MSc Project Management
Course Overview
Globalisation, customer requirements, and ever-increasing competition in the marketplace has made good project management a vitally important element for business success in recent years. To exploit new opportunities, organisations require multi-talented individuals with a sound understanding of project management best practice who can keep abreast of developments in the field. The MSc in Project Management from the University of Bolton focuses on helping you gain the knowledge and skills needed to lead projects successfully, ready to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of your organisation.Delivered by blended learning, our dedicated and expert teaching team will guide you as you learn the key principles and practices of project management. You’ll explore how to identify and manage the project scope, build a work breakdown structure, create a project plan, create the project budget, define and allocate resources, manage the project development, identify and manage risks, and understand the project procurement process.
We’ll support you as you learn about the project management lifecycle, starting with how to specify the quality of the deliverables required, estimate the resources required and identify the timescales involved. You’ll also focus on learning to monitor these as the project progresses so that you can manage changes and mitigate risks to deliver the project deliverables on time, within budget and to the required standard.
Another essential element of project management is people management, so we’ll work to help you develop the vital leadership and communication skills that will support you to manage stakeholder expectations and the performance of staff involved in the project. Project management also requires research, critical thinking and analytical skills, and the research elements of this programme will help you develop in these areas.
Please note that the language of instruction is English.
Highlights
- MIM and the University of Bolton have a well-established partnership of over 10 years.
- The University of Bolton is an corporate partner of the Association for Project Management (APM), UK. This is a chartered professional body for project management professionals.
- We offer you the opportunity to learn how to develop and manage all aspects of contemporary projects through critical analysis, synthesis and evaluation using a comprehensive set of methods, techniques and tools.
- Each module on the course covers a framework of theories and concepts. Through case studies, we encourage you to engage with and explore how these theories and concepts apply – so you’ll also be asked to compare and contrast different approaches, and make informed decisions on which of them best fit an organisation’s needs.
- Complete the programme successfully, and you should be able to demonstrate a systematic knowledge and understanding of current business, management and technology in project management, as well as the latest issues and trends. We aim to build your self-confidence, critical self-reflection, enterprise and creativity in preparation for the next stage in your career.
- You can examine and investigate real practical issues from industry in an academic context.
Key Features
- You’ll have access to University e-learning resources, an extensive e-library and the support of University librarians. We'll make use of innovative learning strategies, including blended learning delivered through the University's virtual learning environment.
- As a student of a corporate partner of the Association for Project Management (APM), UK, you'll also have access to their digital resources and journals.
- Professional academic and administrative staff at both MIM and the University of Bolton will jointly provide you with the support and resources needed to ensure you have an excellent learning experience as part of the University of Bolton.
- As an off-campus student, you also receive the support of a dedicated Off-Campus team and resources, to help make you truly feel part of the University.
- We’ll support you to develop systematic and innovative thinking in your approach to problem solving and decision making in project management.
- You can find out how to support theoretical knowledge with analytical thinking and information gathering as you resolve complex operational problems.
Entry Requirements
- Normally, you should have completed an honours degree (or equivalent) in a business-related subject. Alternatively, you may have an honours degree in another field with one year’s professional experience of working on projects (evidenced by your CV and a summary of your job role in the project).
- We are more than happy to have an informal chat with you about this course, either with University or MIM staff, over the phone or in person. If you wish to meet in person, please contact MIM to arrange a mutually convenient time. (While we reserve the right to interview it is not our usual practice for this course.)
- We'll also consider applications where appropriate work experience can be demonstrated in lieu of, or in addition to, the published academic qualifications in line with the University’s Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) procedures.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
The project management discipline is a major employer worldwide. It offers exciting and rewarding career opportunities in a vast range of sectors, in areas such as project administration, coordination, planning, programming, consultancy and as a Project Management Office (PMO) manager in business enterprises of all sizes. The number of opportunities is growing, and employers are looking for graduates with real-life vocational experience underpinned by learning, which is precisely where University of Bolton graduates have an 'edge'.
As a project manager, you'll take the lead and play a pivotal role in the successful completion of projects. You'll be responsible for co-ordinating the wide range of resources involved in projects, such as labour, materials, finance and consultants, to achieve the organisation's goals – on time, within budget and to the quality standards required. As a successful graduate of this course, you'll possess the management, leadership and problem-solving qualities necessary for a career in this varied, rewarding and challenging field.
What can I do with this qualification?
You may be involved at the very earliest stages of projects, managing the development of project briefs and designs for clients. Alternatively, you could manage the progress of the project, managing the substantive resources needed. Or you could work as an independent project manager, perhaps building up your own consultancy practice.
The programme is also excellent preparation for doctoral-level study and a career in research and university lecturing.
Alternative career options
Graduates can use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Some examples include:
- Operations management
- General management
- Product management
- Product development
- Business analysis
- Business development
- Marketing
- Sales
- Quality assurance and control
- Event planning
- Logistics
- Research and development
- Teaching and education
- Consultancy
Professional Recognition
The University of Bolton is a corporate partner of the Association for Project Management (APM), UK. We'll encourage you to become a student member of the Association. Membership is free for students undertaking University of Bolton courses and you'll be able to apply for membership directly with the Association for Project Management through the link: https://www.apm.org.uk/membership/
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
International Fees
Please contact the centre of study for fees and funding information – details can be found in the Programme Contacts section of this page.
Bursaries
Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
Home applications are not possible for this course
This course is only available to International students.
International Applicants
Please apply directly to the University using the apply online link shown below.
You’ll need to provide the following information as part of your application. Please ensure you have electronic copies ready to upload to our online application system, as we will not be able to process your application form without these details. Suitable file formats include .PDF, .DOC, .DOCX and .JPG.
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Up-to-date CV
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Identification documentation
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Proof of qualifications
Should you have any questions, please contact the University’s link tutor/admissions tutor. You can find their name, email address and phone number in the Programme Contacts section of this page.
The centre of study can provide you with detailed information about the application, payment and enrolment process for this programme. Please contact them directly – details are available in the Programme Contacts section of this page.
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Apply online: MIM, Malawi MSc Project Management - 28 September 2024
Teaching & Assessment
Teaching follows a structured programme including lectures, presentations and seminars, plus face-to-face contact with University of Bolton faculty. You’ll have the opportunity to cover a wide range of real-life case studies, exploring subjects in greater detail and considering the policies and practices that apply. Group work, and formal and informal presentations and feedback, form an integral part of learning on this course.
Our assessment approach is designed to ensure you get the best opportunities to show how you’ve successfully met the programme’s learning outcomes. Through a mix of exams, essays, reports and presentations, you’ll get the chance to demonstrate how you can select and apply the appropriate knowledge and techniques to solve complex project management problems.
Throughout your studies, we aim to provide formative assessments to guide and enhance your learning. Feedback on your progress can help you build on strengths and overcome perceived weaknesses, and help you identify the best learning strategies for your ultimate success. Formative assessments don’t contribute to your module marks or overall qualification, but are designed to support the summative assessments – exams, coursework and presentations – that do count towards your master’s.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Study Skills for Masters Programmes
- Project Management Principles and Practice
- Managing Risks and Solving Problems
- Research Methods
- Finance and Decision Making for Projects
- Project Dissertation
- Project Leadership
- IT for Supply Chain and Project Management
- Sustainability in Project Operations
- Enterprise Management for Project Leaders
- Managing Projects Across International Borders
- Strategies for Quality Managment in Projects
- Procurement and Operations Management
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 80% Written exams 20% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 82% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 18% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
