Project management as a profession has grown exponentially over the last 30 years. Many organizations recognize the value of project management as an effective way to achieve business results. Project management standards and practices can be found in all industries (i.e. construction, manufacturing, aerospace, and telecommunications) and all disciplines (i.e. engineering, information technology, human resources, and product development) worldwide. As the interest and demand for project management standardization increases, so does the demand for highly qualified project management practitioners.

The purpose of this course is to improve your knowledge and skills in project management and prepare you for the next step in your professional development. You will learn the terminology associated with this profession and the practical application of these concepts in the day to day planning and execution of projects. The course material is presented in ten separate modules covering all of the essential aspects of project management such as:

• Initiating a new project and developing the project scope
• Identifying work efforts and developing the schedule
• Defining measurable quality metrics for the project
• Understanding how procurement applies in the project framework
• Identify, assess and mitigate project risks
• Create a project management plan
• Identify resource requirements and negotiate for team members
• Develop a communications plan to meet the stakeholders’ needs

You will have reading assignments followed by on-line course materials. The on-line course modules present the material by following a story about a project. The story shows how project management is applied in the “real world”. As with any real project, you will be presented with situations or problems that you will deal with and solve. You will be given opportunities to test your project management knowledge.

In addition, this course will help you in your preparation for the Project Management Professional (PMP) ® certification. This course is compliant with the current edition of the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) ®. Not only does it help you with the required pre-requisite formal education requirement of 35 hours but it also covers a wide variety of project management topics that you can expect to see on the exam.

Upon successful completion of the Project Management program, students should:
- List and describe the nine knowledge areas of project management
- Describe the steps required to plan a project
- Describe the steps required to manage a project
- List and describe the primary planning documents for a project
- Define the characteristics of a project and its deliverables
- Describe the most common phases of a project life cycle and the typical project management tasks associated with each
- Meet the 35 hour education requirement for the PMP® certification exam

There are no specific requirements for this course; however, if you plan to take the PMP Exam, you will need a Bachelor's degree and 4500 hours of project management experience in addition to this course, or a High School Diploma or GED and 7500 hours of project management experience in addition to this course. For those interested in the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) ® certification, this course will meet the educational pre-requisites.

This project management program is designed for professionals who wish to improve their project management knowledge and skills or are seeking one of the project management certifications.

This course is compatible with the Windows Vista operating system. This course can be taken from either a Mac or a PC. There are no specific computer requirements other than a high speed Internet connection (DSL or Cable) and email capabilities. This program also includes audio, so you will need headphones or speakers to listen to the presentation. Please view the demo to verify your computers compatibility with the presentations.

Adobe Flash Player and Adobe Acrobat Reader are required for this course

GES will provide the following required textbooks for this course:
• A Guide to The Project Management Body of Knowledge, 4th Edition by the Project Management Institute, 2008
• PMP® Exam Prep Book, 6th edition by Rita Mulcahy, PMP, 2008