Project Management (BS)

Examines social processes and human interactions within different organizational contexts and engages in experiential learning through team-based projects.

Explores and considers normative and applied ethics within a variety of organizations.

Students engage in a critical analysis of individual, cultural and organizational diversity.

Processes and methods to ensure current organizational success and sustainable relevance in changing domestic and global environments. Presents an introduction of strategic management with primary emphasis on situation analysis, strategy formulation, and long-term strategy evaluation. Covers the strategic leadership context using external and internal analysis to inform functional and competitive strategies that can be applied across multiple sectors and industries.

No project exists in a vacuum--projects of all sizes and degrees of complexity are imagined, executed and ultimately evaluated by stakeholders in the context of evolving environmental factors. Projects may fall along a spectrum of simple to complex, with some possessing known predictable requirements and implications while others involve a variety of known and unknown variables and implications. Addresses the primary project approaches used to accommodate differing projects along the continuum of project life cycles.

Explores how an organization's leaders are responsible for conceiving, designing, implementing and managing the overall objectives, culture, environment and processes as part of the project management process. Within this context, primarily focuses on understanding project management, aligning project management within an organization, project management oversight, projects as capital investments, globalization and resource optimization.

Explores project scheduling and time management within the broader context of the planning effort. Students learn how important the determination of the timing and sequence of project activities is to the planning process--and ultimate project success. Primarily focuses on understanding bar charts, basic networks, the critical path network, precedence networks, resource allocation, schedule updating, schedule compression, scheduling and schedule risk management.

Concepts and complex processes of effective project cost management. Primarily focuses on project needs assessment, cost estimation, project cost control, project budgeting, cash flow management, financial management, value management, configuration management and supply chain management. Students also learn to appreciate the importance of integrating cost and value management processes.

Major elements of project resource management as well as the broader context of this critical planning function. Students learn that sound resource management is an important part of developing a sustainable competitive advantage in the emerging global marketplace. Primarily focuses on operations and productivity, resources in project management, product design, process strategy, layout strategy, human resources and job design, supply chain, inventory management and scheduling.

Concepts and processes of procurement management. Primarily focuses on sourcing management, supplier selection, contracts and legal requirements, risk management, negotiation, project management, quality, supplier management and financial decisions. Effective procurement requires the use of good business practices capable of maximizing value to the organization through the acquisition of goods and services. Students learn that procurement professionals control the entire sourcing and acquisition process.

Philosophy, principles, practices and techniques for managing risk in projects. Covers risk identification, qualitative risk management, risk treatment, monitoring and review, project processes, risk allocation, environmental risk and quantification of project risk. Students learn that risk management assists project managers in setting priorities, allocating resources and implementing actions and processes that reduce the risk of the project not achieving its objectives.

Process and theory of total quality management with primary emphasis on the total quality approach, ethics and corporate responsibility, strategic alliances, quality culture, employee empowerment, leadership and change, team building, effective communication, and tools and techniques. Students understand how continual improvement of people, processes, products/services, and environments can enhance the process and outcomes of project management. Students have the opportunity to develop practical total quality management skills as they apply theory and practice to real-world cases.

Focuses on the importance of strategically analyzing and understanding an organization. Combines quantitative and qualitative methods to provide analysis of internal and external factors using a variety of tools and methods that enable students to synthesize results into a coherent strategic picture of the organization, environment and industry. Through this analysis and synthesis emerge insights into project requirements, value and risk.