High School

In high school, take classes that help you to develop your analytical and problem-solving skills. These include mathematics, science, business, computer science, psychology, philosophy, and social studies. Project managers must have top-notch communication skills, so be sure to take English, writing, and speech classes. Learning a foreign language will allow you to more effectively communicate with staff who do not speak English fluently.

Postsecondary Education

Many colleges and universities now offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in project management or specialized project management areas (such as information technology p-project management). Many of these programs are accredited by the Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs. To view a list of U.S. and international programs that offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees in project management, visit https://www.pmi.org/global-accreditation-center/directory. Typical classes in a bachelor’s-level project management degree program include:

• Business Analytics for Decision Making
• Design of Effective Teams and Organizations
• Emerging Topics in Project Management
• Introduction to Project Management
• Negotiation and Competitive Decision Making
• Project Performance and Quality Assurance
• Project Risk and Change Management
• Project Scheduling and Cost Management
• Strategic Organization Design to Project Initiation

A small, but growing, number of colleges and universities offer degrees in Agile project management. The Agile methodology is an iterative approach to project management in software development and in other fields.

Some project managers have degrees in the field in which they are employed. For example, a project manager in the construction industry may have a degree in construction management, engineering management, or civil engineering. A project manager who is employed in the information technology sector may have a degree in computer science, database management, or another IT-related field. Project managers who pursue this educational route typically earn certificates in project management to augment their knowledge.

Certification

Many colleges and universities—such as the University of Chicago, Stanford University, Northwestern University, Villanova University, and the University of New Haven offer certificates in project management or project management specialties. Credit and non-credit programs are available. Most schools offer in-person, online, and hybrid learning options. To augment their skills, project managers also earn certificates in an industry specialty (such as engineering, finance, or supply chain management) or in a skill area (writing, public speaking, etc.). Contact schools in your area to learn more about available educational options.

Villanova University (certificate in Agile), Northeastern University (certificate in Agile project management), and Georgetown University (certificate in Lean & Agile Practices) are just a few of the schools that offer Agile certificates.

Other Education or Training

Continuing education classes, webinars, and workshops are offered by professional associations, online learning platforms, colleges and universities, and other providers. For example, the Project Management Institute offers webinars such as Essentials of Project Management; Project Management Fundamentals; Leadership Essentials; The Complete Agile Project Manager; Infusing Candor into Your Project Team Culture; Black Swans in Your Project: Understanding, Identification and Management of Extreme Unknown Unknowns; and Project HEADWAY: Cross-Discipline Project Management. Visit https://www.pmi.org/learning for more information.

Certification or Licensing

There are many certification credentials for project managers—most of which require a combination of educational and/or professional experience and passing an examination. Key project management certifications include the project management professional (PMP) and the certified associate in project management (CAPM) from the Project Management Institute (PMI). The association offers other certification credentials including Agile methodology certifications and PMI project management ready, which introduces high school and postsecondary students to the concepts and skillsets of project management. Visit https://www.pmi.org/certifications for more information.

Here are a few other popular certification credentials for project managers.

• associate in project management, professional in project management, certified project director (Global Association for Quality Management)
• master project manager (American Academy of Project Management)
• project+ (CompTIA)
• certified project management (EC-Council)
• certified project manager (International Association of Project Managers)
• certified scrummaster, advanced certified scrummaster, and other credentials (Scrum Alliance)

Aspiring planners should obtain several years’ of experience in lower-level managerial or supervisory positions. Smaller employers typically require less experience, and some hire new college graduates.

Successful project managers have expertise in change management and organizational development, a strategic and business management mindset, and specialized knowledge of the inner workings of their employer and the sector (health care, electronics manufacturing, etc.) in which they are employed. They need superior leadership skills in order to inspire employees and motivate them to do their best work. Project managers must also be excellent communicators—both orally and in writing—in order to effectively work with colleagues and clients, explain their decisions to staff, and write reports about their work. Other important traits include adaptability; strong organizational, time-management, and conflict resolution skills; a detail-oriented personality; creativity; patience; an openness to new ideas; and a willingness to continue to learn throughout their careers.