Companies are always looking to hire professionals with project management certification or an educational background that illustrates their dedication and their qualifications for dealing successfully with the complexities of the modern business world. An important attribute among competent professionals in this industry is their knowledge of methods for completing projects early and under budget and their track record of doing so. Educational achievements act as career measurements for hiring companies, so the level of your education will greatly influence how you are perceived by professionals in the industry. There are a multitude of degrees available to you through online schools and vocational trade schools that will help prepare a road for you toward a career in project management.

Associate Degree
An associate degree is the first rung on the higher-education career ladder. Earning this type of degree will enable you to be considered for entry-level positions within the business industry. The downside is that it will not sufficiently prepare you to compete with other professional candidates who have taken more project management classes. Project management is an education-heavy position, so the further you are willing to push yourself academically, the greater your chances for entering this career will be. Should you choose to pursue an associate degree, however, you can continue on to take project management certificate programs (e.g., PMP) after five years’ experience as a project manager. Taking project management classes will allow you to compete for more and better positions in the industry.

Bachelor’s Degree
Entering the professional world with a bachelor’s degree in business management will set you on even ground with other graduates for becoming a project manager. Like many professionals, you will have to work your way up the professional ladder before you will be entrusted with a management position. When you’re starting out, however, employers will prefer that you have a solid four-year education from an online university or career technical college. This will supply you with a basic knowledge of business and some of the complexities involved in project management. While dedicating several years toward online college courses or vocational trade schools may seem daunting, it will put you in an excellent position to start your career on the right foot.

Master’s Degree
Many young project managers go on to earn a master’s degree early on in their professional and academic career. After completing an online degree program or earning a degree from a career technical college, students (especially those in computer science or IT) will go on to earn a master’s degree, such as an MBA. This opens up many opportunities for management positions and helps cultivate the methodologies necessary for you to manage people and projects effectively.

PhD
Project management does not rely heavily on the highest degree in formal education except for positions in upper management or collegiate settings. Project managers typically take more of a hands-on approach, which is not as common in the higher echelons of the corporate ladder. Individuals who pursue online PhD degrees or PhD programs at universities in topics such as business administration or organizational management are able to fill research-related roles and draw upon their past experience as project managers to improve processes within a company. Entering this line of work with a prestigious degree requires experience in the field, but it does open doors for higher-ranked and better-paying careers.

Certifications & Associations
Throughout the world, project managers are part of the association known as the Project Management Institute (PMI). This networking group boasts a membership base of more than half a million members worldwide, all of whom are dedicated to advancing the profession. Due to the global scope of this association, its members are given a special edge in being able to engage in best practices without the restriction of nationality. As a member of this group, you will be able to assimilate information, networking and resources from a variety of cultures into your own practices in the workplace.

Project management certificate programs that enable experienced workers to become project management professionals (PMP) are available to project management professionals. Certifications like this are in high demand among large corporations and will immediately increase your income and employment eligibility. Should you decide to pursue project management certification programs, you should expect to cover such subjects as:

• Initiation
• Planning
• Executing
• Monitoring and Controlling