GAC-PMI University Profile of Bellevue University

Applying theory into practice in project management at Bellevue University “Project management is not just a theory you learn in class, but a skill that must be applied.” ~ Dr. Emad Rahim, PMP, CSM, Kotouc Endowed Chair, Project Management Center of Excellence, Bellevue University, USA

jDr. Emad Rahim joined the College of Science and Technology at Bellevue University in 2014 with a mission to develop the school’s first Project Management Center of Excellence, and revise the university’s curriculum and programs in project management to make courses more industry-relevant with a stronger emphasis on knowledge transfer and skill development.

Bellevue University now has five (5) project management degree programs and several certificate options. Three (3) of the programs are accredited by PMI’s Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC) and today the Project Management Center of Excellence offers 22 courses (PDU REP approved) plus a Master in Project Management degree that has been internationally ranked in the Top 20 by six different ranking organizations.

Dr. Emad Rahim PMP, CSM Kotouc Endowed Chair/ Associate Professor

AN EMPHASIS IN SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOR PROJECT MANAGERS The program blends business and leadership principles with project management strategies and skills, building on competencies gained through an associate's degree or work experience. The program is offered in a cohort format that guides students as project managers and introduces the tools needed to develop and implement project management planning from both strategic and tactical perspectives. The program is aligned with the core processes found in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). All aspects of the planning and decision-making process are analyzed with an emphasis in project management development processes, including

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initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing. The curriculum provides a framework for the business functions, values, decision-making abilities, and leadership skills that are needed by successful project managers in any organization.

Combining theory with active learning, the program provides a strong foundation of the business, communication, and leadership skills needed to plan, execute, and manage projects and portfolios in today's competitive and global environments. “By working collaboratively with our advisory board, talented alums, industry executives and practitioner faculty, we have created industry-relevant degree program that is globally responsive, agile and academically rigorous for our students,” Dr. Emad Rahim explains.

An Applied Learning Approach to Teaching The project management curriculum follows a project-based learning (PBL) model which emphasis in fostering gain knowledge and skills in the classroom (online and in-class) by working on scenario base projects or case studies during the entire course to investigate and respond to complex questions, problems and challenges. Students in the program learn how to take initiative and responsibility, build their confidence, solve problems, work in teams, communicate ideas, and manage themselves more effectively.

Speaking with Dr. Casey Reason, faculty at the Project Management Center of Excellence and award-winning leadership author, believes that by way of online platform or in-class exercises and assignments, students are provided opportunities to explore real-world/ industry relevant problems and challenges to acquire deeper knowledge and further develop their critical thinking skills. “I believe our applied learning approach fosters a more student-centered pedagogy, which gives them more opportunities to practice what they are learning in class and apply it in the workplace,” Dr. Reason says. The curriculum and even materials selected for our project management courses teach current industry knowledge and are used to develop skills that are needed for the next generation of project managers.

Survey results from students at the end of their degree program reflect positive results on project management comprehension and classroom engagement. “Our student appreciates the individualize attention they receive from our faculty. Smaller class sizes, realistic case studies, business scenario-base projects and team assignments lead by industry experts, help to foster the personalized interaction that our students accelerate in,” Dr. Rahim

PRACTITIONER AND FACULTY Project Management faculty at the Center are professionals in their field who are qualified to share real-world experiences in their classroom. 90% of the faculty have obtained a doctorate, are published scholars, have earned the Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification or other project management related credentials (scrum, agile, six sigma, business analyst, lean, MS Project) and have over a decade of teaching and project management experience across diverse industries.

We are devoted to promoting high quality faculty practitioner education. Dr. Wayne Richards, PMP, faculty at the Center also works as a Program Manager at Raytheon Intelligence. “All of us brings hands-on project management experience into the classroom. We don’t just teach students how to develop a project plan, its our job to show them how the plan would be executed in the real-world. This is where our current workplace perspectives come into play,” Dr. Richards explains. An expert on quality management, Dr. Amine Ayad brings over 30 years of experience leading complex projects from the retail industry. “Having served as an executive for multiple big-box retailers, I have worked with stakeholders from around the world. When I teach quality management, I am confident what is being shared in class are current in the market - cause I’m applying it,” says Dr. Ayad.

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Project Management Degree Program Ranking Published Rankings and Listings for Project Management: • 2018 Ranked #2 in Top Online Master’s Programs in Project Management by SR Education ■ 2018 50Ranked Online#2 Master’s Degrees in Project Management

by TopManagementDegrees.com • Top 2018 in Best Online Project Management Resources

by B2B & Finance Solutions • MPM 2018 Ranked Top 50 Online Master’s Degrees in Project byPrograms TopManagementDegrees.com ■ 2017 #2 in the Top 10 Graduate ProjectManagement Management in the US by IntelligentHQ.com • MPM 2017 Ranked MPM Ranked in Top the Top 10 Graduate Project ManagementDegree Programs in the US IntelligentHQ.com ■ 2017 #19 in#2 the 20 Masters in Project Management Programs byby CollegeRank.net • Top 2017 Ranked #19 in the Top 20 Masters in degree Project Management Degree Programs by CollegeRank.net ■ 2017 20MPM Master’s in Project Management Online programs by TheBestColleges.org • MPM 2017 listed Top 20inMaster’s in Project Management degree programs by

by AffordableCollegesOnline.org TheBestColleges.org ■ 2016 Best Online Master’s Degrees inOnline Project Management • 2016 MPM listed in Best Online Master’s Degrees in Project Management by AffordableCollegesOnline.org ■ 2016 Cover story featured in Project Eye Magazine and featured column in IntelligentHQ.com

At-A-Glance: Bellevue University’s College of Science and Technology, Project Management Center of Excellence Location: ■ 1000 Galvin Rd S, Bellevue, Nebraska, USA

Program Offerings: ■ Master of Project Management* ■ Master of Science in Management of Information Systems (major in Project Management) * ■ Master of Science in Management (major in Project Management) ■ Master of Business Administration (major in Project Management) ■ Bachelor of Science in Project Management* ■ Graduate Certificate in IT Project Management * GAC accredited

Delivery methods: ■ On campus ■ Online

Bellevue PM Center of Excellence For more information, visit http://pm.umd.edu.

About the PMI Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC): GAC is the world’s leading specialized accrediting body for project management and related degree programs. GAC accreditation serves two fundamental purposes: ■ It confirms that a program has been carefully assessed and that it meets comprehensive

international quality and scope standards.

■ It makes a public statement about the commitment of the institution to ongoing evaluation and continuous improvement.

GAC accredits degree programs at the bachelor’s, postgraduate and doctorate program levels. GAC also assists faculty and universities in the improvement of project management degree programs.

For more information, visit www.GACPM.org.

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