Norwich University is also featured in our ranking Top 25 Online Master’s in Project Management Degree Programs.
Online Master of Business Administration in Project Management Degree at Norwich University
Students interested in pursuing a career in project management may wish to pursue the online Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in project management at Norwich University. The 36-credit online MBA program consists of six courses, and each course takes approximately 11 weeks to complete. Students are required to successfully complete and pass one course at a time in order to build a strong foundation of context and knowledge for future courses and topics.
Specifically, the project management concentration provides students the opportunity to study both core business management theories as well as develop specific project management skills. The concentration is accredited by the PMI Global Accreditation Center (GAC) for Project Management Education Programs. Completing coursework through this concentration fulfills the education requirements for students interested in seeking PMI certification. However, students who wish to obtain additional PMI certifications such as the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) or the Project Management Professional (PMP) designations will be required to pursue the PMI-administered certification process separately from the degree at Norwich. This includes applying to the PMI, having the application accepted, and passing the certification exam.
Students will focus on three six-credit areas of project management. The Strategic Management in Project Management seminar uses fundamental project management principles in the form of schedule management, quality, cost, time, scope, project integration, the project lifecycle, and project management framework. Students synthesize their leadership skills and learn about measuring progress and problem solving, maintaining clear communications, building strong project teams, developing project risk management skills, and winning stakeholder cooperation.
The Project Management Techniques, Tools, and Practices seminar analyzes the basic components of project management and its practices. The key elements discussed include key project management knowledge, project processes, the project lifecycle, and project management framework. Other areas of study include schedule management, resource, quality, cost, time, scope, project integration, communication, and project management procurement.
Finally, the Project Management Leadership, Communications, and Teams seminar focuses on both effective communications and management leadership of project teams. Students explore the foundational components of solid project management, including applying lean principles, defining clear requirements, problem-solving, measuring progress, building strong teams, achieving accurate project estimates, creating realistic schedules, writing specific rules to manage expectations, winning stakeholder cooperation, and trade-offs between project quality, schedule, and cost. This seminar integrates ideas from previous seminars, essentially demonstrating that all fundamental principles of project management are integrated with team-building challenges and practices, communications, and leadership.
Every MBA concentration requires students to complete an independent research project (IRP) before their fourth course begins. The IRP is divided into three phases and must be completed before the end of the student’s last course. Students choose a corporate organization with which to partner and use in a case study in order to practice the skills they have gained in the project management concentration courses. If students cannot use their current employer, they have the option of choosing a different company.
About Norwich University
Norwich University is a private university located in Northfield, Vermont and is the oldest private military college in the country. Founded as the American Literary, Scientific, and Military Academy in 1819 in Norwich, Vermont, it is the oldest of six senior military colleges. The U.S. Department of Defense recognizes Norwich University as the “Birthplace of the ROTC” (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps). Although the school began as a military college, it now offers substantial online distance graduate programs. Norwich is comparable to The Citadel in size, student body composition, online offers, and mission. The university enrolls more than 3,400 students, including 1,300 graduates and 2,100 undergraduates as well as 112 full-time faculty members, 80 percent of whom hold a doctorate. The graduate programs are offered through the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies and include fields such as organizational leadership, nursing, education, information assurance, public administration, business administration, military history, and diplomacy. U.S. News & World Report ranked Norwich 74th on its list of top “Regional Universities (North)” in 2014.
Norwich University Accreditation Details
Norwich University is regionally accredited by country’s oldest regional accrediting body, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE). In addition, the school’s Master of Business Administration degree boasts an additional, industry-specific accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Additionally, the Project Management concentration in both the Master of Science in Information Security & Assurance and the MBA programs is accredited by the PMI Global Accreditation Center (GAC) for Project Management Education Programs, the leading professional association in the world for the field of project management.
Norwich University Application Requirements
In order to be admitted into the online Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at Norwich University, students must hold a bachelor’s degree from a nationally or regionally accredited U.S. institution. Prospective students must submit a completed application and pay a nonrefundable application fee. Norwich does not require GRE or GMAT scores for admittance, but students must have evidence of a minimum undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or higher. Graduate students must also submit a current resume, an official transcript of their undergraduate studies, a letter of intent, and a letter of recommendation from an academic or professional contact. The Director of Admissions, Program Director, or program staff may request a second letter of recommendation, if necessary.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The online Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in project management at Norwich University costs $792 per credit hour for a total tuition cost of $28,512. Students are also responsible for paying a one-time graduation fee of $150, a $75 library fee per term, and a $300 technology fee per term for a total program cost of $30,912. Norwich offers a number of financial aid options for eligible students. Scholarships are awarded based on financial need, talent, or merit and include private scholarships, veterans’ scholarships, other military scholarships, and alumni scholarships. Students may also be entitled to receive federal loans and grants, personal loans, or take part in an employer tuition assistance program. Norwich University also offers several financing options for veterans and military members, including tuition assistance programs, federal loans, and benefits such as the Yellow Ribbon Program and the Montgomery GI Bill.