Barney Secures Accreditation for Project Management Program

The Master of Business Administration in Project Management at the University of Hartford’s Barney School of Business has been accredited by the Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC). The recognition comes after a robust review process that found Barney expertly prepares students for the rapidly growing and highly demanding field of project management.

Degree programs that achieve GAC accreditation must demonstrate and meet rigorous global standards of accreditation, which include an assessment of each program’s objectives and outcomes, faculty and student evaluations, onsite and online resources, annual self-evaluation, and proof of continuous improvements in the area of project management education. Over 135 project management degree programs in 22 countries around the world are accredited by GAC. GAC accreditation ensures the quality of academic degree programs and their graduates in order to meet the standards of the field of project management.

The Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Project Management provides students with the requisite skills, knowledge, and insights to manage projects in a variety of business applications and industries. The program includes the technical, behavioral, and strategic awareness competencies of project management to provide a holistic approach to the role.

The curriculum is aligned with knowledge areas of the Project Management Institute’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) Guide and Agile Practice Guide. Content and case studies focus on the alignment of projects to the innovation goals and business strategy of the organization; applying appropriate project management tools based on the situational context, especially in agile, iterative, adaptive, and hybrid project environments; and managing domestic and global stakeholders and teams. Students are provided with skills and experiences to advance in the project management profession in a variety of industries.

Students with this MBA concentration are also prepared for and encouraged to obtain the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). This will also provide students with a pathway to achieving the highly valued Project Management Professional (PMP) certification offered by PMI.

“We are proud to provide an opportunity for MBA students to take courses from our PMI GAC-accredited Project Management Concentration. Project managers work for global companies as well as small businesses. They initiate, design, plan, and implement various projects; they lead and motivate personnel. Our courses are now confirmed to count toward Project Management Professional certification and the PMP exam,” says Professor Irina Naoumova, chair of Barney’s Management, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship Department at UHart.