A Brief History of the Project Management Major
The project management major really serves a purpose for students who are looking to obtain a leadership role within the business world. It was a degree created to assist those who were looking to enhance their skills when it comes to putting together and executing strong creative ideas. While many individuals enjoy working together as a team, some individuals possess the personality of a leader. In the business world, it is important to have a leader who can direct and control any task. With such a recent surge of importance placed on the position of project manager, those who are able to acquire the skills needed to obtain this coveted title can reap the benefits of being looked to for guidance. Project managers take on a lot more responsibility than the team members her or she works with. Typically it is the project manager who receives the blame when a task is failed, while earning only a portion of the credit when an assignment is well executed. This major will only continue to grow and become even more specialized. As new innovative jobs are created, there will be more of need for those to possess a precise skillset. Here is where the project management major will continue to develop.
Delving Into the Project Management Major
The project management major is more than just teaching students how to become leaders in their desired industries. Students will take an array of courses as they pursue their degree, including sales and marketing, finance, management, economics, business ethics, communications and advertising, such as in the degree plan for Colorado Christian University students. All of which create a strong foundation for each student. It is after they have acquired a core curriculum that they will move onto specializing in the area(s) of the industry they are looking to break into. The work students will be doing is designed specifically for them and their career aspirations. Whether it is international trade or market research, you will be able to take the core values you previously acquired and begin building on your current skillset. Perhaps you are looking to study more on non-profit management, you are going to be given ample opportunities to not only learn more about the industry, but what will be expected of you in terms of being an effect project manager. As you execute projects, you will need to be able to be your own critic as you assess your performance, analyzing the process and what you could have done better. Recommended readings will be those that can either expand on what you are learning in class or information that you will be expected to discover on your own as oppose to anticipating that your professor will hand you all of the answers. Such texts can cover business ethics, as well the challenges and guidelines to running a business that have become more complicated in today’s business world.
Degree Levels:
Associate
An Associate’s degree in Project Management is where your journey to becoming a strong project manager begins. Upon earning your degree you would be able to apply for entry-level jobs in your desired field. However, an associate degree is typically viewed as the first step to further education. This degree is designed to offer you the essential information you will need to know about the business world. This degree is recommended to students who are looking to acquire more of a formal education/knowledge of project management that will assist them in determining whether or not further education in this field would serve them well or be desired.
Bachelor’s
More and more, businesses are identifying the significance of project management away from its traditional use in information technology. A project management bachelor’s degree was created with the intentions of offering students a strong core of business knowledge and a skillset they can apply to any future business activity. Through the introduction of concepts and trainings, students learn to acquire strong organization skills and the ability to multi-task. This degree goes further than providing general information and the duties of the position, but rather begins to prepare students to be able to step in and fill that role after graduation.
Master’s
A master’s program can provide students with the opportunity to use the tools and techniques they have previously acquired. Beyond the essential principles of project management you will become skilled in your ability to develop an organized strategic plan when tackling any project you are assigned. This degree prepares you to better comprehend the fundamental principles of project management as well as become skillful in handling any legal complications of heading a project. You will learn to create a plan that is in context with what your organization is trying to achieve. Furthermore, you will learn the importance of risk management plans.
Doctorate
A doctorate in project management is intended to assist students who are looking to explore more about the top tactics and methods in managing and appealing to various groups. The training you will go through can educate you on the importance of workplace morale, and how it can heavily impact productivity as well as profit margin. Students who earn a PhD in project management are going to be ready to take on some of the upper-tier leadership roles in the business world. Those looking at a doctorate are expected to be strong business leaders at the moment, but are simply looking to further enhance their skills.
Supplementing Your Project Management Major
When you are talking about project management, you are hinting at a very abstracted subject matter. Every industry needs a leader, someone who has the ability to speak up and best direct the progress that is made with an office or job site. The flexibility you create for yourself by studying this major gives you the freedom to start pursuing one career path and then jump overboard and go after another if you have found that your career aspirations have shifted. In reference to supporting your major and choosing either a concentration within your degree or a minor that would go well with the subject, you really are free to let your imagination run wild. For instance, if you are looking to break into the hospitality industry, then you can take your project management major and tack on a minor or concentration related to that field. By doing so, you are not only providing your future employer with a staff member who has one strong skill, but two. Subject matters you should be sure to keep an eye on is business administration, management, and technical management. With the option of specializing your degree, you have the chance to take such courses as human resources and communication, advanced cost management, and even contract and procurement. Whether you are uncertain about where you are looking to go in your career or if you are absolutely sure and are looking to fine-tune your skills, a project management major is a solid option as it is very durable and can mix and blend with an array of minors. It is just important to first declare what you wish to begin working towards, because once your passion is cemented, it will be simpler to address the type of concentration you should consider or if your current course load can handle an additional minor.
Learn More About the Project Management Major
- Project Management Institute
- International Project Management Association
- Open Courseware from MIT: Project Management
The Project Management Major in the Job Market
A unique aspect of the project management major is that it is generally an option capitalized by those who are looking to advance in their line of work which they already have experience. They may have some of the skills already required of a project manager, but are looking to further spate themselves from their competition – which is generally heavy in the business world. The skills they will expect to acquire go beyond the traditional duties of a project manager. They learn the importance of not only installing a solid plan, but a precautionary back-up plan. A lot of the conversation in the early stages of studying project management is relatively familiar to students – more of a focus on your own personal skills. However, as you continue on, you learn how important it is to have solid communication with your teammates. Building a comfortable working environment and ensuring others feel that their voice is being heard is important. You understand that your own personal goals should take a back seat to what it is that your employer desires. With a strained economy only increasing the competitiveness of the job market, a degree holder’s ability to show advanced education and experience will prove invaluable. The same thing applies for those who are looking to change careers and venture into a different line of work. Of course no matter what the state of the job market may be, having a strong educational background accompanied by a specialization in a particular field is always going to create job opportunities for you once you finish earning your degree. With project management, you can have an array of concentrations to choose from, leading you to many different career paths – for example, a construction project management position or a design project management position, according to the Keller Graduate School of Management. Without giving any specific salary information, it should still be noted that those who possess a project management degree significantly increase their chances for employment and a large income than those who only have a generic management degree. When an employer sees that you possess a project management degree, they are going to be impressed by all of the abilities that you have acquired that are superior to the majority of their current staff. You bring something different to the table with this specialized skillset, resulting in you having the chance to venture in multiple career paths. You could be a construction manager or trade your working boots in for a suit and tie and head a project team in the business world.
Careers I Can Get with This Degree:
