# Project Management Essentials Course (Self-Paced)

Canonical URL: <https://www.graduateschool.edu/courses/project-management-essentials-course-self-paced>

## Overview

Many professionals are responsible for managing projects as task leads, team leads, or coordinators—often without formal project management training. Project Management Essentials equips participants with the foundational knowledge, tools, and techniques needed to manage projects more effectively and confidently across a variety of organizational environments.

This course introduces key project management standards, principles, and performance domains as defined in the PMBOK® Guide (7th Edition). Through instructor-led discussions, hands-on exercises, and case study analysis, participants learn how to start projects by defining business needs and stakeholders, develop clear scope and planning artifacts, manage execution and risk, measure performance, and successfully close projects.

Participants will explore predictive, adaptive, and hybrid project approaches and learn how to select the most appropriate method based on project context. The course emphasizes practical application, helping participants translate project management concepts into actionable practices they can immediately apply in their workplace.

This course is ideal for professionals who are new to project management or those seeking to formalize their project management skills using recognized standards and best practices.

## What you'll learn

- Explain core project management principles and standards, including Project Performance Domains and how project environments influence predictive, adaptive, and hybrid approaches.
- Initiate a project by developing key artifacts such as the business case, project charter, stakeholder identification, and high-level requirements.
- Plan project work using scope statements, work breakdown structures (WBS), and integrated baselines for scope, schedule, and cost.
- Execute project work while managing uncertainty through risk management, change control, quality practices, communication, and team performance.
- Monitor and control project performance using key performance indicators (KPIs), variance analysis, and stakeholder communication.
- Close projects by completing administrative and contractual closeout activities, capturing lessons learned, and formally handing off deliverables.

## Curriculum

#### Module 1: Introduction to the Standards of Project Management

- Define what constitutes a project and understand its role in delivering value.
- Introduce the Project Management Institute and its key guiding documents.
- Explore project roles, functions, and the environment in which projects operate.
- Understand foundational project management principles.

#### Module 2: Development Approach and Life Cycle Performance Domain

- Compare predictive, adaptive, and hybrid development approaches.
- Learn the criteria for selecting an appropriate methodology.
- Understand the life cycle phases and their alignment with various approaches.
- Apply decision-making to real-world project methodology scenarios.

#### Module 3: Initiating a Predictive Project

- Understand the need for projects and how they support organizational goals.
- Learn the components and purpose of a project charter.
- Explore the Initiating Process Group and its activities.
- Introduce the Stakeholder Performance Domain and stakeholder identification.

#### Module 4: Planning a Predictive Project: Overview

- Plan scope and quality using the Delivery Performance Domain.
- Apply risk assessment under the Uncertainty Performance Domain.
- Gather project requirements and define project deliverables.
- Identify project risks, assess impact and probability.

#### Module 5: Planning a Predictive Project: Baselines

- Define the scope, schedule, and cost baselines for project control.
- Explain the Planning Performance Domain with emphasis on estimating.
- Create network diagrams and determine critical paths.
- Develop a complete baseline to guide project execution and monitoring.

#### Module 6: Executing a Predictive Project: Work Performance

- Understand how planned work is executed in the project environment.
- Explore the Work Performance Domain and its associated processes.
- Tailor project execution methods to suit project needs.
- Identify and respond to risks during the execution phase.

#### Module 7: Executing a Predictive Project: Team Performance

- Assign and manage project human resources effectively.
- Explore the Team Performance Domain, including leadership and development stages.
- Analyze scenarios to determine team development stages.
- Design and participate in team-building activities to enhance collaboration.

#### Module 8: Monitoring, Controlling, and Closing a Predictive Project

- Monitor project progress against baselines using leading and lagging indicators.
- Use the Measurement Performance Domain to assess performance and implement change control.
- Formally close the project and document lessons learned.
- Review and present the final project report, including outcomes and stakeholder feedback.

## Pricing

**Tuition:** $1999