Learn to Manage Program and Project Portfolios
The Master of Science in Project Management (MSPM) concentration in Program & Project Portfolio Management at Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET) provides an expanded enterprise view and focus on the collection of programs and portfolios. Learn to evaluate the critical success factors that align with strategic goals of the organization and describe best practices for managing such a portfolio. You will construct a program management plan that takes advantage of best practices for the creation and management of programs and coordination of resources, schedule, finance, and risk at the enterprise level. You will also acquire in-depth practical knowledge of enterprise tools used in organizations to plan and manage a portfolio of programs and projects, and learn how to leverage project analytics data to make well-informed decisions.
According to the Project Management Institute’s 2020 Pulse of the Profession®, “Organizations are undergoing a fundamental paradigm shift in which projects are no longer adjacent to operations but instead primary to how work gets done and problems get solved. In today’s C-suite—and tomorrow’s—it is the portfolio that disrupts, that innovates, that expands and thrives.” As projects continue to play a central role in how organizations conduct operations, more people will be hired to manage project portfolios. The need for employees with applicable skills will continue to grow as industries become more project-oriented—and those with the talent will find an abundance of roles in a global economy that will need 25 million new project professionals by 2030 (PMI 2021 Talent Gap Report).
With its detailed and tool-based examination of a project’s conception, planning, budgeting, resource allocation, and implementation, BU MET’s Project Management program is beneficial to those with a broad range of professional responsibilities—from working on complex projects for global companies to designing IT infrastructure to completing consulting contracts. The group-oriented approach we take is closely aligned with how real-world projects are successfully completed.
Program at a Glance
- Top 10 Online Program
- Online and On Campus
- Part-Time or Full-Time Study
- 40 Credits
- 12–20 Months to Completion
- 9 Core Faculty
- No GRE/GMAT
- Tuition & Fees Range—Part-Time Study*: $37,600-$39,300
*Based on 2024–2025 Boston University tuition and fees. Merit scholarship may reduce cost.
Advance Your Career with a Master’s in Project Management
Increasingly, all work is becoming project work. BU MET’s MS in Project Management will prepare you to manage complex projects, facilitate communication between the project team and clients, and balance competing demands among scope, time, cost, and quality—providing the tools to achieve success at the highest levels of management. Coursework covers mega-projects, agile principles, project and program governance, project planning and control, project management life cycle, methodologies of effective leadership and motivation, cost and risk management, management of project quality and procurement, and communication.
Importantly, our program recognizes that to achieve project success, leadership competencies—at the strategic level—are, increasingly, the largest single differentiator. Along with teaching the mechanics for managing a project technically, we provide you with the capability to inspire, influence, negotiate, and communicate with appropriate authority.
Supplementary lecture modules and pedagogical laboratories in the areas of project, program, and portfolio management provide an unparalleled opportunity to master the tools and techniques of project management practice. Completion of the MSPM ensures that you have the knowledge to succeed on the Project Management Professional (PMP®) and Certified Associate in Project Management Certification (CAPM™) exams offered by the Project Management Institute, as well as tests leading to a Scrum Master designation.
#6, Best Online Master's in Business Programs (Excluding MBA)
MET’s online master’s degrees in management are ranked #6 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for 2024.
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PMI Global Accreditation Center for Project Management
BU MET’s MS in Project Management and MS in Computer Information Systems concentration in IT Project Management are accredited by the Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC).
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Accredited member of AACSB International
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Learn MoreWhat Is My Career Outlook as a Graduate of This Program?
1,755,537
Total number of US Jobs
240,401
Annual job openings
+5.3%
Annual job openings
6%
Projected ten-year growth in jobs
(faster than average)
$107.8K
Median annual salary
Common job titles include:
- Project Manager
- Program/Portfolio Manager
- Scrum Master
- PMO/Program Director
- Project Team Leader
- Product Owner
Employers seek expertise in:
- PM methodologies & software
- Team-building & leadership
- Decision making under uncertainty
- Agile mindset
- Sustainability-oriented, long-term thinking
- Communications, facilitation & presentation skills
“While working in various project management roles, I realized the immense value that formal training and a structured curriculum could bring to my skill set. Despite my professional experience, I recognized the need to deepen my theoretical understanding and stay ahead of industry trends. This realization, coupled with a desire for professional growth and career advancement, motivated me to pursue a master’s degree in project management.” Read more.
Vinita Mehta (MET’24)
Special Projects Manager at SRMD
MS, Project Management, Concentration in Program & Project Portfolio Management
Why BU’s Project Management Degree is Ranked in the Top 10
- Accreditation: The master’s degree in Project Management at BU MET is accredited by the Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC).
- PMI® Exam Prep: BU MET’s optional, complimentary Project Management Professional (PMP®) and PMI-ACP® exam preparation courses are ideal for those who seek to pursue PMP® certification. Those who already hold PMI® certifications can earn up to 45 PDUs per course. The MSPM curriculum also prepares you for success on the exams leading to the Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®) designation. By earning a Project Management master’s from BU MET, you can waive one of the three years of experience required for PMI’s certification programs.
- Active Learning Environment: BU MET’s Project Management program focuses on practical, hands-on education, combining graduate-level theory with the core competencies and skills that underlie the Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification—education you can apply on the job.
- Career Counseling: MET’s Career Development office and BU’s Center for Career Development offer a variety of job-hunting resources, including one-on-one career counseling by appointment for both online and on-campus students.
- Engaged Faculty: In BU MET’s Project Management master’s program, you benefit from working closely with highly qualified faculty who draw from active research and substantial professional achievements in areas such as mega-projects, earned-value analysis, improvisation, risk management, project governance, cost estimation, enterprise architecture, IT projects, and agile project management.
- Complimentary Project Management Labs: Two self-paced laboratories offer access to advanced tools and provide opportunities to hone project management skills and technological proficiency using case studies.
- Capstone Course: Benefit from a hands-on, experiential research project under the guidance of faculty and industry mentors.
- OPT Designated: Eligible graduates on student visas have access to an Optional Practical Training (OPT) of 12 months.
- Extensive Network: Study principles of project management alongside peers with solid business experience, learn from faculty who have valuable business contacts, and benefit from an alumni community with strong professional connections.
- Project Management Student Club: Advance your practical knowledge of project management in fun and interesting ways with opportunities for individual leadership and group development through activities and real projects.
- 15:1 Class Ratio: Enjoy an exceptional student-to-instructor ratio, ensuring close interaction with faculty and access to support.
- Valuable Resources: Make use of Boston University’s extensive resources, including the Center for Career Development, Educational Resource Center, Fitness & Recreation Center, IT Help Centers, Mugar Memorial Library, Center for Antiracist Research, Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, George Sherman Union, Rafik B. Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering, and many others.
- Flexible Options: Study at the pace that works for you, evenings on campus or fully online. Courses begin fall, spring, and summer; online courses have two starts per term.
- Track Record: Learn from the best—since 2014, BU MET’s part-time master’s programs in business and management have been ranked among the top in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
- Merit Scholarships: US citizens and permanent residents are automatically considered during the application process and nominated based on eligibility. Learn more.
Master the Tools to Manage Program and Project Portfolios
The Program & Project Portfolio Management concentration is part of BU MET’s MS in Project Management (MSPM) degree program. The MSPM attracts high-achieving candidates from all over the world, representing major project-driven industries such as financial services, manufacturing, construction, information technology, business, life sciences, and healthcare. The mission of the Project Management master’s degree program is to combine contemporary research and established practice to instill in our diverse student population the personal and intellectual skills needed to excel in changing, globally ambiguous, culturally diverse, and uncertain environments. Our goal is to produce critical thinkers and innovative leaders with the skills, knowledge, and agility to excel in the realm of project, program, and portfolio management.
Graduates of the MSPM are prepared to move forward in a wide variety of project management-related careers. Program alumni have been hired at organizations such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, State Street, Fidelity, Putnam, Exxon Mobil, Aramco, UnitedHealth Group, McKesson, CVS Health, Sony, Hitachi, Sprint, National Grid, Deloitte, Ernst & Young (EY), KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Genzyme, Biogen, Pfizer, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Vertex, Philips, Siemens, Huawei, Verizon, Comcast, Nokia, National Grid, and other major employers within the consulting, financial, construction, life sciences, pharmaceutical, and educational sectors.
Graduate with Project Management Expertise
Metropolitan College’s Project Management master’s degree concentration in Program & Project Portfolio Management will equip you to:
- Evaluate critical success factors for projects and programs across industries, use these factors to create project portfolios that align with strategic goals of the organization, and describe best practices for managing such a portfolio.
- Construct a program management plan that describes best practices for the creation and management of programs and how to plan and coordinate resources, procurement, schedules, finance, risk, and change.
- Acquire in-depth practical knowledge of sophisticated, powerful, and highly integrated enterprise tools used in organizations to plan and manage a portfolio of programs and projects, and learn how to leverage project analytics data to make well-informed decisions.
Access to Self-Paced Project Management Laboratories
As a student in BU MET’s Project Management program, you have free access to hands-on, noncredit preparatory laboratories offered through the Department of Administrative Sciences. Our self-paced laboratories (SPLs) are organized in two levels:
- Project Management Essentials (PM 100) provides a foundation in basic project management concepts aligned with the latest project management standard—the PMBOK® Guide, 6th Edition—using a threaded, Boston-flavored, sustainability-oriented example case study. The lab introduces Microsoft Project Professional, as well as key Microsoft Excel add-ins for later use in project, program, and/or portfolio management.
- Introduction to Project, Program, and Portfolio Management (PM 200) is an opportunity to master Microsoft PPM and make further progress in your journey as you transition from projects to programs and portfolios.
Certificate-to-Degree Pathway
BU MET graduate certificate programs can serve as building blocks to a master’s degree. The Graduate Certificate in Project Management shares specific courses with the master’s in Project Management program, giving you the option to take the certificate on your path to a master’s degree. Students currently enrolled in a graduate certificate who are interested in transitioning into a master’s degree should contact their academic advisor to declare their interest in this pathway. A new master’s degree application is not required. Connect with a graduate admissions advisor at adsadmissions@bu.edu to learn more about this option.
Advisory Board
At BU MET, we recognize the importance of maintaining advisory boards that will provide an important link between industry, students, and faculty with the goal of improving the quality and relevance of our programs. The main goal of the Project Management Advisory Board is to establish a link between industry and BU MET students and faculty. Our advisory board is composed of a diverse mix of practitioners who currently represent a cross section of the industry.
Master’s in Project Management Curriculum
A total of 40 credits is required.
All students must satisfy the degree core courses, Program & Project Portfolio Management concentration requirements, and electives as indicated. Degree requirements may vary for those students transferring credits from previous coursework at Boston University or receiving course waivers due to professional designations.
Degree Core Courses
(Four courses/16 credits)
MET AD 642 Project Management
MET AD 643 Project Communications and Leadership
MET AD 715 Quantitative and Qualitative Decision-Making
MET AD 807 Principles and Best Practices in Project, Program, and Portfolio Management
Concentration Requirements
(Four courses/16 credits)
MET AD 644 Project Risk and Cost Management
MET AD 646 Portfolio and Program Management
MET AD 649 Agile Project Management
MET AD 782 Project Value Strategies
Elective Courses
(Two courses/8 credits)
Select two additional Administrative Sciences graduate-level courses (8 credits) with advisor’s approval. Graduate-level courses may also be selected from other Metropolitan College departments or other Boston University schools and colleges, with an advisor’s approval.
Project Management Faculty
View All Faculty
Tuition & Financial Assistance
Competitive Tuition
Our part-time rates are substantially lower than those of the traditional, full-time residential programs yet provide access to the same high-quality BU education.Comprehensive Financial Assistance
Our services include scholarships, graduate loans, and payment plans.How Much Does This Program Cost?
BU MET programs offer the flexibility of part-time or full-time study, either on campus or online. Tuition, fees, and total program cost are determined by enrollment status. If you enroll in 1–2 courses (4–8 credits) in a semester, you are charged the part-time per-credit rate. If you enroll in 3–4 courses (12–16 credits) in a semester, you are charged the full-time semester rate.
MS in Project Management, Program & Project Portfolio Management Concentration (Online and On Campus)
| Enrollment Status | Part Time | Full Time | |
| Courses per Semester | 2 courses (8 credits) |
4 courses (16 credits) |
3 courses (12 credits) |
| Time to Degree | 5 semesters (20 months) |
3 semesters (12-16 months)*** |
4 semesters (16-20 months)*** |
| Tuition* | $550-$975 per credit** |
$33,335 per semester |
$33,335 per semester |
| Fees per Semester* | $60 | $478 | $478 |
| Total Degree Cost* | $37,600– $39,300 |
$75,486 | $105,399 |
*Based on 2024–2025 Boston University tuition & fee rates.
**Cost per credit is determined by course number (100–599 = $550/credit, 600–999 = $975/credit).
***Summer semester enrollment is not required for international students to maintain F-1 visa status. Enrollment in summer semester coursework will expedite completion of program and reduce total program cost.
International students seeking an F-1 visa for on-campus study must enroll full time and demonstrate availability of funds to cover the Estimated Cost of Graduate Study; those who wish to study online may enroll part-time but are not eligible for a visa. Learn more about International Student Tuition & Fees.
Questions? Please contact us to hear from an Admissions Advisor who can help you determine the best enrollment pathway. For information regarding financial aid, visit BU MET’s Financial Aid page.
Get Started
Please visit the BU MET admissions page for details on how to apply, financial assistance, tuition and fees, requirements for international students, and more.
What to Read Next: MET Project Management Knowledge Center
- How Long Does a Master’s in Project Management Take to Complete—and What is the Cost?
- Why Choose a Master of Science in Project Management at BU MET?
- Are There Different Project Management Graduate Programs or Specializations at BU?
- What Is the Career Outlook with an MS in Project Management from BU MET?
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