About the Program
The Project Management Certificate program is a structured series of courses that prepare students for careers in the planning and business fields. Designed for employees from organizations involved in engineering, research and development, data processing, construction, facilities management, manufacturing, corporate planning, finance, and marketing, the four required courses will enhance the skills of technical competence and practical applications. Project management training gives you a competitive advantage to deliver on time, on budget, and within scope. When that training is with a Project Management Institute (PMI)® Registered Education Provider, you can be confident that your training aligns with A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) practices.
Career Potential
There are many positions and companies looking for applicants with project management experience. From obvious titles like Project Manager and Construction Manager to Systems Engineer and Director of Marketing.
Source: Burning Glass Technologies’ Labor Insight™ Real-time Labor Market Information tool.
Certificate Requirements
A Penn State certificate is awarded upon successful completion of the four required courses taken in sequential order. All courses are 21 hours each.
The four required courses are:
- PJMGT 5000 Project Initiation and Planning
- PJMGT 5001 Project Initiation and Integration
- PJMGT 5002 Project Costing and Control
- PJMGT 5003 Project Risk and Change Management
Prerequisites: PJMGT 5000 is the first course for the Project Management Certificate program. All other certificate courses must be taken in sequential order (5001, 5002, 5003).
Course Offerings
Fall 2025/Spring 2026
Delivery: All classes will be delivered remotely via Zoom
Course Length: Each course is seven sessions.
| Course # | Course Title | Time | Dates | Cost | |
| PJMGT 5000 21 PDUs | Project Initiation & Planning | 6:00 - 9:00 pm | Thurs., 9/4 - 10/16/2025 | $645 | Register |
| PJMGT 5001 21 PDUs | Project Scheduling & Integration | 6:00 - 9:00 pm | Thurs., 10/23 - 12/11/2025 (no class 11/27) | $645 | Register |
| PJMGT 5002 21 PDUs | Project Costing & Control | 6:00 - 9:00 pm | Thurs., 1/8 - 2/19/2026 | $645 | |
| PJMGT 5003 21 PDUs | Project Risk & Change Management | 6:00 - 9:00 pm | Thurs., 3/5 - 4/6/2026 | $645 |
Project Initiation and Planning (PJMGT 5000)
The first course in the project management certificate program addresses the role of the project manager; organizational structures; the project life cycle; the project office; leadership; project selection criteria; the project planning process, objectives, scope, benefits, and strategies; as well as project planning, constraints, assumptions, exclusions, milestones, communications, and closeout criteria.
Project Scheduling and Integration (PJMGT 5001A)
This dynamic, hands-on course can provide students with the knowledge and ability to take a project plan and develop a schedule of the work needed to deliver the project objectives. The students can learn about developing a work breakdown structure, developing tasks, networking these tasks together, and analyzing the resulting schedule.
Prerequisite: PJMGT 5000
Project Costing and Control (PJMGT 5002)
The third course in the Project Management Certificate program focuses on selection criteria, procurement, cost estimating, and control mechanisms.
Prerequisites: PJMGT 5000, 5001A
Project Risk and Change Management (PJMGT 5003)
The final course in the Project Management Certificate program addresses risk and change management; team responsibilities; conflicts; quality; ethics; and closeout.Prerequisite: PJMGT 5000, 5001A and 5002
