FURTHER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES 7.5 Open Language Programme
8.0 COURSE SPECIFICATION
Section One: ABOUT THE COURSE
1 Name of course and highest award MSc Project Management 2 Level of highest award (according to FHEQ) Level 7 (PG)
3 Possible Interim Awards PG Diploma Project Management (120 credits), PG Cert Project Management (60 credits).
4 Awarding/validating institution London Metropolitan University
5 Teaching institution(s) London Metropolitan University
6 Total credit for course (for highest award) 180
7 The Faculty responsible Business School
8 Validated mode of attendance and intake September start FT/PT
9 About the course and its strategy towards teaching and learning and towards digital learning. Please include details of access to learning facilities, including flexible/open learning spaces within the Faculty.
Project Management is recognised as a mainstream management discipline used across a range of organisation, government and social enterprise settings. The MSc covers the principles and techniques of project management as well as the systematic and strategic skills and methods needed to achieve a competitive advantage. This MSc is accredited through the Association for Project Management (APM) and the (IPMA); students are encouraged to join and apply for individual accreditation. PRINCE2 training is also available for students.
This MSc aims are to help students develop their academic capacities and skills as high quality project managers capable of taking decisions and playing a role as project managers and change-agents. The course provides an interdisciplinary programme of study which is intellectually rigorous and
professionally relevant to students’ local context, organisation and operational environments.
Flexibility of attitudes and thought are encouraged as well as a commitment to lifelong-learning and continuous professional development underpinned by reflective practice.
The course will be delivered through modern, rigorous and quality-assured teaching and learning.
Delivery includes a combination of scheduled classes (workshops, seminars, lectures and discussions) and self-managed study and research. There is also an elective module which provides the opportunity for a work-placement. Practical activities include individual and team working, problem-solving and case studies - supported by online resources. Assessment is through reports and presentations, an in-class test and exam and a dissertation.
University and Departmental arrangements include opportunities to work with Visiting Professors, researchers and industry experts on-site and off-site. Students’ are encouraged to attend research seminars and the regular series of free lectures hosted by professional associations and trade bodies in the City of London. These opportunities will provide an extracurricular focal point for student-lecturer interactions. Research by the staff team feeds into the course to helps build the research capacity and culture which in turn supports students’ research and dissertations. Students may wish to progress onto a doctorate or professional doctorate.
Teaching and Learning: The development of key subject-specific skills takes place across the course core modules. Across core modules students are guided to work independently and to present work in varied forms such as coursework, presentations, and the dissertation. Numerical and statistical skills are introduced and developed in the research methods module and the application of quantitative methods is further developed in other core modules. Critical thinking is developed and stimulated throughout the whole curriculum.
Teaching and learning activities include a mixture of student-centred activities and sessions that are led by the lecturer. Lectures are used to convey focused information, points of controversy, and avenues for further, independent research. Seminars involve student-centred discussions around case
studies, problem-based exercises, presentations and group work. It is emphasised that students must supplement these scheduled activities with independent reading and research. Module booklets and lectures will indicate key and other helpful resources. Learning material, such as lecture and seminar handouts and slides, are generally made available through our E-learning platform. These aims are in line with the London Metropolitan University E-learning Strategy which encourages students to engage with e-learning as independent, responsible scholars, gaining employability assets and digital fluency.
10 Course aims. Course aims are broad statements of intent and should be written to show how the content of the course meets the aims. Where a course sits within a framework the course aims should incorporate framework aims.
The course aims to provide students with:
1. a systematic understanding of the concepts and theories that frame discussions and analyses of project management in academic and professional contexts
2. the ability to think creatively and critically about the overlapping dimensions of the issue of project management
3. the intellectual capacity to critically evaluate current research and current research
methodologies, to propose interesting and workable hypotheses, and undertake independent research
4. the theoretical, practical skills necessary for project management and risk management 5. the knowledge, creativity, and confidence to influence business strategy as it relates to project
management
6. A cutting-edge understanding of project management practice that will be relevant and to potential employers
11 Course learning outcomes. Learning outcomes are statements of what a student is expected to understand or be able to do after completing the process of learning. For example at undergraduate level, collectively, course learning outcomes should contribute to the development of the undergraduate graduate attributes.
11a. Knowledge and understanding
Upon successful completion of the MSc Project Management students will be able to:
1. systematically understand the concepts and theories at the forefront of our knowledge of project management as it confronts business and society in the 21stcentury;
2. understand the principles that explain project management;
3. demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical
understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the field of project management;
4. apply a range of specialist theoretical and quantitative skills to the kind of issue with which they as specialists may be confronted after graduation.
11b Cognitive/intellectual skills
By the end of the course the student is expected to develop higher order skills that are reflected in the student’s ability to:
1. carry out independent and scholarly research and investigation. The intention is to educate our students to apply their knowledge in creative ways to address specific, work-based project management issues;
2. develop and apply intellectual skills and critical faculties with particular emphasis on the development of the higher order skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation of the central concepts, ideas and theories of project management; and seek to make sound judgements in the absence of complete information;
3. develop general study skills, problem solving, working with others, communication, self-management and self-presentation;
4. apply the skills of seeking, handling and interpreting primary information towards the creation
of new knowledge by means of hypothesising, testing and/or theorising economic relationships;
5. design and execute a research dissertation which addresses a fundamental project management issue facing business in the 21stcentury.
11c. Practical/transferable skills including employability
By the end of the course, students will have the following practical/transferable skills that will enhance their employability:
1. Ability to link theoretical and quantitative knowledge and analytical skills to the issue of project management as it affects business and organisation practice.
2. Ability to develop learning strategies and methods which provide independent learning capabilities required for continuing professional development.
3. Ability to work independently, as individuals or in groups, to resolving problems, and to demonstrate initiative and personal responsibility. This will involve working within time and other constrained environments, requiring the need to be selective and precise.
4. Ability to use knowledge to take critical decisions in complex and unpredictable situations.
These skills are highly valued by employers, large corporations SMEs and not for profits.
11d. Subject-specific practical skills
By the end of the course, students will have the ability to:
1. use IT to access sources of relevant project management information, and transform it into usable information relevant to the analysis of project management;
2. conduct analysis using a variety of statistical and modelling tools using discipline based software programmes and to interpret correctly statistical information and findings;
3. be competent communicators of complex ideas and analysis that relates project management, through written and oral expositions;
4. design, plan, organise and deliver an individual dissertation reflecting professional standards;
12 Indicative learning hours for the course. Learning hours comprise face-to-face and virtual contact hours plus self-managed and directed learning and time spent on placements. Please give an indication of the number of anticipated learning hours for the course as a total, taking in to account core modules and indicative designates. Students should note that these figures may change depending on the exact combination of options taken.
Method Description and number of learning hours
Contact time comprising lectures, seminars and other timetabled sessions
Lectures, seminars and workshops: 90h per module x 6 modules x 30 weeks , plus 10 expert events and lectures 30h = 570h
Self managed/independent study Dissertation 15 weeks (fulltime) = 555h
Directed activities Preparation for modules, case studies, presentations 4.5h per module x 6 modules x 30 weeks = 435h
Placements If chosen, replaces the hours of one module
TOTAL LEARNING HOURS FOR THE COURSE 1800 per year; based on 45 weeks 13 Describe the arrangements for personal development planning on this course
Students are encouraged to reflect on their personal development throughout the course. The Dissertation period is particularly important for this as tutors discuss the role of the dissertation – content, process - in career planning. The international students are all offered short courses in English, and study skills after their arrival, which form part of the process of encouraging the student to relate learning and personal direction.
14 Description of course and its structure. Around 150 words, written to be accessible to a lay audience to be used for marketing purposes. What is the course’s unique selling point? What is the pattern of delivery?
The MSc project management has been developed in close collaboration with the business community including the Association for Project Management (APM) and the International Project Management Association (IPMA). This course is a uniquely multi-disciplinary course the central aim of our MSc is to educate students in project management, risk, organisational dynamics, governance, ethics and strategic thinking of the ‘Project Management World’. This reflects our belief that we have entered a new era characterised by new global dynamics. On completion, it is expected that our students will be in a position to influence the strategic direction of the businesses and organisations that employ them. In order to do this they must have ‘state of the art’ knowledge of practice, as well as a wide range of high level analytical tools and conceptual frameworks, enabling them to apply that knowledge and to assess risk. The course consists of six modules plus one dissertation spread over one year (full-time, two years part-time). Delivery is structured so working professionals to attend part-time to obtain additional skills, career development and professional accreditation.
15 Main teaching site for course City
16 PSRB accreditations This course is accredited through the Association for Project Management (APM) and the International Project Management Association (IPMA), PRINCE2 training is also available.
17 Exemptions from Professional Body examinations None 18 Principal QAA Subject Benchmark Statement
(where relevant) QAA Subject Benchmark Statement:
Master's degrees in business and management 19 Secondary relevant QAA Subject Benchmark
Statement or other external reference point Association for Project Management (APM), PRINCE2
20 Expected length of course FT duration 1 year
PT duration 2 years
Other (please specify
21 Admissions requirements, to be demonstrated through certificated or experiential learning. Around 30 words; for example: “Normally an upper second class Honours degree in a relevant subject. Those with relevant professional qualifications, prior certificated learning within the subject areas or extensive professional experience will also be considered).”
A good honours degree in a relevant subject is the normal entry requirement, together with evidence of competence in English to the University standard required for Master’s level study. Applicants who do not have the normal entry requirements, who hold recognised professional qualifications and have the appropriate level work experience in a relevant area, may also be considered.
22 Details of organised work experience, sandwich year or year abroad available during the course (if applicable)
Not applicable
23 Other external links providing expertise/experience available during the course
Students on the MSc are invited to attend the longstanding Norman Stang research seminars. The seminars are an opportunity to hear eminent external researchers present recent work on project management and related issues. Other external links and experiences available during the course include other University and LMBS public lectures and external speaker seminars.
The MSc is accredited through the Association for Project Management (APM); students may wish to join as student members or apply for individual accreditation.
The MSc aims to provide graduates from a variety of industry and organisational settings and experience levels with a broad understanding of the current tools and techniques in the Project Management Body of Knowledge as defined by the Association for Project Management (APM).
PRINCE2 training is available for students of this course. Students have the opportunity to become PRINCE2 certified whilst on the course and gain the PRINCE2 Foundation qualification.
24 Arrangements on the course for careers education, information and guidance
Career guidance and career information is provided to students at both the course and the institutional level. At the course level there are two main types of support:
Members of the course team, with the support of academic staff contributing to the course, provide information about career opportunities after graduation;
Guest speakers bring students in contact with experts and business managers from both national and international organisations. These meetings give students the opportunity to find out about career paths that may be possible and the best strategies to pursue career aspirations.
At the institutional level students are provided with two types of support:
The Alumni association keeps an updated record of the destinations of Master’s graduates. Contacts between former graduates and present students are favoured in order to provide career guidance and suggest future job opportunities. Current and Alumni students have access to a dedicated Facebook page which further promotes dialogue;
The careers development and employment service is a university-wide resource made available to students and that provides information about labour market opportunities and career development.
This service is embedded at the course level through formal arranged careers sessions.
25 Career, employability and opportunities for continuing professional development. Around 35 words, written in language which is as accessible as possible to a lay audience to be used for marketing purposes.
Should include examples of potential career destinations and how the skills and abilities gained through the course contribute to career development. For example: “Successful completion of this course offers
improved career opportunities in industry or professional practice in the areas of accounting, financial management and financial services. The programme is also excellent preparation for further research or study.”
Successful completion of this course offers improved career opportunities across a range of organisational and operational settings in the general areas of Business Analysis, Market Research, Quantitative Analytics, Risk Management, Business Planning, and Business Strategy.
Project management is relevant across a wide range of organisational settings, sectors include, for example, in business, transport, financial commodities, energy, utilities and companies as well as
government and non-government organisations and not for profits. Upon successful completion of the MSc students may enrol for the CIBS Doctoral programme.
Section Two: COURSE STRUCTURE AND ASSESSMENT
26 Articulation of the assessment strategy for the course. For example: You are assessed via essays, individual and group research projects and a final dissertation
Assessment includes unseen examinations, class and or computer workshop tests, essays and oral presentations. Formative assessment includes, coursework, presentation and group work, and requires students to analyse case studies, collect, manipulate, represent and comment on statistical evidence and to write reports on specific issues. Summative assessment, including unseen examinations address the above outcomes and may require students to deal with practical project management problems, analytical essays or case-studies.
Plagiarism: assessments will be submitted online to enable automated plagiarism checks. As formative assessment and regular feedback is central to this course there are opportunities for students to ensure that their work is in line with academic conventions.
The assessment for each module complies with the assessment guidelines in the University Assessment Framework, Oct. 2010.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategy
Teaching and Learning: students are encouraged to become effective, autonomous, and self-managed learners through student-led learning activities. These include group-based exercises and individual research projects that develop in students the ability to evaluate and synthesise large amounts of theoretical and quantitative information. Interpersonal and communication skills are developed through group work and in-class presentations. The dissertation offers students the opportunity to use and further develop the full range of problem-solving and research skills they have acquired on the course.
Assessment: A variety of assessment strategies are used, which are part of the development and evaluation of the above skills. Formative assessment such as essay writing, case study analysis, and individual and group presentations may be accompanied by summative assessment such as unseen examinations. All assessment methods are designed to test the student's level of skill attainment. As students progress through the course of study they will be confronted with more complex assessment methods including applied projects and research dissertations. Assessments methods include formative and diagnostic assessment to gauge student progress
Formative assessments: Ongoing assessment provides timely advice to guide students to improve performance. Students are required complete a variety of tasks including: (i) analysis of case studies; (ii)
collection, analysis and comments on empirical evidence; (iii) presentation and discussion of journal papers;
(iv) discuss (in some cases on a weekly basis) their own work in progress.
Summative assessments. Final assessment includes various forms including unseen exams which require students to explain and analyse in a time-constrainted environment. Where modules are intended to convey essential foundation-concepts there is an emphasis on unseen exams. On more exploratory and research based modules (for example, research skills and the dissertation modules), student autonomy is encouraged through group work and coursework essays. Inititative and independance is developed progressively through various modules that require students to take greater responsibility of their work and culminates with the dissertation. Finally, the summative assessment to assess whether students have achieved the course outcomes at what level.
27 Course Structure Diagram Level Seven (Full time) Semester Module
Code Module Title Status Credits Notes
Autumn BAP035C Project Management Foundations C 20
Autumn HRP062C Project Management Organisation and Behaviour
C 20
Autumn ACP051C Project Management Risk and Finance C 20
Spring BAP019C Project Management C 20
Spring BAP004C Research Skills C 20
Spring Elective E 20
Spring/
Summer
BAPP40C Project Management Dissertation C 60
Level Seven (Part-Time) Semester Module
Code Module Title Status Credits Notes
Autumn BAP035C Project Management Foundations C 20
Autumn HRP062C Project Management Organisation and Behaviour
C 20
Spring BAP019C Project Management C 20
Spring Elective E 20
Autumn ACP051C Project Management Risk and Finance C 20
Autumn BAP004C Research Skills C 20
Spring BAPP40C Project Management Dissertation C 60
Spring/
Summer
BAP035C Project Management Fundamentals C 20
28 Mapping matrix of modules delivering the course learning outcomes
Course learning outcome (list all) Met by module aim/learning outcome (list all relevant module titles)
Knowledge and Understanding
1. Systematically understand the concepts and theories at the forefront of our knowledge of project management as it confronts business and society in the 21st
1. Systematically understand the concepts and theories at the forefront of our knowledge of project management as it confronts business and society in the 21st