So, you’re pretty keen to study a Bachelor of Project Management at USYD and have all the info on the degree — take a quick look here if you need a refresher! But you want to know how people really feel about this degree?Â
Well, you’ve come to the write spot! We had a chat with Courtney, a current USYD student taking Project Management alongside her Engineering Honours (Mechatronic) degree!Â
We asked her all those questions you really want to know the answers to!Â
So, let’s get started!Â
Why should you study a Project Management degree at USYD?
Top 3 Pros of a Project Management Degree
Top 3 Cons of a Project Management Degree
Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make
Things to Know Before Starting USYD Project Management
What Makes this Degree Different
Motivations for Studying USYD Project Management
Potential Career Paths
Why should you study a Project Management degree at USYD?
A Bachelor of Project Management at USYD teaches you how to manage people and projects! You’ll learn all the management skills and theories as well as gain hands on experience with developing and executing your own projects.
Plus the degree is also recognised by the Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Centre (GAC) for Project Management Education Program.Â
Top 3 Pros of a Project Management degree
#1: Great mix of skillsÂ
Courtney told us that during the degree, you “learn a mix of skills from management, business and human behaviour”.
“I feel like my Project Management degree has served me so well,” she said.Â
“It’s been able to give me a really good depth of knowledge into things like looking at stakeholders, making a good plan, breaking down work activities and looking at project scope from a holistic lens,” Courtney added.Â
#2: The cohort and facultyÂ
So, Project Management falls under the Engineering faculty at USYD which means you’re in luck!Â
“You get to integrate with a lot of the engineers and the engineering societies on campus are huge,” Courtney told us.Â
“There’s always people around to chat to and I think the community culture is really good if you fit in that environment. There’s a lot of opportunity to actually get to know people and make the most out of your uni experience,” she added.
Make sure you get involved and check out the Sydney University Engineering Association as it’s a great place to meet new people and enjoy the social aspects of uni!Â
#3: It’s a versatile degreeÂ
So, if you’re unsure what you want to do once you leave high school but really want to study, a Bachelor of Project Management is a great option. It gives you important skills that are useful and sought after no matter what field you end up in.Â
“Project Management is a good degree if you don’t really know what you want to do. I think that’s probably gonna be a lot of people walking away at the end of this year or maybe going into uni and it can be really confusing,” Courtney said.Â
“It’s only three years, you get a little bit of everything and you get some good management skills,” she added.Â
Top 3 Cons of an Arts degree
#1: Subject content feels like common sense
Courtney told us that this was her least favourite part about the degree!Â
“There were subjects where you’re like this is common sense — like why wouldn’t people do this? But then I think where that translates, interestingly is you get into a business context and you watch people do it wrong.”
“I guess that’s why they’re teaching uni students because apparently it doesn’t happen all the time,” she added.Â
So, even though some of the subjects may seem a bit painful, repetitive and like common sense, once you enter the workforce, you’ll definitely know how to lead and manage people, how to implement a project plan and so on!Â
#2: Lots of group workÂ
Now, this isn’t necessarily a con — it really depends on you! Perhaps you love everything about group work (in this case, it’s more of a pro for you then) or maybe you’re not the biggest fan of it but get on with it.Â
Anyway, one thing you have to know which Courtney made clear was that “most subjects will have a group project which will probably be in the form of some sort of project reporting tool.”
At the end of the day, the group projects are a really important part of the degree because that’s where you learn about teamwork and how to lead and manage people — important skills to have in a project management work environment.
#3: That’s it!Â
So, there isn’t really another con! It’s a versatile degree and no matter what career you end up in, the skills that you learn will definitely not go to waste (ability to work in a team, good communication, planning and management skills etc.).
Any regrets?Â
Courtney told us that she has no regrets about the degree! Now, that’s reassuring!
“I learnt a lot from this degree and think it was a valuable stepping stone into the workplace in learning how to manage my time and people,” she said.Â
What do you wish you had known before starting Project Management at USYD?Â
#1: Get involved!Â
“It’s one of those one of those degrees where I think the more you get involved, the more you get out of it,” Courtney said.
If you’re a team player and like group projects, you’ll definitely thrive in this degree!Â
By getting involved, you’re also bound to meet more people and make a great bunch of friends. So, it’s a win-win situation for everyone involved!Â
#2: Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Courtney gave a really good piece of advice for uni in general!Â
“Don’t be afraid to reach out or send an email or ask a question because it is that common rule — if you don’t get it, someone else in the room definitely also doesn’t.”
And let us tell you, that is very true! It’s always better to ask for help if you’re unsure or don’t understand something. At the end of the day, you’re there to learn and you’re not expected to have all the answers.
What makes this degree different from the ones offered at other universities?Â
#1: Project Management and EngineeringÂ
“At USYD, Project Management also falls under the Engineering faculty so it is really easy to bank it on as a double to a more technical Engineering degree,” Courtney said.Â
This undergraduate combined degree is unique to Sydney Uni!Â
#2: Great teachers
You’re taught by people who have experience in the industry and can pass their knowledge onto you.
“They have real world experience. So they’re not just speaking from a place of academia or theory — they’ve been in the field, they’ve read about it, they’ve seen it, they’ve worked it,” Courtney told us.
And there’s no doubt, those are the kinds of people you want to learn from!Â
What inspired you to choose this degree?
Courtney explained that Project Management was the perfect degree to compliment her Engineering degree.Â
“I wanted the challenge of engineering but also wanted to study something where I could make better use of my soft skills and work closer with teams of people,” she said.Â
“USYD offers the prestige of a big institution but also the camaraderie and the friendship of a tight knit cohort especially in Project Management and Engineering,” Courtney added.Â
What are the possible career paths?
So, it really depends on what area of Project Management you’re most interested in but it’s also good to know that the skills you learn in this degree are transferable to lots of different work environments. Some positions you could find yourself working in include:
-
- Construction Project Manager
- IT Project Manager
- Healthcare Project ManagerÂ
- Marketing Project ManagerÂ
- Project Coordinator
- ConsultantÂ
- Cost EstimatorÂ
And the list goes on because there are a lot of industries that need Project Managers!Â
Tanna Nankivell is a Senior Content Writer at Art of Smart Education and is currently in Germany completing a year of study for her double degree in Communications (Journalism) and Bachelor of Arts (International Studies). She has had articles published on Central News – the UTS Journalism Lab and wrote a feature piece for Time Out Sydney during her internship. Tanna has a love for travel and the great outdoors, you’ll either find her on the snowfields or in the ocean, teaching aqua aerobics or creating short films.