BSc (Hons) - Project Manager Degree Apprenticeship

How you will learn

Apprentices, who are in permanent full-time professional employment, are learning in the workplace in a structured delivery pattern, supported by both the university and the employer. In addition, the programme has been developed with the assistance of a range of local employers to ensure it meets the needs of the region.
Delivery is online - part of the study day each week is live with a tutor and part of the day is guided independent study (individual and group work). As the course is delivered online a stable connection to the Internet and access to a laptop or computer is required. Being online means that geography need not be a barrier to studying and as a student, you are able to study from anywhere that has a stable connection to the internet.

Our online learning sessions are delivered live by our expert tutors, and you are encouraged to contribute your thoughts, knowledge and experience to all the information that is being presented. Interaction continues after the scheduled live sessions with tools embedded into Blackboard, our Virtual Learning Environment.  Between taught sessions you can upload your work, observations and critical reflections to an online journal which your tutor can then read and provide feedback on, allowing you to progress at your own pace and pull out and focus on the aspects of learning that are most appropriate for your context and situation.  Additional discussions can also take place with the teaching team utilising online tools such as Blackboard Collaborate or MS Teams

At end of the apprenticeship programme, successful individuals will gain:
• An industry designed apprenticeship programme
• An approved project management degree
• Eligibility for full membership of APM (MAPM)

We make use of project planning software on the course to enable our apprentices to practise the skills they will need to construct effective project plans. Some of our learners may have Microsoft Project installed on their company laptops, but for those that do not we would recommend Project Plan 365 from Housatonic Software. Project Plan 365 offers planning and scheduling capabilities, intuitive Gantt chart visualisations and reporting options.

How you will be assessed

It is a requirement for the Degree Apprenticeship that apprentices must maintain a portfolio of completed assessed academic work and workplace activities to provide evidence of achievements and capabilities. The building of this portfolio is therefore integral to the degree programme and the end point assessment.
All apprentices must take an independent assessment at the end of their training to confirm that they have achieved occupational competence. Rigorous, robust and independent end-point assessment (EPA) is essential to give employers confidence that apprentices completing an Apprenticeship Standard can perform in the occupation and can demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the apprenticeship standard. The end-point assessment takes place at the end of the apprenticeship after all the on-programme training has been completed and after the ‘gateway’ has been passed.

As well as completing the degree modules you will also undertake the Project Management Qualification from the Association for Project Management.  This industry recognised professional qualification is a required component of the apprenticeship and must be passed before you can progress to the end point assessment. Typically the PMQ would be taken at the end of your second of study however there may be opportunities at an earlier stage of the course for some learners depending upon their start date and their experience level.

The End Point Assessment process is described in the plan published by the Institute for Apprenticeships. This consists of two components, a work-based project report and a professional review.

• Work-Based report project - will comprise 4,000 words (+/- 10% plus references, appendices and abstract). It must draw on appropriate references from academic and professional sources and use Harvard Referencing System to support this. Appendices to the report may be used to provide.
• The Professional Review will synoptically assess knowledge, skills and behaviours as detailed in the published standard. The professional review is assessed through a formal presentation followed by an interview. The professional review panel (the panel) will consist of two members, an independent assessor and an industry expert nominated by the apprentice’s employer. The independent assessor will be responsible for the grading of the End Point Assessment.

Tuition Fees

2025 - 2026

Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.

Funding

Degree apprenticeships are only offered to students undertaking the course as part of their employment. The apprenticeship training is therefore funded by the employer using their apprenticeship levy, with or without a contribution depending on the size and status of the organisation.

Apprentices will not be required to pay any fees and will not be eligible for Student Finance England maintenance support as they are in receipt of a salary. See further information on our Information for Aspiring Apprentices page.

The University will typically charge the maximum fee for the standard, before applying reductions based on accepted prior learning which is determined at application on an individual basis. To discuss sponsoring a learner on programme please contact apprenticeships@cumbria.ac.uk.

Additional Costs

N/A