We recently identified an increased student demand for applied knowledge that can help them solve problems in the real world. As part of our response, NCU sought and obtained approval as a Registered Education Provider (R.E.P.) for the Project Management Institute (PMI)®. This means that Northcentral’s bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral online degree programs in project management meet PMI’s standards of quality and can be used as Professional Development Units (PDUs) to help our students maintain their credentials as PMI-certified Project Management Professionals (PMP)®.
“Project Management affects just about every industry around the world,” explains Dr. Beverly Muhammad, director of curriculum development for the School of Business and Technology Management. “According to the PMI website, one-fifth of the world’s GDP, or more than $12 trillion, is spent on projects. And with many skilled practitioners leaving or scheduled to leave the workforce due to retirement, opportunities are expected to increase for knowledgeable project managers.”
PMI is one of the largest not-for-profit membership associations for project managers with globally recognized standards and credentials, an extensive research program and professional development opportunities. PMI credentials certify that someone has the knowledge and experience in project management needed to become more confident at work and more competitive in the job market. There are already more than 460,000 PMI credential holders around the world, in every industry, from healthcare, telecommunications and finance, to IT and construction.
PMI also shares NCU’s commitment to lifelong learning. Just as NCU faculty must complete one professional development course and engage in at least one outside professional development activity each year, PMI credential holders must maintain and continue to develop their competence in project management. For this reason, PMI developed a Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program to offer a standardized way for PMPs and other PMI-certified professionals to attain and record developmental activities through R.E.P.s that meet PMI’s standards of quality. Criteria for approval includes providing evidence of organizational maturity, quality project design and delivery, and content that is consistent with PMI global standards.
“As a premier online graduate university and a global leader in providing unprecedented access to U.S. regionally accredited higher education, partnering with PMI was the right move for us to help prepare our students to become valuable contributors to their communities and within their professions—an important element of our NCU Mission,” concludes Muhammad.
PMI and PMP are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.
