Self-test: Is a course at the "Project Manager (MAS-FH or IPMA Level B)" level the right one for me?
Analysis of the functions/activities of project managers
For which people is a course at this level suitable?
- Project managers who are responsible for the project results in a multi-project environment
- Project manager of internationally oriented and complex projects
What does the day-to-day work within these functions look like? Which activities are carried out and how often?
Project managers or senior project managers are responsible for the coordination and supervision of challenging projects in an international environment within a company or public authority. They manage complex projects indirectly via the project management team and are responsible for monitoring the achievement of objectives and the most important deadlines. This includes tasks such as prioritizing projects, allocating resources, conflict management or contacts with the public, maintaining customer relationships, partners and stakeholders in the project environment as well as asserting project interests internally and externally.
Job descriptions in job advertisements for project managers:
| Main tasks | Frequency in % |
|---|---|
| Responsibility for defining and approving new projects, monitoring project planning, project organization and formulating process objectives | 20% |
| Management of own projects, management and coordination of complex large-scale projects via the personnel and technical management of the overall and sub-project managers | 40% |
| Contact management, cooperation with internal and external interfaces, customer acquisition, travel activities to international customers, suppliers, parts of the company | 25% |
| Responsibility for the company's project strategy, collaboration on the design of the project portfolio, development of internal processes and guidelines in the area of project management, etc. | 15% |
The weighting of the individual areas of responsibility can vary greatly depending on the company.
Typical requirements in job advertisements:
- Degree in the subject area, preferably a Master's degree (Uni/FH)
- Several years of experience in project management with a proven track record in complex project environments
- Certification in project management according to IPMA Level B or equivalent
- Perfect knowledge of German and very good written and spoken English (any other Swiss national language is an advantage)
- Ability to develop and implement pragmatic and creative solutions
- Independence, high self-motivation, flexibility and strength of implementation
- Analytical, structured and systematic way of working
- Serious and self-confident demeanor, professional and cultivated manners, communication skills at Group management level
- Enjoy traveling and experience in an international environment
Question 1:
Do the activities of project managers correspond to my expectations?
Yes, if you like the actual job, you can assume that you are on the right track thematically. The next question is what type of training is right for you to acquire the relevant skills.
If you have marked "Partly" or "No", you should consider another job within a company or check whether you would fit into another function level based on your previous education.
Course description "Project Manager MAS-FH or IPMA Level B"
The most important key points of courses at "Project Manager MAS-FH or IPMA Level B" level are described here:
Course description "Project Manager (MAS-FH or IPMA Level B)"
Question 2:
Are you generally interested in a course at this level?
If you are interested in this course but answered "partly" or "no" to question 1, you should try to find out whether there are other types of jobs that you could do with this training that you like better than the job profile described in question 1.
If you have already answered "Yes" to question 1, then this course seems to fit your expectations.
If you like the job description under question 1 and you have marked "No" here, you should try to analyze which contents of the course would appeal to you and which would not. And with what you find out, you can look at the following further training opportunities in related fields to see if you can find something that better suits your interests:
Requirements at the time of commencement of studies / certification
- IPMA Level B: 5 years of project experience, including 3 years managing complex projects, in the last 10 years. Proof of a reference project must also be submitted and described or reflected on in a project description and a project report.
- MAS-FH: Bachelor's degree and at least 2 years of professional and management experience in the specialist area
- CAS-FH: University degree at Bachelor level, in exceptional cases qualified professional experience can be recognized as equivalent
Question 3:
Do I meet the requirements?
If you meet the requirements, you can start training or certification at the earliest possible date.
If you have marked "Partly" or "No", you should clarify your options for fulfilling the requirements (further information in the final evaluation at the end of the self-test) or consider another course.
Financing of further training
The course fees for a course or the certification "Project Manager MAS-FH or IPMA Level B" are to be paid either at the beginning or by semester. However, in individual cases it is also possible to agree individual installment payments.
Question 4:
Are you able to finance between CHF 9,000 and CHF 29,000 yourself, depending on the course and procedure, for the course, teaching materials, final examinations, certification plus expenses for travel and meals?
If you have marked "Yes" and would even be able to pay the full amount upfront, some schools will give you an additional discount.
If you have marked "Partial" or "No": Ask the schools about the possibility of individual installment payments. Or try to get your employer to make a contribution to your further education costs or find someone in your private social circle who will support your specific further education project with a loan. There are also banks and credit institutions that grant educational loans.
Time spent on classroom teaching and learning (homework)
The certification covers a period of 6 to 12 months. This includes four half days of group lessons or individual coaching. The preparation of the certification documents is expected to take approximately 14 working days.
The part-time Master's course lasts three semesters plus the Master's thesis. The time required for classroom teaching is 4-5 days per month (in seminar blocks). The learning effort for own learning achievements amounts to an additional 10-12 hours per week. The Master's thesis is written during the 4th semester and is calculated at 300 working hours.
The certificate course (CAS) lasts 1 semester and is part-time. The time required for classroom teaching is 1 day per week. The workload for your own learning achievements (eLearning, project and group work) is approx. 12-15 hours per week.
Question 5:
Can I cope with the time and effort required for the face-to-face lessons and homework?
If the workload is even very manageable for you, you could check whether there are intensive courses for this training. This would allow you to complete the same training in less time if you are able to accept a slightly higher time commitment.
If you are short on time, look for courses that extend over a longer period of time and require fewer lessons and less time for homework each week. And if that's still not enough, you should check whether you can free up more time in another way. Perhaps someone close to you can take on certain tasks for you for the limited period of your training?
Conclusion
Will I graduate?
IPMA Level B: The following documents must be provided and submitted for certification: Project description (8-10 pages) on project content, role and complexity of the project management task and 2 references as well as a project report of 15 to 25 pages referencing at least 28 elements of project management competencies. Subsequently, a 2-hour interview on the project report must be passed.
MAS-FH: The Master's degree program consists of three modules (CAS) and the diploma is awarded when all three modules (examinations, own work, project presentations) have been completed and the diploma thesis has been accepted
CAS-FH: Three assessments must be completed in order to be awarded the certificate: Project homework, written examination 2 hours and project presentation in the final module
Question 6:
Do I have the confidence to pass the exams and certificates of competence?
If you are confident that you can pass this qualification, the most you can do is consider whether you would like to achieve even better results using suitable learning and working methods or whether you would like to achieve the same results with less effort.
If you have marked "Partly" or "No", you should think about what exactly it is that you find difficult. Do you have difficulty writing documentation? Or do you not like working in groups? Or are you unsure whether you already have enough practical experience? Then you can take another look at the different types of project management courses to see if there are any that don't include these parts that are problematic for you. Or talk to a school or course instructor and ask how the school can offer you additional support. If you have intense exam anxiety, you could try intensive exam training first, or if that doesn't work, look for a different type of course that works more with learning achievements, mid-term exams or semester work. External help from learning therapists, kinesiologists, autogenic training providers or mental training providers can also be considered.
You can find suitable providers here:
Receive course or training documents from suitable schools immediately
Under the following links you will find an overview of schools that offer a course at the "Project Manager MAS-FH or IPMA Level B" level. You can request detailed documents with one click and usually receive them directly by e-mail. You can also use the area search to find providers in your immediate vicinity.
Conclusion:
Before you want to complete a course of study or certification at "Project Manager MAS-FH or IPMA Level B" level, you should be convinced that you really enjoy working as a project manager. The course description should also appeal to you. If you have answered these first two questions with a clear "yes", you can continue to look into this course. If you are unsure about these questions, you should consider which other further training courses are also suitable for you.
If you do not meet the admission requirements because you do not yet have enough relevant project experience, ask your employer whether they would grant you an additional assignment as a project manager in a project of your own. Or look for a new job in your usual profession with a company that handles a lot of projects abroad and where you could build on your experience.
If you do not meet the requirements because you do not have a university degree at Bachelor's level, check the individual schools for admission "sur dossier" options. Sometimes it is possible for qualified practical experience and professional competence to be recognized as equivalent to a Bachelor's degree.
If you do not fulfill all admission requirements, test the requirements of project assistance. Project leadership, project management courses at a different level:
Self-test for the course "Project Manager NDS-HF or IPMA Level C"
Self-test for the course "Project Assistant with certificate (IPMA Level D)"
Financing further training is not always easy. Several thousand francs have to be paid over 1-2 years. In individual cases, many schools offer the option of semester or even individual monthly installment payments so that the entire amount does not have to be paid at once. In addition, it is helpful for part-time courses that participants continue to work during the course and thus earn money for the entire duration of the course. If this is not enough to finance the training alone, it is sometimes possible to obtain a loan from a private source. Banks and credit institutions sometimes also offer educational loans. A good argument for financing further education is the relatively quick amortization of costs through wage increases. Do the following calculation: How much would a wage increase of 10% per year amount to? How many years would you need to recoup the costs of the course? How much more will you earn over your entire working life as a result of this pay rise? In most cases, this is a six-figure sum, which confirms that training or further education is the best personal investment there is.
The time required for training or further education should not be underestimated. Going out, vacations and spontaneous wellness weekends often fall by the wayside. However, this time usually passes relatively quickly. The prospect of better job opportunities and more pay should be motivation enough to get through this time. It often helps to organize yourself into study groups. It also makes sense to stick with it right from the start and schedule fixed study times. Good learning effects can be achieved by creating summaries and mind maps. Flashcard systems help with memorization. There are many tools and ideas to make learning easier. You can obtain the guide "The personal learning strategy" free of charge if you register with a school via Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch.
If you have doubts about whether you will pass the final exam, you can expect that every school has an interest in ensuring that as many of your students as possible pass the final exams. Talk to your head teacher or course leader and ask about support options. But with good motivation, perseverance and hard work, it is generally possible to pass these exams. If you suffer from exam anxiety, good preparation, various practical tips, therapeutic treatments or, in severe cases, even medication can help. You can obtain the guide "Overcoming exam anxiety" by registering with a school via Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch.
The benefits of further training are usually measured in terms of a higher salary, more challenging tasks or promotions. This presupposes that you make an effort to change your professional position accordingly and, if necessary, are able to assert your demands. If you have already experienced that this is not always so easy for you, you could also check whether personal job coaching could be of benefit to you in addition to further training.
Now it's up to you to decide. If in doubt, seek personal advice from a school or external advice center. If you enquire about course or training documents via www.ausbildung-weiterbildung.ch, you will receive a free educational or school consultation worth CHF 150.00 on request.
You can find a list of providers here:
- Project Manager IPMA Level B (Certified)
- CAS Project Management (FH)
- CAS Project Management (FH)
- MAS Project Management (FH)
We wish you all the best in your professional and private lives and a bright and exciting future!
The team of Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch
Linda, deine Weiterbildungsfinderin