Sponsored by the University of Warwick

Wherever you end up working, it’s likely you’ll find the workday divided into several projects or programs which are designed to achieve the goals of your business and manage resources effectively.

Behind each of these projects, there will always be a need for someone to oversee them, which is why professionals with expertise and experience in project management will always be in high demand.

But what’s it like to actually study project and program management? If you’ve wondered whether you’d be a suited to a career in project management, hopefully this can help.

So what is program and project management?

Project management is essentially the planning, organizing and monitoring of resources to achieve desired business goals.

Program management is similar to project management: it involves managing multiple related projects at once in a coordinated fashion to reap benefits which cannot be obtained from managing them individually.

Program or project managers plan strategies to kickstart projects, determine project requirements and lead others involved in the project and monitor the progress of their work. This means having fingers in many pies - you’ll need to monitor and stay on top of logistics, budgets, timeframes, and get involved in the HR-side of project management as well as things like team culture management.

Martin Ou, from China, studied program and project management at the University of Warwick, having previously worked in sales and marketing before joining a wealth management company in China. Once he was there, he quickly realised he needed experience in project and program management to progress in the company.

Martin took a year off to pursue the MSc in program and project management at the University of Warwick and he says he found the modules taught within the program extremely useful. He says: “In the Management of Change module we worked in small groups, with each group ‘running a business’ and each member taking a role within it.

“The lecturer acted as our customer and constantly introduced new and unexpected challenges. The whole thing was intense and difficult at times, with changes happening quickly.

“This really pushed us and forced us out of our comfort zones, and looking back it’s extremely interesting to think about the way I reacted to issues and worked through them.”

Careers with a degree in program and project management

As you may have surmised by now, project managers need a variety of skills in their job. They are effective problem-solvers with numerical and communication skills.

Demand for project managers is high across industries. Job growth is anticipated to be faster than any other occupation, with 22 million new job openings around the world by 2027, according to the Project Management Institute.

The average salary for project managers is $72,000 in the US, £36,796 in the UK (US$48,400) and HK$499,816 in Hong Kong (US$63,699.05), according to PayScale.

So, if you’re tempted to find out more, where do you start? Well, the University of Warwick offers program and project management training that can help aspiring professionals get the education they need for any project and program management career. Their MSc in Program and Project Management is a one-year full-time course designed for graduates who want to move into project management.

It covers every aspect of program and project management, including financial analysis and control systems, and program and project strategy, and is taught by experts in their fields. You’ll also have the chance to learn from external speakers who work in organizations at the forefront of project management through lectures, seminars, online learning and group projects. Assessment is conducted through written assignments and in-module exercises.

Alumni of this program have gone on to work as project planners, project engineers, system analysts, project managers, at IBM, the World Food Program, Vogue, ExxonMobil, Dell and the civil service, so you’re almost guaranteed to end up in a leading role after you graduate.

We're pleased to announce that the winner of this year’s QS Academic Excellence Scholarship is Yan Guo.

The scholarship, offered every year, is worth US$10,000 and provides support to a student commencing a master’s or PhD program anywhere in the world. Applicants are assessed based on their academic achievements to date, as well as the potential they show to make a contribution within academia or another area.

Yan will study an MSc in Taxonomy, Biodiversity and Evolution at Imperial College London, starting in September, having previously studied Food Science at China’s Northwestern A&F University.

She says her bachelor’s degree gave her a good familiarity of the best food improving techniques, but new problems have aroused her attention - “Human activities, especially the conversion and degradation of habitats are causing global biodiversity declines.”

Yan’s master’s degree is offered in collaboration with the Natural History Museum, which was a powerful motivation in choosing the program, as these two highly prestigious institutions are working in collaboration to find possible solutions to balance global food shortage and ecology protection by 2050.

She also found the course’s curriculum a very good match to her interests, and hopes that the degree will give her the critical analysis ability to solve practical research issues.  She says: “I will have a chance to touch upon world-leading projects such as balancing food production with biodiversity persistence using PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity in Changing Terrestrial Systems.”

So what are Yan’s next steps after she finishes her degree? "After graduation, I will look for research opportunities in world leading research institutions like Imperial College London. My life-long career will be devoted to developing agricultural benefits, protecting the biodiversity of the environment and leading to the poverty reduction of farmers at the same time.”

Advice for other applicants

Yan says winning the QS Academic Excellence Scholarship has been a relief, as it will cover nearly one third of her tuition fees, meaning she can spend more time on study and research. To other students applying for students, she has this advice:

"Plan ahead, not only when you are searching for the scholarships, but also when applying for a university and determining your career path. Always do the best in your study/work so when the opportunity comes, you can grasp it easily. If a girl like me from a small village can make it, you can make it too. Remember never to give up when you are about to lose hope.

"Thank you QS for providing such excellent scholarships for people who are chasing their dreams. There are many other wonderful scholarships for students from different backgrounds.”

Are you interested in expanding your horizons to study in the world’s largest country, which has an impressive 68 universities featured in the QS BRICS University Rankings 2018? Read on for scholarships to study in Russia…

Government-funded Russian scholarships for international students

• Government of Russian Federation Scholarships – A set number of state scholarships to study in Russia are available for foreign students each year, with free tuition, student accommodation and a maintenance allowance, which amounted to 1,500 rubles a month in 2017 (approximately US$24). 15,000 of these scholarships were awarded in 2017.

Non-governmental Russian scholarships for international students

• The School of Russian and Asian Studies (SRAS) – Lists scholarships to study abroad in Russia and other former Soviet states, most of which are specifically for US students.
• Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarships – Offers over 2,900 scholarships of up to US$5,000 for US undergraduate citizens to study or intern abroad. Applicants who are studying a foreign language (such as Russian) while abroad in a country in which the language is predominantly spoken will automatically be considered for the Critical Need Language Award, for a total award of $8,000.
• BP in Russia Research Scholarships – Russian scholarships of RUB 15,000 - 35,000 (~US$240-560) every month for students studying for degrees in energy and economics at one of the partner Russian universities. Applicants must be studying on state grants, have excellent grades and aim to develop in their chosen subject in the future.
• American Councils Scholarships – Various scholarships related to Russian language training and research in Russia, including the Title VIII Research Scholar Program, a scholarship for students to conduct independent research for three to eight months in one of the selected countries in Central Asia or Eastern Europe, including Russia. The value of the awards varies between US$7,000 to $25,000, and typically includes airfare, a monthly stipend, health insurance and more.
• Open Doors: Russian Scholarship Project – Scholarships are available for international students from any country to study a master’s degree in mathematics, physics, computer science or economics in Russia. Offered by the Russian Association of Global Universities, the scholarships cover the entirety of tuition fees.

University-specific Russian scholarships for international students

• Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) – Scholarships are available for excellent international students who demonstrate the potential for superior academic performance.
• National Research University – Higher School of Economics (HSE) Saint Petersburg – Several scholarships are available to study at HSE’s St Petersburg campus, covering 25 to 100 percent of the tuition fees of outstanding international students at all study levels.
• National University of Science and Technology MISiS – Stipends are available for international students commencing English-medium MSc STEM programs, both for those who are admitted via the Russian government scholarship program and those who are covering tuition fees using their own funds.
• Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University – Individual scholarship opportunities are available for master's degree programs studied in English at the university. The scholarship could cover tuition fees during one semester or costs of accommodation in the university dormitory.
• Tomsk State University – Various grants are available for international students.
• Russian International Olympic University  – The Vladimir Potanin Foundation’s Olympic Scholarships Program offers 20 Russian scholarships to study a Master of Sports Administration program at the university, providing tuition, accommodation and a monthly stipend.

If you’re planning to study in Russia, take a look at our country guide, and see how Russian universities compare with those across the five BRICS countries in the latest QS BRICS University Rankings.

This article was originally published in October 2015. It was last updated in June 2018. 

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An increasingly attractive and multicultural study destination, Canada is a great option to consider for your PhD studies, offering a wealth of research opportunities to help you expand your expertise. More than a third of the country’s overall research is conducted at Canadian universities, and this work contributes billions to the country’s economy.

What are the admission requirements?

The requirements to study in Canada at doctorate level vary between universities and courses, but you generally need the following:

• A master’s degree in a related field, with strong grades and proven research ability and potential.
• Proof of language ability, depending on whether you study in English or French, if either language is not your first language and you haven’t previously studied in either language. (Some programs in French-speaking Quebec are conducted in both languages).
• A strong score in a graduate admissions test such as the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

In exceptional cases, you may be able to study a PhD with “accelerated admission” – that is, without a master’s degree. In this process, you’ll need to have outstanding grades in the last two years of your bachelor’s degree (a first-class average) and other demonstrations of your high academic potential, such as research publications.

How long are PhDs in Canada?

Most PhDs in Canada take about four to six years to complete.

How do I apply for a PhD in Canada?

Although the admissions process can vary between Canadian universities, you’ll generally need to follow the following steps to apply for a PhD:

1. Decide which PhD course you’d like to apply for, identifying your supervisor and chosen research topic. This may be an advertised, structured PhD in which the scope of the research is already outlined by the university (particularly in the sciences), or alternatively (particularly in arts and humanities) you could suggest and outline your own research project with an open PhD. Once you’ve found a supervisor, some universities may ask for a letter of support from your chosen supervisor to be included in your application documents.

2. If applying for an open PhD, you’ll need to submit a research proposal following the guidelines set by your university and generally outlining what you want to research, and why this is a worthwhile project.

3. Apply online, paying the appropriate application fee and attaching the necessary documents to your application. This could be all or some of the following:

• Statement of purpose – this should outline your background and academic/professional experience, including any awards, publications or relevant experience you can offer. You should also discuss your career goals and anything else stipulated by the university, keeping to the word limit.
• Two or three letters of reference (including one from your intended supervisor). Your referees should be academic, where possible.
• Academic transcripts and degree certificates – Canadian universities may require that your university mails an official transcript, which should be in English or accompanied by a perfectly translated document.
• Writing sample (most likely for arts and humanities PhDs)
• Your Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Language test results, if needed
• Portfolio of creative work (if applying for an arts/humanities PhD)

Some Canadian universities may also ask you to attend an admission interview.

4. Once accepted, the next step is to apply for your study permit, which acts as your student visa for your stay. You should also take out health insurance, and check your university’s website for orientation advice.

How much does it cost to study a PhD in Canada?

Tuition fees for a PhD in Canada vary between universities and courses, and will generally be around twice that of fees for Canadian students. An exception to this is the University of Toronto, where most international PhD students will pay the same tuition fees as domestic students, starting from fall 2018.

To give you an example of the cost of a PhD in Canada, the University of British Columbia charges CA$7,641 (~US$5,760) per year for Masters by Research or PhDs, while PhDs are CA$$10,240 (~US$7,700) in years one and two at the University of Manitoba.

What PhD scholarships and other funding opportunities are available?

Thankfully, many PhD scholarships are available to help make studying in Canada more affordable to international students, with many awards based on academic merit. The Canadian government runs a useful website with a search tool to find scholarships based on your country of origin. Other good places to look are the official websites of Canadian universities, which may provide their own scholarships search tool to help you find one relevant to your situation and country of origin.

Some examples of PhD scholarships to study in Canada include:

• The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships, which award CA$50,000 (~US$37,700) per year to highly-qualified international and home PhD students in the fields of social sciences and/or humanities, natural sciences and/or engineering and health.
• The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation doctoral scholarships, which at the time of writing is currently in the process of being reworked.
• The University of British Columbia Four Year Doctoral Fellowship provides a stipend of at least CA$18,200 (~US$13,700) per year plus full tuition for outstanding international/home doctoral students for all four years of their studies.

Teaching/research assistantships

Many students also decide to fund their studies by taking part in a research or teaching assistantship – in these, you can work as a teaching or research assistant in exchange for a stipend and/or have your tuition fully or partially covered.

As a research assistant, you’ll work to help a faculty member (which may be your supervisor) by assisting with data collection, analysis, report writing, lab/office organization and other tasks. As a teaching assistant, you’ll support your department with its undergraduate programs, teaching one or more sections of the course, conducting laboratory sections, holding office hours and grading undergraduate papers. To become a teaching assistant, you’ll need to demonstrate your mastery of the course and ability to effectively facilitate students’ learning.

To apply for a research or teaching assistantship, you’ll need to check the information posted by your university and likely fill in an online application form.   

Can I work in Canada part-time during my studies?

Yes, all full-time students with a valid study permit can work part-time on or off campus for up to 20 hours per week during university semesters and full time during semester breaks. However, some PhD courses may stipulate that you shouldn’t work for more than 10 hours per week during term time – particularly if you’ve been granted funding to study in Canada. It’s also important to consider that your PhD will take up a considerable amount of time and challenging work, so you might prefer to focus entirely on your studies. Also, it’s not advised to rely on part-time work to fund your living expenses. You’ll need a Social Insurance Number to work in Canada.

Can I stay and work in Canada after my PhD?

Yes – if you’d like to stay after graduation to find work in Canada, you can apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) which allows you to stay and gain valuable work experience for a maximum of three years. And if you’re interested in becoming a permanent resident, this post-graduation work experience helps you to qualify to apply for permanent residency in Canada via Express Entry. Find out more here.

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This article was originally published in April 2017. It was updated in June 2018.

Included among the available QS Scholarships is the exclusive EDHEC Business School scholarship, offered in partnership between QS and EDHEC, which supports students enrolling in an MSc or MiM program at the business school, covering 50 percent of the winner’s tuition fees.  

The scholarship is awarded to any attendees of the QS World Grad School Tour who have successfully completed the admissions process at EDHEC, and can indicate a good deal of academic excellence, as well as a clear awareness of how studying at EDHEC will help them to reach their educational and professional goals.

This year, the scholarship was awarded to Italian student Ludovico Galanti, who will study EDHEC’s MSc in Financial Markets, starting in September.

Ludovico previously studied business administration for his bachelor’s degree, but has decided to pursue financial markets as he’s passionate about numbers and statistics, and hopes that EDHEC will “make me re-evaluate my conception of how things work, while also challenging me with a workload which will adequately prepare me for the financial markets industry.”

He was attracted to studying at EDHEC due to the school’s highly prestigious reputation and adaptable curriculum, as “the financial landscape is changing rapidly, and EDHEC seems to have fully embraced the technological disruption in its core teachings.”

Ludovico was attracted to Paris itself due to its status “as of one of the primary European financial centers.” Having previously visited France as a tourist, he says he “cannot wait to get there and start a new chapter of my life. I love the fact that in France, openness and international perspectives are combined with a strong national culture.”

After his degree, Ludovico hopes to apply his knowledge to start his own enterprise or work in investment banking, but would enjoy any role in financial markets.

Advice for other applicants

“Be honest, not just with the university and the organizations offering scholarships, but mainly to yourself. If you believe in the program and in the help the scholarship would provide, go for it. Scholarships are meant for motivated students of all backgrounds, they are a testament of your human capital. It is not only about yourself, but about the influence the scholarship would have in changing your path. Try to explain why it would profoundly impact your master experience and career perspective.”

If you want to study in the US, you’ll know it doesn’t come cheap – US universities charge some of the highest tuition fees in the world, especially those prestigious colleges with strong global reputations. However, while tuition fees at top US universities can easily amount to $US40-50,000 per year (not including accommodation, health insurance and other costs), there are lots of scholarships and other types of financial aid on offer.

One form of financial aid which is particularly distinctive to the US is associated with “need-blind admission”. This term means an institution has an official policy of not considering applicants’ financial resources when deciding whether to offer them a place. This policy may be extended to all students, including internationals, or it may be limited to US nationals only. In some (not all) cases, US universities accompany need-blind admission policies with “full-need” pledges, which means they promise to provide sufficient financial aid to enable all accepted students to attend.

What does need-blind admission really mean?

The implications of need-blind admission policies vary depending on the institution. The common element is that US universities promising need-blind admission do not consider applicants’ ability to pay when deciding whether to offer them a place on a program. This may only apply to applicants from within the US, or it may be extended to international students as well.

Some US universities have need-blind admission policies, but do not promise any connected financial aid. This means students offered a place may not be able to accept it, if they’re unable to meet the costs of attendance.

However, other US universities accompany their need-blind admission policies with a pledge to meet the full financial need of all those offered a place. Most often, this pledge only applies to US nationals, but there are currently six elite institutions (see below) which also promise the same level of financial assistance for international students.

Will need-blind admission mean your tuition fees are fully paid?

In short, no. Even if the institution in question has pledged to help all students meet the costs of attendance, this does not mean a totally free ride. You’ll be expected to make some financial contribution, which is usually calculated based on an assessment of your parents’ income and other resources. You may also be expected to take out student loans to cover part of the costs, and/or participate in a “work-study” program, which means working part-time alongside your studies.

However, most students admitted via a need-blind and full-need admission policy do also benefit from substantial amounts of scholarship or grant funding.

Which US universities offer need-blind admission?

Lots of US universities have some form of need-blind admission policy, but – as mentioned above – this does not always extend to international applicants, and does not always mean admissions offers are accompanied by financial aid. Currently, only five US universities offer need-blind admission and full-need financial aid to all students, including international applicants. These are:

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Harvard University
• Princeton University 
• Yale University
• Amherst College 

As you’ll probably know, these are not just any five US universities – they’re five of the most prestigious colleges in the US, and indeed the world. MIT is currently at the very top of the QS World University Rankings®, with Harvard coming in third the world, Princeton 13^th and Yale 15^th. Amherst is too small and specialized to feature in the international rankings – but it rates highly in assessments dedicated to liberal arts education. The Curtis Institute of Music, which was ranked eighth for performing arts in the most recent QS World University Rankings by Subject, is also need-blind to all students.

These are some of the toughest US universities at which to gain admittance, but if you are successful, each institution promises to provide sufficient financial aid to make it possible for you to attend, regardless of your financial situation or nationality.

Many other US universities also offer generous scholarships and other forms of funding. So even if you don’t see a need-blind admission or full-need policy indicated, don’t let the high tuition fees and other costs deter you from applying. All US universities are required to offer a “net price calculator” on their websites, which allows prospective students to get an estimate of how much it would actually cost them to study in the US at the institution in question. This is based on individual students’ financial circumstances, available grants and scholarships, and estimated living costs.

This article was originally published in January 2015. It was last updated on June 2018 to reflect the latest QS World University Rankings® results.

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Sponsored by Universidad De Palermo

Every year, a growing number of students choose to pursue their degrees online because they want to acquire new skills and they enjoy the flexibility and convenience of online education.  

Universidad de Palermo offers a new and innovative proposal for online education: some degrees are entirely taught online, while other courses are taught in a blended format.

But while studying off-campus can bring opportunities to your doorstep, there are a number of things you must do to make sure your online degree is a success.  

Pick a course supported by state-of-the-art technology

The best courses will incorporate a number of different online tools and e-learning platforms.  

Online learners at Universidad de Palermo have access to world class applied educational technology, and a number of collaborative tools to share with tutors, professors and colleagues and a mobile app accessible from any device.  

Customize your degree to suit your unique needs

It’s important that your online degree is truly flexible and customizable, so that it’s best suited to your needs, whatever your profile and abilities.

Some schools are better at this than others. The Education Lab at Universidad de Palermo is currently pioneering research into online education, applying the latest developments in the science of learning, which will enable students to customize and adapt their academic experience according to their needs, backgrounds, skills and learning styles.  

Universidad de Palermo also gives students the option to study online, on campus or to enroll in blended format degrees. For example, you could decide to spend the first two years of your degree online, and the remaining two on campus. You could spend the first year on campus and finish your degree online. Some students even study online in their first year, spend their second year on campus, transfer to a partner university for a semester, and then go back to studying online. There are as many timetables and modes of study as there are students.  

Know what’s expected of you  

Different online courses will feature varying levels of autonomy. Depending on your other commitments, either mode of study might be better suited to your schedule.  

Whatever course you end up on, avoid falling behind by staying organized, particularly if you’ve got a full-time job or are looking after family members.

Before you start the course, make sure you know exactly what’s expected of you and what to expect from your professor, so you can get a sense of your workload and how to juggle your different responsibilities.  

It’s important to plan ahead, so print out your course schedule and assignment due dates, so you can start working on upcoming deadlines as soon as you can.  

Get yourself a calendar and mark all important exam dates, deadlines and sessions and don’t underestimate the effectiveness of a good to-do list for all the tasks you need to complete each week.

Stay in touch with your professors and classmates  

Whatever your preferred mode of study, always stay in touch with your professors to get regular feedback and ensure you’re on the right track. Try to participate in online chats and group discussions with other virtual learners as often as you can, so you can mutually support each other.  

You are never alone on Universidad de Palermo’s online degrees. Class size is small by design, allowing for plenty of interaction with professors, tutors and more importantly, among fellow students.

Also, Universidad de Palermo’s active alumni network is a responsive community of high-ranking professionals and mentors based around the world, who regularly help and reach out to students. It’s a perfect resource for finding out about graduate jobs and networking sessions with industry leaders.

Pursue an online degree at Universidad de Palermo

Universidad de Palermo was ranked first in Latin America in the international students indicator of the latest QS World University Rankings, while Buenos Aires where it’s based has been ranked as the best city for students in Latin America.  

Universidad de Palermo has also been ranked among the top ten Business Schools in Latin America in the latest QS Global 250 Business Schools Report

Universidad de Palermo offers several online degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate level, fully taught in Spanish, in online or blended mode, including degrees in Marketing, Business Administration, Accounting, International Business, and the MBA (blended), among others.

You can choose when and where to study, depending on your schedule and other commitments, and can access the e-learning platform from any device on the go.  

Classes are designed to encourage student interactions and participation, and you will be part of an online community of professors, tutors and distance learners, with a number of tools and resources at your fingertips.