Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Lecturer
Simon Rowe
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Credit points |
Credit points
4
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MBA or MMgmt or GradDipMgt or MSocEntre
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit will equip you with understanding of the key processes, terminology and concepts relevant to the project based management approach. It will also explore the issues as more and more of the important work of organisations is carried out in projects, and project management competency becomes a core competency of successful organisations. There will be a focus on the integrative process of project management, and the key project management knowledge areas as described in the Global Project Management Framework adopted by the Project Management Institute (PMI), Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM), and the International Project Management Association (IPMA). The knowledge and insights gained from this unit will position you well to succeed in future organisations.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Project Management Simulation | 50% | No | 5 and 9 March 2018, 5pm |
Final Examination | 50% | No | 19-24 March 2018 |
Due: 5 and 9 March 2018, 5pm
Weighting: 50%
Length: 90min in class assessment / reflection Format: On-line/in-class Due: In-class assessment - Monday 5th March 2018, 5PM and Reflection – Friday 9th March, 2018 5PM
A laptop with wifi access will be required for this simulation
In this single-player simulation, students take on the role of a senior project manager and manage a team tasked with developing a new product for an electronics manufacturing company. The primary objectives are to execute a project plan successfully and deliver a competitive product on time and on budget. Instructors can assign up to 6 scenarios that expose students to realistic challenges that project managers often face, especially when working in a highly competitive industry. Some challenges require students to react to unanticipated outside events, such as a staffing crisis, while others require students to respond to strategic changes mandated by upper management. A new project lever for specifying prototypes allows students to explore the benefits of this essential component of agile project management.
Students will take on the role of a senior project manager and manage a team tasked with developing a new product for an electronics manufacturing company. The primary objectives are to execute a project plan successfully and deliver a competitive product on time and on budget. Up to 6 scenarios may be introduced that expose students to realistic challenges that project managers often face, especially when working in a highly competitive industry. Some challenges require planning and management to unanticipated outside events, such as a staffing crisis, while others require responses to strategic changes mandated by upper management. plan. A new project lever for specifying prototypes and business challenges will allow students to explore the benefits and practises of this essential component of agile project management.
Students are then asked to write up a refection of the project management simulation outlining key learnings and challangs and should include the following:
No more than 2 pages of text (single spaced, 12 pitch) in the main body of the report. It should include discussion of Project scope, approach, scheduling considerations, resourcing, organisation structure, roles/responsibilities including risk management, quality, communications and deliverables.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Due: 19-24 March 2018
Weighting: 50%
Duration: 2.5 Hours plus 10 minutes reading time
The aim of the exam is to test the students grasp of the foundational concepts underpinning the practice of project management. The questions are based on the required textbook reading for the course, which is Project Management: The Managerial Process by Larson and Gray. The exam is closed book.
Required Text
Larson, E., & Gray, C. 2017, Project Management: The Managerial Process, McGraw Hill, ISBN: 9781259666094
For information on textbook prices and online ordering, please refer to the Co-Op Bookshop webpage at http://www.coop.com.au
Additional Readings
Martin, Paula and Tate, Karen., Project Management Memory Jogger (second edition), GOAL/QPC, Methuen, Massachusetts, 2010 (ISBN 978-1-57681-122-1)
Useful references
The Project Management Institute (http://www.pmi.org/) has an extensive on-line project management bookstore where most books can be purchased.
External web sites for extra research
Good starting points for accessing resources on Project Based Management on the World Wide Web are:
These web sites have extensive "other links" pages
Writing resources
If you lack confidence in writing in English, particularly academic writing and/or business reports, The Macquarie University Library provides three excellent web sites covering writing skills, researching online: and a guide to citations and referencing
MGSM iLearn
The web page for this unit can be found at: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MGSM
Weekly class – Monday 6pm – 10pm (Starts: 8 January 2018)
The unit will be presented over 10 sessions as follows:
Additional resources will be available in iLearn
Session |
Date |
Topic |
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1 |
8 January 2018 |
Introduction to Course |
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What is Project Management? |
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2 |
15 January 2018 |
Establishing the project charter |
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Defining the project scope |
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3 |
22 January 2018 |
Managing the project stakeholders |
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Leading the project team |
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4 |
29 January 2018 |
Planning the project |
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Estimating and scheduling the project |
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5 |
5 February 2018 |
Managing risk in the project |
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Monitoring and controlling the project |
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6 |
12 February 2018 |
Managing change to the project |
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Closing the project |
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7 |
19 February 2018 |
Governing the project |
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Managing the project portfolio |
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8 |
26 February 2018 |
Managing outsourced and international projects |
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Improving organisational project maturity |
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9 |
5 March 2018 |
Managing projects using Agile principles |
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Case Study |
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10 |
12 March 2018 |
Guest Presentation |
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Course Closeout |
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19-24 March 2018 Exam Week |
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Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
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Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
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Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues
This graduate capability is supported by:
Changes were:
Leadership: Develop skills required of leaders with respect to the appropriate use of Project based management approaches in order to make well-informed and financially robust operational, tactical and strategic decisions and implement them.
Global mindset: Assessment of the implications of project based management decisions from a whole of entity perspective, across of a wide spectrum of stakeholders and cultures
Citizenship: Enhance your project based decision making through taking into account the interests of all stakeholders
Creating sustainable value: Adopt a forward-looking perspective on the impact of project based management decisions on the competitive position and performance of the entity
The interactive environment of the classroom is central to the MGSM experience. Students are required to attend the full duration of all classes for the units in which they are enrolled. We recognise that exceptional circumstances may occur, such as unavoidable travel on behalf of your organization or the serious illness or injury of you or a close family member.
Special consideration may be given for a maximum of 20% non-attendance for such circumstances as long as lecturers are contacted in advance, and supporting documentation provided, to request exemption from attendance. Failure to abide by these conditions may result in automatic withdrawal, with academic and/or financial penalty. The full Student Attendance Policy is published in the MGSM Student Handbook at https://students.mgsm.edu.au/handbook.
These unit materials and the content of this unit are provided for educational purposes only and no decision should be made based on the material without obtaining independent professional advice relating to the particular circumstances involved.
Date | Description |
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13/03/2018 | Final examination duration was changed from 2 hours to 2.5 hours plus 10 minutes reading time |