The best project management Online Courses

Project management is a complex subject. It has been the focus of countless studies and books; it covers many different areas of expertise and reaches across all industries. Different approaches to project management have been developed over time, and proper training and certifications are fundamental if you really want to accomplish your project with success.

Project management certifications are delivered by the Project Management Institute, and include certifications for various different areas of expertise. The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is the most important, globally recognized and validated credential attesting to your ability to lead and direct projects.

Even if you are not aspiring to become a Project Manager professional, but you do still want to improve your project management skills, your best bet would be to look for free resources.

I have put together a selection of the best online resources to improve your project management skills. After that, why not go ahead and get full Project Management certification too?

We'll start with the free resources and courses, and then move on to look at the paid courses that prepare you for and deliver certification.

Project Management 101

Canvas, at the University of Washington, offers Introduction to Project Management, a short course that is designed for beginners in project management.

It is structured around four lessons, from which you will learn how to identify the stakeholders in your project, to state the problems and opportunities your project will address, to write a Project Overview Statement, and more. It’s a great way to get initiated into project management, free of charge.

ALISON provides two free online courses to improve your project management skills. The first one is Fundamentals of Project Management which is an accessible 2 to 3 hour course that will teach you the fundamentals of project management, from its history to the methodology.

You’ll get an introduction to the most important tools, as well as being taught the process of the systems development life cycle, in order to help you identify the sorts of problems that may arise and create relevant solutions at each stage of a project's life.

“All things are created twice; first mentally; then physically. The key to creativity is to begin with the end in mind, with a vision and a blue print of the desired result” – Stephen Covey

If greater depth is what you’re looking for, ALISON also provides a Diploma in Project Management. This course is somewhat more comprehensive and advanced. At 10 to 15 hours long, it gives you all the basic knowledge to be able to manage a project.

It offers most of the fundamental project management modules, as well as additional content, resources and references, all supported by case studies to provide concrete examples. It also delivers a "diploma" or certificate from ALISON, if you fulfil the requirements at course completion.

Effective Project Management Course: LatitudeU provides a free, 3-hour long course to give you the basic knowledge of what project management is. The course is self-paced and interactive, providing examples illustrating the concepts learnt and how they can be put into practice.

Intermediate Project Management

Coursera provides both free and paid online courses. The paid online course is composed of three free courses, and an extra module, called the capstone project, which delivers the certificate for $276.

The three free courses are as follows:

• Initiating and planning projects
• Budgeting and scheduling projects
• Managing project risks and changes

Each session lasts 4 weeks. It requires 2 to 3 hours of work per week, and each has its own dedicated content. Margaret Meloni, who is a professor at the University of California, Irvine, is the instructor on these courses.

Coursera also offers a Project Management: The Basics for Success course, with Rob Stone from Irvine as its instructor. Again, this course is free, but certification is delivered for $35.

However, if you want to make a career out of project management, you should consider getting PMP certified. Getting this certification, as well as others, will give you the necessary skills to succeed at project management, the credentials you need when applying for a job and might even let you earn more money than you otherwise would have.

Project Management Graduation

Simplilearn offers PMP Certification Training, which is a paid, online, self-training program (also available as classroom training) for PMP certification exams. The course costs $199 and awards Professional Development Unit or PDU credits, which you need in order to get the certification. The course provides access to lots of content and simulated exams to help you prepare for success.

The Project Management Institute provides seven online courses available on demand, with prices ranging from $225 to $875 depending on the course and whether you are a PMI member.

Managing Projects to Success is a general course providing a good foundation in the procedures necessary for successful Project Management. You will learn the complete process of project management, how to conduct effective and productive meetings, how to recognize and prevent potential claim situations, and so on.

"Of all the things I've done, the most vital is coordinating the talents of those who work for us and pointing them toward a certain goal." — Walt Disney

Agile in the Program Management Office is an instructor-led, e-learning course, which takes the form of an interactive eSeminarsworld course. You will learn how to prepare key stakeholders for change, work with governance to conduct reviews, manage a mixed portfolio and improve the performance of your project management office using the Agile Principles and processes.

Of course, there are many other courses available such as Greycampus or The knowledge academy, so my advice is to hunt around and look for the one that you feel best matches your expectations and budget.

The 11 courses in the order they appear in the article:

1. Introduction to Project Management - Free
2. Fundamentals of Project Management Course - Free
3. Diploma in Project Management - Free
4. Effective Project Management - Free
5. Initiating and Planning Projects - Free
6. Budgeting and Scheduling Projects - Free
7. Managing Project Risks and Changes - Free
8. Project Management: The Basics for Success - Free
9. PMP® Certification Training Course - Paid
10. Managing Projects to Success - Paid
11. Agile in the Program Management Office - Paid