Online Project Management Training: What Are the Options?

Getting a degree in project management is the best way to advance in your field, qualifying for better jobs with more responsibilities and higher pay rates. College can be expensive, though, and by going to school online, as well as by finding scholarships and grants, you can cut some of the costs, making a degree more affordable. But when it comes to online project management training, what are your options?

Bachelor’s Degree

Before you can qualify for a master’s degree, you need a bachelor’s degree in the field. Few projects offer bachelor’s degrees in just project management; you’re expected to first complete a degree in a field related to your industry. This can be computer sciences, engineering, information technology, communications, business or any one of the many other bachelor’s degrees related to project management. The best option is to get a degree in the field that interests you most. Some even offer specializations or concentrations in project management.

Masters of Science in Project Management

A masters of science in project management will directly prepare you for a career as a project manager, but will not cover specifics relating to any one industry. In order to enter this type of degree program, you typically need at least a decade of work experience, and some programs require even more. The curriculum will prepare you for problem solving challenges by focusing on teaching you how to lead a team, organize others, participate in research, and more.

Masters of Business Administration in Project Management

With an MBA in project management, your master’s degree will be wider, without quite as much project management focus. However, you’ll qualify to begin working toward this degree much more quickly; many MBA programs even accept students straight from bachelor’s degree programs with little to no work experience. An added benefit of getting your MBA in project management is that you’ll qualify for more jobs, since you’ll have a degree in business. Although you may want a job in project management, it can be hard to find a position open in this field, depending on where you want to live. There are more job opportunities for general business students, so you won’t be out of work while you search for that perfect project management job.

Other Master’s Degrees with Project Management Concentrations

While an MBA with a concentration in project management is most common, you can also find other types of masters degree programs that offer concentrations in this area. Communications and information technology are two of the other common fields to have project management degree concentrations, and like with an MBA, the benefit here is that you can get your degree more quickly. You’ll also be qualified for a wider range of jobs. At the end of the day, though, all of these online degrees lead to one place – a career in project management. How you get there depend on your personal preferences.

Top Master of Project Management Degrees

Project managers are relied on to plan and execute projects within a wide variety of industries, including computer networking/IT, construction, software development, telecommunications, and more. Typically, project managers should have at least a four-year bachelor's degree, but employers usually prefer a master's degree (either an MS, MA, or MBA). The schools below all offer accredited online degree programs specializing in project management.


Boston University offers an MS in project management online. Students never have to attend an on-campus class. This two-year MS program enables students to manage detailed projects, facilitate relationships between their teams and their customers, and balance multiple demands within specific timeframes and budgets.
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Kaplan University's MS in Project Management, MS in IT/Project Management and Project Management MBA are all online programs that provide rigorous training to help students develop the proficiencies they need to find solutions in real-life business situations. Students will analyze theories and trends of leadership, learn ethics in making strategic business decisions, and learn organizational finance practices.
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AIU offers an online MBA with a specialization in Project Management that can be completed in 10 months. (Part-time option also available.) This program gives students experience-based education that will accelerate their career opportunities by combining market-relevant business education with real-world applications. There is also a MIT with a specialization in Project Management.
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An MBA or an MA/OM in Project Management from Ashford University is one of the lowest cost programs available. Students can add specializations to their MBAs in Business Economics, Environmental Management or Finance among others. Project Management is a specialization under the MA in Organizational Management program and builds on students competency in project planning and risk management.
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Project Management is a specialization available under the MS in Information Technology program and the MBA program at Capella University. This online Project Management master's specialization allows students to earn their MS degrees while getting professional development units (PDUs) at the same time.
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Walden University's M.S. in Project Management and M.B.A. in Project Management equip students with the skills needed to manage projects and lead diverse teams to achieve strategic goals. The M.S. in Project Management meets the standards of the Project Management Institute (PMI) and will prepare students for the Project Management Professional credential exam. Walden also offers an MBA in leadership with a concentration in project management.
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Project Management is a specialization under the MA in Business Communication and the MBA program at Jones International University. The Project Management specialization teaches critical management skills that will successfully take students through any project life cycle. Students will also learn core business communication skills and sound financial planning.
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