Master of Business Administration - Project Management

Program Overview

The MBA with a Project Management emphasis at Southern Utah University is offered entirely online, providing substantial flexibility for working professionals seeking to advance their careers. The program is structured with fast-paced 7-week classes, allowing students to complete the 33-credit hour degree efficiently, potentially in as few as 12 months. It focuses on best practices for starting, planning, executing, and managing projects. The curriculum covers the Project Management Institute's (PMI) Body of Knowledge, preparing graduates to sit for certification exams such as the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) and the Project Management Professional (PMP) exams. The program emphasizes strengthening leadership skills and deepening understanding of key business concepts crucial for successful project delivery across various industries.

AACSB Accredited: The Dixie L. Leavitt School of Business at Southern Utah University, which houses the MBA program with all its emphases, holds the prestigious accreditation from AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. This accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide, attained by only a small percentage of business programs globally. AACSB accreditation signifies that SUU's business programs, including the MBA with a Project Management emphasis, meet rigorous standards for quality in curriculum, faculty qualifications, research, and student outcomes. This ensures that graduates receive a globally recognized and highly respected degree, enhancing their credibility and competitiveness in the project management and broader business sectors.

Curriculum: The 33-credit hour MBA curriculum for the Project Management emphasis includes 24 credit hours of core MBA courses and 9 credit hours of specialized project management emphasis courses. Core MBA courses provide a strong foundation in essential business principles such as "Managing People & Organizations," "Operations & Supply Chain Management," "Leadership," "Advanced Managerial Accounting," "Managerial Economics," "Managerial Finance," "Marketing," and a "Strategy" capstone course. The Project Management emphasis courses delve into critical areas of project management best practices, covering topics like project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closing. This blended curriculum ensures students develop comprehensive business acumen alongside specialized expertise in project methodologies, resource management, risk assessment, and stakeholder communication.

Research Focus: While the MBA in Project Management is a professional degree designed for practical application, Southern Utah University's curriculum is informed by established project management methodologies and best practices, drawing on the PMI's Body of Knowledge. The program aims to train students in the latest project management tools and techniques, emphasizing strategic problem-solving and the application of theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios. Through "experiential projects and practical curriculum," students learn to deconstruct and reformulate business decisions using perspectives from multiple disciplines. Faculty members, often with extensive industry experience, integrate current trends and research in project management to prepare students for the complexities of leading successful projects in dynamic environments. The capstone strategy course further reinforces this by requiring students to apply learned methods and tools to solve strategic management challenges.

Industry Engagement: Southern Utah University's School of Business, including the MBA with a Project Management emphasis, is highly committed to ensuring its programs are relevant and responsive to industry needs. The program explicitly aims to prepare graduates for in-demand project management leadership roles such as Project Manager, Operations Director, Program Manager, Construction Manager, IT Project Coordinator, and Systems Manager. The curriculum's focus on "experiential projects and practical curriculum" provides students with valuable real-world experience, directly aligning with employer expectations. SUU boasts a high employment rate of 96.5% for its MBA graduates and offers a dedicated Career Coach for business students with a focus on employer outreach to coordinate internship and employment opportunities, demonstrating strong ties to the professional community and responsiveness to market demands.

Global Perspective: Southern Utah University's MBA program, including the Project Management emphasis, inherently fosters a global perspective through its core business curriculum, which aims for graduates to "understand the global, ethical and sociopolitical context of business." Project management, especially in larger organizations, increasingly involves cross-border collaboration, managing diverse teams, and navigating international regulatory environments. While specific "global project management" courses are not explicitly detailed, the emphasis on effective communication, team building (including multicultural and virtual teams), and strategic leadership equips graduates to manage projects successfully in a globalized business landscape. The university's commitment to supporting international students and fostering a diverse learning environment further contributes to a globally aware classroom experience, preparing graduates to lead complex projects in an interconnected world.