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.
Boost Your Project Management Career With Portfolio Management Skills
The Graduate Certificate in Project, Program & Portfolio Management at Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET) provides students with a set of courses that develops their ability in the areas of program and portfolio management. The certificate provides guidance on the principles, practices, and activities of program management that support good program and portfolio management practices across all industry domains.
The 2020 Project Management Institute Pulse of the Profession® notes that “Organizations are undergoing a fundamental paradigm shift in which projects are no longer adjacent to operations but instead primary to how work gets done and problems get solved. In today’s C-suite—and tomorrow’s—it is the portfolio that disrupts, that innovates, that expands and thrives.” More people will be hired to manage project portfolios as industries become more project-oriented. In fact, it is predicted that the global economy will need 25 million new project professionals by 2030 (PMI 2021 Talent Gap Report).
#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 MoreWhy Earn a Graduate Certificate in Project, Program & Portfolio Management at BU?
- Recognized & Certified: The Project, Program & Portfolio 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, Program & Portfolio 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, Program & Portfolio 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 and program portfolio 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 Project, Program & Portfolio Management, 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
Students completing the Graduate Certificate in Project, Program & Portfolio Management will be able to:
- Evaluate critical success factors for projects and programs across industries, and use these factors to create project portfolios that align with strategic goals of the organization and describe best practices for managing such a portfolio.
- Construct a program management plan that describes best practices for the creation and management of programs and how to plan and coordinate resources, procurement, schedule, finance, risk, and change.
- Acquire in-depth practical knowledge of enterprise tools used in organizations to plan and manage a portfolio of programs and projects, and leverage project analytics data to make well-informed decisions.
Access to Self-Paced Project Management Laboratories
As a student in BU MET’s Project, Program & Portfolio 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, Program & Portfolio Management shares specific courses with the MS in Project Management and its concentration in Program & Project Portfolio 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, Program & Portfolio Management Curriculum
Courses
(Four courses/16 credits)
MET AD 646 Portfolio and Program Management
MET AD 782 Project Value Strategies
And one of the following:
MET AD 647 Project and Program Governance
MET AD 649 Agile Project Management
Plus one elective course chosen with an advisor. Elective could include MET AD 647 Project and Program Governance or MET AD 649 Agile Project Management, if not taken above.
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.
