11 Best Project Management Courses To Skill Up In 2024
If you're feeling stuck as a project manager, whether on a specific challenge or in your career in general, it might be time to invest more heavily in your personal development with a project management course.
Here at DPM, we offer a great option: Mastering Digital Project Management. But there's a few other options to consider, and the right choice depends on the level of effort, time, and money you want to invest. Find out more about our course and your other options below.
11 Best Project Management Courses
These project management courses cover a variety of topics, from the basics to digital project management and agile methodologies.
None of the options below offer an in-person option, but they do let you go at your own pace while giving you the project management tools and techniques to succeed at this job.
1. Mastering Digital Project Management: The Digital Project Manager
Cost: $950
When: On demand
Our self-paced, online course empowers you to master the project management skills you need to deliver complex digital projects with confidence. The course takes you through the entire project life cycle, from kickoffs to project closure. You'll learn about methodologies like Waterfall, Scrum, and agile project management, and how to apply them effectively.
Understand the art of leading collaboration amongst your project team, managing and mitigating risks, and becoming a confident project leader. The course includes a variety of assessments and assignments.
You'll also participate in group discussions in our Slack community and get access to templates for each type of documentation covered in the course.
Get started leading high-performance project teams, handling ambiguity, and keep growing as a results-driven leader in our interactive online project management course.
For more on documentation, check out these document management training courses.
2. Google Project Management
Cost: Free
When: On demand
This course, offered by the tech giant Google, provides a solid foundation of traditional project management principles while introducing some of Google's own practices. It's like having a glimpse into the project management world of one of the biggest tech companies.
3. Project Management Basics: PMI
Cost: From $350
When: On demand
If you're just starting your journey or looking to go back to the basics, PMI's course is a solid choice. It covers fundamental concepts and techniques, including communication and leadership skills. It also prepares you for the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® certification exam.
4. Fundamentals of Project Planning & Management: University of Virginia
Cost: Free
When: On demand
This course takes a deep dive into project planning and management, focusing on the techniques to keep your projects on time, on budget, and within project scope. It's an excellent course for reinforcing these vital skills regardless of your industry.
Find more courses on project planning here.
5. PMP Exam Prep: PMI
Cost: From $699
When: On demand
If you're looking to gain PMP certification, this prep course by the Project Management Institute is a must. It helps you prepare for the exam with an easy-to-follow format with over 35 hours of training. It also offers a simulation test to help you prepare for the certification exam.
6. Certified Project Management Diploma: Institute of Project Management
Cost: $2000
When: On demand, or check the website for dates for live online options
This diploma course covers the basics of project management—budgeting, scheduling, stakeholder engagement, and techniques for managing projects from start to finish. You'll need to have a bachelor's degree or equivalent to apply.
In addition to the diploma, you'll also receive a certification from IPMA upon completion. The course is best suited for those looking for a project management certification, those contributing to or managing projects, and anyone who could benefit from applying project methodologies to their work.
7. Project Management: University of Colorado Boulder
Cost: Free
When: On demand
This course offers a blend of theory and practical applications, providing insights into real-world project management scenarios. It's like having a seasoned project manager guiding you through the ins and outs of project management. It also serves as both the in-class requirement for PMP certification and project requirements for other CU Boulder degree programs.
8. Google Agile Project Management
Cost: Free
When: On demand
If you're looking to embrace agile methodologies in your projects, Google's Agile Project Management course is an excellent resource. It covers everything from agile's history to blending different project management styles. It also explains how to introduce agile to an organization and land a job in an agile role.
9. Agile with Atlassian Jira
Cost: Free
When: On demand
For those of you using or planning to use Atlassian Jira, this course is a gem. It takes you through how to use Jira in an Agile context, making your project management process smoother and more efficient.
It covers everything from core principles to practical applications of methods like Kanban and Scrum. Whether you're a product owner, Scrum master, project manager, or a team member, you'll pick up versatile tools for your agile toolkit.
Check out these Kanban-specific courses as well.
10. Certified ScrumMaster: Scrum Alliance
Cost: From $300
When: Courses starting every day
The Certified Scrum Master course is a great way to dip your toes into the world of Scrum, a unique framework that makes managing complex product development a breeze. It's a career-expanding opportunity as learners will grasp how Agile and Scrum practices are embraced in various organizations.
Taught by Certified Scrum Trainers, the course covers all the nitty-gritty of the Scrum framework, from team roles to activities and artifacts.
Find more Scrum-specific training courses here.
11. Applying Professional Scrum: Scrum.org
Cost: From $1095
When: Courses starting every day
Applying Professional Scrum is a dynamic, hands-on course where students get a real feel for how Professional Scrum and its framework can supercharge their delivery methods. Compared to traditional ways, Scrum focuses on delivering value in increments and maintaining strong team dynamics through regular feedback.
FAQs About Project Management Courses
Let's address some common questions around choosing the right course, the benefits of project management courses, and the commitment required.
What Are Project Management Courses?
Project management courses are guided training programs that provide the strategies, tools, and knowledge that you need to manage and lead projects, nail your role as a project manager, and achieve project success. They cover topics like project planning, risk management, budgeting, and communication.
They decode the complex language of project methodologies—think Waterfall, Agile, Kanban—teaching you how to juggle resources efficiently, tackle risks like a pro, and communicate like a champ.
These courses can be geared toward earning specific project management certifications, such as the PMP certification, or simply improving your understanding of key project management concepts and practices.
Who Are They For?
Project management courses are for current project managers looking to enhance their project management skills, individuals aspiring to break into the field, or seasoned professionals seeking to stay current with the latest trends and methodologies or gain professional development units (PDUs).
They're also helpful for team leads, business owners, or anyone else involved in overseeing projects.
Note: find more ways to get PDUs here.
Who Will Benefit the Most from Project Management Courses?
- Seasoned project managers or project leads: these courses can deepen your expertise and further hone your project management skills.
- Project managers at the beginning of their journey: these courses can serve as a key stepping stone for knowledge enhancement and career progression.
- Project team members: for those seeking to grasp the broader strokes of project operations and potentially transition to project management, these courses can provide a starting point
- Other stakeholders and project decision-makers: these courses can bolster their understanding of project dynamics and amplify their decision-making prowess, making them more effective in their roles.
Which Certification Course is Best For Project Management?
The 'best' project management certification course depends largely on your career goals and the kind of projects you'll be managing.
The Project Management Professional Certification (PMP)® by PMI, which follows the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), is globally recognized and is great for those working in a wide range of industries.
The Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)® is ideal if you're working with Agile Scrum methodologies. Just be sure you’re choosing a course certificate program that fits where you’re at in your project management career and where you want to be in the future.
If your role is more analogous to that of a program manager or portfolio manager, check out these program management courses and portfolio management courses instead.
What Qualifications Do You Need To Be A Project Manager?
While there's no one-size-fits-all answer, most project managers have at least a bachelor's degree. However, the field is diverse and professionals often come from a wide range of backgrounds.
Increasingly, employers are valuing project management certifications like the PMP credential. Soft skills like leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities are equally important.
Consider looking into whether a master's in project management is right for you.
How Long Do Project Management Courses Take?
The length of project management courses can vary significantly based on the complexity of the material and the level of the course.
A course aimed at preparing you for a certification exam might take several weeks of study, whereas a course designed to provide a broad overview of project management concepts might be shorter. Always check the course details to understand the time commitment involved.
What’s Next?
If you're looking for more ways to upskill in project management, join DPM membership and get access to our Slack community, where you can have discussions and network with 100s of other digital project managers. You'll also get 100+ templates, samples, and examples for a variety of project documentation.