Project Management Advanced Certificate
In RIT’s advanced certificate in project management, you’ll gain the skills and knowledge to successfully plan, organize, and execute a range of projects for your organization.
$80k+
Average Annual Salary
15%
Employment Growth
1.5M
New Project Management Jobs/Year
97%
RIT Graduate Outcomes Rate
Overview for Project Management Adv. Cert.
Project management positions are expected to grow 15% by 2030.
Four courses earns you project management expertise.
In today’s business-oriented society, project-based organizations and project management have become much more than just a way of conducting business. New growth within these organizations has changed the shape of project management to reveal what is becoming an exciting new career path for many individuals. The advanced certificate in project management will prepare you to effectively manage projects by successfully planning, organizing, and executing specific projects or one-time efforts.
Why Study Project Management?
Project managers have quickly become a necessary asset for many businesses. Encountering the challenges of cultural and social differences, along with an assortment of industrial focuses, a project manager must be aware of a project’s goals on a daily and, sometimes, hourly basis. The advanced certificate in project management is a graduate-level credential designed to provide you with the in-depth knowledge and skills to be a successful project manager in any industry. Designed for working professionals and part-time study, in this program you will develop the leadership skills needed to effectively manage a team and achieve your project objectives. This graduate credential follows industry project management standards.
Project Management Courses
The advanced certificate in project management consists of three core courses and one elective. Courses cover the fundamentals of project management as well as agile leadership and design thinking. The certificate can be completed entirely online, on campus, or through a combination of both options. Over four courses, you will learn:
- The tools and techniques to manage the comprehensive project management life cycle for a project, from initiation through closing
- How to balance the critical tradeoffs of time, cost, and scope to meet customer expectations
- How to lead a project to success, and how to capitalize on the leadership and behavioral facets to do so
- How to navigate the social and cultural aspects, legal, and regulatory practices, technology, and infrastructure
RIT's School of Individualized Study is a Project Management Institute (PMI) Authorized Training Partner.
What is a Graduate Certificate?
A graduate certificate, also called an advanced certificate, is a selection of up to five graduate level courses in a particular area of study. It can serve as a stand-alone credential that provides expertise in a specific topic that enhances your professional knowledge base, or it can serve as the entry point to a master's degree. Some students complete an advanced certificate and apply those credit hours later toward a master's degree.
Curriculum for 2024-2025 for Project Management Adv. Cert.
Current Students: See Curriculum Requirements
Project Management, advanced certificate, typical course sequence
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| PROF-710 | Project Management This course addresses project management from a multidisciplinary perspective, covering the fundamental nature of and techniques for managing a broad range of projects. Topics cover the Project Management Life Cycle from Planning to Termination. It also addresses the behavioral and quantitative facets of project management, as well as the use of methods, tools and techniques for the initiation, planning, and execution of projects. Introduces the standard framework, processes and knowledge areas of the Project Management Institute. *Note: Bachelors degree or minimum of 5 years of work experience in a project related business environment. Recommended education or work experience in organizational behavior, mathematics and basic accounting. *Note: BUSI-510 may not be substituted for BUSI-710 in a graduate concentration or the advanced certificate in project management. Additionally, a student may not register for and receive credit for both BUSI-510 and BUSI-710, whether taken as an undergraduate or graduate student. (This class is restricted to degree-seeking graduate students or those with permission from instructor.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring, Summer). |
3 |
| PROF-714 | Agile Project Management Business agility allows organizations to quickly adapt to new markets. In a fast paced ever changing world of highly competitive products and services, organizations need to be able to deliver solutions to market quickly in an uncertain environment. Agile Project Management provides an iterative and incremental framework to explore and deliver high risk solutions efficiently in a rapid response timeframe. We will explore Agile Project Management practices across multiple industries including Agile project roles following the Project Management Institute® Agile Practice Guide. (This course is available to RIT degree-seeking graduate students.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring). |
3 |
| Second Year | ||
Graduate Elective |
3 | |
| Choose one of the following: | 3 |
|
| PROF-711 | Advanced Project Management Advanced Project Management covers the topics necessary for implementation of and excellence in project management. It deals with turning the principles and theory of project management into practice. The course addresses the best practices for project management in the world; project portfolio management and ROI; the project office and Six Sigma; project risk management and integrated projects; corporate cultures, behavior, and cultural failures; informal, adaptive, and extreme project management; and critical chain project management. Integrates aspects of the framework, processes and knowledge areas of the Project Management Institute. *Note: Advanced Project Management is available in on-campus and online formats. (Prerequisite: (PROF-710 or DECS-744 or ISEE-750) or PROF-714 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring, Summer). |
|
| PROF-712 | International Project Management With the increasing frequency of globalization, mergers, and acquisitions, international projects are becoming more prevalent and approaching the norm for many organizations. This course addresses a wide range of international projects—based in different industries and multiple countries. It deals with cultural and social differences within firms; cultural and social differences among countries and within countries; languages and dialect variations; different management practices and structures; religious practices; legal, regulatory, and reporting requirements; technology and infrastructure differences in different regions; and time zone differences. Incorporates aspects of the framework, processes and knowledge areas of the Project Management Institute. (Prerequisite: PROF-710 or PROF-711 or PROF-714 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring, Summer). |
|
| PROF-715 | Agile Leadership and Self Organizing Teams Agile Leaders are able to work effectively in unpredictable and ambiguous situations. Being adaptable, promoting innovation and modeling a learning organization set apart Agile Leaders from their more traditional counterparts. We will explore the servant leadership characteristics of Agile leaders, how they create and lead self organizing teams, how they drive value into everything they do balancing agility with strategy without creating an environment of chaos. Additionally, we will explore the Agile Culture which allows for both dynamic approaches to the business while also ensuring clear strategy and stability for the employee community. We will explore the facets of an Agile Culture across various industries that promote a customer centric approach of value through empowered employees. (Prerequisite: PROF-714 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring). |
|
| PROF-716 | Agile and Design Thinking Finding and implementing solutions to customer problems that are both adaptable and incremental provide for the greatest flexibility and return on investment. Agile and Design Thinking supports project teams working in an environment that requires innovation as well as dealing with uncertainty. Agile encourages a collaborative relationship with customers that promotes flexibility to meet business needs. By focusing on the human element and customer experience, Agile and Design Thinking provide a framework for engaging customers in ensuring prioritization of organization, product and service solutions that deliver frequent value for the business. (Prerequisite: PROF-714 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring). |
|
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 12 |
|
Project Management, advanced certificate, typical course sequence (online + edX program)
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| PROF-714 | Database Design And Implementation Business agility allows organizations to quickly adapt to new markets. In a fast paced ever changing world of highly competitive products and services, organizations need to be able to deliver solutions to market quickly in an uncertain environment. Agile Project Management provides an iterative and incremental framework to explore and deliver high risk solutions efficiently in a rapid response timeframe. We will explore Agile Project Management practices across multiple industries including Agile project roles following the Project Management Institute® Agile Practice Guide. (This course is available to RIT degree-seeking graduate students.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring). |
3 |
edX Micromasters** |
9 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 12 |
|
**All three courses in the edX Project Management MicoMasters program must be successfully passed as verified in order to be eligible for 9 credits towards the Masters in Project Management. edX Project Management MicroMasters courses cannot be repeated. Individual course credits will not be granted for the edX Project Management MicroMasters.
Graduate Electives
| Course | |
|---|---|
| PROF-711* | Advanced Project Management |
| PROF-712* | International Project Management |
| PROF-713 | Program Management for Product and Service Development Merely having an idea isn’t enough for Organization success. It’s the execution of the best possible idea that delivers value to an organization’s shareholders. Organizations must have both the ability to choose their opportunities wisely and the ability to execute programs competently. Program Management is the discipline that integrates organizational strategy with activities, skills, tools, and techniques to ensure that organizations are choosing the best opportunities and executing with discipline. We explore the five domains of Program Management from the Project Management Institute (PMI) through a combination of readings, case studies and project work: Program Strategy Alignment, Program Benefits Management, Program Stakeholder Engagement, Program Governance and Program Lifecycle Management. We will explore the role of the Program Manager using product and service development and enhancement/development of organization capabilities as context. (Prerequisite: PROF-711 or PROF-715 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring, Summer). |
| PROF-715* | Agile Leadership and Self Organizing Teams |
| PROF-716* | Agile and Design Thinking |
| PROF-720 | Individual Leadership Development Long-term success and growth as a manager requires more than the requisite technical skills. How can you differentiate yourself from the many other managers in the global job market? Strong leadership skills enable you to stand out in the crowd and demonstrate your unique value to your team and the organization. A manager with a combination of effective technical skills and strong leadership skills will find him/herself in a position of strength within their team and organization. Are you one of these managers? If not, this course is designed for you and will help you create a personal plan for continued development. Topics include leadership styles, being a leader your team wants to follow, communication styles that resonate with others, the reality of office politics, and operating with mutual understanding and responsibility. Lecture 3 (Spring). |
| PROF-721 | Building High Performance Teams High-performing teams (HPT) are critical to maintaining an organization's competitive advantage. HPTs are critical to the success of an organization, and leaders do much more than manage these teams—they develop their teams with the goal of achieving success for their organization. Teams rely on their leader for guidance and encouragement; they’ll respond positively to quality leadership, by building stronger relationships and rising to challenges. This course is designed to provide you with research-based, proven strategies to help develop and foster high-performing teams. Topics include building, fostering and coaching HPTs; leading globally dispersed/remote teams; diversity awareness in HPTs; facilitating group problem solving and decision-making; negotiation and conflict management; and crisis management. Lecture 3 (Summer). |
| HRDE-720 | Theories of Organizational Development As organizations undergo continual change, HR leaders play a pivotal role enabling their organizations to anticipate, plan, and profit from change. This course introduces the student to theories and practices of organization development and change leadership. Such leadership requires competencies of identifying and framing challenges, consulting with clients, researching solutions, creating, implementing, and evaluating action plans. Through study, practice, and application, students will gain knowledge and skills to foster change, innovation, and the adaptability of an organization. Lecture 3 (Spring). |
| HRDE-721 | Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management This is an introductory graduate-level survey course for organizational learning and knowledge management. The course will provide a broad overview of the concepts, practices, and challenges associated with learning in organizational contexts. Principles, techniques, and structures used to create, capture, store, value, distribute, and leverage knowledge to enhance organizational performance in continuously changing environments will be examined. Topics covered include types and nature of knowledge, levels of organizational learning, communities of practice, social and technological systems for capturing, storing, and distributing knowledge, valuation of knowledge assets, innovation and creativity, barriers to organizational learning, and knowledge as a source of competitive advantage. (Prerequisites: HRDE-710 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Spring). |
| HRDE-722 | Talent Development This course provides skills to develop, retain, and engage the best available talent required for current and future success. Students examine benchmark practices from all industry types to derive effective strategies for their own organizations, develop a human capital strategy development, and complete an integrated set of projects to implement selected components of the strategy. Lecture 3 (Fall, Summer). |
| HRDE-731 | Team Process and Facilitation Skills The ability to build a functioning team and then facilitate the group process ranks among the most critical competencies for HRD practitioners today. HRD practitioners are required to develop work teams and facilitate a variety of events from meetings and new employee orientations to training sessions. This course provides the HRD practitioner with the skills required to effectively develop teams, and plan for and facilitate a variety of events. Individuals in other disciplines will benefit from this course as well. (Prerequisites: HRDE-710 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Fall). |
| MGMT-740 | Leading Teams in Organizations This course examines why people behave as they do in organizations and what managers can do to improve organizational performance by influencing people's behavior. Students will learn a number of frameworks for diagnosing and dealing with managerial challenges dynamics at the individual, group and organizational level. Topics include leadership, motivation, team building, conflict, organizational change, cultures, decision making, and ethical leadership. Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring, Summer). |
| MGMT-741 | Managing Organizational Change This course addresses the importance of organizational change in maintaining a flexible, dynamic, and responsive organization, by examining various theories and approaches currently used to assist organizations in achieving planned change. The role of the leader in achieving organizational change is emphasized. The features of successful change in organizations will be discussed, including the structural, motivational, interpersonal, and social aspects of organizational change. (Prerequisites: MGMT-740 or equivalent course.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring). |
| MGMT-755 | Negotiations This course is designed to teach the art and science of negotiation so that one can negotiate successfully in a variety of settings, within one's day-to-day experiences and, especially, within the broad spectrum of negotiation problems faced by managers and other professionals. Individual class sessions will explore the many ways that people think about and practice negotiation skills and strategies in a variety of contexts. Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring). |
| SERQ-710 | Service Design Fundamentals Service design is a holistic design process. It uses skills from a variety of disciplines (design, management and process engineering) to develop models to create new services or to improve existing services in the most efficient and effective manner possible. The emphasis of the process is to provide value to the customer; as a service differentiator or create unique experiences for the customer. Service design uses methods and tools from a variety of disciplines to assist with the analysis and creation of enhanced systems. These tools include; mapping, blueprinting, analysis of customer behavior, market analysis, service marketing, and service recovery. The outcome of this course is to provide students with the fundamentals of service design thinking to allow them to lead the efforts of systematic design in a variety of disciplines. (SVCLED-MS, HSPT-MS) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring). |
| ISEE-682 | Lean Six Sigma Fundamentals This course presents the philosophy and methods that enable participants to develop quality strategies and drive process improvements. The fundamental elements of Lean Six Sigma are covered along with many problem solving and statistical tools that are valuable in driving process improvements in a broad range of business environments and industries. Successful completion of this course is accompanied by “yellow belt” certification and provides a solid foundation for those who also wish to pursue a “green belt.” (Green belt certification requires completion of an approved project which is beyond the scope of this course). (This course is restricted to degree-seeking graduate students and dual degree BS/MS or BS/ME students in KGCOE.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring, Summer). |
* if not used for 3rd required course of certificate
Note for online students
The frequency of required and elective course offerings in the online program will vary, semester by semester, and will not always match the information presented here. Online students are advised to seek guidance from the listed program contact when developing their individual program course schedule.
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Admissions and Financial Aid
This program is available on-campus or online.
On Campus
| Offered | Admit Term(s) | Application Deadline | STEM Designated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time | Fall or Spring | Rolling | No |
Online
| Offered | Admit Term(s) | Application Deadline | STEM Designated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time | Fall or Spring | Rolling | No |
Part-time study is 1‑8 semester credit hours. RIT will not issue a student visa for advanced certificates.
Application Details
To be considered for admission to the Project Management Adv. Cert. program, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
- Complete an online graduate application.
- Submit copies of official transcript(s) (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work, including any transfer credit earned.
- Hold a baccalaureate degree (or US equivalent) from an accredited university or college. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent) is recommended.
- Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.
- Submit a personal statement of educational objectives.
- Submit one letter of recommendation.
- Entrance exam requirements: None
- Submit English language test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic), if required. Details are below.
English Language Test Scores
International applicants whose native language is not English must submit one of the following official English language test scores. Some international applicants may be considered for an English test requirement waiver.
| TOEFL | IELTS | PTE Academic |
|---|---|---|
| 79 | 6.5 | 56 |
International students below the minimum requirement may be considered for conditional admission. Each program requires balanced sub-scores when determining an applicant’s need for additional English language courses.
How to Apply Start or Manage Your Application
Cost and Financial Aid
An RIT graduate degree is an investment with lifelong returns. Graduate tuition varies by degree, the number of credits taken per semester, and delivery method. View the general cost of attendance or estimate the cost of your graduate degree.
A combination of sources can help fund your graduate degree. Learn how to fund your degree
Additional Information
Using edX MicroMasters Credit
Applicants interested in leveraging their edX MicroMasters for credit, should send their edX MicroMasters program record to RIT using these instructions and we will add the credential to their application for review.
Online Degree Information
The online Project Management Advanced Certificate can only be completed part-time, taking one or two courses per term. The average time to completion is one year. Delivery is a blend of asynchronous and synchronous study, and your academic advisor will work with you to select courses that meet your degree requirements and your schedule. Students typically spend 10-12 hours per week per class, depending on the content and their background knowledge. A successfully completed Project Management Advanced Certificate can be “stacked” and will award 12 credits toward our Professional Studies MS, Project Management MS, and Construction Management MS. For specific details about the delivery format and learning experience, contact the Program Contact listed on this page. RIT does not offer student visas for online study.
Online Tuition Eligibility
The online Project Management Adv. Cert. is a designated online degree program that is billed at a 43% discount from our on campus rate. View the current online tuition rate.
Online Study Restrictions for Some International Students
Certain countries are subject to comprehensive embargoes under US Export Controls, which prohibit virtually ALL exports, imports, and other transactions without a license or other US Government authorization. Learners from the Crimea region of the Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria may not register for RIT online courses. Nor may individuals on the United States Treasury Department’s list of Specially Designated Nationals or the United States Commerce Department’s table of Deny Orders. By registering for RIT online courses, you represent and warrant that you are not located in, under the control of, or a national or resident of any such country or on any such list.
Contact
- Karen Palmer
- Associate Director Combined Accelerated Programs
- Office of Graduate and Part-Time Enrollment Services
- Enrollment Management
- 585‑475‑5656
- kbpges@rit.edu
- Peter Boyd
- Senior Lecturer
- Individualized Education, School of Individualized Study
- Academic Affairs
- sois@rit.edu