Rice University

Strategic Project Management

Strengthen your capacity to effectively apply strategic principles to project management.

Start date

26 March 2025

Price

$2,090 USD

Installment Plan

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Course duration

8 weeks

Excluding orientation

Language

English

Access resources from start date

Effort

7–10 hours per week

Self-paced learning online

ABOUT THIS COURSE

Course overview

1 out of 4

The amount of projects that 59% of organizations expect will fail to deliver on their goals on time and within budget due to misalignment between project objectives and organizational strategy.

PWC (Jun, 2018).

72%

The proportion of project management leaders who feel certification is highly relevant for mid-career project managers.

PMI (Jun, 2018).

Duration: 8 weeks (excluding orientation)

As businesses strive to achieve a competitive edge through efficiency and agility, the need for strategic project management expertise has increased. While traditional project management emphasizes the application of tactics, a well-defined strategy is necessary to effectively navigate the complexities of today's dynamic business environment.

This Rice University Strategic Project Management online short course transcends traditional project management and provides the strategic techniques, skills, and tools needed to accomplish organizational and project-related objectives successfully. During the eight-week course, you'll learn to apply strategic thinking by aligning project, program, or portfolio goals with an organization's strategic plans. You’ll also acquire the ability to lead and manage project teams in an agile manner. Additionally, you will become familiar with a tool kit of strategic project management resources that you can use after completing the course.

Is this course for you?

This course is designed for project management professionals who wish to enhance their strategic expertise and validate their capabilities. The curriculum is also beneficial for senior executives and managers involved in strategic decision-making, functional specialists in operational roles, and those who need to drive strategic project management through execution. This course is also suited for business unit heads seeking to shift from an operational to a more strategic role.

GetSmarter is approved by the Project Management Institute (PMI®) as an Authorized Training Partner (ATP), a partnership that enables you to join the world’s largest project management network. This Strategic Project Management online short course will count for 66.00 PDUs in total, and the division of hours is as follows: Technical–9.50, Leadership–8.00, Strategic–48.50.

PMI is responsible for setting project management standards and providing certification. By taking this course, you’ll gain PMI-endorsed skills that are globally recognized. You can also use these learning hours towards furthering your professional project management development. See PMI.org for more information.

Please note that GetSmarter and Rice University bear no responsibility for the reporting of these PDUs and/or hours to the PMI. The onus, therefore, falls on you to do so.

The PMI® Authorized Training Partner seal is a mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

Course overview

Duration: 8 weeks (excluding orientation)

Please note that GetSmarter and Rice University bear no responsibility for the reporting of these PDUs and/or hours to the PMI. The onus, therefore, falls on you to do so.

The PMI® Authorized Training Partner seal is a mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

What will set you apart

On completion of this course, you’ll walk away with:

The ability to move beyond basic project management by applying strategic principles to effectively and successfully lead projects.

The knowledge to evaluate and select viable projects that are strategically aligned to business objectives.

Practical tools to conduct project risk assessments, facilitate change management, and lead teams in a virtual environment.

Unlimited access to edX’s Career Engagement Network, offering you exclusive resources and events to support your professional journey and drive your career forward.

Course curriculum

Acquire the skills to connect strategic objectives with project delivery as you work through the weekly modules of this online short course.

Orientation module

Welcome to your Online Campus

Module 1

The 21st century project manager

Module 2

Strategic thinking for project managers

Module 3

Value management (part 1): Mining your project for value

Module 4

Value management (part 2): Maximizing value for organizational impact

Module 5

Strategic project leadership

Module 6

Organizational structures and challenges

Module 7

Project change and risk in an organizational context

Module 8

The way forward

Get more information

Academic Director

The design of this online short course is guided by Rice University faculty, as well as industry experts, who will share their experience and in-depth knowledge with you throughout the course.

Eddie Merla

Senior Project Manager, Coach, and Trainer

About the certificate

Expand your knowledge beyond the fundamentals of project management and earn a certificate of professional achievement from Rice University’s Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies.

Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with a digital certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the program handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the program.

Your digital certificate will be issued in your legal name and sent to you upon successful completion of the program, as per the stipulated requirements.

Rice Strategic Project Management online short course certificate

YOUR INFORMATION

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FAQ

Want to know more?

GetSmarter operates as edX's partner for premium online short course products from the world's leading universities and institutions. With edX, we leverage our people, technology, and resources to power your education and your potential.

We deliver market-led courses that equip working professionals with the expertise required to upskill, reskill or kickstart a completely new career. Through a data-driven approach, we analyze future skills requirements and ensure all courses address this need. We ensure that leading universities and institutions are your expert guides and our people, technology, and resources are your engine – together we power more than just education, we power your potential.

Read more about GetSmarter here and edX here.

Find out more about GetSmarter’s approach to digital learning, course design, and online delivery here.

You can pay your course fees before the course starts, or you may opt for a split payment plan on courses that are nine weeks and shorter. For courses 10 weeks and longer, there is a three-part payment plan available. To find out more about payment options please visit our Payment and Financing page, or contact an Enrollment Adviser, to find out which option you qualify for.

GetSmarter's learning model is designed to help you, as a working professional, improve your skills without compromising on work and family responsibilities. The course work is broken up into weekly, manageable bite-sized modules, with incremental deadlines, designed to help you pace yourself over the duration of the course and allow you the legroom to work when it suits you best.

At the beginning of each module you'll be presented with the course content and assignments necessary for completion. You also have access to your Success Adviser who will help you manage your time, and support you with any administrative or technical queries you might have.

By improving your skills and industry knowledge, you'll have an influence on the success of your organization. Why wouldn't you ask your boss to help you fund your studies if it's going to have an impact on the way you do business?

Of our past students, 37 percent have received financial assistance from their employers. You can ask for help, too. Here is a guide to show you how to request financial assistance from your employer.

If you are a Learning & Development (L&D) manager, or involved in training and upskilling for an organization, you can request information regarding our corporate offering on our GetSmarter for business page.

As part of our commitment to your professional development, GetSmarter offers you a two-week period to change your course start date or request your money back if you’re not fully satisfied.

To qualify for a deferral of your course start date, or to cancel your enrollment and receive a refund of your course fee, your request would need to reach our Success Advisers before the release of Module 2. For more information, please read our Terms and Conditions.

The Online Campus will be your virtual classroom for the duration of your course. Through its easy-to-use interface you'll have access to a diverse variety of course content formats including: interactive videos, module notes, practice quizzes, presentations, assignment briefs, and additional web resources.

On the Online Campus, you'll also be able to ask questions and interact with your fellow students and teaching team through the discussion forums. If you are looking for your Online Campus login, please visit your Account page here.

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