Students in the Haslam College of Business have the opportunity to prepare for an important step toward careers in project management, thanks to a course offered by the college’s Department of Management and Entrepreneurship. Upon completing MGT 480, Project Management, these students meet the requirements to take the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) exam.
Jackie Jacobs, distinguished lecturer in the department, designed the course. “I wanted students not only to learn the foundations of project management and be able to apply the skills in a work environment, but also to have a tangible outcome to validate their readiness for a project management role,” she said. “The CAPM exam challenges students to demonstrate their readiness to manage projects, and obtaining certification is a resume-builder that will make them more attractive on the job market.”
The course puts students in the role of project managers, navigating the integration of scope, schedule, cost, quality, resource, communication, risk, procurement and stakeholder management. Guest speakers provide real-world context, allowing students to see how project management skills can be used to solve problems and create value in a variety of industries.
Ready to Pursue a Project Management Career Path
The course helped Adam Feeley (HCB, ’21), who was the first MGT 480 student to take and pass the CAPM exam, understand how to plan, execute, manage and control projects.
“I was able to draw connections between the material I learned and my actual work experience to see how the concepts applied in the business world,” said Feeley, who is now employed at Consolidated Nuclear Security as a project controls scheduling associate. “With the CAPM certification, I can pursue a project management career path.”
This summer, two more students from MGT 480 became certified associates in project management. Nafisa Hossain and Sydney Morrel, who both graduated in May 2022, passed the CAPM exam in June.
“Earning CAPM certification helps me have a better understanding of how to manage projects and help the company I work for achieve its business goals and objectives,” Hossain said.
“MGT 480 helped me realize the direction I wanted to go with my degree by exposing me to a dynamic field that encompasses much of what Haslam has taught me,” Morrell said.
With MGT 480 now a regular offering, students who complete the course will continue to take the certification exam on an ongoing basis.
“I couldn’t be prouder of these students for taking this skill to the next level and earning their CAPM certification,” Jacobs said.
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