Project managers play an important role in businesses, overseeing projects from inception to completion. With the job outlook for project managers projected to grow significantly, pursuing a career in this field can be a rewarding and lucrative choice.
The online Master of Business Administration (MBA) with Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification program at the University of Texas at Tyler (UT Tyler) gives students the expertise to succeed in project management roles.
A project manager is responsible for planning, organizing and coordinating projects to make sure they’re completed on time, within budget and up to quality standards. Their duties typically include:
- Defining project scope: Clearly defining the project objectives, results and constraints
- Developing project plans: Creating detailed project plans that outline the project’s timeline, budget and resource requirements
- Leading project teams: Assembling and motivating project teams to achieve the goals of the project
- Managing project risks: Spotting and minimizing potential dangers that could impact the project’s success
- Monitoring and controlling project progress: Tracking project progress, identifying changes from the plan and taking corrective action as needed
- Communicating with partners: Keeping partners informed about project progress and addressing any concerns
Project managers need more than just business acumen. Successful project managers have a variety of essential skills, including:
- Leadership: The ability to motivate and inspire project teams
- Communication: Effective communication skills are essential for building relationships, managing expectations and resolving conflicts
- Problem-solving: The ability to identify and solve problems that come up during projects
- Decision-making: Make wise decisions confidently
- Time management: Being able to use time wisely and complete tasks on time
- Technical skills: Staying familiar with project management approaches and tools
Areas of Specialization for Project Managers
Project managers can specialize in a variety of industries and project types, including:
- Information technology (IT): Managing software development, network infrastructure and other IT projects.
- Construction: Supervising the construction of buildings and public works
- Engineering: Managing engineering projects, such as product development or process improvement
- Healthcare: Overseeing healthcare projects, such as implementing new systems or improving patient outcomes
- Finance: Managing financial projects, such as mergers and acquisitions or risk management
The UT Tyler Online MBA With Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification Program
The UT Tyler online MBA with Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification program provides students with the expertise to succeed in a career in project management. The program offers a comprehensive curriculum that covers a wide range of topics relevant to project management, including the following courses:
Lean Management
This course explains how lean production systems can improve profits by eliminating waste in a company. It covers key ideas like visual management, TPM, Jidoka, Five S, Kaizen, Hoshin Planning, Kanban and PDCA.
Organizational Behavior
This course examines managers’ challenges when leading individuals and teams to reach company goals. It also focuses on both individual and group perspectives.
Strategic Human Resource Management
This course focuses on how HR managers and strategies can help a company gain a competitive edge. It looks at both specific HR practices and the overall HR system in improving company performance.
Value Stream Management
This course uses visual mapping to examine how information and materials move through a workplace. Students create value stream maps for manufacturing and healthcare organizations and design plans for a lean office environment.
Six Sigma Quality
This course covers quality control concepts, including attribute and variable techniques. It also explores advanced graphical problem-solving methods in Six Sigma. Students use computers to create spreadsheets, graphs and charts and run statistical quality control software.
By completing the UT Tyler MBA with Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification program, graduates are ready to pursue careers in project management. The program provides a solid base in business fundamentals, combined with specialized knowledge in project management and process improvement. With the growing need for skilled project managers, graduates of this program are in high demand in a variety of industries.
Learn more about UT Tyler’s online MBA with Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification program.