MSc Construction Project Management

The unit entails an in-depth exploration aimed at acquiring coherent and detailed knowledge, much of which is at the forefront of defined aspects of Project Management. It's designed to prepare students to tackle and solve a substantial range of Project Management problems, including those that are complex and/or novel.

Central to the unit is a team-based coursework wherein students will create a video documentary based on a real-world project, applying principles from the Association for Project Management Body of Knowledge (APMBoK), the latest guidelines from the UK's leading project management professional association. By comparing and contrasting the APMBoK, literature, lecture notes, and the most up-to-date real-world project management practices across various sectors selected by their teams, students will discern how theoretical knowledge translates into real-world decision-making. Additionally, they will assess the transferability of this knowledge in practical settings. Students will select three areas of focus, refining them based on the context of the chosen real-world project. This marks the first opportunity in the postgraduate degree to conduct three primary research pieces alongside in-depth reading. Managing the research process itself provides first-hand project management experience through collaboration with peers.

The assessment structure for this unit allocates 70% of the total grade to the group coursework, reflecting the research outcomes of student teams and their management records. The remaining 30% is designated for individual reports.

This unit aims to introduce the concepts and principles of project management practice, acting as the fundamental unit of Engineering Management Programmes. It is designed to provide students with an understanding of a range of management issues, encompassing both hard and soft skills necessary for becoming a future project professional. Specifically, students will delve into managing large and complex projects, applying management techniques, and nurturing effective human relationships. Additionally, the unit emphasizes the transferability of key issues across various industrial contexts, collectively referred to as the 'management of projects'.

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

ILO 1: Identify the application of project management in different industrial contexts.

ILO 2: Apply  project reporting skills by effectively comminute projects with stakeholders.

ILO 3: Apply current project management concepts  to identify, estimate and manage time, cost and risks,

ILO 4: Discuss the procurement for projects by identifying key issues of procurement and contract selections.

ILO 5: Discuss the role of quality management  in the context of project.

1. History of Project Management and Overview of Management of Projects: 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.
2. Time Management: 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. This week, online activities will allow you to calculate project crashing.
3. Case Presentation and Bidding Week: In this week, real-world cases available for you to research will be provided. Additionally, tips to help you network with real-world practitioners will be introduced.
4. Cost Management: Cost is one important component of the iron triangle that defines project success. This lecture will help you understand cost and how to use it for decision-making.
5. Risk Management: Projects are always being delivered in complex and changing environments. This lecture will help you understand different methods of identifying risks and how you can respond to them.
6. Feedback Week: The teaching team will help you flag early-stage misunderstandings of coursework to avoid failures.
7. Mid-term Crisis Simulation: In this week, you need to present your initial project management plan regarding how you can manage time, cost, and risks of your team research. A simulated crisis will be allocated to your team, and you need to respond to it.
8. Career Development as a Project Professional: This week will provide you with general tips for seeking a project management job in the UK. Successful experiences of project management careers will be shared.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Lessons Learned: This will be delivered in the format of a workshop. Lessons learned contribute significantly to the knowledge management of project management. Here you will understand what lessons learned in project management are and why they are important. You will also get a chance to practice reflective writing in this workshop.
12. Procurement Management: This lecture will help you understand the procurement management process and evaluate the contract selection based on the risks.

Group Assessment: 35%
(Video)

Individual Report: 30%

Group Assessment: 17.5%
(Set Exercise - mid-term crisis simulation)

Group Assessment: 17.5%
(Coursework - group project management portfolio)

In class test - Instantly

Report - after marking

Video - after marking in a report for each team

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.