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Copyright 漏 The Open University
Created on 21.01.2008
Code M865 | Level Postgraduate | 15 points |
Project management
Quick facts
No residential school
3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
Examination
Course content
The course is primarily for:
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project managers in any field, but especially
those whose work has a high technological
content;
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people who work in a project team;
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engineers who are taking on more managerial
responsibility.
Every day we hear of a project that has escalated in
cost or has been repeatedly delayed. Worse still, and
often unreported, many completed projects leave their
users dissatisfied. Could we do better? There is no
simple answer, but this project management course
should enable you to anticipate and cope with some of
the problems that you may meet. It will:
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equip you with knowledge and techniques for
managing projects, including those with a
significant technological element;
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give you experience of using project
management techniques, including a software
tool, in a real project of your own choice.
The course is split into seven course texts, or 'units'
as follows:
The most important decision in any project is what
project to undertake. Project initiation explains the
factors that should be considered to give the best
chance of a successful outcome. It also discusses the
life cycle of typical projects and the need for project
management.
Risks, estimates and contracts: Before too much
money is committed to a project, estimates are
needed to determine how much it will cost, how long it
will take and how risky it is. In this unit you will learn
about work and product breakdown structures and
tendering and contracting processes.
Planning: Planning should be a reiterated process
throughout the life of a project. The most intense
phase occurs when the project plan is prepared,
between the definition of the project and authorisation
of its execution. You will learn how a formal project
plan contains much more than just a schedule of
activities, and you will use the Project Scheduler
package to help with planning.
Building and leading the team: All projects are carried
out by people. In this unit we emphasise the
importance of teamwork in projects and you will study
the vital interpersonal skills required by project
managers: leadership; dealing with clients, sponsors
and other stakeholders; selecting, building and
motivating teams.
Project execution: This double-length section
discusses the crucial tasks that a project manager
must perform during the execution phase of a project
to ensure that quality is maintained, that customers
get what they want, and that limits of time and cost are
met. You will learn how to use techniques for
measuring progress against plan, such as the earned
value system, and how configuration management
should be applied as a tool to maintain quality.
Standards, methodologies and reflections: Now that
you have finished looking at the practices, principles
and theories of managing a single project, it is time to
take a step back and reflect upon the management of
projects. Standards and methodologies are important
aspects of project management in the global
economy. You will be given an overview of two
standard methods, BS 6079 and PRINCE 2. BS 6079
is the British Standard guide to project management,
and PRINCE is the government-sponsored method of
project management.
Entry
There are no entry requirements, but we do assume
that you have already studied to HNC/HND level or
have equivalent experience from your employment.
You need to have had some experience of working in
a project environment, though not necessarily as a
project manager.
The use of a computer is compulsory for this course,
so you will need the skills to install and operate
software. You may choose to complete assignments
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Copyright 漏 The Open University
Created on 21.01.2008
with the aid of your computer, which would require the
skills to assemble an electronic document using an
office package for the text, tables and diagrams that
you want to include. If you have any doubt about the
suitability of the course, please contact our Student
Registration & Enquiry Service.
Qualifications
M865 is a compulsory course in our
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E19 Postgraduate Diploma in Management of
Software Projects
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F43 MSc in Management of Software Projects
M865 is a specified course in our
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C69 Postgraduate Certificate in Computing
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C49 Postgraduate Certificate in Technology
Management
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C02 Postgraduate Diploma Computing for
Commerce and Industry
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E10 Postgraduate Diploma in Information
Systems
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C03 Postgraduate Diploma in Manufacturing:
Management and Technology
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E18 Postgraduate Diploma in Networks and
Distributed Systems
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D69 Postgraduate Diploma in Software
Development
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E08 Postgraduate Diploma in Technology
Management
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F05 MSc in Computing for Commerce and
Industry
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F37 MSc in Information Systems
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F06 MSc in Manufacturing: Management and
Technology
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F42 MSc in Networks and Distributed
Systems
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F26 MSc in Software Development
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F36 MSc in Technology Management
It can also count towards our E22 Postgraduate
Diploma in Engineering, M03 MEng, F10 MA in Online
and Distance Education and F46 MSc in Engineering.
We advise you to refer to the relevant award
descriptions for information on the circumstances in
which the course can count towards these
qualifications because from time to time the structure
and requirements of a qualification may change.
If you have a disability or additional
requirements
You will need to spend considerable amounts of time
using a personal computer. If you are a new student,
or new to using a computer, make sure that you have
our booklet Meeting your needs . You can obtain a
copy by contacting our Student Registration & Enquiry
Service. We provide a range of support services for
individual needs but some of these may take several
months to arrange. The website
www.open.ac.uk/disability has the latest information
about availability. Please contact us for advice if you
have concerns about taking this course, or the support
that could be provided.
Course materials
We use a mixture of media to help you learn. Our
courses may include any of the following media that
you will use from home (or wherever you choose to
study): specially written texts, set books, online
resources, audio CDs, audio and video cassettes,
DVDs, CD-ROMs, computer software, a home
experiment kit. For further information on set books go
to http://www3.open.ac.uk/about/setbooks/index.shtm.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will help you with the course
material and mark and comment on your written work,
and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. You
will be able to contact your tutor by telephone, email
and post. An optional introductory Saturday tutorial
may be offered shortly after the beginning of the
course, at no extra cost, subject to viable group sizes.
There is usually a lively student online forum. Contact
the Postgraduate Technology & Computing (PTC)
Office at The OU in the East Midlands (telephone +44
(0)115 971 5566, email R05-postgrad@open.ac.uk) if
you want to know more about study with The Open
University before you register.
Assessment
Three tutor-marked assignments (TMAs), which we
would normally expect you to submit online using our
eTMA system, and an examination You will take your
examination in one of the University's examination
centres.
Professional recognition
M865 has been accredited by the Association for
Project Management (APM). It has also been
accredited as providing an equivalent training and
written examination to that required for the Information
Systems Examination Board (ISEB) Certificate in
Project Management for Information Systems. M865
can contribute towards the Association of Building
Engineers (ABE) education criteria, and can count
towards an individual's academic progression to
Corporate Membership.
Visit www.open.ac.uk/courses, contact us at www.open.ac.uk/contact or call our hotline on 0845 300 6090.
Copyright 漏 The Open University
Created on 21.01.2008
The British Computer Society (BCS) offers exemption
from some of its membership requirements for holders
of an appropriate MSc in Computing from The Open
University. M865 can form part of such an MSc. For
more details ask our Student Registration & Enquiry
Service for Recognition leaflet 3.7. BCS regulations
are at www.bcs.org.uk or see the course description
for M865 at www.open.ac.uk/courses.
More information
For full details, including course fees, start dates,
services for disabled students, any computing
requirements and information on how to become a
student, visit the Course and Qualifications website
www.open.ac.uk/courses.
We make every effort to ensure that this information is accurate but it
could change if regulations or policies change or because of financial or
other constraints.
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