Master of Science in Project Management

General information:
Project Management is a type of competence which is in great demand in private companies, as well as in public administration. Most firms and public companies today choose to perform most of their non-standard tasks in projects, and people who can manage this plethora of large and small projects are in great demand. The Master of Science degree in Project Management is an attempt by NTNU to educate managers who can be part of, and (with more experience) lead such projects.

Admission and background requirements:
This degree program is meant for applicants with a solid technical background. Thus, we require as a minimum that the applicant must have a Bachelor of Engineering or a comparable background. In addition, students must document that they have sufficient skills in oral and written English, since the whole program is offered in English. The program can accommodate up to 15 students, and we hope to attract a good mix of international and national students.

All application procedures are handled by the international section, and information about the application procedures can be found at the following web-page: http://www.ntnu.no/intersek/internationalmaster.htm
You can also contact the international section on the following e-mail address: international@adm.ntnu.no

Students who are already enrolled in 5-year study programs in Technology at NTNU may choose courses from this Master’s degree on a “course-by-course” basis. This can lead to a specialisation in Project Management. For more information about this option, see the bottom of the page under “Project Management Specialization”.

Program structure:
The Master of Science in Project Management is a 2-year programme. In the first year (1st and 2nd semester) students have seven compulsory courses for a total of 52.5 ECTS, and one elective course (7.5 ECTS). In the 3rd semester, students have one elective course (7.5 ECTS) and a specialization (22.5 ECTS) which consists of a large project and some theoretical support themes. In the 4th semester, the students write their individual Master thesis (30 ECTS).

The course list (for the 2006-2008 intake) is as follows:
1st Semester:
TPK5100 Project Management 1 – Project Essentials (7.5 ECTS, compulsory)
TBA5200 Project Management 2 – Front-end management (7.5 ECTS, compulsory)
TIØ5200 Project Management 3 – Project Organization (7.5 ECTS, compulsory)
TPK5110 Quality and Risk Management (7.5 ECTS, compulsory)

2nd Semester:
Experts in Team (7.5 ECTS, compulsory, students can choose between different themes)
TIØ5210 Project Management 5 – Progr. and Portf. Management (7.5 ECTS, compulsory)
TIØ5215 Project Management 6 – Purchasing and SHE in Projects (7.5 ECTS, compulsory)
1 elective (7.5 ECTS)

3rd Semester:
1 elective (TIØ4265 Strategic Management is recommended)
1 Specialization (22.5 ECTS, compulsory)

4th Semester:
Master Thesis (30 ECTS, compulsory)

More information about the structure of the program and the content of the individual courses can be found on the following website. Please observe that this site holds the information for the current study year, which may vary from one year to another
http://www.ntnu.no/studieavd/dok/DegreeProgrammes_2005.pdf

Specialization in Project Management:
In addition to the students applying directly to the Master of Science in Project Management degree program, the courses are also open to students already enrolled in a 5-year degree program in Technology. These students can choose to take the courses offered in the program on a “course-by-course” basis.

If they have a sufficient number of courses (at least 5 of the following six courses: TPK5100, TBA5200, TIØ5200, TPK5110, TIØ5210, TIØ5215) and choose a specialization and a Master Thesis in Project Management they may also be eligible for a Project Management Specialization within their study program. Students who would like to find out more about this possibility, should contact the study guides handling their study program.

NB! Students already enrolled at NTNU who choose Project Management as their specialization will continue to be a student at their original study program, and will receive the degree Master of Science in Technology (sivilingeniør), instead of the degree of Master of Science in Project Management.

International profile:
The degree program is designed for international students, and all courses are in English. The degree is given in co-operation with seven other European universities, and the content of the degree given is fully compatible with the requirements set out in the agreement between these universities regarding the European Master of Project Management (EuroMPM). The EuroMPM agreement also means that we have possibilities for exchange with our co-operating partners. Such exchange should preferably be done in the second or third semester.

The partners in the EuroMPM agreement are currently the following universities:

  • ESC Lille (France)
  • University of Basque Countries (Spain)
  • University of Zaragoza (Spain)
  • University of Applied Sciences Dortmund (Germany)
  • University of Applied Sciences Friedberg (Germany)
  • GEA College Ljubljana (Slovenia)
  • University of Maribor (Slovenia)
  • Norwegian university of science and technology, NTNU (Norway)

More information about the EuroMPM can be found here.

Academic and social environment:
The amount of students in the degree program is small, and this encourages more discussion and dialogue between faculty and students. Also, the program arranges excursions, visits to companies and guest lectures in the field of Project Management, which the students are encouraged to participate in.

A special opportunity is given to the students through our close co-operation with the Norwegian Centre for Project Management (NSP). This centre is supported by large, Norwegian companies involved in Project Management, and co-ordinates research and education between NTNU and the supporting companies. This means that NSP can help in arranging summer jobs and finding companies who have real-life problems suitable for a Master Thesis or a specialization project. This direct link to the industry also opens up opportunities for self-promotion for the active student.

The students in Project Management have their own reading rooms (from Fall 2006), and arrange social gatherings together. Trondheim is also a city with a very active student population, and opportunities for outdoor activities (skiing, hiking and climbing) are also excellent.

Job possibilities:
The first intake to this degree program was in the Fall of 2005, so there will be no graduates before the Spring of 2007. However, alumni from the earlier program, the study program in Project Management, were well received in the industry. On this webpage we will present a couple of statements made by former alumni and/or employers about the graduates from this study program.