Our MSc Strategic Project Management course equips students with a comprehensive framework of detailed theory and practical processes needed to become a high calibre project manager in this ever-evolving sector.
Project Management is ever-growing and evolving as an imperative function to improve efficiency and transparency in modern businesses. Tomorrow’s project managers don’t only need expert organisational skills and the ability to manage conflicting tasks and pressures. They need to understand how to provide leadership of projects and enact organisational change in both a global, and sustainable way. Our MSc Strategic Project Management programme embeds these issues as a core part of out teaching, meaning our graduates are ready to go into the world and effect change.
Kent Business School is ‘triple crown accredited’ this puts us in the top 1% of business schools globally. There is no better place to take the next step in your career and realise your ambitions. Our MSc Strategic Project Management course at Kent Business School is delivered by academic experts and co-developed with industry leaders and experts. You will develop a detailed background of Project Management and strategic theory and the imperative tools and processes project managers use in the business environment. This accompanied with the global outlook and emphasis on an ethical and sustainable approach to project management, means you will be able to not only step into a career in project management, but be a leader in the field.
Our graduates typically find work in consultancy and employed work both in the UK and globally. You will be well placed to either start you own business, or work in companies such as Deloitte, JP Morgan & Chase, BP and Huawei as examples of businesses many of our graduates have worked in. Whatever your goals are in business, our MSc Strategic Project Management course is a great first step to get there.
Taking a 12-month placement allows you to gain work experience in the UK or overseas as part of your Master's. While the placements are self-sought, the School offers support through extra-curricular engagement with our dedicated placements team. Opting for this course with a placement takes the length of your course to up to two years.
Kent Business School is among the top 1% of ‘triple crown’ business schools worldwide following its European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) accreditation from the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD).
The ‘Triple Crown’ involves awards by the three leading business school accreditation organisations – EQUIS, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and The Association of MBAs (AMBA).
We are updating all of our modules on this course to ensure we provide you with the tools you need to make a real impact after you graduate. We are currently working with CMI to make sure these modules meet industry standards and retain this course's accreditations.
At KBS we want to support your success. Transform your idea into a business through the Business Start-Up Journey with ASPIRE.
Our Triple Accreditation by EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA places us in the top 1% of Business Schools globally.
Employability is at our core. You'll receive dedicated support to kickstart your career through our teaching and careers support up to 3 years after graduation.
You’ll be part of a supportive, diverse community at our Medway campus, just 40 minutes from London. Expand your network and make global connections.
Our academics are industry experts who have hands on experience with everything they teach. Your course is informed by real world expertise.
In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, 80% of our research was deemed ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. The school’s environment was judged to be conducive to supporting the development of high calibre research.
A minimum of a second-class UK degree, or an equivalent internationally recognised qualification in a variety of subject areas is accepted for entry into this course.
All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.
Please see our International Student website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, students who require a student visa to study cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.
This course requires a Good level of English language, equivalent to B2 on CEFR.
Details on how to meet this requirement can be found on our English Language requirements webpage.
Examples:
IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component
PTE Academic 63 with a minimum of 59 in each sub-test
A degree from a UK university
A degree from a Majority English Speaking Country
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
We’ve created the most progressive approach to higher education, developing and modernising our curriculum. For 2025 our courses will be designed with you at their heart to deliver a top-class student experience and career outcomes.
The following modules are what students will typically study, but this may change year to year in response to new developments and innovations.
You take all compulsory modules and in your final term, you will choose one of our capstone modules, either 'Strategic Project Management Challenge' or the 'Professional Placement/Internship'.
The Professional Placement/Internship module will give you the chance to work in a business as part of your degree, getting real world experience alongside your learning. Whereas the Strategic Project Management Challenge is the perfect module for you to prepare for a career as a consultant. You'll pitch solutions to real organisational problems and create a consultancy report, demonstrating your skills and knowledge.
Whichever option you choose, you will be engaging with real problems in real businesses, giving you crucial experience and expanding your network. So you can make rapid progress in your career.
Develop key business consultancy skills by working on a real client project! This module will introduce you to the concept and process of client-centric management consultancy, combining theory with tried-and-tested consulting techniques to guide you through providing your own well-researched consultancy advice to your chosen client. By addressing a real-life business challenge, you will learn how to research solutions, overcome barriers, manage expectations and foster productive working relationships. This will give you a comprehensive understanding of how to manage consultancy projects using the consultancy cycle to provide meaningful and impactful advice to clients. Undertaking this module will help you to gain and develop consultancy skills you can use within your current employment, as well as aid the transition into the business consulting profession; internal consultancy positions within organisations, and / or senior management roles.
In a world marked by perpetual transformation, how can emerging leaders adeptly navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities that shape corporate strategies? Through engaging and interactive sessions, students will unravel the complexities inherent in change management principles and strategic decision-making. This module emphasizes hands-on applications, ensuring that students not only gain theoretical knowledge but also develop the practical skills essential for effective strategic change management in the contemporary business environment. You will leave the module with a knowledge of corporate strategy tools that are indispensable resources utilized by organizations to navigate the intricate landscape of strategic decision-making and planning.
Adaptability, agility and the ability to work in dynamic environment are highly regarded skills for the modern project professional. This module will provide you with deep knowledge of different Agile Approaches to Project Management, such as DSDM, Scrum and Lean, focusing on the agile ways of work, the benefits of iterative development and working with client requirements. You will learn by analysing real project cases and engaging in debates, games and other innovative approaches to learning. This module is designed to enhance your employability in different industries and prepare you for an agile corporate culture.
Get equipped as an aspiring project professionals with the tools, skills, and insights needed to excel in the dynamic world of modern project management. You will learn about project controls such as risk management, scheduling, quality management, planning and more for successful project delivery. You will also critique the P3M framework to understand how projects align with wider programme and portfolio management to support business strategy and achieve maximum value. By completing this module, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of project planning and control. This module isn't just an academic course; it's a stepping stone to becoming a pioneering force in the field of project management.
The role of a project manager and their competencies are key to project success. Responsible and ethical project management practice is at the forefront of all discussions in this module, You will explore what has led to the recognition of the immense importance of project Responsible Leadership" skills and competencies
Benefits Realisation Management enables senior management and project professionals to strategically and sustainably deliver the organisation’s vision, values and benefits through their portfolio of projects and programmes. You will develop a deep knowledge and understanding of the wide range of perspectives and principles of benefits realisation management through evaluating and balancing short- and long-term objectives of projects and programmes. Module’s contents and delivery method strengthen your analytical, critical and reflecting thinking skills, besides leading and teamwork within diverse, multidisciplinary and international teams. Combining your acquired knowledge, skills and independent learning practices, will enable and empower you to target and prepare yourself for acquiring a career as a strategic project professional.
Get ready for captivating discussions on cutting-edge topics such as Artificial Intelligence and Project Governance and bolster your Digital Toolkit and enhance your Project Analyst skills via the use of project management software to become a Project Practitioner with strong research and negotiation skills. This module is an invitation to be at the forefront of strategic project management evolution. Join the module as we navigate the twists and turns of the project management landscape, where each challenge becomes an opportunity, and each question sparks innovation. Let the exploration begin.
The Strategic project Management Challenge module connects students to organisational case studies and challenges them via a student consultancy experience. Students will be working in small teams on a company problem presented to them their task will be to pitch a solution to the organization. Students will practice consulting, team-work, communication and self-reflection skills as part of this module.
Thinking about a career in a private sector? Or maybe you’re contemplating a career in the public or voluntary sector? Then this could be the module for you. This module builds on your previous subject specific learning and enhances your understanding of how organisations operate in practice. You have the opportunity to gain experience whilst still on the postgraduate course and apply learning gained on the course. You will be able to reflect on the placement experience and how this relates to your academic knowledge. You will further enhance your critical thinking, communication, professional behaviours and resilience.
Your placement consists of two modules: Industrial Placement Experience (BUSN9172) and Industrial Placement Report (BUSN9176). The Experience module is assessed as pass/fail only and the Report module is graded on a percentage scale. The chance to gain real industry experience as part of your MSc course gives you a real edge in the job market and boosts your career options.
The Year in Industry Placement Exit Interview provides students with a structured opportunity to combine work experience or entrepreneurial activity with academic study. It allows students to develop and reflect on managerial and/or professional practice in real and often complex situations, and to integrate this with the study of the relevant subject(s) of your main degree programme. Students develop, reinforce and apply professional and/or technical expertise in an employment or entrepreneurial context. The Year in Industry Placement Exit Interview requires students to reflect on and evidence their experiences in relation to both their university studies as well as to a wide range of employability skills. Students will further enhance their critical thinking, communication, professional behaviours and resilience.
The Year in Industry Placement Experience provides students with a structured opportunity to combine work experience or entrepreneurial activity with academic study. The Year in Industry allows students to develop and reflect on managerial and/or professional practice in real and often complex situations, and to integrate this with the study of the relevant subject(s) of your main degree programme. Students develop, reinforce and apply professional and/or technical expertise in an employment or entrepreneurial context. The Industry Placement requires students to document their experiences in relation to both their university studies as well as to a wide range of employability skills. To be able to undertake this module it is necessary for the student to secure a placement. The placement should be appropriate to the student’s degree and experience. The length of the placement should normally be at least 39-44 weeks. Students will further enhance their critical thinking, communication, professional behaviours and resilience.
We use a variety of teaching methods, including:
Classroom-based learning is supported by the latest online technologies and learning platforms.
Your progress on this course is assessed by a variety of means, including:
This course embeds employability into our teaching, learning, and assessment practices. We work with employers and industry partners in order provide all of our students with exceptional career development support and opportunities to develop skills, knowledge, and experiences to thrive in their future careers.
From the moment you start with us, our efforts are focused on helping you gain the knowledge, skills and experience you need to thrive in an increasingly competitive workplace. You can increase your career prospects through an optional short-term Professional Placement/Internship module as part of your degree, develop consultancy skills through our optional 'Strategic Project Management Challenge' module or progress onto a 12-month optional Placement. You can even transform your idea into a business through the Business start-up Journey with Aspire. Our qualified careers practitioners provide support for up to three years after graduation.
For course aims and learning outcomes please see the course specification.
Our lively and active postgraduate community is brought about in part by our strong research culture and by the close community between our staff and students. Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books and embed their research in their teaching.
Students have regular contact with their course and module conveners with staff on hand to answer any questions and to provide helpful and constructive feedback on submitted work. Also, all students on our postgraduate courses take part in our ‘Ambition in Motion’ programme – a set of supportive workshops which ensure that students are progressing through their learning journeys smoothly.
You can also get involved with extra-curricular academic and social activities with guest lectures, talks and workshops organised by our academic staff, research centres and the ASPIRE team.
Our Medway campus is full of history and offers a unique experience to our students. We have recently moved to the Pembroke site, our new Medway home. This move puts Kent Business School at the heart of the Medway Campus, a former Royal Naval base combining historic and new buildings. You can find the Drill Hall Library, the Deep End where Kent Union at Medway are based and the Oasis lounge right on campus.
Off campus, there is lots to do in the historic town of Rochester and nearby Chatham, with cinemas, theatres and good shopping. London is just 40 minutes away by fast train.
Kent Business School has close links with: Universität Innsbruck; Beijing Normal University - Bay Area International Business School; ESSEC Business School; Neoma Business School; Rennes Business School; EBS Universität für Wirtschaft und Recht; Freie Universität Berlin; City University of Hong Kong; Hong Kong Baptist University; University of Hong Kong; Institut Teknologi Bandung (The Bandung Institute of Technology); Università Carlo Cattaneo in Castellanza; Università degli Studi di Bologna; Università degli Studi di Firenze (University of Florence); IE Madrid; Stockholm University.
All students registered for a taught Master's programme are eligible to apply for a place on our Global Skills Award Programme. The programme is designed to broaden your understanding of global issues and current affairs as well as to develop personal skills which will enhance your employability.
Our world-class academics influence management strategies and practices world-wide through our outstanding research projects and direct involvements with industry. We address some of the biggest challenges of our time such as sustainability and responsible leadership to drive progress and create better business globally.
At its core, our research strategy is about delivering a sustainable tomorrow - a theme that Kent Business School embodies in all areas. We want to answer the big questions - How can innovation that enables sustainable long-term economic growth be created and supported? How can sustainable business practices improve environmental and social conditions? These are the problems we are here to solve.
We are global leaders advancing knowledge through constant collaboration and promotion of innovative research. We collaborate with local, national and international business, but we don't stop there. We have forged partnerships with other academic institutions and organisations such as the NHS. This wider focus allows us to advance towards our goal of a sustainable tomorrow.
Research Departments
Department of Accounting and Finance – The Department enjoys a significant international presence and reputation in several fields, including critical accounting, accounting history, sustainability accounting, corporate finance, banking and options pricing and performance.
Department for Analytics, Operations and Systems – The Department offers world class education and conducts internationally leading research in operational research, data analytics, operations management, information systems and sustainability.
Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship and International Business – The Department brings together experts in the areas of three key management disciplines promoting interdisciplinary teaching and research as well as cross interdisciplinary knowledge exchange.
Department of Leadership and Management – The Department is a cross-disciplinary community dedicated to tackling complex business and societal challenges. Our teaching and innovative research encompasses the economic, psychological, social, political, and technological contexts in which organisations operate worldwide.
Research centres
The Centre for Logistics and Sustainability Analytics – The Centre helps companies to address a wide range of transport, logistics, and supply chain problems with sustainability considerations.
The Centre for Productivity and Workplace Performance – The Centre contributes to the evidence base for competitiveness, environmental growth, regional productivity, technology and innovation.
The Centre for Quantitative Finance – Providing quantitative analysis of issues in the financial markets for businesses and policymakers.
Dynamic Publishing
Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books. Among others, they have recently contributed to: Journal of Corporate Finance, British Journal of Management, Organizations and Society, European Journal of Operational Research, Journal of Environmental Management, Financial Accountability & Management, Journal of Banking and Finance, Management Science, Transportation Science, International Journal of Operations and Production Management, British Journal of Management, Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship, Theory and Practice, British Journal of Management, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of World Business, Research Policy, European Journal of Operational Research, European Journal of Marketing, International Journal of Research in Marketing, International Marketing Review.
My course leader still shows such an interest in my professional growth.
From the moment you start with us, our efforts are focused on helping you gain the knowledge, skills and experience you need to thrive in an increasingly competitive workplace. You can increase your career prospects through an optional short-term Professional Placement/Internship module as part of your degree, develop consultancy skills through our optional 'Strategic Project Management Challenge' module or progress onto a 12-month optional Placement. You can even transform your idea into a business through the Business start-up Journey with Aspire. Our qualified careers practitioners provide support for up to three years after graduation.
Our careers and employability support at Kent Business School is designed to make sure you are ready to hit the ground running when you graduate, when you study with us you can expect:
Additionally, the Postgraduate Employability Edge programme, available to postgraduate students at Kent Business School takes place from Welcome Week until the end of your studies and is designed to enhance your career prospects further.
Our Project Management graduates find work in project management positions in varying business, in the form of consultancy, freelance and employed work both overseas and in the UK in a wide range of companies and organisations, including:
Many of our students also stay local and find job opportunities regionally in small and medium firms or even set-up their own businesses as well-equipped entrepreneurs.
The 2025/26 annual tuition fees for this course are:
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
Tuition fees may be increased in the second and subsequent years of your course. Detailed information on possible future increases in tuition fees is contained in the Tuition Fees Increase Policy. If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk.
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
Tuition fees may be increased in the second and subsequent years of your course. Detailed information on possible future increases in tuition fees is contained in the Tuition Fees Increase Policy. If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk.
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Next steps
Learn more about the application process or begin your application by clicking on a link below.
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Supporting your success
Kent ranked top 40 in The Times Good University Guide 2025.
Fees and funding
Kent has risen 11 places in THE’s REF 2021 ranking, confirming us as a leading research university.
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