KU’s online Bachelor of Science in Project Management is a degree-completion program designed to strengthen students' backgrounds in project management. This program emphasizes a theoretical focus, providing a broader and more in-depth understanding of project management theory, research, and analytical thinking. Students will learn how theory and practice combine to solve real-world problems across various fields.
According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), project management is a growing profession, with nearly 2.2 million new jobs expected globally each year through 2027. Organizations worldwide are increasingly adopting project management due to globalization, evolving technology, and rapid automation, emphasizing project-based planning, development, and operations to gain a competitive edge.
Students can tailor their education to career goals by integrating project management with areas such as:
- Information technology management
- Construction management
- Health care management
- Advertising and marketing
- Public administration
Students seeking this degree typically take lower-level courses at a community college or at the KU Lawrence Campus and complete the upper-level courses through the School of Professional Studies. Upper-level courses can be completed online.
The B.S. in Project Management follows university admission requirements for transfer students. First-year students apply for admission through the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.
This program offers flexible pathways for students to complete their degree. Students can take foundational courses at community colleges or the KU Lawrence Campus, and complete upper-level coursework through the School of Professional Studies.
Upper-level courses requirements for the major are available online.
The School of Professional Studies strongly encourages students to contact an academic advisor prior to applying for admission to develop a personalized degree completion plan. To schedule an appointment, please call 913-897-8539.
Transfer students with an associate’s degree or equivalent:
- Students with an associate's degree or equivalent, after meeting with an advisor and developing a degree completion plan, can typically begin taking junior and senior-level courses in their major.
Transfer students with 24-59 credit hours:
- Students with 24-59 credits, after meeting with an advisor and developing their plan, may still need to complete prerequisite and lower-level courses.
- Please note that online lower-level courses are limited, and no lower-level courses are offered at the Edwards Campus.
- Students may find more lower-level course availability in-person at the Lawrence Campus or at a community college.
- Schedule an appointment with an advisor and create a personalized plan, contact 913-897-8539.
First-year students:
Incoming first-year students wanting to pursue this major apply through the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. An academic advisor will guide you through lower-level course selections and help you declare Project Management as your academic major when you are ready to begin junior and senior level courses.
First-year students should select the following options on the KU admission application:
Program: College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Plan: Deciding
Subplan: Communications and Leadership
The following list describes the specific courses to fulfill the BS in Project Management degree requirements.
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| MATH 101 | College Algebra: _____ | 3 |
| MATH 115 | Calculus I | 3 |
| MATH 365 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| or MATH 107 | Introductory Statistics |
| CHEM 130 | General Chemistry I (or a physical science course with lab) | 5 |
| ACCT 200 | Fundamentals of Financial Accounting | 4 |
| ITEC 301 | Survey of Information Systems | 3 |
| or IST 205 | Survey of Information Systems |
| ECON 142 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| or ECON 144 | Principles of Macroeconomics |
| PMGT 305 | Foundations of Project Management | 3 |
| PMGT 310 | Project Communications | 3 |
| PMGT 315 | Project Scheduling and Control | 3 |
| PMGT 320 | Introduction to Microsoft Project | 3 |
| PMGT 325 | Effective Project Team Leadership | 3 |
| PMGT 405 | Organizational and Project Risk Management | 3 |
| PMGT 330 | Organizational Strategy and Project Initiation | 3 |
| PMGT 410 | Managing Project Success | 3 |
| PMGT 415 | Project Procurement and Supply Chain Management | 3 |
| PMGT 335 | Project Stakeholder Engagement | 3 |
| PMGT 420 | Emerging Trends in Project Management | 3 |
| Global Project Management | |
| Managing Virtual Project Teams | |
| Advanced Agile Approaches to Project Management | |
| Advanced Microsoft Project | |
| Project Management Internship | |
| PMGT 599 | Project Management Capstone | 3 |
| Total Hours | 120 |
While completing all required courses, students must also meet each of the following hour and grade-point average minimum standards:
Total Hours: Satisfied by a minimum of 120 total hours.
Junior/Senior Hours: Satisfied by a minimum of 45 junior/senior (300+) hours.
Graduation GPA: Satisfied with a minimum 2.0 KU GPA and a minimum of a "C" in all Project Management Sequence, Project Management Electives, and Capstone requirements.
Example Degree Plan: Please consult with an academic success coach for a personalized plan.
| Freshman |
|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
|---|
| MATH 101 (Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE)*) | 3 | Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 |
| CHEM 130 (Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE)**) | 5 | Core 34: Communications (SGE)020 | 3 |
| Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 | Core 34: Social and Behavioral Sciences (SGE)050 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 |
| | Elective | 3 |
| | 14 | | 15 |
| Sophomore |
|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
|---|
| MATH 115* | 3 | ACCT 200 | 4 |
| ECON 142 | 3 | IST 205 | 3 |
| Core 34: Social and Behavioral Sciences (SGE)050 | 3 | Core 34: Global Culture (SGE)070 | 3 |
| Core 34: US Culture (SGE)070 | 3 | Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| | 15 | | 16 |
| Junior |
|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
|---|
| PMGT 305 | 3 | PMGT 315 | 3 |
| PMGT 310 | 3 | PMGT 325 | 3 |
| PMGT 320 | 3 | PMGT 335 | 3 |
| MATH 365* | 3 | PMGT Elective 1 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| | 15 | | 15 |
| Senior |
|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
|---|
| PMGT 330 | 3 | PMGT 405 | 3 |
| PMGT 410 | 3 | PMGT 420 | 3 |
| PMGT 415 | 3 | PMGT 599 (Capstone) | 3 |
| PMGT Elective 2 | 3 | PMGT Elective 3 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| | 15 | | 15 |
| Total Hours 120 |
Notes:
* - This course is a Required major course and is also part of Core 34: Systemwide General Education. If this course is not taken to fulfill the Core 34:SGE requirement, it must be taken in place of elective hours.
** - This course is a Recommended Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This specific course is not required but is recommended by the program’s faculty.
*** - This course is a Required Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This program is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents to require this specific Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. If a student did not take this course it must be taken in addition to other degree requirements.
At the completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Select and utilize project initiation principles and tools to initiate projects in alignment with organizational strategic objectives and provide value to the organization.
- Select and utilize stakeholder management tools and techniques to identify, categorize, and manage stakeholders on projects.
- Select and utilize appropriate project management tools and techniques to plan projects including the development of key project planning documents.
- Evaluate and utilize project management best practices to execute projects and communicate project information in a professional and ethical manner.
- Select and utilize project management methodologies to properly close out projects and prepare final project documentation.
- Synthesize how to use management and leadership skills to best manage a diverse project team to deliver value to the organization.
- Integrate emerging trends in project management to continually refine the methodologies utilized to manage projects in a professional manner.
