Project Management

Project Management - MSc

Position yourself as a sought-after professional with the project management knowledge and aptitude to effectively drive diverse and complex projects. Gain insights into the latest theories and concepts on our Project Management MSc, while acquiring versatile skills to succeed across different industries. Elevate your professional development through business collaboration and a comprehensive study of themes including agile frameworks, resource planning and project management approaches.

Month of entry

September, January

Mode of study

Full time

Location

Keele University campus

Subject area

Business and Management

Fees for 2025/26 academic year

UK - Full time £12,700 per year.
International - £17,700 per year.

Duration of study

1 year

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Why study Project Management at Keele University?

Successful completion of this programme may contribute towards examination preparation for PRINCE2 qualifications

Option to become an affiliate member of the Association for Project Management (APM)

Professional development and practical industry engagement opportunities

Fully integrates sustainability and ethical business practices

Designed for individuals from diverse academic and professional backgrounds, including those new to the field of project management

Course summary

To stay ahead in today’s fast-paced and competitive global business environment, skilled project managers are invaluable assets to organisations. Enhance your skillset with our Project Management MSc, focusing on subjects such as strategic planning, risk management and leadership, so you can play a crucial role in helping organisations maintain their competitive advantage.

Contemporary project management principles, methods and tools are explored, helping you develop an understanding of how to apply these in various business environments and manage the leadership challenges you may face. You’ll examine AGILE thinking and PRINCE2 and examine project risk, failure and success along with the different techniques to mitigate risk. The challenges of creative systems thinking and its application to project management are investigated and you'll gain insights into the leadership aspects of managing projects and teams, covering key theories such as team development and conflict resolution.

Central to this programme is a strong focus on advancing your professional development and providing practical industry engagement opportunities, strategically enhancing your employability. You’ll connect with experienced professionals, gain insights into the latest trends in your chosen field and have the opportunity to work directly with an organisation to develop solutions for a current business issue, gaining valuable real-world skills.

Our programme provides the flexibility to align your studies to your career aspirations through a core Professional Project. You can choose to undertake a research project, consultancy project, or a strategic business proposal.

Sustainability, ethics and responsible business practices are embedded throughout and by completing Keele Business School’s Sustainability Passport you’ll demonstrate your ability to incorporate sustainability practices in a professional context.

Located in an innovation park that fosters collaboration between academia and industry, Keele’s campus offers a supportive learning environment designed to prepare you to excel in the dynamic world of global business.

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Course structure

Modules

The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods, as well as student voice. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.

Project Management module structure

Compulsory modules

Business Consultancy Project
In the Business Consultancy Project, you will build foundational skills and gain practical experience by working directly with a real organisation to develop solutions to real-world challenges. You will learn to engage with businesses, frame organisational issues, and apply creativity and innovation. This module develops core skills in collaboration, communication, and problem-solving, preparing you for the Professional Project and Placement. It provides a strong foundation for success in other areas of the programme.

Professional Development and Industry Insights
This module helps you explore the industry you want to work in, including its structure, recruitment practices, and key trends. You will assess your own skills and experiences, identifying how you align with the industry’s needs and expectations. Through active learning, reflective activities, and guest speaker insights, you will develop practical knowledge and career planning skills. The module supports your progression into the Business Consultancy Project, Professional Project, and Placement, preparing you for future opportunities.

Project Management Methods and Tools
You will gain a comprehensive understanding of project management principles and their application in diverse business environments. This module explores leadership challenges, cross-cultural dynamics, and contemporary methods such as AGILE and Projects in Controlled Environments (PRINCE2). You will examine project risk, failure, and success, applying tools and frameworks to assess project business cases and deliver effective solutions across organisational and cultural boundaries.

Systems Thinking and Creativity
You will develop a thorough understanding of systems thinking and its application to managing projects in complex environments. This module explores the challenges and opportunities of creative systems thinking, focusing on techniques to manage agile projects effectively. You will examine the ethical and environmental dimensions of systems approaches, assessing their impact on project outcomes. By addressing real-world scenarios, this module equips you with the tools to tackle systemic issues and enhance project success.

Leading Project Teams
This module develops your knowledge and critical understanding of leadership in complex projects and the management of teams across diverse contexts. It explores key leadership theories, motivation, conflict resolution, and team development. Topics include virtual teams, autonomous working, culture, diversity, ethics, and stakeholder theory. You will also examine power and authority dynamics and strategies for effective change management. This module equips you with the skills to navigate leadership challenges and drive success in complex projects.

Risk and Uncertainty in Projects
This module examines all aspects of risk associated with project success, providing an in-depth study of risk types, stakeholder involvement, and roadmaps for effective risk management. You will learn to define project risks, construct risk occurrence and impact levels, and apply techniques to assess, prioritise, and mitigate risks. The module explores failed projects to analyse risk management processes. Learning is delivered through lectures, workshops, case studies, simulations, and practical exercises using project management software.

Professional Project
In the Professional Project, you will undertake an independent piece of work that builds on academic and practical skills developed throughout the programme. You can choose from three routes: a research project, a consultancy project, or a strategic business proposal, aligned to your career aspirations. We will support you in preparing for your chosen path with essential research or consultancy skills. The module culminates in a detailed write-up and reflective analysis, showcasing your expertise and professional growth.

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"The consultancy project not only provided me with invaluable ‘hands on’ experience in industry, but I also got paid for my expertise. With Swan Physio Ltd, a small independent physiotherapy business, the project entailed redesigning and mapping out the administrative processes within the business to make them more accessible/transparent and run more smoothly and efficiently. They were able to train new members of staff to undertake the administrative tasks a lot quicker and easier, to provide a better service to their customers. I presented the outcomes of my project to academic staff and the organisation."

Bethany, Management Graduate

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Entry requirements

The following section details our typical entry requirements for this course for a range of UK and international qualifications. If you don't see your qualifications listed, please contact us to find out if we can accept your qualifications.

Typical offer

Please ensure that you read the full entry requirements by selecting your qualifications from the dropdown menu below. This will include any subject specific, GCSE/Level 2 Maths, and English language requirements you may need.

Typical offer: 2:2 degree in any subject Additional criteria apply

Please select your country from the drop-down list below for the full entry requirement information

UK

2:2 degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience

You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)

Bangladesh

60% in a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's in any subject from a public university or CGPA 2.8 in a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's in any subject from a private university
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience

We don’t accept degrees from certain universities, please see our Bangladesh Country Page for more information

You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)

Canada

70% or C or a GPA of 2.5 in a degree (Ordinary or Honours) in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience

You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)

China

70% in a degree in any subject or 65% in a degree in any subject from a '211' university
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience

You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)

Ghana

Second class degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience

You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)

India

55% or CGPA 6/10 in any degree of three years or longer
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience

You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)

Kenya

Second class degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience

You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)

Nepal

60% / 2.4 in a 4-year Bachelor's degree in any subject
or
65% / CGPA 2.8 in a 3-year Bachelor's degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience

You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)

Nigeria

Second class degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience

You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)

Pakistan

We accept a range of qualifications from Pakistan. Please visit our Pakistan Country Page for more information

or we will consider demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience

You will also need an English language qualification (see below)

South Africa

Second class division 2 / 60% in a Bachelor's degree with Honours in any subject
or
Second class division 1 / 70% in an Ordinary Bachelor's degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience

You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)

Sri Lanka

55% in a Special Bachelor's degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience

You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)

Uganda

Second class degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience

You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)

Zimbabwe

Second class degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience

You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)

Pre-Master's in Business

The Keele University International College offer a one semester Pre-Master's in Business programme for international students who do not meet the traditional entry requirements for a postgraduate business degree at Keele University.

Please visit the Keele University International College for more information on how to apply, entry requirements and course details.

English language requirements

All of our courses require an English language qualification or test. For most students, this requirement can be met with a 4 or C in GCSE English. Please see our English Language guidance pages for further details, including English language test information for international students. For those students who require an English language test, this course requires a test from Group B.

References

Normally, you will need to provide at least one academic reference to support your application unless you have been out of study longer than two years. If it has been more than two years since you last studied on a degree-level programme, you will normally need to provide an employment reference instead. For more information about Academic References, please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages.

Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose

Please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages for guidance on what to include in your personal statement.

Recognition of Prior Learning

The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process which enables applicants to receive recognition and formal credit for learning acquired in the past through formal study or work and life experiences.

RPL can also be requested for admission onto the start of a programme in lieu of the admission requirements. For more information, see our Recognition of Prior Learning web pages.

Professional qualifications and work experience

The majority of our courses will consider relevant work experience and/or professional qualifications at the appropriate level, as an alternative to an undergraduate degree for entry. The work experience should be for a sustained period and at a suitable level, based within a relevant sector to your chosen course.

Admissions staff will review your work experience and/or professional qualifications during the assessment of your application to ensure suitability in terms of relevancy, level and appropriate learning outcomes.

General information

The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the typical offer which would be made to candidates, along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate's application.

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Co-located with businesses

As a Keele Business School student, you will study alongside innovative companies that are based in the business school building, a hub for fostering networks and linking with industry.

Internships, enterprise and knowledge exchange opportunities

Keele Business School is located at the heart of the Keele University Science & Innovation Park, one of the leading developments of its kind in the UK. The Park offers companies a business environment that provides an innovative research culture, combined with academic expertise and the University’s specialist resources, with a variety of opportunities for students to get involved, from internships, knowledge exchange partnerships, and student enterprise initiatives.

Keele Business School

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Your career

Project management qualifications are highly valued by employers, and as a graduate of our Project Management MSc, you’ll be well positioned to pursue dynamic and high-impact careers in professional project management. The programme equips you with a unique blend of transferable skills and business acumen, enabling you to excel in various roles, sectors, and organisations.

Graduates of this programme are also ideally placed to pursue further postgraduate studies, such as MPhil or PhD qualifications.

Depending on your background and experience, you’ll be prepared to enter project management roles across diverse sectors, including healthcare, technology, marketing, human resources, and international development.

Jobs that a graduate of this programme could progress to include:

Project Manager
Programme Manager
Portfolio Manager
Change Manager
Risk Manager
Operations Manager
Consultant in Project Management
Business Analyst
Agile Project Manager/Scrum Master
PMO Manager (Project Management Office)
Construction Project Manager
IT Project Manager
Supply Chain/Logistics Project Manager
Sustainability Project Manager
Research and Development (R&D) Project Manager
Healthcare Project Manager
Entrepreneur
Education and Training Roles

These roles often require specific skills like leadership, communication, risk management, and proficiency in project management methodologies (e.g., PRINCE2, Agile, PMP). Additionally, industry-specific knowledge may be necessary for specialised roles.

Enhance your employability

Keele Careers and Employability offers comprehensive support for careers and placements, including workshops, personalised guidance, and access to job opportunities. Their services include CV development, interview preparation, and career planning to help you succeed with confidence in your professional journey.

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Postgraduate Study at Keele Business School

As a postgraduate student at Keele Business School you will benefit from being taught in small groups by lecturers who are recognised experts in their fields.

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Keele Postgraduate Association

Keele University is one of a handful of universities in the UK to have a dedicated students' union for postgraduate students. A fully registered charity, Keele Postgraduate Association serves as a focal point for the social life and welfare needs of all postgraduate students during their time at Keele.

KPA interior

Hugely popular, the KPA Clubhouse (near Horwood Hall) provides a dedicated postgraduate social space and bar on campus, where you can grab a bite to eat and drink, sit quietly and read a book, or switch off from academic life at one of the many regular events organised throughout the year. The KPA also helps to host a variety of conferences, as well as other academic and career sessions, to give you and your fellow postgraduates the opportunities to come together to discuss your research, and develop your skills and networks.

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