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Degree programs

Master of project management

About the program

Why project management?

Project management is a highly marketable skill set with broad applications. Recent graduates in engineering, sustainability, the performing arts, healthcare and many other professional fields will benefit by building an advanced, applied skill set upon their disciplinary expertise. Working professionals will benefit by gaining advanced skills to systematically approach their organization’s complex projects and achieve better outcomes.

Why study project management at ASU?

The Master of Project Management program will assist students in becoming knowledge producers in the field of project management while getting experiential learning within the subject. The program will provide students with the expertise and knowledge needed for advanced positions as project managers and project leaders in a wide range in public, private, and non-profit settings.

Students will learn to plan and execute complex projects by applying advanced project management models and methods, with particular emphasis on scope, risk, quality, scheduling, cost resources, procurement, communication, stakeholder engagement, integration, and leadership. Students will acquire multiple approaches to value delivery by tailoring projects using predictive, adaptive, and hybrid approaches.


Course topics include:

  • integrative thinking
  • ethical literacy and values thinking
  • teamwork and collaborative competency
  • interpersonal skills
  • critical thinking and problem solving
  • sustainable development in project management
  • cost management
  • integration management
  • leadership
  • procurement management
  • quality management
  • risk management
  • schedule management
  • scope management
  • stakeholder management
  • communication management

The curriculum

The 33-credit-hour program includes:

— 9 required courses
4 elective courses
— An applied project as the culminating experience: 

Drawing on coursework, complete a case study of an organization of your choosing, where you identify and discuss the scope of the problem, the intervention to be undertaken, and the results of the intervention. 

All courses are taught by faculty who hold terminal degrees in their fields. The degree may be completed at ASU Tempe campus or Online, and both on-ground and online students are eligible to be considered for graduate assistantships and teaching assistantships.

Admissions

How to Apply

ALL candidates will submit the following:

  • Graduate admission application and application fee
  • Official transcripts (showing completion of a bachelor's degree or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution) Applicants can initially submit unofficial transcripts but will need to provide official transcripts before beginning their second semester.
  • A letter of intent (500 words maximum) that includes a detailed statement of purpose addressing how the program goals coincide the student's personal and professional objectives.
  • Two letters of reference that focus on their ability to do academic work.
  • A professional resume or curriculum vita (two pages maximum).

For applicants whose native language is not English:

  • TOEFL scores of at least 500 (traditional paper-based) or 80 (Internet-based), an IELTS score of at least 6.5, a Pearson Test of English score of at least 60, or a passing score in the English for Graduate Admissions online course through ASU Global Launch.

Admissions decisions are turned around within 10 days of application.

For additional information about eligibility, admission and degree requirements, or to apply now, visit the ASU degree page for the Master of Project Management.

Deadlines

To be accepted for:  

  • Spring admission — apply by Nov. 1
  • Fall admission — apply by May 1
  • Summer admission —  apply by Feb. 1

We continue to accept applications and admit students on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Contact

  • Christopher Biro
  • Christine Quintero

Graduate Advisors 
School of Applied Professional Studies
Urban Systems Engineering Bldg. (USE)
651 E. University Drive
ASU Tempe campus
SAPSGrad@asu.edu

Professional Licensure

ASU academic programs are designed to prepare students to apply for applicable licensure or certification in Arizona. Completion of an ASU program may not meet educational requirements for license or certification in another state. If you are planning to pursue professional licensure or certification in a state other than Arizona, it is strongly recommended that you visit the ASU professional licensure webpage for contact information of the appropriate licensing entity to seek information and guidance regarding licensure or certification requirements. 

FAQs

An ambitious and hardworking student may be able to complete the degree in one calendar year. It does depend on several factors: A student would need to take 6-7 credit hours each 7.5-week session, which is a heavy workload but not impossible if you have enough time every week to devote to studying.

Plan for approximately 18-20 hours per week for a 3-credit online course.

Yes! Students can apply to doctoral programs.

There are two 7.5-weeks sessions per semester in ASU Online degree programs. Each session consists of compressed, 7.5-week courses. Once you have enrolled, please pay close attention to the dates of the Academic Calendar. You will see brief windows of time to drop and add classes given that the A and B sessions run back-to-back.

Some classes have already been approved as electives for your program. Please contact your Academic Advisor if you would like to take a class that is not on this list.

Students can see the full course schedule for ASU at: https://asu.edu/classes. Make sure to select the “ASU Online” option when searching. All of the courses in the curriculum are listed in the MPM handbook 

Many students take one or two three-credit hour classes each 7.5-week session and one, one-credit hour class. To make good progress toward the degree, at least one course per session is a good pace. Students are not able to register for more than 14 credits per semester without approval from the adviser.

Only online students are able to enroll in the ASU Online courses. Students in the on-campus program may be able to take iCourses if they are unable to attend a course in person. These requests are reviewed on a case by case basis. Students who are no longer able to attend in-person classes should change to the online campus.

Continuous enrollment is required (fall, spring). The ASU Graduate College states that a student must be registered for a minimum of one graduate credit hour during all phases of their graduate program (fall, spring, as well as summer if using university resources in summer or applying for graduation in summer). Students have the option of petitioning for a leave of absence – or a "maintain continuous enrollment" request. This is submitted through the Interactive Plan of Study (iPOS) in the Petition section, and does not affect continuous enrollment. Failure to register or to request a leave results in automatic withdrawal from the program. 

Note: W (withdraw) and X (audit) do not count as continuous enrollment. Undergraduate classes (400-level or lower) do not count toward continuous enrollment.

The Graduate College requires students to have a plan of study on file before completion of their first semester. The interactive plan of study (iPOS) can be completed on your My ASU page. The iPOS is a list of your current and future classes, including any transfer classes, your culminating experience, and your committee chair. Once approved, it is your roadmap to graduation and a contract with the university. When you apply to graduate, the Graduation Office compares your transcript with your Interactive Plan of Study. If you have taken classes in a different order, they will not approve your graduation until you submit a Course Change Request updating your iPOS). You can see this SITE for an iPOS guide and a video tutorial.

Students should complete the iPOS during their first semester.

You simply submit a Course Change Request to swap out a class.

Graduate students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average each semester. In order to graduate from ASU, graduate students must have a 3.0 overall GPA, a 3.0 iPOS GPA, and a 3.0 graduate GPA. If you fall below a 3.0 overall GPA, you will be put on academic probation by the Graduate College.

There are multiple tutoring tools and resources available through ASU's University Academic Success Programs including:

Graduate Writing Center – ASU’s Online Graduate Writing Center specifically serves students enrolled in 500-, 600- and 700-level classes. Using Adobe Connect, this real-time, appointment-based assistance allows students to meet one-on-one with a graduate writing consultant to receive feedback on their writing projects at any stage in their development and writing process. The center is open Sundays-Fridays and it is recommended that students schedule appointments online at least two weeks in advance.

Contact the ASU Graduation Office by email at graduation@asu.edu to request that your current application be moved to a future semester. Once your graduation semester has been updated, you will be able to enroll in that semester. You do not need to pay the application fee again as your original payment will remain on file for up to five years. Students must enroll in at least one credit hour during the semester that they graduate.

According to ASU's Graduate College, the master's degree must be completed within six years of the earliest date of a course that appears on the Interactive Graduate Plan of Study, including nondegree work (transfer work is nondegree for purposes of these computations).

Yes! Both online and campus-based students are able to attend University commencement and convocation ceremonies. In addition, the department also holds a special hooding ceremony each fall and spring. This is a smaller reception for graduating MS students from the Leadership and Integrative Studies programs and their guests. Graduating students are hooded by the LIS faculty and individually recognized for their accomplishments. At this ceremony, students have the chance to celebrate, socialize, and network with their fellow graduates as well as the LIS faculty.