Project Management MSc
2 Years Full-Time (with Advanced Practice in Second Year) | September and January Start

Our teaching methods include lectures, small group seminars, workshops, master classes and field visits. As this is a Masters course there is a significant element of independent learning and self-motivated reflection.

You’ll undertake a final Masters level research project that will hone your skills in evaluating and applying research techniques and methodologies. The topic of the project will reflect your own unique interests.

Assessments are designed to give feedback as well as to monitor your level of achievement. The assessed projects will enable you to test your skills in ways that relate to current industrial practice. Specific assessment methods include assignments, written reports, exams, group presentations and debates.

Your Advanced Practice semester will be assessed on a pass/fail basis and as such, it does not contribute to the classification of your degree. However, when taken and passed it is recognised both in your transcript as a 60 credit Advanced Practice Module and in your degree title.

You’ll be taught by tutors whose wealth of practitioner and research expertise adds to the richness of the delivery of the course. Their expertise, combined with their on-going active research, will provide an excellent foundation for your learning.

Our reputation for quality is reflected by the range and depth of our collaborations with industry partners. These collaborations and links help inform our curriculums and ensure input from practitioners via guest lectures and master classes.

Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) is embedded throughout the course with tools such as the ‘Blackboard’ eLearning Portal and electronic reading lists that will guide your preparation for seminars and independent research. Our use of lecture capture software will help you revise challenging material. You’ll have access to industry-standard software such as Microsoft Project, IBM SPSS and NVivo.

The 24/7 University Library achieves some of the highest levels of student satisfaction in the UK and has held the Cabinet Office accreditation for Customer Service Excellence since 2010. It has excellent digital resources with over 100 databases for independent learning as well as half a million electronic books and another 500,000 print books.

To facilitate group projects there are dedicated student working spaces, such as ‘The Hub’, an area that is well equipped for meetings and working with IT. The Zone is another area that’s popular with students undertaking group work or individual study.

As a Masters student you’ll develop your research skills to a new and higher level. Your research supervisor will support you in your final independent research project, where you choose to produce either a research paper or a dissertation. Your supervisor will provide guidance from its development through to completion.

Northumbria’s strong research ethos is an essential aspect of how you will develop as a critical, reflective and independent thinker. Your project-based learning will benefit from the research activities of the teaching team.

Our specialist interests include information management, process improvement strategies, lean production, project-driven organisations, innovation diffusion, 4D planning and scheduling, and construction project management. Northumbria University is particularly known for working on Building Information Management (BIM).

The course meets a particular need for professional training in project management. Many of the modules involve field visits and guest lectures, allowing you to understand the processes being used to manage construction projects and to talk with experienced managers. This will give you extra insights that increase your competitive edge.

The course has the additional benefit of being aligned with the academic requirements of the Association for Project Management (APM). This will make it easier for you to become a full member of the UK’s largest professional body for project managers.

The Advanced Practice semester may help you develop a track record of achievement that will help you stand out from other job applicants.

A two-year Masters course, like this one, may carry particular weight with employers. They’ll understand that you’ll have a deeper understanding of topics as well as more hands-on practical experience.

When it comes to applying for jobs, our Careers and Employment Service offers a range of resources as well as support that’s available online and on a one-to-one basis.

This course will open up opportunities in project management roles in construction and many other industries. Past graduates have gone on to work for multinational companies such as BAE Systems, Volvo Car Group, NHS, Siemens, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Shell and Virgin Money. Job roles have included project managers, programme managers, project portfolio managers, management consultants, business developers, entrepreneurs, quality managers and directors.

If you decide to start up your own business, it’s good to know that the combined turnover of our graduates’ start-up companies is higher than that of any other UK university.

The course could also lead you to a postgraduate research degree such as an MPhil, PhD or Professional Doctorate.

Whatever you decide to do, you will have the transferable skills that employers expect from a Masters graduate from Northumbria University. These include the ability to tackle complex issues through conceptualisation and undertaking research, the ability to contribute to new processes and knowledge, and the ability to formulate balanced judgements when considering incomplete or ambiguous data.