How To Become a Project Manager

If you're interested in organizing people, resources, and timelines to move a goal across the finish line, a career in project management may be worth exploring. According to the Project Management Institute^®, project managers are organized, goal-oriented professionals who lead projects by identifying goals and scope, planning and documenting tasks, managing resources, and communicating with stakeholders to keep everything on track.¹ There's no single required path into the field, but earning a relevant bachelor's degree, developing leadership and organizational skills, and pursuing professional certification may be ways to tailor a program to your goals.²

In this article, we'll look at the typical pathway into the field, what these professionals do, the skills the work calls for, and how a degree may fit into the journey.

The Road To Project Management Starts With an Education

There may be no single route into project management, but many people build toward it through a mix of education, skill-building, and certification. Common steps may include:²

• Earn a relevant degree. A bachelor's degree is one way to start out. The online Business Management Bachelor's degree at Rasmussen University part of American Public University System (“Rasmussen University”), for example, offers an IT Project Management specialization designed to help build relevant skills alongside broader business knowledge.
• Build relevant skills. According to the Project Management Institute, project managers rely on a mix of skills, including leadership and adaptability, organization and time management, creative problem-solving, effective communication, and motivation and team management.¹
• Consider professional certification. Certifications through the Project Management Institute, such as the Certified Associate in Project Management^® (CAPM^®) and Project Management Professional^® (PMP^®), are available for those who want to pursue this path further. Eligibility requirements are set by the certifying organization and may include education or experience beyond completion of a degree program.²

What Does a Project Manager Do?

Project managers may pull together the many moving parts of a project, balancing its budget and timeline against the people executing the work. According to the Project Management Institute, typical duties and responsibilities may include:¹

• Pinning down what a project needs to achieve and how far its scope should extend
• Mapping out the tasks involved and keeping a clear written record of the plan
• Keeping the project's deliverables on schedule
• Overseeing the budget, staff, and materials a project relies on
• Keeping clients and other stakeholders informed as the work progresses
• Spotting risks and clearing obstacles before they derail the work
• Keeping records of how the project unfolded, using whatever tools the team relies on
• Following through until the work meets the standard the client expects

A project often starts with the manager working from the client's input to set its scope, then drawing up a plan that lays out the tasks and resources involved. After the work begins, the manager may steer the team, follow progress against milestones, resolve issues as they surface, and document the process throughout.¹

Essential Project Management Skills

Project management may call for a blend of organizational ability and people skills. According to the Project Management Institute, that mix may include leadership and adaptability, staying organized while managing time well, creative problem-solving, communicating clearly, and keeping a team motivated and on track.¹

A degree program may help build on these qualities. Through the IT Project Management specialization in the Business Management Bachelor's degree at Rasmussen University, students may study multiple platforms used for project management, including Microsoft^® Excel^®, Microsoft Project, and Visio^®; fundamental concepts defined by the Project Management Institute (PMI^®) for the Certified Associate in Project Management^® (CAPM^®) certification; and how to create risk analysis documents for long-term viability and backup solutions.²

Certification may be another consideration alongside skills and education. For those who pursue it, certifications offered through the Project Management Institute include the Certified Associate in Project Management^® (CAPM^®) and Project Management Professional^® (PMP^®) credentials. Eligibility requirements are set by the certifying organization and may include education or experience beyond completion of a degree program.²

Where Do Project Managers Work?

Project management is one of the career areas associated with the Business Management Bachelor's degree at Rasmussen University, and the skills involved may apply broadly across industries and settings.² According to the Project Management Institute, project managers lead projects across many different fields, from large-scale construction to technology, bringing their organizational and leadership skills to whatever industry the work touches.¹

Do You Need a Degree To Become a Project Manager?

While there may be more than one way into project management, earning a relevant degree may be one starting point, and it may be one way to build the planning, coordination, and knowledge the role tends to draw on. A degree program may also offer a structured way to develop project management skills with broader business knowledge.²

For those who decide a degree fits their goals, the Business Management Bachelor's degree at Rasmussen University, with its IT Project Management specialization, is one example of a program designed to build skills in this area.²

Explore the Business Management Program at Rasmussen University

If the planning and coordination side of business interests you, the online Business Management Bachelor's degree at Rasmussen University, with its IT Project Management specialization, offers coursework intended to help students develop skills commonly associated with project management and leadership functions across various organizations and industries.²

If you're interested in building skills commonly associated with project management, learn more about the online Business Management Bachelor's degree at Rasmussen University.²

Earning a degree does not guarantee employment or specific job outcomes. Employment conditions in your area may vary.

Project Management Institute^® is a registered trademark of Project Management Institute, Inc.
Microsoft^® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation
Visio^® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation
Excel^® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington 98052.
PMI^® is a registered trademark of Project Management Institute, Inc.
Certified Associate in Project Management^® is a registered trademark of Project Management Institute, Inc., 18 Campus Boulevard, Suite 150, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073-3230.
CAPM^® is a registered trademark of Project Management Institute, Inc., 18 Campus Boulevard, Suite 150, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073-3230.
Project Management Professional^® is a registered trademark of Project Management Institute, Inc., 14 Campus Boulevard, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073.
PMP^® is a registered trademark of Project Management Institute, Inc., 14 Campus Boulevard, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073.

¹Project Management Institute, What is a Project Manager & What Do They Do?, at https://www.pmi.org/about/what-is-a-project-manager (accessed June 10, 2026).
²Rasmussen University, Business Management Bachelor's Degree, at https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/business/business-management/bachelors/ (accessed June 10, 2026).