OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill., October 09, 2009
DeVry University and its Keller Graduate School of Management announced today that their project management concentration within its Master of Business Administration, Master of Information Systems Management and Master of Network and Communications Management programs, earned additional accreditation by the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Global Accreditation Center for Project Management (GAC). In addition, the GAC conferred accreditation to DeVry University’s project management concentration within its technical management undergraduate degree program. Earlier this year, the PMI GAC awarded accreditation to Keller’s Master of Project Management program and DeVry University’s project management concentration within the undergraduate business administration degree program.
To date, DeVry University and Keller have a combined total of six degree programs and concentrations that have received the PMI GAC accreditation, joining one other institution as having earned the most GAC accreditations. DeVry University and Keller are among only 15 universities in the U.S. and 25 schools internationally to be granted project management accreditation by PMI – the world’s leading association for project management professionals.
“We’re dedicated to ensuring that our project management curriculum is of the highest quality for our students, and earning accreditation from PMI’s Global Accreditation Center re-instills and validates this commitment,” said Donna Loraine, vice president of academic affairs for DeVry University and dean of its Keller Graduate School of Management. “This recognition demonstrates our commitment to developing degree programs that meet the needs of today’s employers.”
PMI’s GAC is the governing body for enforcing the policies, procedures and standards for accrediting project management degree programs. Each degree program must demonstrate that it meets PMI’s rigorous standards which include an assessment of each program’s objectives and outcomes, faculty and student evaluations, onsite and online resources, annual self-evaluation and proof of continuous improvements for the discipline of project management.
“GAC accreditation confirms that the scale and quality of an institution’s project management degree program conforms to a comprehensive international standard by thoroughly reviewing and evaluating each program to ensure that it meets all requirements,” said Ed Andrews, PhD, academic and educational programs and services director for PMI.
The GAC accreditation allows students to accelerate their path to obtaining their professional project management credentials. By completing an accredited program, students will earn 1,500 hours of project management experience that may be applied toward the requirements to take PMI’s Professional (PMP®) Credential examination. A total of 4,500 hours are required for all applicants; if an applicant graduates from a GAC-accredited program, only 3,000 hours of work experience is then needed.