Master of Project and Program Management
Master of Project and Program Management
To qualify for the award of the Master of Project and Program Management a candidate must complete 48 credit points including:
(a) 30 credit points of Core units of study;
(b) a capstone experience of 6 credit points;
(c) Plus either
(i) 12 credit points of Elective units of study; or
(ii) 12 credit points of work based research.
To qualify for the award of the Graduate Certificate in Project and Program Management a candidate must complete:
(a) 24 credit points from the Core units of study.
Core Units
PMGT5879 Strategic Portfolio and Program Management
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Petr Matous Session: Semester 2 Classes: Workshops, Seminars, E-Learning Assessment: Through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
This unit specifically addresses the selection and prioritisation of multiple programmes and projects which have been grouped to support an organisation's strategic portfolio. The allocation of programmes of work within a multi-project environment, governing, controlling and supporting the organisation's strategy, are considered. The aim is to formulate and manage the delivery of the portfolio of strategies using programme management. Students will learn and practice the issues to be considered in selecting an effective organisation portfolio and how to implement a Portfolio Management Framework. Also they will encounter the many conflicting issues facing Program Managers as they seek to implement organisation strategy through programs and learn how to balance these to obtain desired outcomes.
PMGT6812 Integrated Project Delivery Approaches
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Julien Pollack Session: Semester 1 Classes: Workshops, Seminar, Project Work - own time, Research Prohibitions: ENGG5812 Assessment: Through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
This unit draws on the past experience and critical thinking skills of advanced students in the evaluation of various project delivery, organisational change management and sustainability frameworks that can be used to successfully deliver projects. Students will critically examine different methodologies, standards, tools and techniques and consider how these can be integrated into tailored project delivery approaches that will address the specific requirements and context of each project.
Contemporary project delivery frameworks and methodologies are covered in the unit - including Lean Six Sigma, the PMBoK Project Lifecycle and Process Groups, PRiNCE2, Rolling Wave Planning, Concurrent Engineering, Organisational Change Management, Stakeholder Management, Agile methods and others.
Students will work on project case studies and be given the opportunity to develop tailored project delivery approaches that address the requirements and context of specific projects. Students will identify key elements of the project and organise them into a coherent and persuasive argument about the recommended project delivery approach, encompassing consideration of the various risks, benefits, costs and processes involved. Students enrolling in this unit are expected to have already developed a basic level of ability in forming and communicating critical judgments. These provide the foundation for the analytical abilities required in determining specific project delivery approaches for complex projects with different characteristics.
Contemporary project delivery frameworks and methodologies are covered in the unit - including Lean Six Sigma, the PMBoK Project Lifecycle and Process Groups, PRiNCE2, Rolling Wave Planning, Concurrent Engineering, Organisational Change Management, Stakeholder Management, Agile methods and others.
Students will work on project case studies and be given the opportunity to develop tailored project delivery approaches that address the requirements and context of specific projects. Students will identify key elements of the project and organise them into a coherent and persuasive argument about the recommended project delivery approach, encompassing consideration of the various risks, benefits, costs and processes involved. Students enrolling in this unit are expected to have already developed a basic level of ability in forming and communicating critical judgments. These provide the foundation for the analytical abilities required in determining specific project delivery approaches for complex projects with different characteristics.
PMGT6871 Project Planning and Governance
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Julien Pollack Session: Semester 1 Classes: Workshops, Seminars, E-Learning Prohibitions: PMGT5871 Assessment: Through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
Drawing upon prior experience in the planning and control of projects this unit of study provides practitioners from a wide range of project application areas with the opportunity to review, develop and critique their understanding, skills and practice relative to a range of recognised standards and approaches for the governance, planning and control of projects. While providing an overview of the breadth of responsibility for the management of an individual project the focus in this unit of study will be on planning, monitoring and control of scope, time, and cost, with some coverage of quality management and procurement. Structures and requirements for governance of projects, including accounting and reporting lines, and the need for alignment to the business case are addressed. Reference is made to trends in the management of projects and to the need for variation in approach relative to project type and context.
PMGT6872 Project Leadership and Communications
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Cheng Ang Session: Semester 1 Classes: Workshops, Seminars, E-Learning Prohibitions: PMGT5872 Assessment: Through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
Effective leadership skills rate among the greatest contributors of project success. In all but the simplest of projects, project managers must demonstrate leadership effectiveness across each phase of the project life cycle. This course considers various leadership theories and styles, and how they apply to real world projects across industries. In addition, assignments and participative activities will help current and future project managers enhance their own leadership and communication skills, by leading themselves, their teams and their organisations more effectively.
These concepts are underpinned by thought leadership in diverse topics including motivational psychology, social networks and influence, systems thinking, emotional intelligence, ethics, conflict resolution, negotiation, stress management, performance coaching and leading innovation.
These concepts are underpinned by thought leadership in diverse topics including motivational psychology, social networks and influence, systems thinking, emotional intelligence, ethics, conflict resolution, negotiation, stress management, performance coaching and leading innovation.
PMGT6873 Project Economics and Investment
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Louis Taborda Session: Semester 2 Classes: Workshops, Seminars, E-Learning, Practical Work Prohibitions: PMGT5873 Assessment: Through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
Building on the student's pre-existing knowledge base and team skills this course is designed to develop understanding and core competencies relating to project economics and investment. It includes coverage of portfolio decisions, project selection, prioritisation, justification, appraisal and financing using pragmatic case studies similar to those likely to have been encountered in professional work. These case studies are then used to build up detailed financial appraisal and decision-support models that can be extended to any project valuation exercise and incorporate practical economic data in order to better understand the corporate, regional and global positioning of a project in terms of factors both internal and external to the project. This is clearly and concisely built into the examples and excel workbooks that are used as the work tools for this course.
Capstone Experience
PMGT6850 Project and Program Management Capstone
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Prof Lynn Crawford; Prof Lynn Crawford Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: meetings, workshops Prerequisites: 24 CP of 5000 or 6000 level units of study Assessment: through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Online, Block mode
Note: Department permission required for enrolmentin the following sessions:Semester 1
The capstone project aims to provide students with the opportunity to carry out a defined piece of workplace related research and assessment in a way that fosters the development of practical and research skills relevant to project, program and portfolio management. Students will work in small teams on an approved project for the semester. The concepts covered depend on the nature of the project. Students are encouraged to work on a project drawn from or situated in their workplace which would benefit from insights provided by a diverse student team. The intention is to demonstrate integration of learning from the course and the ability to apply this to an identified and defined project.
Elective Units
PMGT5875 Project Innovation Management
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Cheng Ang Session: Semester 1 Classes: Workshops, Seminars, E-Learning Assessment: Through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
Innovation is widely-recognised as a major driver of economic growth. Yet innovation projects can be difficult to manage: they typically involve a high level of uncertainty, and many organisations are unsatisfied with the level of innovation they achieve. In this unit of study, we focus on issues in the management of innovation projects at the individual project level, organisational level and across networks of organisations. Since a systematic approach can and does improve our effectiveness in managing innovation, we begin by exploring several different process models of the stages through which innovation projects are managed. We discuss context and challenges which impact such projects, as well as the concepts of creativity and intellectual property management. Using focused case studies, we analyse best practice in the structures and processes that organisations can provide to enable innovation, as well as to support the search, selection, implementation, dissemination, feedback and evaluation stages of their innovative projects. We also examine the impact of networks on innovation (e.g. collaboration networks), national innovation policies and systems, and trends towards open innovation.
PMGT5876 Strategic Delivery of Change
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Julien Pollack; Julien Pollack Session: Semester 2 Classes: Seminars, E-Learning Prohibitions: WORK6026 Assessment: Through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
Welcome to PMGT5876 Strategic Delivery of Change. This course is designed to foster and promote critical thinking and the application of good theory to inform good practice in the strategic delivery of organisational change. The philosophy underpinning this course is design thinking and storytelling. You will learn quite a bit about these ideas over the duration of the course, and why it is increasingly important to change management. The course develops capabilities that will differentiate you from the average project manager and change agent, and which are in high demand in forward thinking organisations: be they in private, public or third sector.
PMGT5896 Sustainability and Intelligence in PM
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Prof Lynn Crawford Session: Semester 2 Classes: Workshops, E-learning Assessment: Through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
In order to run projects successfully, project managers need to master more than the requisite technical knowledge. The more complex the project, the more significant interpersonal skills become to achieving a successful outcome. Without the people skills necessary to lead effectively, even the most carefully orchestrated project can quickly fall apart. Also, the concepts of sustainability and corporate responsibility are also gaining importance in our globalised economy and are having and increasing influence business and project objectives and it is becoming imperative that they are incorporated into the practice of project management.
This unit of study embraces this new reality by providing students with an expanded understanding of value creation and how this is delivered through projects. The emphasis is on using projects to deliver value in terms of economic capital whilst also developing social capital and preserving natural capital via the incorporation of sustainability principles into the practice of project management.
Students will be introduced to the sophisticated concepts of emotional intelligence, sustainability and knowledge management and apply these concepts via developing diagnostic frameworks; the preparation of recommendation reports; developing tailored project management deliverables; conducting research and analysis; and presenting on related topics.
Students will learn how to: Set the tone and direction for the project, communicate more effectively, improve listening skills, create a positive work environment, motivate, coach and mentor team members and productively handle stress, criticism and blame. And will also be given the opportunity to undertake a detailed self-development exercise with the aid of an assessment instrument and a professional coach
This unit of study embraces this new reality by providing students with an expanded understanding of value creation and how this is delivered through projects. The emphasis is on using projects to deliver value in terms of economic capital whilst also developing social capital and preserving natural capital via the incorporation of sustainability principles into the practice of project management.
Students will be introduced to the sophisticated concepts of emotional intelligence, sustainability and knowledge management and apply these concepts via developing diagnostic frameworks; the preparation of recommendation reports; developing tailored project management deliverables; conducting research and analysis; and presenting on related topics.
Students will learn how to: Set the tone and direction for the project, communicate more effectively, improve listening skills, create a positive work environment, motivate, coach and mentor team members and productively handle stress, criticism and blame. And will also be given the opportunity to undertake a detailed self-development exercise with the aid of an assessment instrument and a professional coach
PMGT5897 Disaster Project Management
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Julien Pollack Session: Intensive July Classes: Workshops, Seminars, E-learning Assessment: Through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Block mode
This unit identifies the causes of some well-known disasters (natural, man-made and projects) and reveals what can be learned by being able to think critically and analyse the issues. The aim of this unit is to outline traditional and contemporary theories in emergency response planning; to provide an overall scope of comprehensive emergency planning and the major elements that must be addressed in an Emergency Response Plan. Student outcomes from this unit include: Developing and implementing an Emergency Response Plan; Specific recommendations for the health and safety of emergency response personnel and provides concise information on learning objectives and a review of important concepts.
PMGT5898 Complex Project Leadership
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Prof Lynn Crawford Session: Semester 1 Classes: E-Learning, Workgroups Prohibitions: WORK6130 Assessment: Through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
This unit offers students an innovative way of looking at projects and programs and treating them as complex adaptive systems. Applying the principles of complexity and systems thinking assists project and program managers and leadership teams in formulating approaches to leadership of challenging and large-scale initiatives. The expected outcomes of this unit include development of: ability to diagnose complexity on a wide range of projects types; understanding of how systems thinking and complexity theories can be used to find new, creative ways to think about and lead complex projects and programs; ability to select and apply a range of systems thinking and management modelling tools and techniques to understanding, management and leadership of complex business problems; ability to reflect upon your own practice and develop self awareness as a key to leadership in the face of complexity.
PMGT6888 International Project Study Tour
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Prof Lynn Crawford Session: Intensive February,Intensive July,Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: Project Study Tour, Tutorials, Seminars Assessment: Through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Block mode
The aim of this elective unit of study is to provide students with an opportunity to learn from and compare international approaches to the management of projects, to develop their networks and connections and broaden their view of the field. It will take the form of a study trip to one or more countries where seminars will be arranged with universities allowing collaborative work with local students, academics and researchers and industry and project visits will facilitate enhancement of experience and forge new connections. Individually, students will be required to undertake reading in the field to extend their critical and theoretical perspectives. They will be required to keep a reflective journal throughout the trip documenting their experiences and relationship to their reading. As a group, students will maintain a blog, sharing and reflecting on their learning and experiences with a wider audience. Prior to commencement of the trip, students will submit a proposal for an individual report on a theme aligned with the proposed activities for the trip. This report will require research in terms of a literature review, fact finding and interviews conducted during the trip and will be submitted at the end of the semester. On return to Australia, participating students will host a seminar for fellow students, alumni and industry at which they will share their insights.
PMGT6891 Risk Dynamics and Resilience
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Fatima Afzal Session: Semester 2 Classes: Tutorials, Workshops, Seminars, E-learning Prohibitions: PMGT5891 Assessment: Through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
Projects are inherently uncertain as they require planning in the present for action to be taken in the future. Such uncertainty gives rise to both risk and opportunity. This unit of study provides a broad and contemporary coverage of the dynamic nature of risk and the need for project and organisational resilience to deal with risk and benefit from opportunity. Against a background of risk management theory, industry standards and practice, students will be provided with opportunities to reflect upon and share their experiences as a basis for developing their skills in identifying and dealing with project risk and making informed decisions aligned with organisational strategy and risk appetite. Integrated qualitative and quantitative approaches for identification, analysis, prioritisation, mitigation, monitoring and response to risk will be covered. Assessment will include opportunities to draw upon work based examples.
Work-Based Research Units
PMGT6883 Project and Program Management Thesis A
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Prof Lynn Crawford Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: meetings Prohibitions: PMGT5892 Assessment: through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Note: Department permission required for enrolment
Project and Program Management Thesis A and B provide an opportunity for students to undertake a major project in a specialised area relevant to project, program and portfolio management. Students will work individually to plan and write reports. The Project and Program Management Thesis will normally be spread over a whole year, in two successive Units of Study of 6 credits points each, Project and Program Management Thesis A (PMGT6883) and Project and Program Management Thesis B (PMGT6884). This particular unit of study, which must precede PMGT6884 Project Management Thesis B, should cover the first half of the work required for a complete thesis project. In particular, it should include almost all project planning, a major proportion of the necessary background research, and a significant proportion of the investigative or design work required for the project.
PMGT6884 Project and Program Management Thesis B
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Prof Lynn Crawford Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: meetings Prohibitions: PMGT5892 Assessment: through semester assessment (100%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Note: Department permission required for enrolment
Project and Program Management Thesis A and B provide an opportunity for students to undertake a major project in a specialised area relevant to Project, Program and Portfolio Management. Students will work individually to plan and write reports. The Project and Program Management Thesis can be spread over two semesters, in two successive Units of Study of 6 credits points each, Project and Program Management Thesis A (PMGT6883) and Project and Program Management Thesis B (PMGT6884). This particular unit of study, which must be preceded by or be conducted concurrently with PMGT6883 Project and Program Management Thesis A, should cover the second half of the work required for a complete thesis project. In particular, it should include completion of all components planned but not undertaken or completed in PMGT6883 Project and Program Management Thesis A.
For more information on units of study visit CUSP (https://cusp.sydney.edu.au).