APPEL Curriculum Overview

"I am confident that your investment of time and effort in APPEL's programs will yield multiple rewards over the course of your career, and I encourage you to make the most of the Academy's rich opportunities for learning and professional development."

Ed Hoffman, Director
NASA Academy of Program/Project & Engineering Leadership

The Academy's training curriculum enables NASA's technical workforce to develop NASA-specific expertise and capability in project management and systems engineering. It is intended to supplement an individual’s academic and professional work experience. The curriculum draws extensively on best practices and the knowledge of NASA subject-matter experts to ensure that it addresses the needs of NASA’s practitioners.

The courses are developed following established instructional design processes, and include rigorous annual audits and revisions and incorporation of participant feedback. The Academy's project management and systems engineering competency models provide the basis for all course objectives.

Courses are highly interactive, featuring case study analyses, group discussions, individual exercises and simulations. Participants are encouraged to learn from instructors and one another.

Core Courses

The core curriculum offers a comprehensive, integrated approach to learning for NASA's technical workforce. The sequence of materials is designed to help participants expand their thinking—to make connections among many systems engineering and project management principles and concepts, see the "big picture," and understand the context and interrelationships of the topics. Core courses range from the foundations of aerospace to advanced project management and systems engineering topics.

In-Depth Courses

APPEL also offers a wide variety of in-depth courses in five domains: Project Management, Systems Engineering, Engineering, Communications and Leadership, and Earned Value Management. In combination with work assignments and other developmental experiences, these courses provide essential knowledge and skills that address the learning needs of NASA's technical workforce at all career levels.

Outside the Classroom

Learning experiences outside the classroom that promote continuous professional growth are an integral part of the Academy's professional development framework.

Accreditations and Affiliations

The curriculum has achieved a reputation for excellence within academia and leading professional associations throughout the world. Both the Project Management Institute and the American Council on Education recommend recognition for participation in the Academy's courses. The Academy's curriculum is also used at NASA's Rocket University based at Kennedy Space Center.

Schedule and Registration

Download the APPEL Master Training Schedule and learn how to register for Academy courses.