Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Project management is the overall planning, control and coordination of a project, from inception to completion, aimed at meeting a client's requirements in order that the project will be completed on time, within the authorized cost and to the required quality standards. This unit serves as an introduction to project management as a fundamental skill for all postgraduate coursework students in built environment and engineering. It offers an overview of the framework, processes and key knowledge areas of project management.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to provide the key concepts and foundation knowledge in project management, and to describe, clarify, and formalise project management so that you are prepared for the challenges during your postgraduate studies and can apply new knowledge and skills in your professional endeavours.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you will demonstrate:

1. An understanding of the framework and process/life cycle of project management as a discipline, from initiation to completion, including planning, monitoring, control and termination
2. An understanding of all key functional areas, including project organisation structure, within a project context, as well as the interconnection and integration of all the functions to achieve project success.
3. The ability to recognise the strategic importance of project and the role of project manager
4. The ability to conduct stakeholder analysis and develop stakeholder management strategy.
5. An understanding of the environment that project operates, such as society, natural environment, cultural and political issues.

Content

• Project life-cycle;


• Project stakeholder analysis & management strategy


• Feasibility study, PM processes (initiating, planning, controlling, executing, closing);


• Nine PM functional areas (integration, scope, time, cost, quality, HR, communication, risk and procurement);


• The strategic importance of project, the role of project manager, project organisation structure;


• Integration of the eight individual functional areas of project management · Introduction to Portfolio and program management

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Teaching and learning will take a 'combining theory with practice approach', involving normally two intensive 3-day face-to-face weekends at QUT's Gardens Point Campus and four spread weeks of offsite online learning based on around 3 hours engagement per week. The unit objectives will be pursued at both the online and the face-to-face sessions via the means of an amalgamation of lectures, interactive class discussions, case studies, readings, and achievement measured by your presentations, assignment submissions and an open-book take home examination. You will be expected to offer a high level of participation and self-determination in regard to learning outcomes. Face-to-face lectures will take the form of facilitation rather than a one-way delivery of information and it is mandatory that you attend both 3-day face-to-face sessions, for the full period of the class, and participate actively and informatively in class discussions. Project Managers are required to work both individually and as prime team members and in line with contemporary project management education, team-based assessment will be a major feature of this unit during one of the major assignments. Teams for this assignment should consist of five to six members and will be nominated in Week 5 of the unit delivery.

Assessment

Assessment items for this unit will be made up of a combination of individual and group assignments and grades will be issued in accordance with Section C/5.1 of the QUT Manual of Policies and Procedures (MOPP).The assessment strategy involves a range of activities that focus on individual and group activities, as appropriate to the subject of project management. Assignments will offer authentic (real world) learning activities wherein you will be expected to adopt various aspects of the role of project manager, and engage with problem based learning tasks. Criterion Referenced Assessments (CRAs) will be used to mark all assignments.You will receive timely feedback on your individual assessment and on the group assessment and will be able to assess your study progress prior to commencing your revision for your final examination.

Assessment name: Case Study
Description: The objective of the assignment is to test your general understanding of the theory as presented in the first five weeks of the unit. You are to write a 1500 word Brief to your CEO identifying three major project management problems, analysing the impact of these problems, and then, recommending and justifying changes to rectify these problems. Feedback will be given approximately one week after your completion of the exercise.
Due: Three weeks after first face-to-face.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2
Weight: 25%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: 29th march

Assessment name: Report
Description: The objective of the assignment is to undertake a real-world project management simulation where you and your group will be tested in your ability to organise yourselves, identify solutions to problems presented in the simulation using the project management principles that you have learned and make sound justifiable decisions to manage your simulated project within time and cost constraints and to the acceptable quality standards. Your group will follow up two weeks after the simulation exercise with a 4,500 word report on the outcomes of your project indicating why you made the decisions that you did, whether the project a success or a failure and the reasons for these outcomes. The report will also contain an evaluation survey on the effectiveness of the simulation to cover the major knowledge and process areas of project management that you have covered during the unit.
Due: During second face-to-face.
Relates to objectives: 2, 3, 5
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: 27th april

Assessment name: Examination (written)
Description: This individual 'take home' open-book exam (to be given out to you during the second face-to-face) will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of the topics covered in the lectures and tutorials by writing a Project Management Plan for a case study that will be provided to you.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Weight: 35%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: 31st may

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Required texts: (should be purchased)
1. PMI, 2008, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Fourth Edition, Project Management Institute, Newtown Square, PA.
ISBN: 9781933890517

2. Pinto, J.K. (2010) Project Management: Achieving Competitive Advantage, Pearson/Prentice Hall, New Jersey, USA.
ISBN: 9780136065616

Other Resources:

You are also required to use the following:

The BEN610 website on QUT's Blackboard

QUT Library Databases:
QUT cite/write: You can access QUT cite/write online at www.citewrite.qut.edu.au as well as via QV and QUT Blackboard Announcements module.

Assignment Minder (see http://www.am.qut.edu.au )

Other items selected by the unit coordinator will also be made available online to you for your use throughout the unit, or will be distributed at the F2F phase of the unit as it pertains to the requirements of the daily programme. Relevant readings and other resources will be uploaded onto the unit Blackboard website either under the Course Materials Database (CMD) or under Learning Resources.

Risk assessment statement

You will undertake lectures, tutorials in the traditional classrooms and lecture theatres at QUT Gardens Point Campus. As such, there are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues or risks associated with any components of the unit.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 19-Oct-2012