Leadership and Team Dynamics

This course introduces students to the core principles of effective leadership and collaborative team performance in organizational settings. Through a practical, evidence-based approach, the course examines how leaders influence outcomes, foster engagement, and navigate challenges in dynamic, multidisciplinary environments. Students will explore leadership qualifications, strategic decision-making, ethical considerations, and performance development frameworks. Emphasis is placed on understanding the dynamics of team formation, multicultural collaboration, communication, conflict management, and high-performance team practices.

As a central component of the Project Management curriculum, this course supports the program’s larger goal of preparing graduates to lead effectively in diverse and evolving organizational contexts. By grounding students in evidence-based leadership concepts and team effectiveness frameworks, the course advances the discipline’s primary principles of organizational performance, collaboration, and responsible decision-making. The course aligns closely with other program requirements by complementing technical project management competencies with the interpersonal and strategic skills necessary for successful project execution. In doing so, it bridges technical expertise with leadership acumen, equipping students with a holistic foundation for professional growth.

This is a required core course for all Project Management students and is delivered in person on campus in a full-semester format. Space permitting, the course may also be open to cross-registrants from other Columbia University graduate programs where leadership, management, and teamwork skills are relevant, such as programs in management, public administration, and engineering. There are no formal prerequisites, though prior exposure to management or organizational behavior may be helpful in engaging with course materials. Students will participate in selected readings, interactive discussions, and team-based exercises, as well as hear from guest lecturers with extensive leadership experience. By the end of the course, students will have strengthened their ability to lead ethically, communicate clearly, manage team dynamics, and contribute meaningfully to organizational goals.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Howard N Apsan
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 3 points

Project Management Fundamentals: Analyti

PMGT FUNDAMENTALS: ANALYT

This core course introduces students to the quantitative, and analytical foundations of project management, with emphasis on the application of mathematical, and systems-based methods to the planning, execution, and control of complex projects. The course is designed for projects in quantitatively intensive environments such as engineering, technology, construction, consulting, and related sectors where structured planning, measurement, and optimization are essential.

Students develop practical skills in project selection and initiation, scope definition, network-based scheduling, resource allocation, cost and budget modeling, and performance measurement using established analytical techniques. Core topics include work breakdown structures, logic networks, critical path and PERT analysis, resource loading and leveling, financial and life-cycle cost analysis, earned value management, and probabilistic risk assessment, including Monte Carlo–based uncertainty analysis.

Through computational exercises, analytical simulations, and applied projects, students learn to model constraints, evaluate trade-offs, and interpret performance data to support decision-making throughout the project life cycle. By emphasizing structured methodologies and analytical rigor, the course prepares students to manage technically complex, data-rich projects across a range of industries.

• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Evangelia Ieronymaki
  Info
• 3 points

Project Planning, Scheduling and Control

PRJCT PLANNING, SCHED, CN

This course provides graduate students with an in-depth exploration of project controls and schedule-based decision support with the project schedule treated as a management and control model rather than as a technical output. The course emphasizes deterministic and analytical modeling methods, including Critical Path Method (CPM), network-based optimization, schedule performance metrics, earned value analytics, and quantitative forecasting techniques, positioning the project schedule as a formal analytical model rather than a descriptive artifact. Primavera is used as an implementation and analysis tool to support schedule development, updating, performance measurement, and forecasting across diverse industries. The course equips students with the analytical, technical, and control-oriented skills, methodologies, and frameworks needed to manage projects effectively, ensuring completion on time, within budget, and according to specifications. Through a combination of standards-based analysis, software application, case studies, and practical assignments, students will develop the ability to build, baseline, update, interpret, and communicate schedules to monitor performance through KPIs, evaluate progress, and make informed decisions across the project lifecycle. Throughout the course, students are required to interpret what the schedule communicates to management, including the meaning of variances, implications of forecasts, and recommended corrective actions, rather than solely producing technical files or reports.

Designed for students pursuing advanced studies in project management, engineering management, construction management, and related professional tracks, this course is particularly valuable for those seeking careers that require deep expertise in planning, scheduling, and project controls. Emphasis is placed on developing mastery of schedule development, critical path analysis, resource and cost loading, progress measurement, forecasting, and schedule risk and change analysis as a component of an integrated project controls function, using industry-standard tools and methods. Building on foundational project management concepts, the course provides specialized training in schedule-centric project controls and equips students with the analytical, technical, and communication skills needed to design, manage, analyze, and govern complex project schedules as decision-support instruments across diverse industries.

This course prepares students for professional roles such as project cont

• M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Sadia I Janjua
  Info
• Instructor: Muriel Rachid Campomizzi
  Info
• 3 points

Technology Integration in Project Manage

TECH INTEGRATION IN PMGT

Technology Integration in Project Management
explores the real-world adoption of digital transformation within complex project environments, moving beyond theoretical frameworks to provide a fully immersive and experiential learning environment. The course is uniquely structured as
Scrum sprints
, where students operate within standard agile events, roles, and artifacts to analyze and compare industry-leading Project Management Information Systems (PMIS). We will also explore waterfall and/or hybrid approaches throughout the course. Students will gain hands-on proficiency in platforms such as
Jira, Asana, Smartsheet, and Trello
, while simultaneously integrating data analytics tools like
Power BI
to monitor performance and enhance decision-making accuracy in Project, Program and Portfolio Management.

As an elective within the Master of Science in Project Management program, this course is designed for practitioners who wish to lead digitally driven organizations with efficiency and innovation. It serves a critical programmatic goal by bridging the gap between foundational project management methodologies and the high-tech execution required in the modern workforce. Another distinctive feature of this course is the mandatory and continuous evaluation of
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies
; students are required to leverage generative AI and automation tools to streamline project delivery, simulating the real-world evolution of value delivery.

The course is a three-credit, full-semester elective delivered in an
in-person modality
. While tailored for Project Management students, it is open to cross-registrants from other Columbia University graduate programs, provided space is available. There are no formal prerequisites; however, students are expected to have a basic understanding of project lifecycles and a willingness to engage in an open and collaborative environment where rapid and iterative technical learning occurs. All technology platforms required for the sprint cycles will be accessible through university licenses or open-access academic versions.

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Karolina Athanasopoulou
  Info
• Instructor: Stephen Cognetta
  Info
• 3 points

Finance and Accounting for Project Manag

FIN & ACCOUNTING PROJ MAN

This course is designed for Project Management professionals looking to understand how the management of a project affects the overall accounting and financing functions of an organization.  This course will also provide an understanding of interpreting financial information that is generated by an organization and being able to compare, contrast and benchmark against similar types of companies.

This course will allow participants in the program to understand the importance of the finance and accounting functions of an organization by teaching them how to read financial statements and related footnotes, obtain an understanding of basic accounting functions and terminology and introduce the participant on how to create and analyze budgets for individual project metrics and as well as overall company metrics.  The course is also designed to integrate the participants with the program disciplines of project management including project design, project delivery and legal aspects.  The course will also promote ideology of working in teams as the final assignment will be group presentations of a multi-faceted development project anchored by a minor league baseball facility, surrounding commercial and hospitality space and multi-unit residential subdivision.  Teams will develop project budgets for each phase of the project. The teams will address how each aspect of the project will benefit the owner of the sports entertainment facility, address sustainability management and how technology and AI from the design and planning phase through the utilization and maintenance phase effects the financing of the project.  Each group will customize their presentations from a case study provided by the instructor.

This is a required core class of the degree program and can be offered to other degree programs and certificates related to the development or investment in ground up and or rehabilitation projects.  There is no prerequisite knowledge required to take this course.  The course is a full semester in person/on campus class but will have an online and historical recording of all classes for those unable to attend any given class session or lecture.

• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Kevin Hanrahan
  Info
• 3 points

Project Management Capstone Project

PMGT CAPSTONE PROJECT

The Capstone Project is the culminating integrative experience of the MS in Project Management program. Students are expected to enter the course prepared to apply quantitative reasoning, structured planning methods, and financial analysis to complex project environments.

Working in teams, students engage in a complex real or realistic project scenario and design an integrated project strategy or applied analytical study that addresses a significant real world challenge in project management. Capstone projects are organized around the concentrations offered within the program, including Construction, Technology, Sports, and Sustainability. Students enrolled in a specific concentration will work on a project aligned with their track. Students in the General track may elect to participate in one of the concentration based projects or may be assigned to a cross sector project depending on availability and enrollment distribution.

Projects may be sourced from industry partners when available. When industry collaboration exists, it may include document access, advisory input, or structured feedback. When no external sponsor is involved, faculty curated materials and case documentation will be provided.

The course emphasizes rigorous problem definition, stakeholder analysis, structured evaluation, and evidence based decision making. Students are expected to integrate quantitative and qualitative reasoning, financial and operational considerations, risk awareness, governance design, and performance evaluation into a coherent and defensible strategy. Through faculty mentorship and peer collaboration, students progressively develop their work into a final written deliverable and executive level presentation that demonstrate professional readiness, analytical maturity, and leadership capacity in complex project environments.

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Howard N Apsan
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 3 points

Program Management

The execution of strategies in the changing world of work has been going through an evolution from its normal way of working. This transition is only going to be faster and more complex. Tomorrow’s leaders and program managers have not been created yet. At the heart of their creation would be developing people with the adaptive mindsets that see opportunities in chaos, connected hearts that are able to unite, and focused resilient execution that brings meaningful benefits to bear faster.  The leader we call the program manager is going to possess strategic and integration capabilities and a crystal-clear focus on value. They must be able to achieve this across a set of the moving components of change initiatives. This course addresses the systems and collaboration required to have transparency and clear visibility of all the moving parts in a program. This also means having the insight to remove execution obstacles that affect speed or weaken decision quality for realizing the strategic vision. Focus on value combines the mindset, skills, and abilities that result in the aspired-to programs benefits. 
 

The primary audience is new and aspiring program managers and project managers seeking to grow their responsibilities and perform as program managers, program coaches, or team leaders across the enterprise. Additionally, this course is for executives interested in transforming their organization’s approach to creating a portfolio of programs and projects.  This course will also help organizations keen on creating seamless working relations among their people, and support clear career path clarity, by providing a shared program management language and discipline.

This course will take a global perspective and bring life to the principles and practices of program management.  This should enable professionals and their organizations to experience the potential this discipline brings to the way people work, the cultures of organizations become more execution aligned, and enhance the experiences encountered by their customers and other stakeholders.

• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• 3 points

AI-Enabled Executive Project Leadership

AI-ENBLD EXEC PRJT LEADER

AI-Enabled Executive Project Leadership prepares graduate students to lead complex projects in environments increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, digital communication, and rapid organizational change. The course’s main topics include AI-supported project leadership and decision-making, emotional intelligence, executive presence, leadership voice, nonverbal communication, digital presence, stakeholder engagement, influence without authority, conflict management, executive storytelling, risk communication, and the ethical and responsible use of AI. Students will use the Landit.ai emotional intelligence platform to assess and strengthen their communication, self-awareness, adaptability, empathy, and leadership effectiveness. The course is designed for all students in the M.S. in Project Management program rather than for students pursuing a specialized track. It is especially valuable for current and aspiring project, program, product, and transformation leaders who must communicate credibly, build trust, influence stakeholders, and lead cross-functional teams.

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Paul J Bailo
  Info
• 1.5 points

Cognitive Bias in Decision Making

Cognitive Bias & Decision

Decision-making is a critical skill in project management, yet highly capable project managers and teams routinely make poor decisions due to reliance on faulty lenses for perceiving information, assessing risks and probabilities, evaluating alternatives, and anticipating consequences. This seven-week in-person elective examines how cognitive biases, heuristics, and other psychological influences can shape decision-making in a project management context. Students will explore foundational concepts from behavioral economics, cognitive psychology, and decision science such as bounded rationality, confirmation bias, anchoring, availability, overconfidence, the planning fallacy, and the sunk cost fallacy and consider how these can influence decisions throughout the project lifecycle. The course will also critically examine the limitations of cognitive bias theory, and it will introduce the skillful uses of heuristics in project management through concepts such as ecological rationality and the adaptive toolbox.

The course is designed for project practitioners at all levels. Cross-registrants are welcome if they work in project management.

• W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• 1.5 points

Legal Primer: Contracts and Dispute Reso

Projects operate within a legal and contractual framework that shapes how risk is allocated, decisions are made, and disputes are avoided or resolved. This course provides project managers with a practical introduction to that framework, with an emphasis on understanding and applying legal principles rather than training students to practice law. Topics include the foundations of contract law; contract formation, interpretation, and enforcement; allocation of project risk; scope and changes; schedule, delay, and performance issues; documentation and claims; and the principal methods of dispute resolution, including negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and litigation. Through real-world contracts, case law, and dispute-resolution scenarios, students will examine how legal and contractual issues arise throughout the project life cycle and affect day-to-day project management and decision-making. Students will also participate in mock mediation and arbitration presentations that require them to analyze disputes, develop positions, and advocate for practical resolutions. The course is designed for project management students across industries and does not require prior legal training.

• T 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Tim Hegarty
  Info
• 3 points