Project Management

Project management is a vital skill that helps us organize and execute tasks while guiding teams toward shared goals. Beyond managing timelines and deliverables, effective project management requires us to communicate clearly, think strategically, manage our time well, and stay flexible when challenges arise. In today’s dynamic job market, these abilities are essential across all disciplines. Employers seek individuals who can coordinate complex projects, collaborate with diverse teams, and deliver strong results. By developing our project management skills, we gain a competitive advantage and position ourselves as capable leaders ready to navigate the complexities of the modern workplace.

Course-Based Approaches

Here are some ways to encourage project management skills in your course:

Introduce collaborative projects and research. Collaboration encourages students to practice important interpersonal skills and work together in a supportive environment while they learn the steps and skills necessary to manage projects.
Design multi-step projects that are discipline-specific and mirror the type of competencies and technical skills that someone would have for work in that field.
In cross-disciplinary courses, students create and manage projects that show the connection of skills and concepts across fields.
Incorporate scaffolding into complex projects by requiring that students submit project management planning documents, such as a timeline, a team contract detailing roles and responsibilities, project management tools like Microsoft Project or Planner.

Programmatic Approaches

Go further by encouraging project management at the program or department level with these ideas:

Capstone Experiences

Create programmatic capstone projects that require transparent project management. Asking students to outline and reflect on their process will help students learn project management and organize their capstone projects. Sandra F. Rowe notes that without reflection, the development of project management skills is limited, and that, in addition to personal reflection, individuals should share lessons learned with others to promote growth and knowledge transfer.

Internships

Use internships as opportunities for students to learn from professionals about their project management. NIU’s Career Services provides listings of internships and resources to help students apply. The Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability and Energy and the College of Business have meaningfully incorporated internships into their programs to help students secure an internship and, ultimately, prepare them for their future careers.

Program Outcomes

Include project management in learning outcomes for the program and reinforce the skills through multiple courses and experiences. This ensures that students graduate with practical skills to carry into the workplace.

Resources

7 Essential Skills for Project Managers — This list by Shayna Joubert at Northeastern University identifies important skills to develop for successful project management. Joubert also provides resources that underscore the growing workforce demand for this skill.
Become a Project Manager: What You Need to Know — This webpage from Herzig University identifies important cross-disciplinary skills as well as insight from a faculty member who knows the skills and capabilities of trained project managers.
Empowering College Graduates: The Vital Role of Project Management Skills and Implications for Higher Education — In this article in Higher Education Digest, author Myron L. Pope explains that project management skills benefit every workplace, which makes teaching these skills important and relevant to every major.
Project Management Collaboration: Knowledge Sharing Among Project Managers — This article by Sandra F. Rowe at the Project Management Institute covers the importance of collaboration when growing project management skills. Project managers continue to grow their skills when they work with other knowers and share their insights.