Why I Am Getting a Master's in Project Management?

It was January of 2020, I was going back and forth on whether I should obtain a Master's degree. I was 2.5 years into my professional IT career, and I plan to become a project manager ever since I was in high school.

High school? Why did I want to become a project manager at such a young age? Did I really know what an IT project manager was going to entail? In high school, I worked as an intern at Fidelity Investments and as an IT project manager. At such a young age, I did not know what I wanted to do professionally, so internships were a great way to explore different career opportunities. Then, working with stakeholders on IT projects was fairly interesting, and I really liked the intersection between IT and business. Thus, this is why I decided to major in Computer Information Systems. I had this linear career path set out for me, and thus, project management was always in the back of my mind.

Well, let's get back to the topic of why I am pursuing my Master's in project management. To do or not to do project management, that is the question. There is a great debate on whether a Master's degree is worth the time and money. Well, some say you only need experience, and you will eventually become a project manager. That is definitely true, but I just wanted to learn more and understand how project management can help organizations thrive and save money. There is definitely the employability part of how a Master's degree can shine some light on your resume. But, I do agree that experience ultimately wins. It is all subjective, definitely take it with a grain of salt if you do want to pursue a Master's in project management. With a Master's of project management, I am able to apply textbook learnings to the real-world environment. Every organization treats project management differently, but why not do it the textbook way and see how it can improve an organization.

Master's in project management or MBA? Actually, I had thoughts of pursuing an MBA, but affordability was definitely in the back of my mind. In terms of affordability, there are programs like the University of Illinois iMBA or the Boston University Questrom Online MBA, but prestigious B-schools would have a greater ROI for one's career. I'm already halfway into my Master's in project management program, so why not finish it. Maybe I could do an executive MBA when I am further in my career, or maybe I will be done with school. After getting my Master's in project management, I will get my PMP certification and a Scrum certification, too.

My life motto is to learn something new every day.

If you are interested in my journey of obtaining a Master's in project management, definitely consider subscribing to my blog. I aim to create more content and document my journey on all things project management. Project management is applicable to many fields, this is why I want to be an all-around specialist.

To do or not to do project management will be a question for many. Guess more and more schools will have a graduate degree in project management.