Master of Science Project Management

When Granite State College offered the Master of Science Program in Project Management in an online setting at an affordable rate, I jumped at the opportunity. I had been looking for a Master's Degree Program specifically in my career field as a Project Manager, and this provided me the opportunity to go back to school while maintaining an extremely busy work and home schedule. The instructors are knowledgeable, engaging, and encouraging, and the cirriculum is extremely relevant for today's project managers. I would highly recommend this program to other individuals.

- Brenda

Occasionally, I meet up with a potential graduate student who has a touch of anxiety about writing their statement of intent, one of the application components for Granite State College's Master's Degree Programs. I gently explain that it is 500-1000 word statement which includes professional goals and aspirations, motivation for applying for the degree, and relevant formal or informal experiences. I suggest that they start by predicting their career future. Where do they see themselves in a few years? What narrative can they bring to the program? Review the course descriptions carefully, envision the skills taught in GSC graduate classes, and apply them personally and professionally. Review the Granite State College practitioner based graduate faculty. Where do they work? What can you gain from their real world experience? After these brief suggestions to the applicant, I sense relief on their part.

The greatest presumed anxiety on graduate essay writing is marketed to the upper tier and ivy b-school applicants. You can hire an editor, work with a coach, or just purchase one. I found a multitude of options on the internet. What is most alarming is that, if you think you are darn good enough for an elite school, one would hope that penning the perfect picture of your business acumen would be YOU. A well thought out and perfectly written statement about YOU can only come from YOU.

The GSC Office of Graduate Studies understands that you are who you are. You want to succeed and we're here to see that you do. Our degrees are concise, focused, and applicable to numerous businesses and industries.

Project management is the application of knowledge, skills and techniques to execute projects effectively and efficiently. It’s a strategic competency for organizations, enabling them to tie project results to business goals - and thus, better compete in their markets--according to the Project Management Institute (PMI).

The Master of Science in Leadership program focuses on an action-learning approach, intended to leverage the interdisciplinary backgrounds of participants and help build leadership competencies. We believe that the principles of leadership, when mastered, are applicable in any environment – whether commerce, education, health care, government, or social services.

To find out more about GSC's programs, give us a call at 603.513.1135 or visit www.granite.edu. And, relax about writing our essay, we know you can do it.

You can run, but you can’t hide—in online.

If you have never taken an online course, or have free floating anxiety about logging into a classroom, please read on. Some of the potential students I meet in information sessions, graduate school fairs, or speak with on the phone, have a huge block of fear when it comes to learning this way. At Granite State College (GSC), we offer two master’s degree programs: an M.S. in Leadership and M.S. in Project Management. We do offer a few graduate courses in Concord, Portsmouth, and Manchester - however, the majority of the Master of Science classes are often online.

Laura was an adult Granite State College student for several years, furiously working towards completing her baccalaureate degree while taking part time classes. She was a professional HR director, and GSC helped her get to where she wanted to be. She loved taking courses at GSC, and had taken them in all delivery methods - hybrid, weekend, evening, and online courses. I was delighted to meet Laura at a conference recently - her enthusiasm for lifelong learning was infectious. I thought she would be a great master's candidate for either the Project Management or Leadership program.

As she was nearing the end of her undergraduate career, the last course she needed to complete was Interpersonal Communication. It was a course offered online and she had every intention of taking it, even with its ironic online delivery. While telling me her story, I flashed back to my undergraduate days. I took Interpersonal Communication in a decade when online learning was not available. I quickly assumed it could only be a classroom course, learning the art and science of successful communication. I paused in my thoughts and was preparing for the worst. How could a college create this online? I prepared for a sympathetic reply.

As she continued her enthusiasm for (what I thought) was a pedagogical mish mash of course delivery gone wrong, I started to listen closer. Her family and friends thought she was making an error in judgment.  "Don’t do it," they said. "You’re crazy." She took the course successfully and told me it was the best course she ever took. The posts were lively, deep, and thoughtful. She made friends with a number of people in the virtual classroom. “You can’t hide in an online learning platform. Students who are shy in a classroom can’t hide in online learning. You can also think about your posts, edit, and get your point across clearly.” Her sales pitch was right on queue. And, I know she is correct.

This brief encounter with Laura gives me more fuel and intelligence for the GSC graduate programs. I have chatted with potential students who feel the same way Laura’s friends and family did. The anxiety about getting a graduate degree online can be eradicated when you listen to Laura's story. She preferred her online courses. It was her time. She’d get up at 5:00 a.m. and start her coursework before the day got away from her. Laura is now applying to Master of Science in Leadership, and is very excited about the incredibly flexible, affordable, and relevant program. “It’s time to do it. And, I love that I can take it online.”

 

 

I read a recent survey of the cost of a graduate degree—and it got me thinking. Here’s what I am trying to understand: A Mercedes-Benz is expensive. You can find a model for $80K. Yes, it is aesthetically beautiful, comfortable, and prestigious. A Toyota Prius is roughly one-third of the cost of the Benz. The Prius is practical, well-designed, and extremely fuel efficient. However, the most important similarity is that both cars get the driver to the same place.

Fast forward to graduate programs in New Hampshire. There are many choices. Do they get you to the same place? Granite State College’s Master of Science in Leadership and MS in Project Management offer similar curriculum and assessments linked to professional standards as other higher-priced institutions, extremely good student customer service and care, pragmatic skills for an evolving and global marketplace, faculty who are experts in their subject matter, online and in-person course options, and finally, affordability.

If you are interested in looking further into an experience at Granite State College, and into the Master of Science in Leadership and the Master of Science in Project Management—I will be in Durham on Wednesday, August 8, from 12 to 1pm to conduct a drop-in info session at Memorial Union, Theater One. I hope to see you there!

My teen daughter says that she "hates" science. She won't believe me when I tell her that, as Kurt Vonnegut said, "Science is magic that works."

I didn't like science that much when I was in high school either. I think it was because of all the memorizing and rules. It seemed so disjointed and unconnected to my life. It wasn't until I was older that I could appreciate the field better. It's all about the context really and it's too bad more teachers don't present it that way.

Because science is really just a way of figuring out the world, the universe, and life itself-- the mysteries of everything we know. It's like science is Sherlock Holmes and we're the less capable Dr. Watson who serve as simultaneous bystanders and assistants. When you think about it that way, it sounds so much more fun! This is how I started to try to make science more interesting for my daughter, and it does help that Robert Downey, Jr. has made Holmes more current, but she still didn't really buy it.

She is a huge fan of the Harry Potter series though, so I tried to draw a correlation between wizardry and science. Potions class is like Chemistry, Herbology is Botany, Quiddich employs physics, broomstick-flying involves understanding gravity, genetics can be explored to create three-headed dogs and giant spiders, inventing flying cars involves engineering, learning about space took place in Hogwarts' Astronomy Tower, and you can't study the Care of Magical Creatures without Zoology.

Photo credit: http://memoirmode.com

She's starting to come around a little, but I still have some convincing to do. It doesn't help that as a teen, she's naturally inclined to doubt most of what I say.

Eventually though, I hope to foster her curiosity about the world so she continues to want to learn beyond high school and into college. I want her to be personally invested in taking college classes, not just because it's the next step in her life, but because higher education, whether it's through taking weekend college classes in science or online college English classes, connects everything around us and enriches our life experiences. In addition to career advancement education, I want her to be inspired by the joy of learning itself.

Who knows? Maybe she'll eventually find the value in learning science and find herself majoring in psychology or astrophysics. Or maybe she'll find her passion by pursuing a Masters degree in Project Management or English Literature. Whatever path she decides to take, hopefully she'll see it as magical.

Since arriving in New Hampshire in June 2011 to serve as the Dean for Graduate Studies at Granite State College, graduate education has emerged from an initiative to a norm. The Master of Science in Project Management was launched in September 2011. We had a great response to this launch evident by the number of students enrolling in the program. Students have commented on the applicability of what they are learning in their courses to their jobs. I have heard from students that they are able to make an instant impact at their employer by applying the principles they learn in class to their work the next day. Kudos to our GSC instructors. The Project Management  Program  at Granite State is deeply aligned with the Project Management Institute's Body of  Knowledge. The Project Management Body of Knowledge can be found in the PMBOK Guide. These knowledge areas are considered the standards for project management.

 If you have an interest in trying out Project Management college courses or "testing the waters" before you formally apply, visit our website to find out more information.

Scott Stanley, Ed.D

Dean of Graduate Studies

Granite State College

As I sit and watch the Bowl games on TV, I ponder over what happened in my life just last week.  I had a wonderful time as I ventured down to Nashville, Tennessee to visit my youngest daughter who works as a manager at Roast Inc.. It is the best coffee I have ever had. They roast their own beans and make each cup of craft coffee to your liking as you wait.  It is well worth the wait as it is so good, you will be hooked. So, if you are ever in the Nashville area, please look it up. I also spent a few days with my grandson who is almost five. We went ice skating one day which was really fun even if his legs didn't work right, so he says anyways.  I remember learning how to ice skate when I was young, I remember that feeling and probably thought "what am I suppose to do on this one blade?" I am sure he probably thought the same as he could not keep himself upright for too long without the help of Grammy supporting him.  

The next day my daughter had off so the three of us went up to Cave City Kentucky to go through Mammoth Cave.  He had never been in a cave so I was not sure how he was going to be and my daughter was really young when she last went through.  It was about a two hour drive from Nashville but it went by fast as we stopped for a snack along the way. I am all about making these experiences FUN so he will want to do it again someday.  I pretty much have that attitude with everything.  Even when I attended Granite State College in Manchester New Hampshire, I was thinking how can I make this a fun experience.  It was easy as I met some really neat people to hang out with, study with and smile our way through one class after another.  Yep, learning can be fun and what you learn can enrich your life so much that the outcome is fun. I would love to go back and get my Master of Science Project Management degree someday.  School was fun and even though it was lots of hard work and time management skills, it was well worth it.  

For my grandson, skating and spelunking through the caves, were something new for him. If school is something you want to do, just do it. It may be new to you but you will never get that degree until you make that first step kind of just like my grandson learning to skate.

Yes, I am a Grammy once again. A little girl entered the world at 7:46pm weighing in at seven pounds even. She was embraced by her daddy and mommy at time of arrival.  Oh what a joy, oh what a delight and blessing from above. My young son and his wife wanted to be surprised and never found out the sex of their baby. I have always thought it is the one thing in life that should be a surprise. After all, you don't put in an order for a Boy or Girl, you get what you are suppose to have and really folks, we are not sending them back!!  I am glad they waited and I know that surprise was wonderful and one they will never forget.

I remember one surprise I got when I received an A on a Business Statistic test I took while attending Granite State College when I was attempting to get my adult education degree.  It was such a nice surprise though as that class kicked my butt everyday I was in it. It was one of my hardest classes throughout my education but I did it, I made it through and live to tell about it. 

So whether it be babies or grades, surprises are a nice part of life. I am seriously thinking about going back to school and getting my Master of Science Project Management degree. At work I see how project management is a huge part of big businesses these days and I enjoyed school so much, this just may be my next goal.  My children will be surprised again if Mom goes back to school.  Oh well, surprises are good!!

Good Morning fans and friends,

I just woke up and saw that Westland is going to be selling Rain Barrels with some of the proceeds going to the cancer foundation.  My mum died of cancer so whenever I can give, help promote research, I am in for it.  But, it is not just for the cancer research fund, it is for the rain barrel.  I have always wanted one to water my flowers, garden and save the water that comes from the sky and recycle it.  I think it is a good thing for our earth as well as a good example of conservation. My grandparents had two of them at their cottage in Canada and I can remember at a young age, putting a dipper in and getting out a bucket full of water.  The Cottage didn't have running water, so we used it to wash our hair, water the garden and yes, even flush the toilet.  I know I won't use mine for all those reasons but I do think it is a good way to reuse our water that comes from the sky. 

I have to research it and see where the best down spout to put it under. But, that is no different than researching a subject for school.  Learning again is what I am talking about, learning about something new, exciting, is all part of life.  I just found out that Granite State College is offering a Masters of Science Degree in Project Management.  I am so excited and want to get signed up as soon as I learn my new job better. I want to be proficient in this new position before I put other information in my brain.  Taking these classes is a great education and career advancement opportunity. I am so excited about this new class, I have told other colleagues about the program and who knows, maybe a few of us will go to Granite State College and take these accelerated adult studies classes. 

OK, I am off to get my rain barrel.  I hope you all have a great weekend!!

"Change" is a word that is often overused, but in the world of higher education "substantive change" has very specific meaning. An institution that goes through substantive change is one that embarks on new directions that require review by its regional accreditor. Granite State College has undertaken such a change by moving from an institution offering only undergraduate credit to one that will now offers its first masters degree.

The Master of Science in Project Management is intended to provide students with a highly transferable set of skills and competencies that are in high demand across a number of industries. GSC's first masters degree is designed to provide students with both pragmatic content and high level learning opportunities that can prepare students to advance in management and leadership level positions. A cursory search of job postings lists many positions in which project management skills are specifically identified. In addition, managers in general can gain a competitive advantage in the job market by gaining project management competencies.

Granite State College worked closely with industry experts to develop its first masters program in order to ensure our graduates will be well prepared to compete and advance in their chosen careers. At this point, the Granite State College masters degree is the only MS in Project Management offered by a New Hampshire institution. 

We are confident that our new masters degree will meet the advanced education needs of working adults and professionals across the state and beyond. The new program will be offered entirely online as well as at select Granite State College locations.