Program at a Glance
- Online and On Campus
- Part-Time Study
- 16 Credits
- 8 Months to Completion
- 9 Core Faculty
- No GRE/GMAT
- Tuition & Fees—Part-Time Study*: $15,400
*Based on 2023–2024 Boston University tuition and fees. Merit scholarship may reduce cost.
Prepare for Project Management Careers
Offered online and on campus, the Graduate Certificate in Project Management at Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET) offers proven practices and innovative techniques sought after in multinational industries such as telecom, construction, energy, IT, aerospace and defense, finance, and healthcare. Regardless of your major or area of focus, project management is an increasingly important and sought-after competency. According to the 2017 Project Management Institute (PMI®) report Project Management Job Growth and Talent Gap 2017–2027, the project management-oriented labor force in seven project-oriented sectors is expected to grow by 33 percent, or nearly 22 million new jobs, through 2027.
Even as the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic forces organizations across the board to re-evaluate business-as-usual and adjust to new protocols and strategies, project managers will be essential to guiding transformative change. “The whole world is thinking about how we can do things differently as we move forward. Part of this includes the rise of the project manager or change maker. As the world starts reigniting itself, project managers will be the ones to turn ideas into reality,” says Sunil Prashara, president and CEO of PMI.1
Ideal for project managers, systems analysts, designers, programmers, research managers, and others engaged in the administration of technical projects, the BU MET Project Management certificate will help you advance and succeed more readily in a variety of professional settings and can serve as a stepping-stone towards a master’s degree. Under the guidance of distinguished faculty and alongside motivated professionals, you will master the tools and techniques to help you deliver solutions on time and within budget—and to achieve the career advancement you seek in today’s competitive project management environment. BU MET’s Project Management graduate certificate program offers an opportunity to examine detailed case studies, conduct project simulations, and gain both theoretical and practical expertise in:
- Project planning and control
- Project management life cycle
- Methodologies of effective leadership and motivation
- Essential project management tools and techniques
- Cost-management and risk management
- Project quality management and procurement management
You can also opt to take intensive Project Management Professional (PMP®) and PMI-ACP® exam preparation courses. Those who already hold PMI® certifications can earn up to 45 PDUs per course.
#9, Best Online Master's in Business Programs (Excluding MBA)
MET’s online master’s degrees in management are ranked #9 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for 2023.
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PMI Global Accreditation Center for Project Management
BU MET’s MS in Project Management and MS in Computer Information Systems concentration in IT Project Management are accredited by the Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC).
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Accredited member of AACSB International
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Learn More“What stands out about the Project Management program at Metropolitan College is the quality of the professors, educators, and administrative staff—as well as the leadership. This superior group of project management professionals brings their world to our world in class. Both students and faculty enriched the learning environment with cultural and professional exchanges related to our respective careers. The course of study was precisely what I needed to earn PMP® certification.”—Jim Ryan (MET’10)
Why Earn a Graduate Certificate in Project Management at BU?
- Recognized & Certified: The Project Management graduate certificate shares courses with the MS in Project Management, which is accredited by the Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC).
- PMI® Exam Prep: BU MET’s optional, complimentary Project Management Professional (PMP®) and PMI-ACP® exam preparation courses are ideal for those who seek to pursue PMP® certification. Those who already hold PMI® certifications can earn up to 45 PDUs per course. The project management curriculum also prepares you for success on the exams leading to the Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) designation.
- Active Learning Environment: BU MET’s Project Management program focuses on practical, hands-on education, combining graduate-level theory with the core competencies and skills that underlie the Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification—education you can apply on the job.
- Engaged Faculty: In BU MET’s Project Management program, you benefit from working closely with highly qualified faculty who draw from active research and substantial professional achievements in areas such as mega-projects, earned-value analysis, improvisation, risk management, project governance, cost estimation, enterprise architecture, IT projects, and agile project management.
- Complimentary Project Management Labs: Two self-paced laboratories offer access to advanced tools and provide opportunities to hone project management skills and technological proficiency using case studies.
- Extensive Network: Study principles of project management alongside peers with solid business experience, learn from faculty who have valuable business contacts, and benefit from an alumni community with strong professional connections.
- Project Management Student Club: Advance your practical knowledge of project management in fun and interesting ways with opportunities for individual leadership and group development through activities and real projects.
- 15:1 Class Ratio: Enjoy an exceptional student-to-instructor ratio, ensuring close interaction with faculty and access to support.
- Valuable Resources: Make use of Boston University’s extensive resources, including the Center for Career Development, Educational Resource Center, Fitness & Recreation Center, IT Help Centers, Mugar Memorial Library, Center for Antiracist Research, Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, George Sherman Union, Rafik B. Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering, and many others.
- Flexible Options: Study at the pace that works for you, evenings on campus or fully online. Courses begin fall, spring, and summer; online courses have two starts per term.
- Track Record: Learn from the best—since 2014, BU MET’s part-time master’s programs in business and management have been ranked among the top in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
Advance Your Skills in Project Management
The Graduate Certificate in Project Management and the MS in Project Management (MSPM), which is accredited by the Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC), are available through the Department of Administrative Sciences, which offers a variety of evening and online degrees and certificates to help you remain competitive in business and management and rise to the top of your field. Focusing on providing industry-specific programs that are innovative, scholarly, challenging, interdisciplinary, and practically focused, our mission is to produce critical and innovative thinkers—broad in perspective, international in attitude, skilled in communications—who are competent, capable, and comfortable in their ability to make strategic decisions either alone or in teams, and practiced in using the tools necessary to compete in their specialization. We prepare students to succeed in a global environment, within a professional and ethical framework.
Graduate with Project Management Expertise
Metropolitan College’s Project Management graduate certificate will equip you with:
- Proficiency in developing a project management life cycle.
- Proficiency in all basic project management tools and techniques, with an emphasis on communications, risk analysis, cost estimation and budgeting, and quality control.
- Knowledge of tools for project scheduling, templates for project management and communication, and techniques to measure cost variance, schedule variance, and earned value.
Access to Self-Paced Project Management Laboratories
As a student in BU MET’s Project Management program, you have free access to hands-on, noncredit preparatory laboratories offered through the Department of Administrative Sciences. Our self-paced laboratories (SPLs) are organized in two levels:
- Project Management Essentials (PM 100) provides a foundation in basic project management concepts aligned with the latest project management standard—the PMBOK® Guide, 6th Edition—using a threaded, Boston-flavored, sustainability-oriented example case study. The lab introduces Microsoft Project Professional, as well as key Microsoft Excel add-ins for later use in project, program, and/or portfolio management.
- Introduction to Project, Program, and Portfolio Management (PM 200) is an opportunity to master Microsoft PPM and make further progress in your journey as you transition from projects to programs and portfolios.
Certificate-to-Degree Pathway
BU MET graduate certificate programs can serve as building blocks to a master’s degree. The Graduate Certificate in Project Management shares specific courses with the MS in Project Management. To be eligible for the degree, you must apply for admission and be accepted into the degree program. Consult with a graduate admissions advisor to learn more about these options.
Advisory Board
At BU MET, we recognize the importance of maintaining advisory boards that will provide an important link between industry, students, and faculty with the goal of improving the quality and relevance of our programs. The main goal of the Project Management Advisory Board is to establish a link between industry and BU MET students and faculty. Our advisory board is composed of a diverse mix of practitioners who currently represent a cross section of the industry.
Graduate Certificate in Project Management Curriculum
(Four courses/16 credits)
MET AD 642 Project Management
MET AD 643 Project Communications and Leadership
And two additional courses chosen from the following*:
MET AD 644 Project Risk and Cost Management
MET AD 646 Portfolio and Program Management
MET AD 647 Project and Program Governance
MET AD 649 Agile Project Management
*Or any approved IT Project Management course from the Metropolitan College Department of Computer Science.
Project Management Faculty
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Tuition & Financial Assistance
Competitive Tuition
Our part-time rates are substantially lower than those of the traditional, full-time residential programs yet provide access to the same high-quality BU education.Comprehensive Financial Assistance
Our services include scholarships, graduate loans, and payment plans.
Get Started
Please visit the BU MET admissions page for details on how to apply, financial assistance, tuition and fees, requirements for international students, and more.
