Project Management Courses to Be an Effective Leader

For any business endeavor to take off, proper project planning and execution are vital. However, competence in both is difficult to come by. As a result, many promising projects rarely deliver the expected returns. Enter project management courses. 

There are two benefits to taking project management courses. Firstly, doing so improves your project management skills. Secondly, additional training and credentials increase your earning potential. To help you with both, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best project management courses available online.

What Is Project Management? 

Project management is the deliberate and strategic orientation of a project toward a determined end goal. This process involves a project manager who oversees the entire project management life cycle. This cycle can be broken down into four stages.

1. Initiation: During the initiation phase, the project manager defines the scope and limitations of the project. This includes defining the problem, objectives, stakeholders, risks and opportunities, and the deliverables that the end goal entails. This phase is all about drawing a blueprint of the project. 

1. Planning: In this stage, time and cost take precedence. The project manager determines the budget needed for the entire project, as well as the timeframe. Having both puts constraints on the project and makes sure every task is geared toward the actualization of the project objectives. 

This is also when the team is brought on board. The team is briefed on the scope of the project and the members’ roles and responsibilities are assigned. The tasks are also broken down into simpler and actionable ones to ensure the project keeps moving forward.

1. Execution: This marks the implementation stage and when the work really starts. During the execution phase, the project manager regularly monitors the progress of the project to make sure tasks are delivered on time. 

Other than the tasks and deadlines, the expenses must also be monitored. Do the numbers match with the budget? In the real world, actual project expenses rarely do. Extra costs are inevitable, so the project manager must be able to explain the added expense. 

1. Closeout: As the name suggests, this phase represents the finalization of all facets of the project. That is, the outputs are stacked against the project objectives and constraints. Were they fulfilled on time and to specifications? Were the clients satisfied?

The entire execution process is evaluated. How was the team’s performance? Criticism isn’t the main objective here. Rather, the focus should be on learning and development. What are the key takeaways from the project? How will these apply to subsequent projects?   

A capable project manager is someone who can execute the full spectrum of the project management cycle. Fortunately, there is no shortage of online project management courses that provide project management training. 

Top Online Project Management Courses

Whether you’re a veteran in your field or just starting, there’s no better time than now to take any of the best project management courses listed below. 

To help narrow down your search, we have broken these courses down into two categories: the best paid and free online project management courses.

Best Free Project Management Courses

Despite zero costs, the following online project management courses should not be overlooked. If you want a comprehensive understanding of the core foundations of project management, then the free method is the way to go. 

EdX: Introduction to Project Management

Skill Level: Beginner 

Certificate of Completion: Available for $199

Offered by the University of Adelaide, this course is one of the best starting points to project management. As the name suggests, the curriculum gives an overview of the full project management life cycle, with emphasis on initiation and planning. 

Since communication is an integral part of project management, this course exposes you to essential communication skills to ensure a smoother workflow. The course lasts six weeks but can be accessed at your pace and availability. 

Oxford Home Study College: Project Management (Short Course)

Skill Level: Beginner 

Certificate of Completion: Available for free

This course gives a glimpse into what project management is all about. The course is 20 hours long and consists of three sections. These include an introduction to project management, the role of a project manager, and the project life cycle. 

Alison: Diploma in Project Management

Skill Level: Beginner 

Certificate of Completion: Available for free

This course will walk you through the core project management principles, including a detailed discussion of the four phases of project management. Students learn about project management methodologies, such as Agile and Scrum, while gaining knowledge on project management tools, such as Gantt and PERT charts. 

After gaining significant knowledge of theoretical concepts, students move on to case studies. During this stage, students witness the full project management cycle being carried out. The course is six to 10 hours long. After this, students who hit the 80-percent passing rate for each module assessment earn a certificate of completion. 

Best Paid Project Management Courses

Project managers who hold a Project Management Professional (PMP) certificate earn a higher salary than those who do not. Most of the paid courses listed below are designed to prepare students for the PMP Certification Exam. 

Passers of the exam receive a project management certificate issued by the Project Management Institute. This certificate is the gold standard among project management certificates and demonstrates your ability to manage projects efficiently. 

Coursera: Project Management Principles and Practices Specialization

Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Cost: $49/month after a seven-day free trial 

Certificate of Completion: Available 

Offered by the University of California, Irvine, this specialization teaches project management in theory and practice. During the course of the program, students complete a series of projects that mimic the day-to-day tasks of project managers. 

The specialization has four courses that provide a deeper look into the project management cycle. By the end of the program, students are expected to have a strong working knowledge of project management. This entails identifying and managing product scope to managing the project development and understanding the procurement process.

Completion of the program fulfills the 35 contact hours needed to meet the exam requirements of the Project Management Institute. The university-issued certificate also qualifies for 35 Professional Development Units (PDUs), which are necessary to maintain one’s PMP certification status. 

Coursera: UCI Project Management Professional Certificate 

Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Cost: $777 per course

Certificate of Completion:  Available with $125 candidacy fee plus $35 for a hard copy

This program is recommended to be taken after the above-listed UCI specialization. Comprising four courses, each of which lasts six weeks, the program offers instructor-led virtual discussions and capstone projects that satisfy PMI’s PMP credentials requirement. 

The curriculum has four modules, each of which is worth three units. The modules cover current trends and practices highlighted in PMI’s A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide). 

Lessons include defining the project scope with the use of a work breakdown structure, project planning, integration management, and project management techniques.

Udemy: PMP Exam Prep Seminar 

Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Cost: $129.99

Certificate of Completion:  Available

This course covers over 24 hours of on-demand video in addition to other course materials that prepare students for the PMI PMP certification exam. Students receive 35 contact hours and 35 PDUs upon completion of the course. As a training course, the curriculum covers the full breadth of project management. 

This includes a demonstration of the project management process as well as an exploration of the sixth edition of the PMBOK Guide. Practice questions are given along the way to test students’ mastery of the principles outlined in the PMBOK Guide. 

Another Udemy offering, The Project Management Course, includes seven hours of on-demand video and 28 downloadable resources. The main goal is to turn a project management beginner into a pro. The course includes a comparison between Agile and Waterfall, which are the core methodologies used in project management. 

Brain Sensei: PMP® Exam Prep Course & Simulator Combo 

Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Cost: $499.99

Certificate of Completion:  Available

Brain Sensei provides a dynamic and engaging self-paced online PMP exam prep course tailored to help you achieve PMP certification success.

The course’s standout feature is its unique interactive storytelling, with animated lessons set in a captivating Samurai-themed world, making learning both enjoyable and effective. It covers 9 detailed modules and offers an Unlimited Exam Simulator, which generates a new exam each time from a pool of 1,500 realistic questions. With a 100% Pass Guarantee and an impressive 99.6% first-try pass rate, Brain Sensei ensures comprehensive exam preparation.

This course is perfect for busy professionals, offering the flexibility to study at your own pace while providing all the necessary resources and support to excel.

PMI: Project Management Basics (An Official PMI Online Course)

Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Cost: $400

Certificate of Completion:  Available

Designed and created by PMI itself, this is a preparatory course for the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) Certification. The CAPM certification is one of the most recognized credentials in project management alongside the PMP certification. 

The curriculum is developed by CAPM and PMP certification holders and based on the PMBOK Guide which is the focus of the exam. Upon enrollment, students gain access to a free digital copy of the sixth edition of the PMBOK Guide. 

Students then take a three-hour practice exam created by CAPM and PMP passers to solidify their grasp of project management principles and practices. 

Is a Project Management Course Worth My Time? 

Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not classify the role of a project manager as an occupation, it nevertheless is an important position. Project managers boost team morale while making sure things run smoothly. 

There are various reasons why you should take a project management course. For one, continuous learning is imperative in today’s economy where the half-life of skills is getting shorter. Additionally, the right courses can be a great first step if you want to land a project management apprenticeship or internship.

More importantly, PMP certification holders earn 22 percent more than those without certification. Hence, acquiring some training through the available project management courses is crucial. 

If you’re looking to boost your project management skills, signing up for any of these courses is a good stepping stone.