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Master the critical skills required by today’s project managers.

The Clark University Master of Science in Project Management provides a comprehensive and rigorous project management education that prepares students to lead successful projects in a variety of industries.

Our focus on technical knowledge and effective leadership will provide you with knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience employers demand, and the ethical and socially responsible practices our world requires.
Gain a deeper understanding across the project management lifecycle, and master the key strategies needed to assess risk, manage quality, minimize costs, control scope, and incorporate research insights into the planning and management process.

Turning a complacent organization into a lean, market leader takes powerful project management skills. Become a master of leading-edge project management tools and Lean agility — the concept of creating the most value while minimizing resources, time, energy, and effort used — and learn a skill set valued by companies in virtually every industry.

Leveraging the deep resources of Clark’s knowledge center, our master’s in project management is distinguished in the academic marketplace by its emphasis on flexible, fit-for-purpose project delivery practices, giving you the skills to increase your ability to implement strategic initiatives, drive change, deliver innovation, and create stakeholder value.

STEM-Designated Program

International students who graduate with a STEM degree may be eligible to work in the U.S. for up to 36 months on Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Why a Master’s in Project Management at Clark University?

  • Acquire a MSPM to stand out in a competitive job market and propel your career to higher organizational positions.
  • Capitalize on networking opportunities with professional Project management trained faculty practitioners, industry experts and peers.
  • Learn in a highly collaborative learning environment with talented peers and scholar-practitioner faculty who share with you their deep industry experience.
  • Ramp up your skills at a globally ranked and accredited university that has set itself apart as a leader in skills-based education with an outcome focused curriculum.
  • Earn a degree aligned with the most current Project Management Institute (PMI) Standards and Guidelines.
professor leblanc

Learn from Professor Brian LeBlanc, a Leader in Lean Project Management

Professor LeBlanc is a successful entrepreneur and corporate leader, currently working for an industry leading financial services firm, with a passion for building highly productive teams and processes. He is renowned as a strategic problem solver.

Review Professor LeBlanc’s latest video where he discusses the concept of “The Startup Mod.”

Greatness in project management is built upon a depth of experience. Clark's unique program studies PM techniques, presenting them in a challenging format to add critical skills, creating skilled project leaders for an increasingly complex business ecosystem."
—Brian LeBlanc

Professor of Practice

The Essentials

Program Overview

Gain the most current knowledge in every step from project inception to completion, including project definition, cost and risk estimation, schedule planning and monitoring, budget management, negotiation and conflict resolution, leadership, presentation, and evaluation. Our master’s in project management curriculum provides standalone skills-based training to a working professional audience across multiple industries.

Our focus is to help you understand the concepts, tools, and tasks of a project manager, while ensuring you gain the practical leadership skills needed to excel on the job. The MSPM program curriculum is based on experiential learning. Student learn by doing and this includes mentoring/coaching, peer to peer engagement, role playing, project simulations, reflective practices, and complex team projects.

Our instructors have specific topical expertise and provide an optimized learning process and practical application of the technical and soft skills learned. The program is scaffolded so that students advance by building on project management core competencies to reach a level of project management mastery.

  • Ensures students are prepared for Project Management certifications with advanced knowledge and skills of project management processes; agile practices; planning and governance of projects and programs.
  • Execute project management tasks in accordance with each of the PMBOK domains of People, Process and Business using project methodologies such as Predictive, Agile, and Hybrid.
  • Demonstrate professional project management skills as outlined in the Global Accreditation Standards: Technical Expertise, Professional Behavior, and Strategic Awareness.
  • Utilize basic project management tools and software techniques applicable to the three project domains of People, Process, and Business.
  • Execute project deliverables while exhibiting contextual awareness and knowledge of strategic, societal, and operational frameworks.
  • Evaluate ethical considerations and develop cultural awareness in communication, teamwork and stakeholder management in all project endeavors regardless of methodology employed (Predictive, Agile or Hybrid).

We recognize the valuable experience and perspectives that working professionals bring to the class. If you are a student with three or more years in a professional position or hold an industry-standard certification, you can apply for the Assessment Prior Learning (APL) credit.*

You may be awarded APL credit for up to two (2) graduate courses, enabling you to complete your degree more quickly and cost effectively. (An administrative fee is applied if the APL credit is approved.)

*Applies to Worcester campus only.

In today’s fast-paced world, project managers need unique abilities beyond project management technical skills. The MSPM program prepares students to achieve these high-demand professional skills.

  • Emotional intelligence: The ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions, as well as those of others, is crucial for effective project management.
  • Communication: Clear and effective communication is essential for keeping stakeholders informed and engaged throughout the project lifecycle.
  • Leadership: Project managers must be able to inspire and motivate their team members to achieve project goals.
    Problem-solving: The ability to identify and solve problems quickly and effectively is critical for project success.
  • Time management: Project managers must be able to manage their time effectively to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget.
  • Risk management: The ability to identify and manage risks is essential for minimizing project disruptions and ensuring project success.
  • Adaptability: Project managers must be able to adapt to changing circumstances and adjust project plans as needed.

Foundational Courses

MSPM 3840 Project Management Fundamentals (aligned with most current PMBOK edition)

This course focuses on project management fundamentals based on the most current version Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). The course covers essential concepts, principles, and best practices in project management, and Agile, Predictive, and Hybrid methodologies.

MSPM 3460 Agile Project Delivery

This foundational level course introduces Agile methodologies and their application in project management. Agile has become a cornerstone of modern project management, particularly in software development, and its principles and practices are increasingly adopted across various industries. This course equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively lead and manage Agile projects. The course includes an overview of Agile principles and values, including the Agile Manifesto and its 12 principles. Students will learn about the various Agile frameworks, and also explore the roles and responsibilities of Agile team members. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of collaboration, communication, and self-organization within Agile teams.

MSPM 3850 Project Leadership and Organization

This course provides students with the knowledge and skills in managing project teams, demonstrating project leadership, creating project communications, and executing stakeholder engagement. Students will learn theoretical and applied skills in planning, distributing, and managing project communication; identifying and engaging stakeholders; analyzing and interpreting project organization and context; and applying best practices in project team management

Advanced Level Courses

MSPM 3770 Project and Portfolio Economics Financial and Procurement

This course focuses on project economics, financial management, and procurement principles and practices. The course equips students with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively manage projects in various industries and sectors. Students will be exposed to the principles of project economics, including cost-benefit analysis, risk assessment, and feasibility analysis. The financial viability of projects and strategies to make informed decisions based on economic considerations will be covered. Students will also learn financial management techniques, including project planning, budgeting, and control. The course further explores the role of procurement in project management and its impact on project economics: procurement strategies, contract management, and legal and ethical considerations in project procurement.

MSPM 3580 Project Risk, Quality, and Change Management

Assessing risk, managing quality, and effectively managing change are three of the critical success factors of any project. This course will, through a series of readings, case studies, and lectures, introduce methodologies for each area and illustrate how they collectively affect the ultimate success of any project.

MSPM 3851 Project Communication and Stakeholder Management

The focus of this course is to develop project managers to be effective communicators and critical listeners. Students will investigate various approaches of effective communication techniques and learn transformative presentation skills. Through applied learning assignments, students will examine best practices for communicating and influencing key stakeholders at all levels and during all phases of a project.

MSPM 3855 Project Scheduling

This course provides a deep dive into the principles and practices of project scheduling. This course focuses on the process of scheduling and its importance in Project Management and Project Portfolio Management. Students will develop skills in resource allocation, time tracking and workflow. The course will also examine meeting hygiene and artifact documentation for all project methodologies: Predictive, Agile and Hybrid. A heavy emphasis will be placed on the impact of constraints and assumptions in the scheduling process to achieve schedule optimization. Techniques for dealing with scheduling changes will also be presented. Scheduling tools, e.g., Primavera Jira, Trello, Tableau, Microsoft Projects, will be introduced.

Mastery Level Courses

MSPM 3680 Program and Portfolio Management

Organizations in all industries often manage large strategic projects within or as part of a Program Management Office (PMO) structure or a dedicated portfolio organization. Students will learn the difference between managing projects within both program and portfolio management structures. This course, through a combination of lecture, discussion, case studies, and practical exercises, engages students in examining strategies organizations use to prioritize and manage a portfolio of complex and often geographically distributed projects.

MSPM 3790 Managing Troubled Projects

Projects may start without formal management or project managers may be called on to rescue trouble projects. Regardless of the circumstances, project managers will, at some point in their career, be responsible for “finding a path forward”. This course, through a mix of case study analysis, lecture and classroom discussion will provide students with the skills necessary to be successful.

MSPM 3999 Capstone

MSPM 3999 integrates the course work of the MS Project Management degree program into a comprehensive application. Under the supervision of a faculty advisor, students address an actual challenge faced by an organization or a department within an organization. Students study the issues, review industry trends, research the depth of the issue, and analyze the data to make a series of recommendations to key stakeholders. The course culminates in a formal written and oral presentation at the end of the semester.

Requirements

10 course units

  • 7 core courses
  • 3 elective courses

Course Catalog

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