| CODE | BEM5107 | ||||||
| TITLE | Project Management and Design | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Business and Enterprise Management | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit provides you with a comprehensive foundation in project management, focusing on both the strategic and operational aspects of managing successful projects. You’ll begin by exploring core concepts in project management, including defining projects, understanding the organisational culture's influence, and identifying key models such as PRINCE2, PMBOK, and AGILE. From there, you’ll delve into managing primary project objectives, covering essential elements such as project scope, organisation, milestone planning, and resource estimation. The unit also equips you with the skills to manage secondary objectives, including quality assurance, cost control, and time management. You’ll learn to balance these objectives effectively, using tools such as control cubes, s-curves, bar-charts, and network planning to create a well-rounded project management plan. Finally, this study-unit addresses implementation and control issues. You’ll explore task allocation, teamwork, and the critical role of the project manager, along with techniques for measuring progress, forecasting completion, planning recovery actions, and ensuring successful project close-out. Additional sessions cover the use of project management information systems and the unique considerations for managing international projects, preparing you to navigate the complexities of modern project environments confidently. Study-Unit Aims: The study-unit aims to equip you with a structured approach to managing complex projects effectively. It provides a comprehensive portfolio of fundamental skills necessary to plan, organise, implement, monitor, control, and evaluate projects with multiple resources and objectives. Through this unit, you will gain practical insights into project management methodologies, learn to address both primary and secondary project objectives, and develop the competencies required to balance quality, cost, and time in a project environment. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: LO1: Explain the fundamental principles and discipline of project management, recognising its role as a critical element of the management toolkit beyond technical tools or software. LO2: Plan and organise a project to meet specific objectives, including defining scope, setting milestones, and designing responsibility charts to ensure accountability. LO3: Devise a course of action for implementing projects with appropriate controls, applying forecasting methods to manage costs and timelines effectively. LO4: Analyse potential project pitfalls, demonstrating the ability to develop contingency plans and mitigate risks throughout the project lifecycle. LO5: Evaluate project progress through reporting, reviewing, and auditing, using monitoring and assessment techniques to adjust actions as needed. LO6: Apply project management skills across diverse project types, demonstrating adaptability to both technical and organisational contexts. LO7: Understand and interpret theoretical foundations and practical methods in project management that have proven effective across various projects and settings. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: Apply Project Management Theories in Practice: Utilise project management theories and principles in real-life project scenarios, demonstrating the ability to translate conceptual knowledge into effective practices. (Aligned with LO1 and LO7, focusing on applying theoretical understanding to practical settings.) Implement Project Management Techniques for Governance and Accountability: Apply techniques that ensure effective project governance, accountability, efficiency, and competency in managing complex projects. (This skill corresponds to LO2 and LO6, emphasising governance and accountability within project management.) Develop and Present Comprehensive Project Plans: Use project management tools and techniques to create and present essential project documents, including project proposals, milestone and sub-milestone plans, activity plans, and responsibility charts that ensure structured project implementation. (Aligned with LO2 and LO3, focusing on planning, organisation, and accountability.) Forecast, Monitor, and Control Project Cost and Time: Apply forecasting methods to estimate project cost and time, monitor progress against these forecasts, and use turnaround documents to adjust controls and achieve project objectives. (This skill supports LO3, LO4, and LO5, emphasising cost and time management, monitoring, and control.) Conduct Project Reviews and Audits: Prepare and conduct end-of-project reviews and audits, assessing project outcomes and identifying areas for future improvement. (Aligned with LO5, focusing on the evaluative skills needed for project completion and assessment.) Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: Huemann M. & Turner R.J. (2024). The Handbook of Project Management (6th ed.). Routledge Supplementary Readings: Render, B., Stair, R. M., & Hanna, M. E. (2012). Quantitative analysis for management (11th global ed.). Pearson. [https://hydi.um.edu.mt/permalink/356MALT_INST/1sel2ir/alma990002376120203956] Mathis, B. (2014). Prince2 for Beginners: Prince2 self study for Certification & Project. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Bachelor, M. (2010). Project Management (Business Secrets). Harpercollins Reference Hbacks. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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