Project Management

Develop practical, in-demand project management skills to make sense of life and work in any industry.

Key facts

  • Module codeBUSP012
  • Start date 1 Jun 2021 1 June – 5 September 2021
  • Application deadline24 May 2021
  • Duration14 weeks
  • Days on campusOnline Only
  • Credit value SCQF 10
  • SCQF level Level 11
  • Fees £528
  • Study mode Online, Part-time

Applications for fully-funded places will open in spring 2022.

Overview

Project Management is vital to all organisations. Launching a new product, constructing a new aircraft or building, developing an information system or implementing a new training programme - all are examples of projects.

This module examines a variety of case studies from commercial and public sector organisations to illustrate the wide range of challenges facing project managers and why project management failure happens. You will develop the key skills needed to deliver projects successfully and gain knowledge of the basic concepts, techniques and their applications, using a series of exercises to develop the key skills of project management.

You will learn the importance of planning in advance while being prepared for the unexpected.

This module covers the following main strands:

Project lifecycle: the characteristics and key challenges of project management are discussed; brief case studies are used to illustrate the range of project management application; the lifecycle from concept to implementation and operation is described.

Project scheduling: the concept of the project network; exercises are deployed to develop skills in translating text description into network models; activity-duration estimating techniques are reviewed; the role of the network, e.g., in estimating the overall project duration, milestone dates and identifying the critical path.

Financial appraisal and modelling: the principles of financial modelling and its role; financial measures (e.g. ROI, NPV, IRR)

  • Managing multiple objectives and trade-offs
  • Project resourcing – management of teams and relations with contractors
  • Change management in projects
  • Evaluating project success and failure
  • Deploying MS Project as a project scheduling tool

Entrance requirements

A minimum of a second class Honours degree or equivalent. Applicants without these formal qualifications but with significant appropriate/relevant work/life experience are encouraged to apply.

Funding

You can apply for a funded place if: 

  1. You have lived in Scotland or the EU (excluding England, Wales and Northern Ireland) for the last three years for reasons other than education
  2. You are living in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and working for a Scottish employer
  3. A member of staff at the University of Stirling

Objectives

Managing just one part of the project is not enough: project management requires a systemic view, balancing multiple objectives and the needs of different stakeholders.  The module develops various individual skills, but it emphasises the need for a systemic approach and as such will develop the following:

  • an understanding of the major issues in project management from planning to implementation
  • an appreciation of complex multiple objectives found in many projects
  • the variety of activity that can benefit from project management
  • the specialised skills required by project managers

The individual skills which will be developed throughout include:

  • project scheduling with MS Project
  • financial modelling with Excel
  • introductory principles of project risk analysis
  • coping with multiple objectives
  • project success/ failure analysis
  • report writing, presentation and team working

Structure and content

The module is delivered entirely online through our intuitive learning platform. You’ll have access to a wide range of resources, including:

  • video lectures
  • live webinars
  • day-to-day support from online tutors
  • collaborative activities with fellow students
  • core module materials, documentation and reading lists
  • journals, ebooks and software

Delivery and assessment

The module will be assessed by means of:

  • a report describing a proposed project plan, using the various techniques from the module.  Students will usually work in groups with each member responsible for a section describing a specified component of the analysis (worth 40%); the group will also provide an Introduction, Discussion and Conclusions/ Recommendations based on the combined analysis (40%).
  • a group presentation based on a project success/ failure analysis of selected case studies (20%)

Module coordinator

Dr Peter Flett

Employability

The module is specifically designed to simulate real life experience by undertaking a major project and analysis exercise which will enhance employability and career management skills.

What next?