- Beginner to PROject Manager: Udemy
- Digital Project Management: Udacity
- Online Project Management: Colorado State University
- PMP Certification Training Course: Simplilearn
- Project Management Training Bundle - 6 Courses: Master of Project Academy
- Engineering Project Management Specialization: Coursera
- Project Management for Software Engineers: Pluralsight
- Enterprise Project Management: Cybrary
- PRINCE2 6th Edition Foundation: at PRINCE2
- Project Management Certificate Program: Cornell University
Are you looking for the best project management certification course to help you advance your career or just looking to learn project management to improve your skills? In this article, we selected and reviewed the best online project management courses, certifications and training — self-paced and instructor-led, free and paid — for professionals of all skill levels.
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Top online courses for project management: Comparison chart
Here is a feature summary of the best online courses for project management.
| Offered by | Level | Eligibility criteria | Course duration | Course price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner to PROject Manager | Udemy | Beginner | No prerequisites | 7h 17m | $109 |
| Digital Project Management | Udacity | Beginner | No prerequisites | 4 weeks | $249 per user per month |
| Online Project Management | Colorado State University | Mid-level/Advanced | A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), 7th Edition | 16 weeks | $3,395 |
| PMP Certification Training Course | Simplilearn | Mid-level/advanced | A secondary degree or a minimum of five years of project management experience | 3 months | $999 |
| Project Management Training Bundle - 6 Courses | Master of Projects Academy | Intermediate/advanced | No prerequisites | 70+ hours | Starts at $137 per month |
| Engineering Project Management Specialization | Coursera | Beginner | No prerequisites required | 2 months at 10 hours a week | $49 per month |
| Project Management for Software Engineers | Pluralsight | Beginner | No prerequisites required | 4h 50m | $29 per month |
| Enterprise Project Management | Cybrary | Intermediate | PMP, knowledge of project management | 5h 53m | Free |
| PRINCE2 | 6th Edition Foundation | Beginner | No prerequisites required | 20 hours | $1,185.75 |
| Project Management Certificate | Cornell University | Intermediate/advanced | Knowledge of project management | 3 months at 3-5 hours per week | $2,730 or $830 per month |
Udemy: Beginner to PROject Manager
Created by 365 Careers, this Beginner to PROject Manager course is a bestseller on Udemy. This course teaches you how to use Gantt charts, critical path methods, project plans and budgets. It also includes 15+ project management templates that you can use to create your own projects. The course is structured in a step-by-step manner, starting with the basics of project management and gradually moving towards more advanced topics such as MS Excel for project management, agile project management and scrum, as well as agile and waterfall.
Course details
| Price | $109 |
| Time to complete | 7h 17m |
| Prerequisites required | No prior experience is required. |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Flexible schedule | This is a self-paced course, meaning you can study it at your own convenience. |
| Includes verified certificate of participation | Yes |
| Who should take this course? | Anyone interested in project management |
Udacity: Digital Project Management
​​Digital Project Management is a nanodegree program taught by Walyce Almeida, a program manager at AWS and hosted on Udacity. This course is designed for those looking to learn about project management processes, tools, principles and practices. The digital project management course teaches you foundational project management concepts. In this course, you will learn how to translate business requirements into a project scope statement, build project plans in waterfall or agile and develop a high-performing team.
Some of the skills you’ll learn include:
- Cost-benefit analysis.
- Project risk mitigation.
- Scrum and scrum boards.
- S.M.A.R.T. goals.
- Requirements gathering.
- Professional portfolios.
- Project execution, status reporting, scoping, closure and scheduling.
- Waterfall project management.
- Project management artifacts.
Course details
| Price | You need a Udacity subscription to access this course. Pricing starts at $249 per user per month. |
| Time to complete | 4 weeks |
| Prerequisites required | No experience is required. |
| Difficulty | This is a beginner-level course. |
| Flexible schedule | This is a self-paced course. You can schedule your study time based on your availability. |
| Includes verified certificate of participation | Yes |
| Who should take this course? | This course is designed for beginners and intermediate. |
Colorado State University: Online Project Management
This course is powered by Colorado State University. It’s created for project managers, project coordinators and business analysts who want to advance their project management skills or those preparing for the Project Management Professional exam in order to earn the Certified Project Management Professional or the Certified Associate Project Manager certificate.
The program is structured to engage participants in a collaborative learning process, allowing them to earn project management education credits (contact hours) that count towards their eligibility for the PMP exam. Throughout the learning process, participants can earn points by participating in weekly discussions, engaging in team exercises and completing quizzes, which help track their progress.
In this course, you will learn:
- Project life cycle phases, process groups, and knowledge areas — according to the PMI Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)® Guide (7th edition).
- How to manage project scope, risk, communications and integration management.
- Project management language and processes.
Course details
| Price | $3,395 |
| Time to complete | 16 weeks |
| Prerequisites required | Students must purchase A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), 7th Edition. |
| Flexible schedule | Limited flexibility due to the live classes |
| Difficulty | Intermediate/advance |
| Includes verified certificate of participation | Yes |
| Who should take this course? | Those with various experience levels as project managers, project coordinators and business analysts |
Simplilearn: PMP Certification Training Course
Simplilearn’s PMP Certification Training Course is designed to help professionals prepare for and pass the PMP certification exam. The course covers various aspects of project management and the instructors train you based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) 7th edition and the latest certification exam content outline.
The PMP Certification Training Course gives you access to digital materials from PMI, such as audio-video content, ebooks, assessments and participant guides. It also includes nine full-length simulation test papers with 180 questions each, as well as 35 contact hours with live virtual sessions.
Course details
| Price | $399 |
| Time to complete | 3 months |
| Prerequisites required |
|
| Flexible schedule | Limited flexibility – combines live sessions and self-learning |
| Difficulty | Advance |
| Includes verified certificate of participation | Yes |
| Who should take this course? |
|
Master of Project Academy: Project Management Training Bundle - 6 Courses
This six-in-one course bundle provides comprehensive training on project management. The bundle includes the following courses:
- PMP certification training: It will prepare you for the PMP certification exam.
- Microsoft project training: You will learn how to use Microsoft Project to plan, track and manage projects.
- Agile scrum certification training: This course will teach you the principles and practices of agile scrum methodology.
- PMP exams and math lectures: It covers the essential math concepts and formulas needed to pass the PMP certification exam.
- Free PMP training: Offers a comprehensive overview of project management concepts and techniques, key principles and best practices.
- Free agile scrum training: This course introduces agile methodology and the scrum framework.
Whether you’re new to project management or looking to enhance your skills and knowledge, this bundle is a carefully curated resource designed to help you excel in your project management career.
Course details
| Price | Pricing starts at $137 per month. You can also choose to pay $770 for one year of access or $1,247 for lifetime access. |
| Time to complete | 70+ hours |
| Prerequisites required | No prerequisites required. |
| Flexible schedule | Yes |
| Difficulty | All levels - beginner, intermediate and advanced |
| Includes verified certificate of participation | Yes |
| Who should take this course? | This course is ideal for beginners and seasoned project managers looking to upskill. |
Coursera: Engineering Project Management Specialization
Authored by experts from Rice Center for Engineering Leadership, this course is designed for professionals looking to specialize in engineering project management. This course will teach you how to initiate and plan engineering projects and provide tools to develop a project scope, schedule and budget. You’ll also learn how to manage risks, control the quality of the deliverables, engage and manage people and procure goods and services.
Course details
| Price | $49 per month |
| Time to complete | 2 months at 10 hours a week |
| Prerequisites required | No prerequisites required. |
| Flexible schedule | Self-paced |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Includes verified certificate of participation | Yes |
| Who should take this course? | Professional engineers who are interested in advancing into leadership and management roles. |
Pluralsight: Project Management for Software Engineers
If you’re a software engineer with a knack for organization and leadership, you might find this project management course authored by Michael Krasowski interesting. The course teaches you the practical elements of working with customers, people, technology and processes. You’ll learn project management fundamentals, planning, control and execution.
Course details
| Price | You will need a Pluralsight membership at $29 per month. |
| Time to complete | 4h 50m |
| Prerequisites required | No prerequisites required |
| Flexible schedule | Self-paced |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Includes verified certificate of participation | Yes |
| Who should take this course? | Software engineers |
Cybrary: Enterprise Project Management
Cybrary’s enterprise project management is designed for those who have achieved the PMP credential through PMI or those pursuing PMP certification. This course covers several project management aspects, including:
- Projects, operations and organizational progress.
- Building a project charter.
- Project planning, execution and closure.
- Organizational structures and agile planning.
- Business analysis and complex modeling.
- Enterprise project planning, execution and governance.
- Enterprise change management.
- Case studies.
Course details
| Price | Free |
| Time to complete | 5h 53m |
| Prerequisites required | No prerequisites required |
| Flexible schedule | Self-paced |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Includes verified certificate of participation | Yes |
| Who should take this course? | PMPs and aspiring PMPs |
PRINCE2 6th Edition Foundation
Another great course for beginners is the Prince2 6th Edition Foundation online course. Prince2 has over 500K graduates worldwide and is a recognized leading project management course provider. This course will teach you how to create a business case, plan and manage change, as well as quality assurance, project scoping and deliverables.
Course details
| Price | $1,185.75 for one-year access |
| Time to complete | 20 hours |
| Prerequisites required | No prerequisites required |
| Flexible schedule | Yes |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Includes verified certificate of participation | Yes |
| Who should take this course? | Project managers and professionals supporting projects |
Cornell University: Project Management Certificate Program
Unlike the other project management courses we have reviewed so far, Cornell’s Project Management Certificate Program is an instructor-led online PM certification course. The program is designed for professionals who want to enhance their knowledge of project management. You will acquire 50 project management education hours towards your PMP certification when you complete this course.
Course details
| Price | $2,730 or $830 per month |
| Time to complete | 3 months at 3–5 hours per week |
| Prerequisites required | Knowledge of project management |
| Flexible schedule | No - Instructor-led course |
| Difficulty | Intermediate/advanced |
| Includes verified certificate of participation | Yes |
| Who should take this course? | Team leaders, managers and aspiring PMPs |
Tips for choosing the right project management course
When shopping for the best project management course for you, it’s essential to identify your learning goals. For instance, if you want to advance your career or look for higher-paying jobs, certification courses such as PMP or PRINCE2 can enhance your credibility and job prospects in the field. Your current professional stage and knowledge level will help you determine the kind of course to select:
- Zero or limited project management knowledge? Go for a beginner course.
- Need to widen your knowledge? Intermediate PM courses may help you align with the current industry trends.
- Need advanced certification to advance your career? Look for PMP courses from recognized providers similar to the ones we listed above.
Before settling for a particular course and provider, make sure you do your due diligence.
- Review the course syllabus.
- Consider the course delivery method, duration and flexibility.
- Consider the instructor’s qualifications and expertise.
- Consider the cost of the course and weigh it against the value you’ll gain.
Ensure that the course provider is accredited by a recognized body in the field of project management, such as the Project Management Institute, Certified International Project Manager or Certified Associate in Project Management.
Frequently asked questions about online project management courses
We answered some commonly asked questions about online PM courses to help you determine the best course for you.
Which is the best certification for project management?
The best project management certification for you depends on your current career goals, experience level and industry. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or expert, the courses we analyzed in this guide are top-tiers and are suitable for different experience levels.
Is a PMP course worth it?
Yes, it is worth it 100%. For example, obtaining a project management professional certification can provide several benefits, such as career advancement, increased earning potential and industry recognition.
Are there free online project management courses?
Yes, there are several free project management courses. Cybrary’s enterprise project management is a free project management course.
Are online project management courses accredited, and does accreditation matter?
Not all online project management courses are accredited, and accreditation can be an important factor to consider when choosing a course.
Accreditation matters because it assures that a reputable organization has evaluated the course or certification program and meets recognized industry standards. Accredited courses are more likely to be recognized and accepted by employers and professional organizations.
What is the difference between project management certifications and online courses?
Project management certifications are designed to validate your knowledge and expertise in project management — they usually require passing an exam. They may have prerequisites, such as a certain number of hours of project management experience. Conversely, online courses are educational programs that provide you with knowledge and skills in project management. They may or may not lead to a certification.