and budget management, and risk management; if those subjects interest you, the major is likely to feel more manageable. Reviewing a college’s course list and talking to current students helps you judge.

177 U.S. colleges reported awarding degrees or certificates in this field in the latest federal (IPEDS) data. Programs can have different names at different schools.

Minnesota (11), Pennsylvania (10), Wisconsin (10), California (9), and Michigan (9), based on the colleges that reported awards in this field.

165 of the colleges that offer project management also report offering at least one program entirely online, though not necessarily this one. Use the college search with this major and “Offers fully online programs”, then confirm with the school.

Project Management teaches you to plan, schedule, budget and deliver projects of any kind. Business Administration is a broad business major that covers management, finance, marketing and operations. Project Management leads to careers such as project manager and construction manager, while Business Administration leads to careers such as general and operations manager and administrative services manager.

Project Management teaches you to plan, schedule, budget and deliver projects of any kind. Marketing studies how organizations understand customers and promote products and services. Project Management leads to careers such as project manager and construction manager, while Marketing leads to careers such as marketing manager and digital marketing specialist.

Yes. Short online career training can help you understand a specific job and build practical knowledge alongside your classes. It does not replace your degree or any required license.

No. Career Education Institute is not a college and does not award degrees. It offers short, non-credit online trainings about jobs connected to project management, such as Project Manager Training.