Introduction to Project Management from edX

Project management is an essential skill-set for many careers and in many contexts in our lives. Introduction to Project Management is an ideal starting point if you need to manage projects at work or at home, while not necessarily being a formally trained project manager. It is also suitable if you are considering undertaking a project in the near future and are seeking to learn and apply essential project management knowledge and skills.

To deliver a project successfully, it’s important to start by clearly identifying what the project is, and what its outcomes will be. In the course, we will show you practical ways to explore and understand your goals from the outset of your project, and to consider all the factors that may affect its execution. Step by step you will learn how to plan, scope, schedule, cost and manage your project from beginning to end. Since every project relies on the people who are delivering it, the course also enables you to explore how you can effectively communicate, manage people and employ leadership skills to successfully deliver your own project.

In Introduction to Project Management, you will learn practical ways to use project management skills, whether your project is large or small. Join us to explore how you can benefit from using project management techniques in your own projects.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Core knowledge and applied skills in project management
Essential communication skills to help you manage a project

An understanding of why today’s projects are more complex

Core knowledge and applied skills in project management
Essential communication skills to help you manage a project
An understanding of why today’s projects are more complex

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Establishes a foundation for practical application of project management principles, which are used across many industries and roles

Provides learners with step-by-step guidance throughout the project management process, from planning to delivery

Focuses on developing essential communication and leadership skills, which are crucial for successful project management

Course instructors have extensive experience in project management, providing learners with access to valuable insights

Suitable for individuals with varying levels of project management experience, making it accessible to a wider audience

Emphasizes the importance of understanding project goals and considering all relevant factors, which is essential for effective project execution

Reviews summary

Theory based overview

Learners say that even with only 2-3 hours of content a week, this course provides a largely positive overview of project management fundamentals. Engaging assignments help with assessing students' strengths and weaknesses in this field. Frameworks such as PESTLE and WBS are used throughout the course, so students should have familiarity with these.

Interactive activities engage students.

"Even with an audit there are a lot of interactive activities to help learn more about your strengths and weaknesses, as well as active forums if you decide to participate in those."

Course uses helpful frameworks.

"This course also doesn't cover the Project Management Lifecycle - something another edX course from RITx covers."

"Lastly, I'd say the content doesn't quite map out to what's being used in the real world - it's all very theoretical."

Material is too theoretical.

"Being 2-3 hours a week, it's less of an actual course than a crash course workshop on project management."

"Lastly, I'd say the content doesn't quite map out to what's being used in the real world - it's all very theoretical."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Introduction to Project Management with these activities:

Review key concepts in project management

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Refreshes your understanding of project management concepts, preparing you for the course

Browse courses on Project Management

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Read the course syllabus and module overviews
Reread your notes or textbooks from previous project management courses
Create a list of the key concepts in project management
Summarize each concept in your own words

Watch a video tutorial on a project management topic

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Watching video tutorials on project management can help you to learn new concepts and techniques.

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Find a video tutorial on a project management topic
Watch the video tutorial
Take notes on the key points

Create a project charter

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A project charter is an important document that defines the scope, goals, and stakeholders of a project. Creating one will help you to understand the basics of project management.

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Gather information about the project
Identify the project stakeholders
Define the project scope
Develop the project charter

Seven other activities

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Practice project management exercises

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Solving project management exercises will help you to apply your knowledge and to develop your problem-solving skills.

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Find project management exercises online
Solve the exercises
Check your answers

Read and understand the Five Process Groups

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The PMBOK Guide is the foundation of project management processes. Read all five of them to understand how they work both independently and as a whole.

View Practice Standard for Project Estimating -... on Amazon

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Read Chapter 4 of the PMBOK Guide
Identify the five process groups
Describe the purpose of each process group

Create a presentation on a project management topic

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Giving a presentation on a project management topic will force you to distill the most important information and to understand it well.

Browse courses on Risk Management Plan

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Choose a project management topic
Research the topic
Develop an outline for your presentation
Create the presentation slides
Practice your presentation

Start a small project of your own

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Putting project management into practice is the best way to learn it. Start a small project today to understand how to apply what you're learning.

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Identify a project idea
Define the project scope
Develop a project plan
Execute the project plan
Close the project

Attend a project management workshop

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Attending a project management workshop can help you to learn new project management techniques and to network with other project managers.

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Find a project management workshop
Attend the workshop
Participate in the exercises and discussions
Network with other project managers

Attend a project management networking event

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Networking with other project managers can help you to learn about new project management trends and to find new job opportunities.

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Find a project management networking event
Attend the event
Introduce yourself to other project managers
Share your knowledge and experience
Learn from others

Volunteer on a project management project

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Volunteering on a project management project can help you to gain practical experience and to build your resume.

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Find a project management volunteer opportunity
Apply for the volunteer position
Work on the project management project
Learn from the other volunteers
Make a difference in your community

Career center

Learners who complete Introduction to Project Management will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Project Manager

Project Managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. This course provides a comprehensive overview of project management principles and practices, which can help Project Managers succeed in their roles. The course covers topics such as project planning, scheduling, budgeting, and risk management, which are all essential skills for Project Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Program Manager

Program Managers are responsible for managing complex programs that involve multiple projects. This course provides a comprehensive overview of program management principles and practices, which can help Program Managers succeed in their roles. The course covers topics such as program planning, budgeting, and risk management, which are all essential skills for Program Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Program Manager

Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for the development and launch of new products. This course provides a foundation in project management principles and practices, which can help Product Managers successfully manage product development projects. The course covers topics such as product planning, market research, and financial analysis, which are all important for Product Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Consultant

Consultants provide advice and guidance to clients on a variety of business issues, including project management. This course provides a foundation in project management principles and practices, which can help Consultants provide better advice to their clients. The course covers topics such as project planning, scheduling, and risk management, which are all important for Consultants.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consultant

Business Analyst

Business Analysts help organizations improve their business processes. This course provides a foundation in project management principles and practices, which can help Business Analysts successfully manage projects to improve business processes. The course covers topics such as project planning, scheduling, and risk management, which are all important for Business Analysts.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Operations Manager

Operations Managers are responsible for the day-to-day operations of an organization. This course provides a foundation in project management principles and practices, which can help Operations Managers successfully manage projects to improve operations. The course covers topics such as project planning, scheduling, and risk management, which are all important for Operations Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Manager

Quality Manager

Quality Managers are responsible for the planning and execution of quality management plans. This course provides a foundation in project management principles and practices, which can help Quality Managers successfully manage quality management plans. The course covers topics such as project planning, scheduling, and risk management, which are all important for Quality Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Manager

Event Manager

Event Managers are responsible for the planning and execution of events. This course provides a foundation in project management principles and practices, which can help Event Managers successfully manage events. The course covers topics such as project planning, scheduling, and risk management, which are all important for Event Managers.

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Human Resources Manager

Human Resources Managers are responsible for the planning and execution of human resources plans. This course provides a foundation in project management principles and practices, which can help Human Resources Managers successfully manage human resources plans. The course covers topics such as project planning, scheduling, and risk management, which are all important for Human Resources Managers.

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Finance Manager

Finance Managers are responsible for the planning and execution of financial plans. This course provides a foundation in project management principles and practices, which can help Finance Managers successfully manage financial plans. The course covers topics such as project planning, scheduling, and risk management, which are all important for Finance Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Finance Manager

Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers are responsible for the planning and execution of marketing campaigns. This course provides a foundation in project management principles and practices, which can help Marketing Managers successfully manage marketing campaigns. The course covers topics such as project planning, scheduling, and risk management, which are all important for Marketing Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Sales Manager

Sales Managers are responsible for the planning and execution of sales campaigns. This course provides a foundation in project management principles and practices, which can help Sales Managers successfully manage sales campaigns. The course covers topics such as project planning, scheduling, and risk management, which are all important for Sales Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

IT Project Manager

IT Project Managers are responsible for planning and executing IT projects. This course provides a comprehensive overview of project management principles and practices, which can help IT Project Managers succeed in their roles. The course covers topics such as project planning, scheduling, budgeting, and risk management, which are all essential skills for IT Project Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Project Manager

Risk Manager

Risk Managers are responsible for the planning and execution of risk management plans. This course provides a foundation in project management principles and practices, which can help Risk Managers successfully manage risk management plans. The course covers topics such as project planning, scheduling, and risk management, which are all important for Risk Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Risk Manager

Construction Manager

Construction Managers are responsible for the planning and execution of construction projects. This course provides a foundation in project management principles and practices, which can help Construction Managers successfully manage construction projects. The course covers topics such as project planning, scheduling, and risk management, which are all important for Construction Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Construction Manager