Students pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration who wish to enter into the project management profession can pursue a bachelor of business administration in project management. B.B.A. programs with an emphasis on project management contain courses that cover topics ranging from business history and theory, to management and writing skills. B.B.A. programs in project management are designed to be completed in four years, and for the student to graduate with knowledge of how a business works and how to effectively manage all aspects of their projects, including budgets, timelines and staffs.
Students wishing to obtain a graduate degree in project management have two options: a master of project management degree or a master of business administration in project management. The difference between these two degrees is nominal, as they both provide the students with an advanced degree in project management and contain many of the same courses. Courses cover subjects ranging from team leadership and project planning, to managerial accounting and financing and project risk management. Master's programs are usually designed to be finished in two years after you have obtained an undergraduate degree, but program durations may vary.
A graduate certificate in project management is a certificate you can obtain after having completed an undergraduate degree. The certificate is a stand-alone certification, though the credits used to obtain the certificate can often be applied to a master's degree in project management if you so choose. Courses usually include an introduction to project management, courses on managing budgets and resources and courses on markets and strategies. Graduate certificate programs are designed to be finished in less than one year.
The Project Management Institute (PMI) has been offering professional certification for project managers for over two decades. According to the PMI website, the certification process is open to college graduates with "4,500 hours leading and directing projects and 35 hours of project management education" and high-school graduates with "7,500 hours leading and directing projects and 35 hours of project management education." In order to become certified, applicants must sign up for, take and pass the PMP exam administered by PMI.