While many would associate a career in project management to be centered on the field of construction, there are many other professional realms a degree in project management can help to bolster. Industries like healthcare, engineering, pharmacy, information technology, and construction all need project management professionals who are properly trained in their specific roles in order to keep productivity up at all times. These important fields can be pursued by forming a solid background in education and experience. A great foundation for this path is an online Bachelor's degree in Project Management.
One of the most lucrative positions in project management scope is the engineering project management professional. This professional is equipped to work alongside engineers in order to keep the production of an often very technical product running smoothly from idea phase to final production and marketing. The engineering PM will be responsible for setting a timeline and budget and making sure all engineers are able to work within it. They may also act as the liaison between the engineers and the client in order to keep good communication going. While a good working knowledge of engineering is crucial for this type of project management, an engineering PM will typically have an educational base in engineering. The average salary for an engineering project manager is $116,990.
Another highly sought-after career that can stem from an undergraduate degree in project management is that of an information technology (IT) director. "Information technology (IT) directors are responsible for managing and directing IT operations for their companies and providing leadership and technical advice to lead their departments. They may also be responsible for developing effective strategies for deploying technology and software, testing hardware devices and applications before introducing them to management, and managing schedules and deployment contracts." Tasks of an IT director include acting as a go-between with service providers and external IT vendors, quantifying and helping to improve IT infrastructure and systems, and prepare for IT security investigations and audits. Featuring a median salary of $115,295 with typically very good benefits, IT directors report a high career satisfaction rate.
One of the nation's best online bachelor's degrees in project management is found at Kaplan University. Kaplan, which was one of the nation's first institutions of higher learning to be approved by the U.S. Department of Education for online education, now features the online Bachelor's of Science in Information Technology with a Career Focus in Project Management. Students in the Project Management CFA will learn how to create a project charter, develop project scope statements, develop the project schedule and budget, and analyze risk planning, as well as how to manage project resources, develop the project team, conduct procurements, measure project performance, control work results, and maintain professional responsibility.
Another high quality online program is the Bachelor's of Science in Organizational Management in Project Management found at Colorado Christian University. Priced at $455 per credit hour, this 120-credit hour program is priced at $54,600 in total tuition fees. While classes are delivered in five-week blocks, this program is divided between 36 major credits, 42 general education credits, and 42 electives. Courses within this program include Organizational Theory and Practice, Leadership & Management, Advanced Interpersonal Relations, Management of Information Systems, Project Management Fundamentals, Leading Strategic Project Management, and Introduction to Research and Applied Statistics.