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 has been recognised for its importance to effective operational management across industries though it was principally developed for large complex ventures in both construction and engineering fields. Today managers from every arena of management activity tackle smaller but no less important tasks through project management. Although the level of complexity differs, their underlying principle of delivering the result to a defined customer at a given point in time within budget remains the same. Projects now make up 50% of all work carried out in organisations. At a commercial level this makes their management worth studying particularly when considering that effectiveness of the project management process provides a source of competitive advantage for organisations. Students undertaking this unit will explore the tasks involved in planning and organising projects successfully, on time, within budget and to the level of quality determined. This capstone unit integrates the socio-cultural elements of management including leadership, problem-solving, politics, teamwork and negotiation with the technical elements of scope, work breakdown structure, scheduling and resource allocations to effectively identify the importance of links to other management dimensions such as strategy and structure.

Aims

This unit aims to provide the fundamental skills in both the operational and strategic aspects of project management.

Objectives

Course Learning Goals (Undergraduate)
The QUT Business School has established the Assurance of Learning (AoL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools. Students will develop the following capabilities relevant to a contemporary global and sustainable business environment:

Have knowledge and skills pertinent to a particular discipline (KS)

1.1 Integrate and apply disciplinary theory and skills to practical situations
1.2 Incorporate the use of technology appropriate to the discipline and context

Be critical thinkers and effective problem solvers (CTA)

2.1 Identify, research and critically analyse information relevant to a business problem or issue, be able to synthesise that information in order to evaluate potential solutions, make recommendations or otherwise effectively address the problem or issue

Be professional communicators in an intercultural context (PC)

3.1 Communicate effectively through written tasks appropriate to varied contexts and audiences
3.2 Communicate effectively through professional oral presentations appropriate to varied contexts and audiences

Be able to work effectively in a Team Environment (TW)

4.1 Demonstrate effective team skills in order to contribute appropriately to the production of a group output

Have a Social and Ethical Understanding (SEU)

5.1 Apply ethical reasoning, standards or codes of practice relevant to the discipline and make decisions that are informed by social and cultural understanding

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this unit, you should be able to:
1. Identify and explain the principles in project management
2. Design and plan a project
3. Demonstrate basic skills in MS Project software
4. Write a project plan within a team situation
5. Link project management to broader management issues through project planning to explore and explain the importance of the role of the project manager and project teams
6. Reflect and evaluate your own performance and that of your team in process and project plan outcomes relative to project management principles and theories of team work

The specific course learning goals and unit objectives that apply to this unit are shown in the assessment section of this unit outline.

Content

The topics covered in this unit include:

Alignment of Projects with Organisational Strategy

Identifying appropriate structure and recognising implications of organisational culture

Project Planning: Defining and Scoping the Project

Estimating Project Times

Estimating and Managing Project Costs

Managing Quality

Managing Human Resources

Managing Communication

Risk Assessment and Management

Procurement Management and Managing Inter-organisation Relations

Leadership and Project Teams

Project Audit and Closure

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit uses a variety of teaching and learning strategies to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to manage projects. As well as the traditional lecture forum, computer classes and exercises and tutorial workshops are used.

Assessment

The assessment in this unit aims to support your achievement of the learning objectives for both Discipline Knowledge and Other Graduate Capabilities. Assessment has been designed in order to allow you to:

Receive feedback on your learning as you progress toward the development of knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes (formative assessment); and

Demonstrate your learning in order to achieve a final grade (summative assessment).

Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:

Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation

Formal: in writing, such as checklists (e.g. criteria sheets), written commentary

Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation

Indirect: to the whole class

Assessment name: MS Project Case Study
Description: MS Project Problem
Length/Duration: 500 words and Gantt Chart
Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 2, 3 and AOL goals: KS (1.2) CTA (2.1)
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 9

Assessment name: Project
Description: Written project plan including a scoping document. (Marks incorporate self and peer assessment of group processes)
Length/Duration: 2,500 words + appendices
Formative or Summative: Summative
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 4, 5, & 6 and AOL goals: KS (1.2), CTA (2.1), TW (4.1)
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: Week 13

Assessment name: Presentation
Description: Prepare a scoping document for presentation in class (Marks incorporate self and peer assessment of group processes).
Length/Duration: 15 minutes
Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 2, 3 and AOL goals: KS (1.1), CTA (2.1), TW (4.1)
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: Week 6 or 7

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

Prescribed Text
There is no prescribed text for this unit.

References
Additional references can also be found at the unit's Blackboard site.

Other Resources
There are no other resource costs associated with this unit.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to
view the Emergency video.

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: 11-Feb-2013