Product management is the practice of planning, developing, and producing products that customers need. As a product manager, you’ll help to oversee the strategy around pricing and marketing a product, as well as the most exciting part: launching it to market.
Several teams work together in collaboration to execute this process, and you’ll balance priorities between all of them. A product manager leads the teams through the product launch lifecycle, providing clarity and scope to each stakeholder.
Sound like a fit? Let’s take a closer look at what product managers do 9-5, and the courses you should consider if you’re ready for a career change.
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Product Management Courses
If the idea of managing the product lifecycle and contributing to the success of a business interests you, then product management could be a great career choice for you. The role demands a high degree of skill, expertise, and business acumen—so the first step is to get educated.
Product management is usually a second-step position, so most people considering entering the field will have completed a degree in business, engineering or management, and may even have some tech industry experience under their belt. But there are a number of online courses and certification programs that can then hone your expertise and point you toward a product management career track, even without a degree
Several reputable universities and platforms offer product management courses. These courses will provide you with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to succeed in product management, as well as offer real world experiences to kickstart your career.
We’ve selected a handful of the most popular and respected programs—including our own of course—to save you some of the hassle in figuring out which course will be the best for you.
Product Management Bootcamp – Thinkful
This course aims to help you gain meaningful insights into product management. In this course, you’ll learn:
- How to think like a product manager
- Product discovery
- Building projects
- Launching and iterating on products
You’ll be guided through the following topics:
- Product-market fit: You’ll learn the popular frameworks for shipping successful products and about product platforms like SAAS, Mobile, Games, and IoT.
- Strategy and road-mapping: This topic will teach you how to develop and build a product vision.
- UX design and iteration: You’ll find out how to translate user feedback into requirements your team can act on.
- Building and engineering: You’ll gain expertise in engineering methodologies, engineering processes, and technologies.
- Product support infrastructure and nurturing: This will familiarize you with the requirements of a product launch, like marketing, pricing, customer support, and privacy and security considerations.
This course is 100% online. It’s geared for anyone who wants to start a career in product management, for professionals looking to transition into the field, and for professionals who are already working in product management and want to improve their skills.
To help you implement the skills you’ve learned, this course will give you an opportunity to work on a capstone project. Other perks of the course include one-on-one mentorship, career coaching, and a job placement guarantee. Find out more about this online Product Management course.
Product Management Course Bundle – PM Loop
This course teaches you the responsibilities of a product manager. There are four courses in the bundle that will help you learn how to become a successful Product Manager yourself, and also how to mentor and manage junior Product Managers later in your career.
The duration of the course bundle is six hours and the tuition costs $396. To help you test your learning, the course bundle comes with study guides, exercises, and sample questions for the interview.
Brand and Product Management Course – IE Business School
This course is designed for experienced product managers or those looking to refresh their brand management expertise. The course teaches you how to identify vital information needed to develop a valuable and successful product and brand strategy. You’ll gain exposure to topics like:
- Product lifecycle
- How to define the right metrics
- Building your brand portfolio
- Upskilling your team with the knowledge and skills to help them deliver the brand promise
The course is made up of around 13 hours of content.
Product Management First Steps – LinkedIn Learning
This course covers the six stages of the product lifecycle:
- Researching
- Planning
- Building
- Releasing
- Refining
- Retiring
You’ll be taught the main responsibilities of a product manager, which includes tasks like working with a product team, coordinating with different teams and departments, and how to define a product. This course will teach you the process that’s required to launch the best possible product.
The course includes eight chapter quizzes and you should be able to knock it over in under two hours.
Product Management Certification – Product School
In this course, you’ll learn the basics of managing a product lifecycle, including:
- Problem-solving for products
- How to identify market opportunities
- Understanding common Agile methodology like Scrum for creating tech products
- How to test the way your product idea will be perceived by the consumers
Next Steps to Start Your Career
If you’re ready to get serious about your product management career, Thinkful’s Product Management course is the most comprehensive program out of the options listed above and offers the added bonus of a job placement guarantee. You can start today with a free trial or speak to one of our helpful advisors who can guide you through everything you need to know.
FAQs
How much do online courses for product management cost?
There are many online course providers you can use to learn product management. What you’ll pay for each one, however, will vary per provider. For some courses you can pay a few hundred dollars, while for others you may find yourself paying thousands. The quality of each course also varies, which is why you should go for an online course that teaches relevant job-focused skills and offers you a good return on investment.
What's the difference between a product management online course and bootcamp?
In an online course for product management, real-time interactions with the instructor are not possible and study material can’t be modified. These courses can be taken at any time and from anywhere. Bootcamps on product management provide real-time interaction with the instructor for clarifying any doubts one may have.
Will taking a course get me a job in product management?
Taking a course in product management can be an important step for building a successful career in the field. There are various courses and certification programs available online that one can make use of to enhance one’s knowledge and develop skills necessary for employment.
Which Tech Career is Right for You?
Ready to change your career and join the world’s next workforce? At Thinkful, we’ve got your back with various tech programs to get you equipped with in-demand skills.
- Learn Product Management