When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 5 modules in this course
A good project schedule helps all team members’ work together to meet project objectives. A project budget with realistic cost constraints is also an essential bedrock of any project. In this course you’ll learn to plan and stick to time and cost constraints in order to ensure the success of your projects.
Upon completing this course, you will be able to:
1. Identify the resource needs of the project
2. Decompose work packages into activities
3. Define what is needed to estimate activity durations
4. Define milestones and create a milestone schedule
5. Determine the critical path and calculate float
6. Describe the purpose of using leads and lags in a project schedule
7. Estimate the quantities and costs of resources required to perform project activities
8. Select one of three common cost estimating techniques to determine a project budget
9. Use a responsibility assignment matrix to assign responsibilities
10. Recognize the components of a project’s quality management plan
Get started in this module by reviewing the course overview and participating in the course survey.
What's included
1 reading
Show info about module content
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
Course Overview•10 minutes
Resource Needs & Quality Management
Module 2•1 hour to complete
Module details
In this module, we will decompose work packages into activities, identify the resource needs of the project, and use a responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) to assign responsibilities. In addition, you will have a lesson on Quality Management.
What's included
3 videos2 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 16 minutes
2.1 Lecture•5 minutes
2.2 Case Study•2 minutes
Bonus Video: Tips for Identifying Project Resources•9 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
2.3 Optional Readings•10 minutes
2.4 Exercise•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Module 2 Quiz•30 minutes
Estimating
Module 3•1 hour to complete
Module details
In this module, we will define what is needed to estimate activity durations, estimate the quantities and costs of resources required to perform project activities, and discover three common cost estimating techniques to determine a project budget.
What's included
3 videos2 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 26 minutes
3.1 Lecture•10 minutes
3.3 Case Study•2 minutes
Bonus Video: Avoid These Estimating Pitfalls•14 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
Don't Miss Out!•10 minutes
3.3 Exercise•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Module 3 Quiz •30 minutes
Scheduling
Module 4•1 hour to complete
Module details
In this module, we will create a network diagram, determine the critical path and calculate float, define milestones and a create a milestone schedule, describe the purpose of using leads and lags in a project schedule, and recognize the components of a project’s quality management plan.
What's included
3 videos2 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 35 minutes
4.1 Lecture•11 minutes
4.3 Case Study•2 minutes
Bonus Video: Revisiting the Network Diagram•22 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
4.4 Optional Readings•10 minutes
4.5 Exercise•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Module 4 Quiz•30 minutes
Wrap Up
Module 5•1 hour to complete
Module details
Wrap up this course by meeting our industry expert panelists, taking the final exam, and participating in our post course survey.
What's included
1 video2 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
1 video•Total 21 minutes
Panelist Interview•21 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
You're Almost There!•10 minutes
Meet the Panelists•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Final Exam •30 minutes
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.
Instructor
Instructor ratings
Instructor ratings
We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.
Since 1965, the University of California, Irvine has combined the strengths of a major research university with the bounty of an incomparable Southern California location. UC Irvine’s unyielding commitment to rigorous academics, cutting-edge research, and leadership and character development makes the campus a driving force for innovation and discovery that serves our local, national and global communities in many ways.
"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."
Jennifer J.
Learner since 2020
"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."
Larry W.
Learner since 2021
"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."
Chaitanya A.
"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."
Learner reviews
4.7
9,363 reviews
5 stars
76.14%
4 stars
20.37%
3 stars
2.75%
2 stars
0.41%
1 star
0.30%
Showing 3 of 9363
E
ER
5·
Reviewed on Apr 12, 2016
Budgeting and Scheduling helps you to attain the budget needed for the project itself. It also helps to monitor you cost versus your timelines in order to minimize the overtime and over
K
KP
4·
Reviewed on Jun 16, 2020
Tough course but a great amount of information. I already knew some general project management things and implemented them. Knowing more and of the PMBOK will definitely help in the future.
K
KF
5·
Reviewed on Oct 27, 2020
Straightforward and easy to follow. Some good insights gained from this course. I would recommend this anyone wanting to learn more about best practices for budgeting and scheduling projects.
What will I actually learn in this project budgeting and scheduling course?
You'll learn how to plan a project so time, cost, and team responsibilities stay aligned. It starts with identifying resources and breaking work into activities, then moves into estimating costs and durations and building milestone schedules. You'll apply that in exercises such as creating a responsibility assignment matrix and analyzing dependencies between activities.
Do I need any project management background before starting this course?
No, the course doesn't state a formal prerequisite. It teaches core planning tasks through lessons, case studies, and exercises, though it does move fairly quickly into project terms like work packages and RACI roles. If you've been part of team-based projects before, the examples may feel easier to follow.
Is this course beginner-friendly for project budgeting and scheduling?
It is beginner-friendly if you want a concise introduction to planning project time and cost. The course builds step by step, using short lessons, case studies, and guided exercises instead of asking you to manage a full project on your own. If you're completely new to project terminology, you may need to slow down a bit when topics like estimating or dependencies first appear.
How long does it take to complete this course?
Expect about 5 hours in total. The workload is light enough for a short course, and it includes lessons, readings, case studies, exercises, quizzes, and a final exam. It's a manageable option if you want focused coverage without a long time commitment.
Are there hands-on exercises or projects in this course?
Yes, there is hands-on work, but it's guided rather than project-heavy. You'll do practice exercises such as building a responsibility assignment matrix, applying estimation methods to activities, and ordering work based on dependencies. That gives you a chance to use each planning idea in context instead of only hearing about it.
What skills and topics are covered in this course?
The course centers on resource planning, estimating, and scheduling. You'll learn how to identify what a project needs, estimate quantities and costs, assign responsibilities, and use tools like milestones and the critical path to shape a realistic schedule. It also connects those decisions to quality management, so planning is treated as part of delivering work well, not just on time.
What can I actually do after finishing this course?
After finishing, you should be able to break project work into activities, estimate the people and resources required, and organize that work into a basic schedule. For a small project, that could mean assigning roles with a RACI-style matrix, setting milestones, and spotting which tasks most affect the timeline. The course gives you usable planning skills, especially for projects where time, cost, and coordination all matter.
Is this course more focused on theory or hands-on learning?
It's more concept-first, with structured practice along the way. Most of the learning comes from lessons and case studies that explain how budgeting and scheduling decisions work, then short exercises and quizzes help you apply those ideas.
Why would I choose this course over other project budgeting and scheduling courses?
This course is a strong choice if you want project budgeting and scheduling taught as one connected planning process. Instead of treating estimates, roles, and timelines as separate topics, it walks you from resource needs and responsibility assignment into milestones, dependencies, and schedule analysis, with practice in each stage. If you want a short course that helps you think through how a project gets planned from early estimates to a workable schedule, this is a good fit.