Project Management

JANUARY 2025 START

Course overview

Our MSc Project Management is designed to meet the growing industry demand for project management professionals that can deliver successful project outcomes across various industries.

Project management has become a critical discipline, ensuring that initiatives are completed efficiently, on time, and within budget. The course provides you with the practical knowledge of project management tools and simulation software, to illustrate and simulate project scenarios.

You will learn how to manage global risks and enhance organisational resilience by understanding and implementing comprehensive risk management practices in complex scenarios.

On graduating you will be able to critically evaluate project risks, financial implications, and industry trends, enabling you to make informed decisions and develop effective mitigation strategies.

You will be able to conduct high-quality research, perform complex problem analysis, and recommend approaches, fostering professional growth and readiness for global challenges.

"When I researched the University, and specifically Aston Business School, I came to learn that it was one of the highest-ranking business schools in the country with triple-crown accreditation and very promising graduate prospects."

Alex Chantrell

Why Project Management at Aston University?

66th in the world

We’ve been ranked as 66th in the world for business and management studies (QS World University Rankings By Subject 2024)

Recognised for quality

Aston Business School is proud to be among 1% of business schools worldwide with triple accreditation

Gain the advantage

Get ahead of the competition with the Aston Global Advantage professional development module

Gain a competitive edge

As well as opening doors, an Aston University postgraduate degree builds on your experience, develops your skills and gives you a competitive edge in a crowded job market.

Course description

MSc Project Management

Our MSc Project Management offers the opportunity to gain the expertise to undertake complex business planning projects in modern, global workplaces, and master skills that will prepare you for a career in a variety of industries and professions.

What we will provide
First-class teaching in the UK’s second-largest city, delivered by a diverse array of staff who will inspire and excite you. You will benefit from applied learning, research-informed teaching and constructive assessment. There are practical activities, including simulation exercises, reflective case studies, collaborative group work, thought-provoking class discussions as well as inspiring lectures and tutorials.

We are also an Adobe Creative Campus meaning you will have access to top-notch software licenses, including Adobe and Solidworks, commonly used in industry.

What you will provide
Postgraduate students are required to balance academic work and research projects. You will be expected to engage with teaching materials, online lectures, and in-person sessions. It is important you learn how to adapt a growth mindset to your studies - understand that intelligence and success come from applying yourself, you must be able to demonstrate critical thinking and have ambition and drive to excel.

What skills we teach
Our MSc Project Management will equip you with advanced skills in planning, executing, monitoring, and completing projects, ensuring you can deliver successful project outcomes across various industries.

Career prospects
This fast-growing management discipline provides opportunities in the private and public sectors including industries such as IT, Manufacturing, Construction, Finance, Software Development and Healthcare.

How you will learn

The programme is delivered through a range of teaching methods with a strong emphasis on practical learning. It offers a blend of lectures and seminars, alongside workshops, presentations, simulation exercises, and reflective case studies.

Group work fosters the sharing of insights and the gathering of diverse perspectives within a supportive environment, enabling students to leverage each other’s strengths from past experiences. We welcome industry partners to share their expertise and are proud to offer a mentoring scheme. Networking events allow alumni to offer invaluable advice to current students, sharing how they implement their learnings into their everyday roles.

In the Aston Global Advantage module, you will enhance your employability and global citizenship through experiential learning and reflective practice. Dedicated employability support, skill-building workshops and diverse learning streams will prepare you for both academic and professional success.

At the start of your course, you will be allocated a personal tutor who can offer individual study advice and guidance. You will also benefit from access to the University Library's extensive collection of over 25,000 books and electronic journals.

Student holding laptop in student study space

Gain the advantage

Our flagship professional development module provides a range of opportunities to apply your learning and increase your employability.

The Aston Global Advantage

What you will learn

In the taught stage you will study various elements of project management such as Agile Project Management, Management of Innovation, Simulation in Project Management and Global Risk and Resilience Management.

As well as advancing your project management skills in planning, executing, monitoring projects and managing risks; data-driven decision-making has become increasingly prevalent across industries; therefore, project managers need to be proficient in project data analytics. By including Data Mining and Visualization in our MSc Project Management programme, we feel you will be better prepared to meet the evolving demands of the job market and excel in your career.

In the dissertation phase, you will complete a research project on a project management topic of your choice, showcasing your ability to conduct independent research with a clear consideration of ethics, theory and methods.

Piyushi Pawan MSc Business and Management

Bridging the gap

Piyushi transitioned from computer science to technology consulting. Here she discusses how she always found the staff very supportive during her time at Aston University, and how they helped her find ways to achieve her goals.

Discover Piyushi's journey

Learn business, do business

Our classroom goes beyond traditional lectures, focusing instead on real-life projects and hands-on experiences.

Student experience

Course objectives

Provides you with advanced skills in planning, executing, monitoring, and completing projects, ensuring you can deliver successful project outcomes across various industries.
Encourages you to critically evaluate project risks, financial implications, and industry trends, enabling you to make informed decisions and develop effective mitigation strategies.
Provides you with the practical knowledge of project management tools and simulation software, to illustrate and simulate project scenarios.
Prepares you to manage global risks and enhance organisational resilience by understanding and implementing comprehensive risk management practices in complex scenarios.
Develops your ability to conduct high-quality research, perform complex problem analysis, and recommend approaches, fostering professional growth and readiness for global challenges.

Modules

Modules and learning outcomes

Taught stage modules

In the taught stage you will study the following core modules:

Module Title	Credits
Managing Projects This module gives a broad examination about project management and how this supports the ever-increasing requirement to co-ordinate and support business growth and development in an international context. It covers a broad range of theoretical and practical tools and provides the environment in which to apply them in practical work-based situations.	15
Effective Management Consultancy This module will help you to understand different approaches to consulting projects. You’ll explore what is good and what is bad consulting practice. It will also prepare to you to carry out successful consulting projects within organisations either as an external consultant or as a line manager given a one-off problem-solving task.	15
Data Mining and Visualization We will explore data mining techniques and their use in business decision making. You will also learn how to uncover patterns and trends hidden in data.	15
Global Risk & Resilience Management This module aims to help students think in a holistic, integrated and interdisciplinary way about business and the physical environment. There is an examination of alternative paradigms and different approaches as to how business, strategy and leadership can be more efficiently and effectively conducted and the implications that these have on individuals, the environment and other species.	15
Management of Innovation This module introduces you to key concepts and models of innovation management and guides you through their critical evaluation. Using recent real-world cases, the module develops your ability to analyse innovation management of business organisations in practice and to formulate and communicate innovation-based strategies for both short- and long-term successes.	15
Agile Project Management This module provides you with an in-depth understanding of Agile project management principles, methodologies and practices. By the end of the module, you will be able to apply Agile frameworks, use Agile tools, foster team collaboration, and continuously improve Agile processes to deliver high-quality project outcomes. This module will also enable you to apply the concepts of prioritisation, time boxing, iteration; can deliver high-quality products that meet customer needs while continuously improving processes and practices.	15
Simulation for Project Management This module aims to combine the challenge of learning the theory of simulation modelling, with collecting data in an external organisation using simulation modelling software and group work to meet a deadline for the presentation of results. This skillset is useful as simulation is used in many organisations and consultancy units to provide descriptive, predictive and prescriptive analytics.	15
The Aston Global Advantage The Aston Global Advantage is our professional development programme that runs throughout all MSc programmes at Aston Business School. Focusing on professional development and employability, this integrated module gives you the opportunity to identify, develop and apply the key transferrable skills you will gain throughout the year.	15
Total	120

Dissertation stage modules

In the dissertation stage you will study the following core modules:

Module Title	Credits
Research Methods	15
MSc Project Management Research Project You will carry out an original piece of work applying material that you have learnt in the taught element of your degree. Specific requirements will be explained relating to different degree programmes but in summary you must demonstrate both theoretical and practical knowledge of your chosen area of specialism.	45
Total	60

Programme outcomes

On successful completion of both the taught and dissertation stage, you will be able to:

Design and implement comprehensive project plans, incorporating strategic objectives, risk assessments, financial considerations, and effective communication strategies.
Develop the ability to critically evaluate risks, propose effective mitigation strategies, and apply these principles to various project and organisational contexts.
Demonstrate proficiency in using project management and data analytics tools to support decision-making and optimise project outcomes.
Systematically and creatively evaluate project innovation, develop strategies and apply them to enhance creativity and organisational performance.
Demonstrate originality in the application of the principles of global risk management and resilience, developing strategies to create robust and adaptable organisations.
Conduct high-quality research, analysing complex problems, and proposing effective solutions, integrating theoretical insights with practical applications.

We may update our courses to reflect best practices and academic developments. If we do, we’ll let you know of any changes at the earliest opportunity by updating our course webpages. If you have already received an offer, we’ll write to you directly to let you know of the changes.

Entry requirements

One of the following:

2:2 (lower second-class honours) degree or equivalent
Equivalent overseas degree recognised by Aston University (see international students tab below for more information)

You will need to provide:

A professional reference
- If you are a current student or recent graduate (within the last 2-3 years), we will ask for an academic reference
- If you are currently employed and not a recent graduate, we will ask for a professional reference
An official academic transcript of your university grades to date
A completed application form.

Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students on many of our postgraduate programmes. Students from over 120 countries choose to study with us every year. Based in the centre of Birmingham, Aston is not only a great place to study but also a great place to live.

Qualifications in your country

For details of equivalent qualifications in your country, use our area pages below:

English language requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of an English language qualification.

English language requirements

How to apply

Aston University provides a range of opportunities for international students to join our community and study on our campus. A key part of our strategy is our relationships with teaching partners, providing multiple pathways to Aston.

Aston’s professional work placements can improve your chance of securing a graduate job. Placements give you experience, confidence and opportunities and, as an Aston student, you’ll be better prepared for your future career. One of the great things about Aston is our focus on employability. Our close links with businesses, industries and professions make this possible.

Find out more about applying

Post-study work visa

Aston University welcomed the creation of a new Graduate Immigration Route which enables international students to remain in the UK for two years after you complete your studies to find work. This new post-study work visa applies to international students completing full-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Graduate Immigration Route

Pathway programmes

If you don’t meet our entry requirements, we have a range of pathway programmes offered by our partner, ONCAMPUS Aston, which you can complete to progress onto one of our degrees.

We recognise the value of extensive professional experience. If you do not have the academic qualifications but have extensive and relevant professional experience and a proven ability to succeed, we would welcome your application.

The information contained on this website details the typical entry requirements for this course for the most commonly offered qualifications.

Applicants with alternative qualifications may wish to enquire with the relevant admissions teams prior to application whether or not their qualifications are deemed acceptable. For less commonly encountered qualifications this will be judged on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the academic admissions tutor.

Speak to our Admissions Team

If you have any questions about the application process please get in touch with our postgraduate admissions team:

Email: pgadmissions@aston.ac.uk

Call: 0121 204 3200 (Please note this line is open Monday-Friday between 09:30-16:30)

Read our guide to applying

Meet your programme director

Dr Menoka Bal
Programme Director, MSc Project Management

If you have any questions about the course or modules you will be studying, you can get in touch via email and I will be happy to answer your queries.

Get in touch

Fees and scholarships

Course fees

UK students
(2024/25)

Annual tuition fees:

£12,000

International students
(2024/25)

Annual tuition fees:

£23,500

More information on fees

The United Kingdom government has confirmed that European Union (EU), other European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals commencing academic courses in England from August 2021 will no longer be charged the same tuition rates as UK students.

Tuition fees for students are reviewed annually and may increase in subsequent years in line with inflation linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) to take account of the University’s increased costs of delivering the Programme. Any such increase shall always be in accordance with the law. When undertaking a placement year, a placement year fee applies.

Fees and funding

Scholarships

At Aston University we are committed to supporting the most talented and hardworking students to achieve their potential by providing a range of scholarships to help lower tuition and living costs.

Explore scholarships for UK students

Explore scholarships for international students

Assessment

There are a variety of assessment methods, including exams, coursework, poster design, presentations and group work. For our assessments, we use real or fictitious business scenarios. The practical assessments help you to develop the skills and competencies required for future job roles.

Career prospects

There is a growing world demand for skilled project managers across various industries such as construction, IT, healthcare, and finance.

A degree in MSc Project Management would provide comprehensive education in areas such as project planning, scheduling, budgeting, risk management, and communication, which are essential for success in managing projects of varying sizes and complexities.

Working in project management in the UK is also a financially rewarding career, with project management professionals earning an average salary of £47,500, which is above the UK average (APM Salary and Market Trends Survey, 2023).

Supported for success

Brenda Guimaraes chose to study both her undergraduate and postgraduate degree at Aston University, with ambitions to start her own business.

Discover Brenda's journey

Our graduates achieve amazing things all over the world – whether it’s setting up their own businesses, landing jobs with high profile organisations, or making real differences within their communities.

Hear from our graduates

Be part of our community

Once you have joined us at Aston University, you’ll always be part of our community, even beyond graduation.

Alumni services

Frequently asked questions

Why study Project Management at Aston University?

Project management has become a critical discipline, ensuring that initiatives are completed efficiently, on time, and within budget. The course provides you with the practical knowledge of project management tools and simulation software, to illustrate and simulate project scenarios. You will learn how to manage global risks and enhance organisational resilience by understanding and implementing comprehensive risk management practices in complex scenarios.

What is the ‘Aston Global Advantage’?

Embedded in all our masters degrees, this assessed, year-long credit-bearing module aims to develop professional and personal transferrable skills relevant to any workplace and create a bridge between the degree and the world of work.

The Aston Global Advantage

Why should I study my postgraduate degree at Aston University?

There are lots of benefits of studying a postgraduate degree at Aston University.

Watch this video from MBA student, Monique, who talks about just a few of them:

Is Birmingham a good place to study?

Our campus is based in the centre of Birmingham, the youngest major city in Europe and a great place to live, work and study.

Great music and entertainment with a vibrant nightlife. Bars, clubs, pubs, live music, festivals, concerts. Whatever your tastes, there's something here for everyone.
Fantastic food. Birmingham's diverse community means you can try anything from the famous Balti triangle, the Chinese Quarter, high street chains, halal and vegan food, and Michelin-star dining.
World-class shopping. The Bullring and Grand Central is a shopper's paradise. From the world's biggest Primark to luxury brands at the Mailbox.
Arts and culture. Museums, galleries, theatres, concerts and Birmingham's art collection is as wide as it is impressive - not to be missed.
Green, open spaces. One of the greenest cities in Europe, Birmingham has hundreds of publicly accessible parks and green spaces across the city.
Sporting action. Birmingham has some of the most exciting venues for watching or participating in sport in the UK.

Discover Birmingham

What will my timetable look like?

We understand how important it is to know your timetable in advance for planning around work, childcare, or other responsibilities. Here's some basic guidance on what to expect regarding your student timetable.

Full-time programmes

As a rough estimate, full-time postgraduate students in the College of Business and Social Sciences should expect to spend about 12-15 hours per week in lectures and on-campus seminars. This is in addition to independent study, and there may be additional guided learning activities during certain weeks. The exact distribution of these hours will vary depending on your course and module choices.

Part-time programmes

Part-time students will have fewer weekly on-campus hours compared to full-time students. This reduction is proportional to the number of modules you're enrolled in.

Timetable availability

Complete timetables are usually released shortly before the start of your programme. This timing is necessary to ensure that we accommodate all course requirements and that rooms are allocated based on the number of students likely to enrol on each programme. We aim to provide these timetables as early as possible, to assist you in your planning.

As your induction week approaches, you will be sent more information about your timetable via email, and you will be able to access your timetable by logging into MyAstonPortal. For any further queries or information regarding your timetable, you can reach out to your programme director or the Student Support team.

Online/distance learning programmes

The above information also applies to students enrolled in online/distance learning programmes. Please note that both full-time and part-time distance learning students are still required to attend scheduled synchronous learning sessions.

MyAstonPortal

What can I get involved in at Aston Business School?

At Aston Business School, you will dive into a dynamic blend of innovative learning and hands-on experiences. With our acclaimed triple-crown accreditation, we offer you academic excellence and a track record of producing successful graduates.

Located in Birmingham, the UK's vibrant second city, Aston Business School provides you with a culturally rich environment and superb connectivity. You will benefit from real-world business engagements, international study opportunities and entrepreneur support programmes like BSEEN and Pitchfest.

You can also engage in practical consultancy at the Aston Business Clinic and collaborate with global peers in events such as the Maastricht Case Competition or the Universities Business Challenge. Our partnership with The Prince’s Trust, alongside a range of student clubs including TEDx and Enactus further enriches your learning experience.

Discover more