Key Information:
- Bellevue University is the #1 school for a fast online project management bachelor’s degree.
- Accelerated online bachelor’s cater to working professionals, providing online courses that allow students to learn at their own pace and balance their studies with other responsibilities.
- Graduates are equipped with the skills needed for high-level project management roles across various industries, increasing their career prospects and earning potential.
Project management is an exciting field that offers all kinds of possibilities to students. But many don’t have the time or the finances to enroll in a four-year program. Accelerated project management degree programs are great for those who want to learn the in-demand skills that are required to fill high-level roles at good companies. Many accelerated project management programs can be completed in under 2 years, with some that can be done in as little as 6 to 8 weeks. These courses are designed to equip you with the skills you need to compete in this competitive field and land a job at a top company.
Accelerated project management programs are great for those who are currently working in a particular field and want to learn the skills they need to take on a new role or advance in their current position. Those who are looking to make a total career change and need more in-depth training and specialization may be better off with pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree. But if you are looking for a flexible, yet comprehensive way to learn the skills you need to excel in your career, an accelerated project management program is a solid option.
Methodology: Ranking the Best Accelerated Project Management Programs
For the Bachelor’s Degree Center ranking of the best project management accelerated programs, editors researched bachelor’s programs offering a legitimate way to shorten the time to a degree. In addition to speed, these accredited programs are ranked according to their cost, graduate salary, and student reviews.
1. Bellevue University
Bellevue University offers a BS in Project Management that is GAC-accredited, one of only a few undergraduate degrees with this designation. Bellevue University’s accelerated project management degree program is available online or on-campus and offers a generous credit policy for military, work, and previous accredited earned credits. Students graduating from Bellevue’s accelerated project management program are prepared to pursue PMI certification from the Project Management Institute. The curriculum for this degree includes the techniques set for by PMBOK’s Guide.
Founded in 1966 as a private school dedicated to adult education, Bellevue University now serves more than 10,150 students each year. Bellevue University currently operates a professional center in Omaha and a tech center on the school’s Bellevue campus.
What We Like: Over the past nearly fifty years, Bellevue University’s alumni has grown to 50,000 worldwide.
Degree: BS in Project Management
Bellevue University BS in Project Management
2. Wentworth Institute of Technology
Wentworth Institute of Technology offers a BS in Project Management that requires 128 credit units to graduate but allows for up to 80 eligible credits to be transferred into the program. Students enrolled in this accelerated project management degree program from Wentworth Institute of Technology offers online or on-campus options, with a customizable schedule taught by industry experts. WIT undergraduates often transition to the school’s graduate project management degree program.
Wentworth Institute of Technology was established in 1904 as a school that specialized in engineering and technical design. WIT’s urban campus in Boston is home to approximately 4,450 students. While women were not admitted until the 1970s, WIT’s student body now includes more than 20% women.
What We Like: Wentworth Institute of Technology collaborates with nearby schools and organizations, including the Museum of Fine Arts and the College of Art & Design, among others.
Degree: BS in Project Management
Wentworth Institute of Technology BS in Project Management
3. Colorado Tech
Colorado Technical University offers a BS in Project Management that can be completed entirely online. According to US News, Colorado Technical University’s accelerated project managementdegree program is ranked among the top online programs in the country. Additionally, this program is accredited by the ACBSP and PMI Global. Colorado Technical University offers credit for active military status, earned eligible credits, and the option to use CTU’s Fast Track exam program, which assesses a student’s prior learning. This undergraduate degree in project management requires the completion of 180 quarter credits to graduate.
Colorado Technical Institute was established as a for-profit school in 1965 that providing education to former military personnel. About 90% of the school’s student enrollment, about 22,950, attends classes online.
What We Like: Colorado Technical University was recognized by Military Times as offering the best online coursework for veterans.
Degree: BS in Project Management
Colorado Technical University BS in Project Management
4. Liberty University
Liberty University offers an accelerated project management degree program with its ACBSP-accredited Bachelor of Science (BSBA) in Business Administration with an academic emphasis in Project Management. Liberty University’s generous transfer credit policy allows for up to 90 eligible credit units to be transferred into the program, which requires a total of 120 semester credits. Liberty University’s BSBA program prepares students to sit for the CAPM exam (available through the Project Management Institute) to earn that credential. Classes for this degree include operations management, principles of management, and leading global projects, to name a few.
Established in 1971, Liberty University is now one of the largest universities, with more than 92,000 students studying online alone! Liberty is organized into seventeen colleges/schools with more than 14,500 students studying on the Lynchburg campus.
What We Like: Several buildings on Liberty University’s campus are listed on Virginia and US’s registers of historic places and landmarks.
Degree: BSBA in Project Management
Liberty University BSBA in Project Management
5. George Fox University
George Fox University’s Bachelor’s in Project Management is designed for full-time and part-time students, with full-time studies completed in only sixteen months. George Fox University’s accelerated project management degree program requires the completion of 126 semester credits, which can be completed online or on-campus, or a combination of both delivery methods. Classes for GFU’s undergraduate degree in project management include ethics for project managers, team leadership, waterfall project management methodologies, and change management, to name a few. The curriculum for this project management degree program aligns with the PMI recommendations.
George Fox University was established by the Quakers in 1891. The school operates multiple campuses and education centers that serve approximately 2,250 students. The school is named to honor the founder of the overall Quaker movement.
What We Like: The first principal of George Fox University was the uncle of Herbert Hoover.
Degree: Bachelor’s in Project Management
George Fox University Bachelor’s in Project Management
6. University of Maine at Presque Isle
The University of Maine at Presque Isle offers a BABA in Project Management that is considered among the best University’s accelerated project management degree programs in the state of Maine. UM Presque Isle’s undergraduate project management degree offers an accelerated format that can be completed in only one year – entirely online. UM Presque Isle’s degree in project management is designed to leverage a student’s previous experience, coursework, and knowledge. Graduates of this program enter the workforce as project schedulers, construction project managers, IT managers, or database administrators, to name a few.
The University of Maine at Presque Isle was established in 1903 as a teacher’s training institute. UM Presque Isle is a member school of the state’s university system.
What We Like: The University of Maine at Presque Isle is home to the largest model of the solar system – which is forty miles long.
Degree: BABA in Project Management
University of Maine at Presque Isle BABA in Project Management
7. Colorado Christian University
Colorado Christian University offers a BS in Organizational Management that provides an academic emphasis in Project Management. Colorado Christian University’s accelerated project management degree program allows for up to 90 eligible credits to be transferred upon approval. CCU has received approval from PMI as a project management training provider. The program requires 120 credit units to be completed, of which 36 credit units must be taken from the project management curriculum. CCU’s project management degree is specifically designed for working learners or students with family commitments.
Colorado Christian University was established as an interdenominational bible school in 1914. The school operates several campuses, with the main campus in Lakewood about ten miles to the west of downtown Denver.
What We Like: Students enrolled in 12 or more credits each semester are required to attend Chapel services.
Degree: BS in Project Management
Colorado Christian University BS in Organizational Management
8. Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University offers an accelerated project management degree program with its ACBSP-accredited Bachelor of Science degree program (BSBA) in Business Administration with an academic track in Project Management. Southern New Hampshire University’s ACBSP-accredited undergraduate degree in project management prepares students for the CAPM certification examination. Southern New Hampshire University’s project management degree offers a generous credit policy and pathways that apply credit for prior learning. Students graduating from this project management degree find rewarding careers as quality assurance managers, supply chain managers, and operations planners, to name a few.
Southern New Hampshire University was established as a business and secretarial school in 1932. The school is well-known for its widely popular online degree programs, boasting more than 86,850 students studying online.
What We Like: Southern New Hampshire University is organized into seven colleges/schools, plus an honors program.
Degree: BSBA in Project Management
Southern New Hampshire University BSBA in Project Management
9. Columbia Southern University
Columbia Southern University offers an ACBSP-accredited BSBA in Project Management that is considered among Alabama’s best accelerated project management degree programs. Columbia Southern University offers a generous transfer credit policy that allows for up 90 eligible credits to be applied to the program’s requirements. Columbia Southern University offers rolling admissions and an entire curriculum that can be completed online. This undergraduate degree from Columbia Southern University requires the completion of 120 semester credits. Students learn to analyze financial statements and interpret financial strategies that improve managerial results.
Columbia Southern University was established in 1993 and operates exclusively online. The school serves more than 21,250 students, many of which are studying through Go Army Ed.
What We Like: CSU is an approved provider and accredited by the Distance Education Accreditation Commission.
Degree: BSBA in Project Management
Columbia Southern University BSBA in Project Management
10. South College
South College offers a BBA in Project Management that allows for up 75% of required credits to be transferred if deemed eligible. South College’s online accelerated project management degree program is available entirely online or on the Nashville, Knoxville, or Asheville campuses. Students graduating from South College’s BBA in project management are eligible to sit for the Project Management Institute’s CAPM examination. This undergraduate degree from South College in project management has received accreditation from IACBE.
South College was established in 1882 as a for-profit university known as the Knoxville Business College. South College operates several campuses, with its main campus in Knoxville, plus a robust distance learning platform.
What We Like: South College was first considered a military-friendly school in 2019.
Degree: BBA in Project Management
South College BBA in Project Management
What are the Advantages of an Accelerated Project Management Program?
Some major advantages of an accelerated project management program include:
- Flexibility
- Fast completion
- Learn the essential skills you need
- Differentiate yourself from other candidates
- Often able to work while you pursue your degree
What is a Project Manager and Project Coordinator?
If you are early in your research into the field, you may be wondering, what is a project manager? What is a project coordinator? What is the difference between a project coordinator vs a project manager?
A project manager is responsible for overseeing the progress of a defined task or project from start to finish. Their exact responsibilities vary, but they are typically tasked with managing six key aspects of a project – the scope, schedule, finance, risk, quality, and resources. Project coordinators work alongside project managers but are more focused on certain key aspects of the goal, opposed to the bigger picture.
Tasks commonly handled by a project coordinator typically include scheduling, organizing, record keeping, monitoring progress, tracking paperwork, and more. When it comes to a project manager vs a project coordinator, the former is more concerned with overseeing the entire scope of the task, whereas the latter is more focused on handling smaller details that ensure the task is efficient. Anyone debating project manager vs project coordinator roles should consider your strong suits and what are you most interested in.
Do you prefer thinking about a problem from a birds-eye view, or would you rather hone in on a particular aspect of the job? Anyone asking themselves, what is a project manager or what is a project coordinator should research the field they are interested in pursuing and learn what specific responsibilities are needed in that industry. That will make the project manager vs project coordinator debate much simpler and easier to digest.
How Much Does a Project Manager Make?
A project management salary can vary depending on the field and the complexity of the position. However, the average project management salary in the US is $90,139 according to APM. As in any field, a senior project manager salary can be much higher. The average senior project manager salary ranges between $108,137 and $136,983. So, the more experience you gain and the more you build your reputation, the more you can expect to earn. But, even the average starting salary for a project manager is comfortable.
The project manager starting salary is around $60,513 per year, according to Glassdoor. However, this figure varies across industries and depends on how much prior experience the applicant has. For example, the average starting salary for a project manager in IT is higher than construction. However, if the applicant has more experience in their respective field in a different role, and is simply moving up the latter, then the project manager starting salary will be higher. But, no matter what field or level of experience you have, project managers can expect to make a comfortable living doing a job that is fast-paced and exciting.
You may be asking yourself, how much does a project coordinator make? Or how much does a project coordinator make compared to a project manager? The average project coordinator salary is around $50,000 per year, according to Payscale. A Project Coordinator is typically a less intense role that doesn’t require as much experience and therefore the starting salary is usually lower. It’s a perfect position for those looking to gain experience or who do not want to have the same kinds of responsibilities that a project manager does. However, a project coordinator is still an exciting, highly competitive role and therefore the average salary will vary depending on the position.
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