Best product management courses: free and paid

Successful software product management requires constant learning. Product managers have to stay on top of the competition and break-out technology while applying management methodologies, not to mention knowing their own digital product and development team inside out! Great product managers are those who recognize they’re always learning and embrace it.

That said, it’s tough to identify which product management course meets your personal needs.

That’s where Justinmind‘s round-up of top free and paid product management courses comes in handy. We’ve tried to include something for every product manager (or aspiring PM) out there, from those who are just starting out to experienced software PMs looking for a boot camp refresher. From learning how to budget a project to mastering a professional prototyping tool like Justinmind – these courses have it all!

Not ready for a full-blown course? Check out these UI UX tutorials instead.

As the name suggests, Udemy’s Become a Product Manager course is for those looking to make the move to product design and management. It provides 13 hours of on-demand videos, activities and professional insights on getting into product management, and what to do when you land your first job.  And if you’re not happy, they also offer you your money back in 30 days – how generous is that?

Obviously, this is an overview course and not suitable for established PMs looking to make contacts and hone their skills; however, for those looking for an overview of what they can expect from software product management, it’s a great (and affordable!) option.

• Price point: $14
• Duration: between 1 and 20 hours
• Level: beginner

This online product management course, which was endorsed by Facebook product manager, Kevin Chanthasiriphan, promises to get you on the fast track to becoming a product manager in seven days. 

It covers everything from working with cross-functional teams and the product life cycle, to user research, prototyping and usability testing. All of this comes in addition to free resources and Q&A sessions with product managers from the industry. They also help you to prepare your answers for those important product manager interview questions.

When you complete this course, you then get a product management certification.

• Price point: complete package $197 (lifetime access to all course materials); premium package $497 (1:1 mentoring extra)
• Duration: 1 week
• Level: beginner friendly

Product Management Fundamentals is taught by Keela Robinson. A tech product executive and overall product management expert, she has hired hundreds in the field. She has taught strategy at companies like Amazon and has even taught on Berkeley’s prestigious product management program.

Along with teaching you about fundamental management tools, this online product management course aims to lay the groundwork of Agile methodology, interpersonal relationships within your team, as well as how to mentor junior managers. Like many courses, there is a great section on preparing you to land a job as a product manager.

• Price point: $241
• Time frame: self-paced with videos lasting just over 10 hours.
• Level: beginner friendly

Skillshare offers many product management courses that are especially suited towards beginners. Its course in Fundamentals of Product Management is great if you want a quick overview of the fundamental concepts underlying the field in less than 30 minutes.

Sometimes, that feeling of not knowing where to start when it comes to entering a career path is all too common. Product Management: Be a Product Manager and Get the Job aims to point you in the right direction in terms of the skills you need to work onto get into the field, as well as provide a quick outline of all the major concepts essential to the position.

• Price point: 30 day free trial; $15 monthly; $108 annually. Value discounts are available for groups and organizations
• Duration: courses range from 2 minutes to over 7 hours
• Level: beginner

Product institute’s Product Management course was put together by product managers with a wealth of experience. They offer to not just cover the basics, but everything you should know about the field.  You’ll be treated to engaging and entertaining video content, interactive exercises and supplementary reading.

The class is divided into 10 parts that you can gain access to weekly and it’s entirely self-paced. Afterward, you can get a certificate to display on LinkedIn to prove completion of the course.

• Price point: $1,299
• Duration: 3 weeks
• Level: Product managers with experience; UXers and developers

Lynda offers a plethora of courses – 31 to be precise. The average product management course lasts around an hour and is taught through LinkedIn Learning.

Among the most popular courses you’ll find for beginners are: the Product Management weekly Tips, which as the name suggests, gets something new added once a week, and Transitioning to Product Management. There’s also a popular intermediate course in Communication for Product Managers, however, the most popular is the Product Management and Development Foundations.

• Price point:  30 day trial, then $34 monthly or $344 annually; group discounts for teams available
• Duration: Most courses average over one hour
• Level: Beginner to advanced

The MicroMasters program in Digital Product Management, offered by Boston University through edX, is a product management course comprising 5 MicroMaster courses with the option to earn an MSc in Digital Innovation by combining it with on-campus work at the university. 

Completion of this course entitles you to receive a certificate verified by the university. Boston University’s MicroMasters online product management course is an excellent starting point for those looking to advance their career in the field.

You’ll learn all the skills needed for the day-to-day work of a product manager, such as creating product roadmaps and implementing social media strategy, as well as bigger picture concepts, such as taking products from initial concept through user research, co-creation, and rapid iteration. The course also provides a solid base for Agile practices and lean management for creating digital products and software.

• Price point: $900
• Duration: 6-8 weeks
• Level: beginner

Highbrow’s product management course is excellent for those who want to learn what product management is and, more importantly, what it isn’t. The course is entirely online and consists of one lesson sent to your inbox daily for 10 days.

It’s bite-size, basic and a good fit for busy people who are curious about product management. This product management course takes the form of email sent every day for 10 days and is perfect for those flirting with the idea of going into product management in the future.  Those already working in software or UX might find this option too basic, but for others it’s a good way to get your feet wet.

• Price point: 30 day trial ($5 per month thereafter)
• Duration: 10 days
• Level: beginner

Coursera spoils you for choice when it comes to product management courses. One of the popular ones, however, is the Digital Product Management: Modern Fundamentals, by the University of Virginia. This course gives you access to high quality video tutorials and lets you take part in hands-on projects that go deep into the realities and complexities of successful product management.

It’s perfect for beginners looking for a cheap way to get to grips with the main aspects underpinning the field without committing too much of their schedule. Afterward, you’re also entitled to a certificate you can share on LinkedIn.

• Price point:  free to audit; $78 for full access
• Duration: 19 hours
• Level: beginner

Udacity’s Product Design course, put together by Google, provides a great overview of ideation and validation, as well as how to analyze key metrics and create design sprints – specifically how to imitate Google’s Design Sprint.  This course is a great taster for those looking to get into the field or who would just like gain a greater understanding of the development process, and those toying with the idea of moving into product management.

Having experience in UX or UI design will help complete this course even faster, as it touches on the best practices of these fields as part of the design process. This self-paced course, made up of rich learning content, interactive quizzes and exercises.

• Price point: free
• Duration: 2 months
• Level: beginner

Carnegie Mellon’s Msc in Product Management was put together by the partnership of the Tepper School of Business and their School of Computer Science. They put it together for people with experience in engineering, UX /UI design or development, who are serious about forging a career product management.

This product management course comprises a balanced curriculum that aims to teach leadership and technical skills along with the business acumen required for the position of product manager. Students then combine the theory with an internship and a capstone project.

• Price point: $2500 + application fee: $125
• Duration: 1 year
• Level: experienced engineers, designers or developers

Brainstation’s product management certification online  course is available to study part time online or in Boston. The main units listed on the syllabus cover how to create new opportunities, arrive at an MVP, gauge various metrics and create a value proposition, as well as giving you a thorough grounding in the Agile methodology and product finance.

This is another superb course for those looking to get a foot in the door of the fast growing, lucrative and challenging field that is product management.

• Price point: pay in full $2,900, 3 monthly instalments of $833 or 6 instalments: $435
• Duration: part time
• Level: beginner

This Product Management course is for product managers who want to improve and engineers who want to move into the field. Although it’s one of the most expensive product management course on this list, this certification program promises to give you a firm grounding in the areas of cross team communication, optimizing product profitability with scarce resources, good managerial skills, how to get senior management buy-in. 

Not only does this product management course offer a rich, customer-centric mix of Design Thinking and Business, your certificate will also carry the weight of a well-respected institute.

• Price point: $7,950
• Duration: 5 days
• Level: product managers and engineers who wish to move into the field

NYU Stern’s full-time MBA is a well-rounded product management course that covers everything from accounting, and economics to leadership, marketing and business communication. It’s a program that is especially suited to those with careers in Technology and software development.

Though this product management course is very costly, there are scholarship options available. On their website they also provide details on how to apply for graduate financial aid, as well as detailed information about applying for student loans.

• Price point: $113,166
• Duration: full time MBA course
• Level: beginner

Washington University’s course in Software Product Management promises to give you hands-on, practical experience working in a team to create a fictitious new product for a company that already exists. Apart from this, you’ll learn how to identify opportunities in the market, create value propositions, along with data analysis, marketing launches and product finance.

The course requires you to have up to three years relevant work experience in one of the following fields: engineering, software, marketing or any kind of tech environment. You must also have completed at least two years of college and have good Microsoft Excel knowledge for business modeling. That the classes take place during evenings and weekends makes it great for people with a busy work schedule.

• Price point: $4,227
• Duration: 5-9 months
• Level: 3 years relevant experience in engineering, software or marketing

Product School’s part-time Product Management Certification course is avowedly hands on, equipping inexperienced product managers with everything they need to land that crucial first position. The course is a great option for those looking to change career who need a flexible course option – choose from weeknights or weekends depending on your existing schedule. 

An added plus is that Product School works with PMs from some impressive backgrounds, such as Google and Paypal, to deliver courses focused on employability and future career development.

On completion of this course, you’ll receive their Product Management Certification which you can include on your LinkedIn profile or add to your resume.

• Price point: around $3,999
• Duration: One and a half months, part time
• Level: beginners

Code University in Berlin is geek heaven and its B/A in Product Management promises to provide solid training in data and KPI analysis, business communication and user research. It also provides modules on engineering and innovation, in addition to various management modules.

In fact, one thing that stands out about this product management course is the Intercultural management module, as being able to work with international teams is crucial to today’s business world. It also has a module on Consumer Psychology which, when combined with the Customer Discovery module, can help give real insights into how to build customer-centric products.

• Price point: based on financial means, the average cost is $33,450 that can be spread out over 36 months at $929 per month.
• Duration: 3 years
• Level: beginner

Product focus’s three-day course on “Product management and Product Marketing for technology-based products” takes place in the historic Atelier the Vijzel building, in the heart of Amsterdam. It’s aimed at both aspiring and current product managers who wish to cement their knowledge in the foundations of the field and learn the best practices of the industry, as well as all the practicalities and tools that go with it.

This product management course normally takes place during various months of the year, so you’ll need to consult the website to check the closest date on the horizon. The courses are also run in other cities such as Munich, Paris, Berlin, London and New York at different times of the year.

At the end, you’ll take an exam which is covered in the course fee. Passing the exam will entitle you to their Certified Product Manager certificate.

• Price point: $2080
• Duration: 3 days
• Level: beginner

INSEAD’s five-day Product Management Executive Programme takes place in Fontainbleau, France. They designed it for current product managers who wish to further their professional career, or for aspiring product managers who already work in a consulting or executive role. It covers all the facets of product leadership such as how to manage cross -functional teams, product strategy and road mapping, along with correct KPI and OKR analysis, in addition to portfolio management.

At the end of this product management course, the organizers will help you to form a an action plan to get you on the right path to the career you want. You’ll also have the option of going on to complete their Certificate in Global Management.

• Price point: $10,403
• Duration: 5 days
• Level: product managers, consultants or executives

This part-time qualification in Product Management from DIT (Dublin Institute of Technology) is suitable for product managers, business executives or aspiring product managers who work in a consulting or analytical role. In terms of requirements, you’re expected to have completed an undergraduate degree but they also consider applicants with significant work experience based on the knowledge they can demonstrate about the industry.

On top of providing you with a solid foundation in product planning, value propositioning, user research, and the design thinking methodology, this product management course promises to give you practical, hands-on experience with case studies, group projects and company-based assignments.

• Price point: $7463 for the year and a further $4523 to progress to the Masters program.
• Duration: 1 year, part time
• Level: beginner

The General Assembly offers workshops at different times of the year in Singapore for beginners through to intermediates.

A great one for beginners is the Product Management Bootcamp. This workshop teaches you how to arrive efficiently from idea to MVP, as well as how to gauge metrics such as KPIs accurately to ensure product success. This boot camp, like many of their other workshops, can serve as a lead-in to their 10-week part time or one-week accelerated course on product management in London.

For those who already have experience in the field and are looking to build on their current knowledge, or add more power to their professional punch, The Intermediate Product Management Workshop looks at elaborating product strategy, feature-defining tools and techniques for drafting stakeholder communication. You’ll need to have at least a working knowledge of the process behind software development for this workshop.

• Price point: Free
• Duration: one day
• Level: workshops for beginners and those with experience in product management

Want to receive AIPMM (Association of International Product Marketing and Management) certified product management training down under? Brainmates provides courses related to product management throughout Australia and New Zealand, the best, that we have picked, being Essentials of Product Management which Mike Lindsay from Malwarebytes endorsed. It’s available in Auckland for around $2,099 and Sydney for about $2,120.

Prior experience as a PM is unnecessary for this course. It aims to lay the foundations of product management and expose you to lean startup methodologies and design thinking, as well as strategies, innovation and research techniques.

• Price-point: between $2,099 and $2,120
• Duration: 3 days
• Level: current or aspiring product managers

Australian short course institute RMIT aims their course in Product Management at those who are looking to get started in a product management career. This course is 100% online and covers everything from road mapping, task prioritization, lean StartUp and Design Thinking to bringing a concept through the full product life cycle.

Completing this course entitles you to receive a product management certification from RMIT, as well as a credential you can easily add to your LinkedIn profile.

• Price point: around $850
• Duration: 8 weeks (5-8 hours per week)
• Level: beginner

The Certified Product Manager course, offered directly by AIPMM in Dubai (exact venue to be confirmed), is aimed at people who are already Product Managers, Solutions or Segments managers or Business Analysts.

The scope of this product management course to underpin the best practices of product management and how to apply them in realistic scenarios. It also aims to teach you about the product life-cycle and at the end, you come out with a special AIPM  product manager certificate.

• Price point: early bird fee $4495; final fee: $5490. If you book and pay the full fee for two colleagues, the third goes for free
• Duration: 4 days
• Level: current product managers

This two-day product management course promises to impart you with critical knowledge concerning critical management skills, product strategy, how to successfully launch a product, along with managing diverse teams and covers the latest design thinking tools.

This course is for product management vice presidents, directors, engineers and people with experience managing product portfolios.

• Price-point: $1799
• Duration: 2 days
• Level: current product managers and engineers

Product management can be a very lucrative and personally rewarding career. However, like with any course, the right option for you depends on your current situation. You should choose a course based on the following factors:

• Experience: are you fresh off the boat or an experienced product manager looking for a refresher?
• Delivery method: do you want to study from your mobile device during your commute, or do you need an in-person boot camp?
• Price-point: a deciding factor for many product managers (or PMs to be)
• Intensity: are you looking for something soup-to-nuts, or just some video tidbits?