As a working adult, making the decision to go back to school, whether you are earning a degree or a certificate, requires a lot of consideration. For David Kilgallon, he wanted a graduate-level credential, but he needed something that fit into his schedule. David is currently the IT Director of Supply Chain Applications at Subaru of America in Camden, New Jersey. This is a position he was recently promoted to since enrolling in Goodwin College of Professional Studies’ Graduate Certificate in Project Management.
“We had an on-site visit from a program coordinator from Drexel and he explained how the program works,” said David. “I have [also] worked with many Drexel graduates throughout my career and have always been impressed by their level of ownership and maturity, even from those recently graduated. Additionally, Drexel has a great reputation in the Philadelphia area, and beyond, and I'm proud to be associated with their graduate program.”
The number of courses required for a graduate certificate is less than a full graduate degree. However, the courses are directly sourced from the MS in Project Management. In addition, students pursuing the graduate certificate students learn alongside MS in Project Management students—which is what made the program so appealing to David.
“Honestly, I'm a little further in my career than most students,” David shared. “The knowledge and experience from the graduate certificate program had a positive impact on my ability to contribute at work. Originally, I selected the certificate program over the graduate degree based mainly on the time remaining in my career.”
The Graduate Certificate in Project Management is geared towards students like David, who are looking for that extra credential, but are not interested in pursuing a full degree. In addition, graduate certificate programs can typically be completed in just one year. Courses for both the Graduate Certificate in Project Management and the MS in Project Management are offered entirely online to better suit working adults.
Many courses in the program require group work and Drexel strives to make virtual teamwork both easy and effective. Teamwork is a huge part of project management, which is why it is integrated in all the courses in the degree and certificate programs.
“Our class group may be unique in the fact that we were assigned randomly during the first quarter, but we have coordinated course selection so that we are all in the same class each quarter,” said David. “We then coordinate with the professor to form the same team each quarter. We work very well together each have our corresponding strengths and complement each other well. They have been a major factor in my success.”
“It's a lot of work but it's very rewarding,” David recalled. “The learning experience is exceptional, and the knowledge is immediately applicable to my everyday activities. What is surprising is the level of teamwork and collaboration that the program involves. This was somewhat unexpected for me but has worked out to be a huge advantage and one of the factors that directly impacts my drive.”