University of Canterbury
Professional Project Management
- Delivery: Online
- Duration: Nine weeks
- Course Type: Short Course
- Total Price: $495
Learn the skills you need to deliver projects on time and on budget, with positive stakeholder engagement.
Course overview
Whether professionals are experienced project managers looking to upskill or new to the field and seeking to learn the fundamentals, this short online project management course helps develop the skills needed to successfully manage projects and relationships from start to finish.
Presented by Sean Whitaker, the course explores the tools and techniques required to successfully lead projects and develop teams. Students will learn how to effectively start, select and close projects, use scoping processes, estimate cost and time, undertake risk analysis, manage quality, prepare for change management and understand project management maturity.
Students will also explore the essentials of communications management and stakeholder engagement across a range of groups, including effective engagement with iwi. Through case studies from various industries, students will learn how to apply project management skills to grow their careers in any field involving the leadership of people and projects.
Testimonials:
I'm not an academic, I really struggled through school and university, and would generally go as far as to say 'I hate studying', but I thoroughly and genuinely enjoyed this course and feel I have learnt skills I will use going forward. Thank you, Sean, for creating an engaging and enjoyable course and for your feedback throughout, and thank you to [the facilitator] for your support and encouragement throughout. This course will make me think more favourably of future study options - Clara
Overall, this is a really great course for anyone who is interested in Project Management as their career path. There is a lot of valuable knowledge to learn, and the assessments are pretty in-depth, so they give you a great idea of what to expect in a role like this - Mel
I enjoyed every moment of this course. Being able to do it all online at my own pace has also made a massive difference. I am very thankful and can't wait to hopefully work with you again in the near or distant future - Ash
[Project Management] had a good mixture of theory and practical applications. The assessments were well thought out and applied the content knowledge well - Paula
Please note, this course is charged in NZD (New Zealand Dollars)
Key facts
28th September, 2026
What you will study
The course is divided into eight modules that you'll work your way through over the nine weeks of learning. Each module includes specific learning objectives, educational content across a range of media, activities to apply what you've learnt, plus a 'temperature check' survey to make sure you're getting what you need as a learner.
Module 1: Introduction to project management and project selection
How to start, select and close the right projects.
Module 2: Defining and managing project scope
Review samples and gather requirements for a project scope statement.
Module 3: Estimating and managing project costs
Estimate and manage project costs, using the Earned Value Management technique.
Module 4: Developing a project schedule
Explore network diagrams, Gantt charts and project management software.
Module 5: Risk management and change management
Define and manage benefits and risks, using change management plans.
Module 6: Team leadership and stakeholder engagement
Explore techniques to lead projects, teams and communicate with stakeholders, including effective engagement with iwi.
Module 7: Procurement and contracts
Manage project quality, working with procurement and contracts.
Module 8: Organisational project management maturity
Assess organisational project management maturity.
Requirements
There are no prerequisites for this course. It is open to anyone who has confidence in listening, reading and writing in English with an interest in learning more about project management.
Technology requirements
- A laptop or desktop computer and a reliable internet connection.
- A PDF reader (like Adobe Acrobat Reader DC) to download PDFs with assessment instructions.
- Word processing software (like Microsoft Word or Google Docs) to complete your assignments.
How you will learn
Professional Project Management is flexible, enabling you to plan your study around your other commitments, provided you meet assessment deadlines. You can choose to study online when it suits you during the nine-week learning period, with a one-week study break in the middle of your course to take a break or catch up.
The university recommends completing around six hours of study a week during the learning period (excluding the study break). After the course ends, there will be a two-week period for marking and feedback.
What you will learn
- The process of project selection, initiation and closure.
- How to create a work breakdown structure and define the scope of a project.
- How to apply tools and techniques of estimating and managing project costs and time, and measuring project benefits and risks.
- The impact of governance and sponsorship on effective tīma | team development.
- The importance of stakeholder management (including iwi) and how to apply effective project leadership and communication techniques.
- How to develop a useful risk register to assess and mitigate project risks.
- How to plan for and successfully implement organisational change.
- How to ensure and apply communication and change management processes and project quality assurance.
- How to carry out effective project procurement and choose the right contract.
- How to assess organisational project management maturity.
Achievement of this short course shows you can:
- Navigate the stages of project selection, initiation and closure, demonstrating an ability to see projects through from conception to completion.
- Show your ability to keep projects on track and within budget.
- Embrace leadership and team dynamics.
- Manage change processes and ensure project quality.
- Evaluate organisational project maturity.
Who should attend
This course is ideal for:
- Anyone looking to improve their project management skills.
- Project managers and consultants.
- Any professionals managing projects and portfolios across marketing and communications, construction, engineering, health, IT and more.
- People managers and team leaders.
- People who need to complete project management professional development hours (such as CAPM).
Who You Will Learn From
Sean Whitaker
Project Management Consultant and Teacher
Sean Whitaker is unique in the profession of project management in that he has successfully delivered complex projects in the construction, urban redevelopment, telecommunications, software, IS/IT, business change and organisational transformation industries. He brings this wealth of project management experience to his project management training and can pass on complex ideas to people in ways that can be understood and applied immediately.
Sean has developed, designed and delivered project management training for adult learners, including introductory level, post-graduate tertiary level and PMP examination preparation. He is a regular conference speaker and is also the author of several books on project management best practices and how to pass the Project Management Professional (PMP) examination.
As a project management consultant, he has had a global career working with some of the world’s leading IT, mining, energy production, space exploration, construction, telecommunications, transport, research, education, mining and primary production organisations to improve their level of project management proficiency and competency. His consulting approach is based on pragmatic, jargon-free advice that is appropriate for the client and their immediate needs.