MSc Commercial Project Management / Course details

This unit prepares students to address and resolve a broad range of project management issues, some of which are complex and require a comprehensive application of both hard and soft project management skills. Regarding hard skills, concerns and problem-solving knowledge will be discussed in various contexts to develop transferable perspectives among students. Students are expected to apply this knowledge to plan and manage a complex project. As for soft skills, it is argued that the most effective way to acquire these is through experiential learning. In the team coursework of this unit, students will engage in a project management simulation and consistently report and communicate, both internally and externally.

History and Foundations of Project Management

This lecture serves as an introductory session, providing you with an in-depth exploration of the origins of project management and how historical development affects current project management principles. This will help you to build up a thinking habit as a project professional.

Basic Planning/Scheduling Techniques

Time is one important component of the iron triangle that defines project success. Scheduling is an important hard skill of project professionals. Regardless, current project management has some computer-assisted scheduling tools. Understanding task breakdowns, milestone definitions, and arranging the whole process according to the analysis of different time management technique outcomes are irreplaceable by software and machines. In addition, this week, an online activity will allow you to calculate project crashing.

Cost Estimation and Control

Cost is one important component of the iron triangle that defines project success. This lecture will help you understand cost, how to use databases, different methods to estimate costs and how to use it for decision-making in different sectors.

Risk Management

Projects are always being delivered in complex and changing environments. This lecture and associated tasks will help you understand different methods of identifying risks and how you can respond to them

Quality Management

Quality is an important category of the iron triangle that defines project success. This lecture will help you define the quality of projects and load quality management principles in managing projects.

Stakeholder Management

This week, you will learn about the people/groups of people/organizations who will impact or be impacted by projects - stakeholders. Understand the importance of stakeholders and the process of how you can categorize them and communicate with them. You will then need to apply the learned theories in the task,

Project Procurement and Commercial Management

This lecture will provide you understandings of he procurement management process and evaluate the contract selection based on the risks.

Project Management Ethics

Ethics is a fundamental cornerstone of professionalism for practitioners in any industry. This content will help you clarify key ethical concepts, understand potential dilemmas, and explore how these issues may arise within the context of the project management profession.

Project Management Career

This week will provide you with general tips for seeking a project management job in the UK. Successful experiences of project management careers or project management professionalism will be shared.

This unit is designed to provide foundational knowledge for the practice and profession of project management within the entire MoP degree. It introduces students to a range of project management principles, frameworks, and challenges. Additionally, it offers a project management simulation with non-technical issues complementing an engineering context, allowing the students to work in teams to practice project management reporting skills, both in writing and orally by developing a project management plan (PMP) consisting of a schedule, budget estimate, risk management plan, stakeholder management plan, and a report to the Project Board.

On successful completion of the course, a student will be able to:

ILO 1: Define a project as a temporary organisation and explain its characteristics, including scope, objectives, constraints, and lifecycle phases.

ILO 2: Critically evaluate incomplete and conflicting project information to make project management decisions, solve complex project problems and justify choices under uncertainty.

ILO 3: Analyse the interconnections between key project management themes and how these influence project delivery and outcomes.

ILO 4: Identify and describe the core concepts and organisational areas essential for the successful management of a project.

ILO 5: Enhance teamwork, oral, and written communication skills by effectively presenting project management plans, progress reports, and recommendations to key stakeholders.

Group coursework (develop and report project plan and execute/update it according to project simulation) 

Individual assessment - Multiple-choice questions 

Group coursework (develop and report project plan and execute/update it according to project simulation) - Formative feedback will be provided during in-person tutorials, via online discussion board and email. Summative feedback will be provided after the exam board.

Individual assessment - Multiple-choice questions - General feedback will be provided through online posts after the assessment.

Kerzner, Harold. Project Management : A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. Thirteenth edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley, 2022.

Larson, Erik W, and Clifford F Gray. Project Management : The Managerial Process. Seventh edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2018.

APM Body of Knowledge. Seventh edition. Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire: Association for Project Management, 2019.