Project Management Basics from edX

The global economy will need 25 million more project managers by 2030 (Project Management Institute). Demand for skilled practitioners is booming. If you’re just starting your project management journey, this course provides the ideal introduction to this in-demand field. It’s specifically designed for beginners, career starters, or career switchers, and no prior experience is required.

What do project managers do? Project managers plan, organize, and oversee projects to ensure they are completed on time, within budget, and meet the desired objectives.

In this course, you’ll explore the core principles of project management, its benefits, and the challenges faced by professionals in the field. You’ll discover how current trends, such as remote work, Agile practices, and artificial intelligence, are reshaping the way projects are managed today. Plus, you’ll learn about the diverse career paths available in project management, and look at roles across various industries, skill requirements, and experience levels.

Throughout the course, you’ll access lectures, interviews with experienced project managers, readings, activities, and quizzes to build a solid appreciation of project management. And by the end, you’ll have gained valuable insights and practical knowledge from industry experts.

If you’re looking for the perfect introduction to the exciting world of project management, ENROLL TODAY and get started on your path to your first project management role.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Start your project management journey exploring the core principles of project management, its benefits, and the role it plays in projects.
Discover who project managers work with, different project management methodologies, and recent trends in project management.

Understand the typical responsibilities of a project manager and the skill sets needed to fulfill those responsibilities.
Investigate different industries, paths, and possible career progressions available to project management professionals.

Start your project management journey exploring the core principles of project management, its benefits, and the role it plays in projects.
Discover who project managers work with, different project management methodologies, and recent trends in project management.
Understand the typical responsibilities of a project manager and the skill sets needed to fulfill those responsibilities.
Investigate different industries, paths, and possible career progressions available to project management professionals.

Syllabus

Module 0: Welcome

Video: Course Introduction

Reading: General Information

Reading: Learning Objectives and Syllabus

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides an overview of project management methodologies, which is helpful for those new to the field and want to understand different approaches

Explores career paths in project management, which can help learners understand the opportunities and required skills across various industries

Includes interviews with experienced project managers, offering valuable insights and practical knowledge from industry experts

Examines recent trends like remote work, Agile practices, and AI, which are reshaping project management and are essential for modern practitioners

Includes readings about PMP-CAPM certification, which may be useful for learners who want to pursue certification in the future

Requires learners to complete a final project involving project management job postings, which may not be accessible to all learners

Reviews summary

Solid foundational project management overview

According to learners, this course provides a solid introduction to project management basics, making it ideal for beginners and career changers. Students appreciate the clear explanations of core concepts, methodologies like Agile, and the role of a project manager. Many found the expert interviews particularly valuable for gaining real-world perspective. While the course is seen as a great starting point and offers a broad overview, some mention it lacks the practical depth needed for immediate application or for those with prior experience. The focus is on understanding the landscape and terminology, rather than hands-on tool usage.

Content is easy to follow and well-structured.

"The lectures are clear and concise, making complex ideas easy to grasp."

"Content is well-organized and presented in a logical flow."

"Explanations are simple and straightforward, great for learning the basics."

"The course material was very easy to understand, even for someone new."

Real-world views from professionals are helpful.

"The interviews with experienced project managers were incredibly insightful and relatable."

"Hearing from experts in the field added significant value and context to the concepts."

"I really enjoyed the expert viewpoints segments; they made the theory more practical."

"The interviews provided great perspective on different career paths and challenges."

Provides a strong starting point for newcomers.

"This course is a perfect starting point for anyone interested in project management or considering a career change."

"As an absolute beginner, I found the content easy to follow and understand."

"Great introduction to the field. Highly recommend for someone just dipping their toes in."

"I had zero prior knowledge, and this course gave me a solid foundation to build upon."

Emphasizes definitions and concepts.

"Learned a lot of project management jargon and definitions."

"Good for understanding the language of project management, but not much beyond that."

"It's heavy on defining terms and roles."

"Primarily focused on theory and vocabulary rather than practical skills."

Covers many topics but stays at a high level.

"Good for a general understanding, but it's mostly theoretical with very little practical application."

"It provides a good overview of project management but doesn't go deep into any specific methodology or tool."

"While comprehensive in topics covered, the depth on each subject is limited."

"Felt like a survey course. Useful for terminology but not hands-on skills."

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 Project Management Basics with these activities:

Review 'A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)'

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Familiarize yourself with the core concepts and terminology used in the field of project management.

View Risk Management in Portfolios, Programs, and... on Amazon

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Obtain the latest edition of the PMBOK Guide.
Read the introductory chapters to understand the framework.
Focus on the key knowledge areas and process groups.
Take notes on important definitions and concepts.

Review basic business principles

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Refresh your understanding of fundamental business concepts to better grasp the context of project management.

Browse courses on Business Strategy

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Review introductory business textbooks or online resources.
Focus on topics like organizational structure and strategy.
Understand how projects contribute to business goals.

Plan a personal project

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Apply project management principles to a real-world scenario to solidify your understanding.

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Define a small, achievable personal project.
Create a project plan with goals, tasks, and timelines.
Track your progress and make adjustments as needed.
Reflect on what you learned from the experience.

Four other activities

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Create a presentation on project management methodologies

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Deepen your knowledge of different project management methodologies by researching and presenting them.

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Research different project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, etc.).
Create a presentation outlining the key features of each methodology.
Present your findings to a friend or colleague.

Attend a project management webinar

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Learn from experienced project managers and expand your professional network.

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Search for upcoming project management webinars.
Register for a webinar that interests you.
Attend the webinar and take notes.
Connect with the speaker or other attendees on LinkedIn.

Develop a project charter template

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Apply your understanding of project initiation by creating a practical tool for future projects.

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Test your template on a hypothetical project.
Research the elements of a project charter.
Design a template that includes all essential information.

Review 'Agile Project Management for Dummies'

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Gain a better understanding of Agile methodologies, which are increasingly important in modern project management.

View Agile Project Management For Dummies on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'Agile Project Management for Dummies'.
Read the chapters on Agile principles and frameworks.
Compare and contrast Agile with traditional methods.

Career center

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

Project Manager

A project manager plans, organizes, and oversees projects, ensuring they are completed on time, within budget, and meet desired objectives. This course, designed as an introduction to project management, helps build a foundation in core principles, methodologies, and responsibilities. The course is particularly useful for aspiring project managers because it explores diverse career paths, skill requirements, and experience levels in this in-demand field. It introduces various project management methodologies and recent trends, which are crucial for anyone stepping into this role. Practical knowledge gained from industry experts through lectures, interviews, readings, and activities should also greatly benefit an aspiring project manager.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Associate Project Manager

An associate project manager supports project managers in planning, executing, and closing projects, often focusing on specific tasks and smaller components of larger initiatives. This course provides a solid introduction to project management, including fundamentals, benefits, and challenges faced in the field. An individual looking to become an associate project manager would benefit from the course’s exploration of project management methodologies, team collaboration, and the typical responsibilities handled by someone in this position. The course’s focus on core principles and practical applications makes it a good starting point for an associate project manager.

See salaries and explore the career path for Associate Project Manager

Project Coordinator

A project coordinator assists project managers by handling administrative tasks, tracking project progress, and facilitating communication among team members. This course offers an introduction to project management, covering core principles, roles in projects, and benefits. Aspiring project coordinators can start by understanding the nature of project management, different methodologies, and team dynamics, as it provides a foundational perspective for daily responsibilities. The course also explores recent trends and various career paths in project management, offering a broader understanding of a project coordinator’s place within the field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Coordinator

Project Scheduler

A project scheduler develops and maintains project schedules, ensuring projects are completed on time. This course is directly relevant for a project scheduler as it introduces project management, including core principles, planning, and project team roles. The course’s discussions on methodologies, timelines, and tasks can help a project scheduler develop effective plans. The course also explores the challenges of project management, which may help a project scheduler in their role and responsibilities. It serves as a solid starting point for understanding the project lifecycle and the importance of planning and scheduling.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Scheduler

Program Manager

A program manager oversees multiple related projects, ensuring they align with organizational goals and strategic objectives. This course, despite being an introduction to project management, also helps to explain the difference between programs, projects, and portfolios, which is useful knowledge for a program manager. The course’s focus on core project management principles and methodologies builds a foundation for managing larger programs. Moreover, the course discussions of project management trends and challenges are useful to aspiring program managers, as this role often requires a broader and more strategic perspective.

See salaries and explore the career path for Program Manager

Scrum Master

A scrum master facilitates agile project teams, removing obstacles and ensuring smooth workflow following a scrum framework. This course may be useful for a scrum master because it introduces various project management methodologies, including Agile. The course provides a fundamental understanding of project management that can be helpful when working in this role. Furthermore, the course’s exploration of project manager responsibilities and team collaboration is also relevant for those working in agile project environments. This may be a good starting point for someone trying to enter the field of project management or Agile.

See salaries and explore the career path for Scrum Master

Agile Project Manager

An agile project manager leads projects using agile methodologies to deliver flexible, iterative solutions. This course may be useful for an agile project manager because it introduces various project management methodologies, including agile practices. The course’s focus on the modern project management environment, including trends like remote work and artificial intelligence, is particularly relevant to agile project management. It also discusses the core principles and challenges of project management, all of which are essential for anyone working in this role. The course could help someone transition to agile project management by providing foundational knowledge.

See salaries and explore the career path for Agile Project Manager

Project Control Analyst

A project control analyst monitors project costs, schedules, and performance, to manage project status. This course may be useful because it provides a foundational understanding of project management, including planning, organization, and the processes that must be controlled. It also discusses the responsibilities of a project manager, which will allow a project control analyst better understand their role in the team. The course is a good introduction into the complexities and challenges of project management, which can help a project control analyst better perform their daily tasks.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Control Analyst

Project Analyst

A project analyst studies project data and performance to identify areas for improvement. This course may be useful for a project analyst because it introduces core project management principles, methodologies, and roles. The course’s exploration of project organization and planning could help a project analyst better analyze project data. Furthermore, it introduces modern trends within project management, which may help a project analyst understand how to support projects in a current environment. It is a solid way to start understanding project dynamics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Analyst

Business Analyst

A business analyst identifies needs and solutions for a business, often working closely with project teams to ensure projects align with business goals. This course may be useful for a business analyst because it introduces the core principles of project management and the typical responsibilities of a project manager. Understanding the project lifecycle and project management methodologies may provide useful context for a business analyst working with project teams. The course also discusses working across teams and different organizational structures, which helps in understanding project dynamics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Operations Manager

An operations manager oversees daily business operations, aiming for efficiency and productivity. This course may be useful to an operations manager because it introduces the core principles of project management, and how projects are planned, organized, and overseen. An understanding of project management can also help those in operations improve process and workflow. The course’s discussions of working across teams and different organizational structures may also be useful in coordinating operations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Manager

Team Lead

A team lead coordinates activities within a team, ensuring members work effectively towards shared goals. This course, while introducing the core principles of project management, may be useful for a team lead as it delves into project management methodologies and teamwork. The course's exploration of project manager roles and responsibilities could help team leads understand the bigger picture of project management. It also covers the importance of collaboration, which is key to team leadership. This course may be useful in understanding how to be a leader in a project-based setting.

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Technical Project Manager

A technical project manager oversees technology-related projects, requiring a blend of technical knowledge and project management skills. This course may be useful for a technical project manager, because it introduces the core principles of project management. By covering different project management methodologies and the role of a project manager, it may lay the groundwork for a technical project management role. The course also looks at the importance of communication and organization, which are crucial for those who manage technical projects.

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Product Owner

A product owner defines and manages product backlogs, working closely with project teams to deliver solutions. This course may be useful for a product owner since it introduces project management methodologies and explores team collaboration. The course may also provide a foundational understanding of project lifecycles, which could enhance how a product owner interacts with project managers. Additionally, the course covers modern project management trends, which could be beneficial for a product owner staying current in project settings. It may be helpful in understanding how a product owner fits within a larger project context.

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Management Consultant

A management consultant advises organizations on improving performance through various strategies, including project implementation. This course may be useful for a management consultant, offering an introduction to project management principles, methodologies, and responsibilities. A consultant may find value in understanding how projects are managed and the challenges faced in the field. This course’s overview of project management roles and responsibilities can provide context for how organizations approach their projects and initiatives. The course may help a consultant better strategize and implement plans.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Project Management Basics.

Risk Management in Portfolios, Programs, and...

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The PMBOK Guide is the definitive resource for project management principles and practices. It provides a standardized framework, terminology, and guidelines widely used in the industry. Reviewing this book will give you a solid foundation in project management methodologies and best practices. It is commonly used as a textbook and a reference by project management professionals.

Risk Management in Portfolios, Programs, and...

Paperback

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Risk Management in Portfolios, Programs, and...

Kindle Edition

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Agile Project Management For Dummies

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Provides a clear and accessible introduction to Agile project management methodologies. It explains the core principles, practices, and benefits of Agile in a straightforward manner. Reading this book will help you understand how Agile differs from traditional project management approaches. It is particularly useful for beginners who want to learn about Agile quickly.

Agile Project Management For Dummies

Paperback

Project Management Basics

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Solid foundational project management overview

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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