- Pilot Program - Currently closed to new enrollees
Project Management
Build Project Management Skills for Any Industry
Calbright’s Project Management program will help you learn to manage projects from inception to completion, an in-demand skill set that translates across virtually every business discipline in every industry.
The Project Management pilot cohort is now filled, and the program is currently closed to new enrollees. Please enter your information below to get updates on future enrollment.
Earn a Project Management Certificate to transform your career!
Calbright’s Project Management Certificate Program sets you up with the skills you will need to succeed as a project manager in any industry.
Why do I need a Project Management Certificate?
Project managers are in high demand – the Project Management Institute estimates that by the year 2027, employers will need 87.7 million people to fill project management-related roles. (Source: Job Growth and Talent Gap in Project Management 2017).
In California, the need for project management professionals is projected to grow in the next decade by 10.5% or almost 3,800 job opportunities with an average annual salary of $75,000.
What can Calbright’s Project Management certificate program do for you?
Our program will help you learn the act of planning, organizing, and managing a project in order to achieve a predefined goal or outcome.
- Learn how to apply the knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to drive progress and meet specific project requirements
- Effectively manage project meetings, navigate project stakeholders, communicate within the project context, and create detailed project plans and reports
- Earn your Digital Badge in Durable Skills in Metacognition
- Connect with real-world employers in need of project managers through Riipen, a work based learning platform
Overview
What does a project manager do?
Companies utilize project managers to ensure projects are completed on time, within budget and meet the quality standards of the organization. Project managers help companies support critical timelines and deliverables.
Calbright’s Project Management certificate program will help you learn specific project management skills so that you will be well-positioned to pursue a variety of opportunities as a project manager, event planner, or business developer in various industries.
The demand for project managers in the next decade is rising at a rate of 10.5% in California, resulting in over 3,800 job openings, most with a median starting salary of $75,000.
Like all Calbright programs, Project Management courses are flexibly paced to fit into your busy schedule. The program is designed to reflect labor market insights and the needs of fast-growing sectors, and includes wraparound support for students. Our faculty and our success team, which includes tutors and career services, are with you every step of the way.
The newest addition to our Academic Catalog, this is a pilot program with limited enrollment. Students will receive focused attention from the instruction and support teams and have a chance to help shape the future of the program.
This program is currently free to California residents.
What You'll Learn
- How to apply the knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet specific project requirements
- Create detailed project reports and plans
- Effectively manage project meetings, navigate project stakeholders, and communicate within the project context
- Earn your Digital Badge in Durable Skills in Metacognition, advancing your soft skills like interviewing, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration
- Showcase your learnings by connecting with real-world employers seeking project managers with Riipen, a work-based study learning platform
Courses in this Program
Project Management Foundations
This course introduces students to the basics of project management, project methodology, and examines the different project lifecycle phases of a project. Students will learn how to create a project, understand the project life cycle and timelines, manage stakeholders and critical communications, the scope of the project and the importance of how company culture affects project management.
Project Management Fundamentals
This course introduces adult learners to the necessary concepts and skills for their transition into project management-based careers. Students will learn the basics of project management - scheduling, resourcing, budgeting and communicating a project, how to manage project meetings on time and within budget and effectively collaborate with stakeholders.
Project Plan Development
This course is designed to have students create a project plan and all of its components. Students will examine a practical project example, analyze the segments of the project and identify the key areas needed to manage the project. In this course students will create a Business Case, Project Charter, Scope Of Work (SOW), Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), Communications Plan, Risk Breakdown Structure (RBS), Budget Plan, Project Schedule, Change Log, and Closure Document.
Topics Covered
Build your knowledge and skills in the key Project Management areas that businesses need. The program covers these topics and more:
Build your knowledge and skills in the key Project Management areas that businesses need. The program covers these topics and more:
- Methodology
- Meeting Management
- Project Stakeholders
- Life Cycle
- Managing Communication
- Timelines and Schedules
- Organizational Culture
- Planning
- Frameworks
Note: While Calbright programs are flexibly paced, enrollment agreements are limited in duration. Students are enrolled in successive 6-month terms for a maximum program length of three years.
Careers and Outcomes
What can you do with a Project Management certificate?
The following entry-level roles are examples of attainable positions with the skill set and industry-recognized credential made possible via Calbright's Project Management program.
Project Manager
Project managers ensure projects are completed on time, within budget and meet the quality standards of the organization. Project managers help companies support critical timelines and deliverables.
Event Planner
Event planners create memorable experiences such as conferences, concerts or sporting events by understanding their client's needs, managing expectations and delivering stress free events within budget.
Implementation Manager
Implementation managers turn ideas into reality by introducing new information systems, technical solutions and products to improve a company's workflow efficiencies after assessing with key stakeholders.
We'll help you get there!
No one should have to be in college alone, and at Calbright you’ve got a team working with you, supporting your success. Whether it’s help with your classes, help with technology, or even someone to help connect you to services you need in your life, we are here to be part of your journey to a better career. Together, we’ll transition you into a job in project management.
>3.8k
Over 3,800 entry level jobs requiring project management skills in California
>$75k
Median starting salary in project management careers
>10.5%
Expected job growth in California in the next 10 years
Jobs, salary, and growth data via Lightcast, February 2024; ZipRecruiter job descriptions.
Tuition-Free Programs
Our online community college is currently tuition free for residents of California, over the age of 18, with a high school diploma or GED.
Certificate in Less Than One Year
We measure progress by the skills you’ve mastered — not by how many hours you’ve spent in the classroom — so you can move at the speed that’s right for you. Students can complete this course in approximately four months with an average weekly commitment of less than five hours. You will receive a badge verifying completion so you can advertise your new skills on your LinkedIn page and prove your competency to prospective employers.
Academic and Career Support
In addition to tutoring and academic support, our career services team can help you prepare for your job search, from practicing interviews and refining your resume to virtual events with employers and industry professionals.
FAQs
Calbright is open to all California residents aged 18 years or older who have a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
All Californians — regardless of immigration status — are welcome to enroll.
First, our training programs prepare you to earn industry-recognized certifications (via exams offered by third-party providers like CompTIA and Salesforce), proof to employers that you’re ready to succeed in a new career on day one of employment.
Second, every student that completes a program also gets a dedicated team of professional experts that will coach you to be the best version of yourself during your job search.
Third, all of our courses are flexibly-paced and 100% online — designed around your own unique life circumstances so school never gets in the way of other priorities.
Plus, Calbright comes at no out-of-pocket cost to you. Even the cost of the exams to receive industry-recognized certifications (such as the CompTIA A+, Security+, and Salesforce Certified Administrator exams) in your program of choice are covered.
We also offer resources that include (but are not limited to) technology support through our Chromebook and WiFi hotspot lending library; career counseling; and mental health services. All this and more make Calbright a great choice if you’re looking to level up your skillset.
Yes! All of our programs are currently free thanks to public funding from the State of California. That includes program tuition, testing costs, and technology resources like laptops and WiFi devices from our lending library.
Because our programs are free, we don’t need to offer financial aid.
Yes! Calbright was granted accreditation by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission in July 2023, more than a year ahead of the deadline provided in the College’s founding legislation. Accreditation is an important consumer protection that validates the integrity and quality of the College’s academic programs and operations.
Starting an application is easy! If you’re ready to begin your journey with us, click here. If you still have questions or would like to get in contact another way, you’ve got plenty of options.
You can always reach out to success@calbright.org and someone from our team will get back with you via email ASAP.
You can also use the chat function on at the bottom of your screen on calbright.edu, call us at 1-833-956-0225, or text us at (510) 330-1817.
Calbright’s model is built around the needs of its adult learners. This means students can make progress when it works in their own schedule, whether that’s after your kids have gone to bed, over the weekend, or between shifts at work. Our student support team will work with you when you begin the program to create a realistic timeline to guide you. Timelines are three months, six months, ten months, or 14 months, providing flexibility as well as structure and gentle accountability to help stay on track.