Online Project, Program & Portfolio Management Grad Certificate

At a Glance

Completion Time

Months

Credits Required

Tuition

$16,630

Part-Time*

Develop Skills to Align Projects with Strategic Business Goals

As projects continue to play a central role in how organizations conduct operations, more people will be hired to manage project portfolios. The need for employees with applicable skills will continue to grow as industries become more project-oriented—and those with the talent will find an abundance of roles in a global economy that will need 30 million new project professionals by 2035, according to the Project Management Institute® (PMI) 2025 Global Project Management Talent Gap report.

To address this need, 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 Graduate Certificate in Project, Program & Portfolio Management is also available on campus in Boston. Learn more.

Curriculum

A total of four courses (16 units) is required, as follows:

Certificate Core Courses

(four courses/16 units)

MET AD 646 Portfolio and Program Management

4 credits. Fall and Spring

Prerequisite: MET PM 100 lab or MET AD 515; Corequisite: PM200 lab- This course focuses on the relationship among portfolios, programs, and projects, and the important strategic objectives of each endeavor. It is designed to help you develop a program management framework, policy, and organizational structure. You will gain skills and techniques for chartering constituent projects, directing and managing program execution, and managing the program team and stakeholders. In small groups, you will take a Program from concept to an implementation-ready plan. The global legal, economic, cultural, and political environments in which projects operate will be contrasted, and mechanisms for resolving conflicts will also be addressed.

Section A1, FALL 2026 Sep 2nd to Dec 10th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Lynde	Independent	M	06:00:00 PM–08:45:00 PM	CAS 208

MET AD 782 Project Value Strategies

4 credits. Fall and Spring

Prerequisite: AD515 and instructor permission - This course will introduce students to Project Value - a unique perspective on classical Project Management that is focused on assuring that a project delivers value that is aligned with the mission, vision, and values of an organization. This increasingly popular framework with which to view projects and project management is derived from current research, standards, and thought leadership from PMI and other international bodies, which now formally recognize project management as a 'system for value delivery'. Students will learn how to create value in projects even in today's disruptive, turbulent environment. They will learn how to apply the conceptual framework of benefits realization management (BRM) and to use tools to manage a portfolio of programs and projects strategically with an aim of sustainable project value. Value in Agile projects will be discussed. The element of the Triple Bottom Line and a focus on sustainability is part of the subject matter. Case studies and real life experiences, illustrated with guest lectures, will be intertwined with current research in project management..

And one of the following:

MET AD 647 Project Governance and Contract Management

4 credits. Fall and Spring

Prerequisite: MET PM 100 Lab - This course is highly valuable for project and program managers, analysts, consultants, educators, and managers in government, nonprofit, and private institutions, offering a comprehensive survey of the methods of use in monitoring, evaluating, and overseeing projects and programs. You will learn to identify and understand enterprise-wide project interdependencies and gain experience with the tools that determine what pace best complements appropriate planning, scheduling, executing, monitoring, and controlling of the projects within a program in the future. You will develop the ability to assess program results and identify ways to improve program performance, as well as learn to assess factors linking projects under one program and provide guidance on the best allotment of resources between them. Ultimately, you will leave this course with the understanding necessary to shape accountable and responsible organizations with well-defined roles that are based on transparency, resource allocation, decision-making, and enterprise project management.

Section A1, FALL 2026 Sep 2nd to Dec 10th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Athaide	Independent	R	06:00:00 PM–08:45:00 PM	CAS 116

Section E2, FALL 2026 Sep 2nd to Dec 10th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Athaide	Independent	ARR	12:00:00 AM–12:00:00 AM

MET AD 649 Agile Methods for Technical Innovation and Engineering Management

4 credits. Fall and Spring

Prerequisite: MET PM 100 Lab - In this course, you will gain an understanding of how new Agile principles and practices are changing the landscape of project management and be provided a fresh insight into how to successfully blend Agile and traditional project management principles and practices in the right proportions to fit any business and project situation. You’ll also gain a deep understanding of Agile project management principles and practices in order to see them as complementary rather than competitive to traditional project management. Topics include: Agile fundamentals, principles, and practices; roots of Agile in TQM and Lean Manufacturing; adapting an Agile approach to fit a business environment; planning and managing an enterprise-level Agile transformation; integrating AI into Agile; and scaling Agile to an enterprise level using Agile frameworks and Agile project management tools.

Section A1, FALL 2026 Sep 2nd to Dec 10th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Zariwala	Independent	T	06:00:00 PM–08:45:00 PM	EPC 208

Section O2, FALL 2026 Oct 27th to Dec 14th
Instructor	Type	Days	Times	Location
Kanabar	Independent	ARR	12:00:00 AM–12:00:00 AM

Plus one elective course chosen with an advisor. Elective could include MET AD 647 or MET AD 649, if not taken above.

Dates & Deadlines

View BU MET’s academic calendar for online programs, including important dates and deadlines.

Application Requirements

Learn about application requirements for BU MET graduate degree and certificate programs.

An image of students in class at Boston University

How You Benefit from a
Boston University Education

A BU credential can help lay the foundation for career advancement and personal success.

Benefit from a 24:1 average student-to-instructor ratio.
The Project, Program & Portfolio Management graduate certificate shares courses with the MS in Project Management, which is accredited by the Project Management Institute® (PMI) Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC).
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 curriculum also prepares you for success on the exams leading to the Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) designation.
Focus 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.
Advance your practical knowledge of project management in fun and interesting ways with the Project Management Student Club, which provides opportunities for individual leadership and group development through activities and real projects.
Two self-paced, free laboratories offer access to advanced tools and provide opportunities to hone project management skills and technological proficiency using case studies.

Rankings & Accreditations

Accredited member of AACSB International

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (through BU’s Questrom School of Business)

The GAC Accredited Program seal is a mark of Project Management Institute, Inc.

PMI Global Accreditation Center for Project Management

BU MET’s MS in Project Management and MS in Computer Information Systems concentration in IT Project & Product Management are accredited by the PMI Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC).

Graduate with Project, Program & Portfolio Management Expertise

Students who complete the Project, Program & Portfolio Management Graduate Certificate will be able to demonstrate:

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 manage 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.

More project management specialists will be needed to manage the growing volume and complexity of information technology (IT) projects required to support expanded telework.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

“While working in various project management roles, I realized the immense value that formal training and a structured curriculum could bring to my skill set. Despite my professional experience, I recognized the need to deepen my theoretical understanding and stay ahead of industry trends. This realization, coupled with a desire for professional growth and career advancement, motivated me to pursue a master’s degree in project management.” Read more.

Vinita Mehta (MET’24)
Special Projects Manager at SRMD
MS, Project Management, Concentration in Program & Project Portfolio Management

Advance Your Career

BU MET’s Project Management graduate programs prepare you for a wealth of different roles, such as Project Manager, Program Manager, Marketing Specialist, IT Manager, Business Continuity Planner, Emergency Management Director, Software Developer, Construction Manager, Management Analyst, Operations Research Analyst, Risk Management Specialist, among others.

Recent graduates have found job opportunities and career paths at companies such as:

Google
Amazon
Microsoft
State Street
Fidelity
Putnam
UnitedHealth Group

Deloitte
Ernst & Young (EY)
Genzyme
Biogen
Pfizer
Takeda Pharmaceuticals

Project Management Faculty

Vijay Kanabar

Associate Professor, Computer Science and Administrative Sciences

Director, Project Management Programs

Richard Maltzman

Master Lecturer, Administrative Sciences

Yolande Athaide

Visiting Associate Professor, Administrative Sciences

View All Faculty

Interested in Learning More?

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Online Project, Program & Portfolio Management Graduate Certificate

At a Glance

Develop Skills to Align Projects with Strategic Business Goals