We use a range of assessment methods throughout the course, which include:
- Presentations (individual and group)
- Essays
- Reports and case studies
- Dissertation
- Workplace/consultancy project
The School of Business and Law is a member of the Chartered Association of Business Schools.
The association supports its members to maintain world-class standards of teaching and research, and helps to shape policy and create opportunities through dialogue with business and government.
The School has been awarded the Small Business Charter (SBC) award in recognition of our support to small businesses, student entrepreneurship and the local economy.
The School of Business and Law is also an esteemed member institution of the Business Graduates Association (BGA) an international membership and quality assurance body of world-leading and high-potential Business Schools who share a commitment for responsible management practices and lifelong learning.
You will study a variety of modules across your programme of study. The module details given below are subject to change and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
You will study the following modules throughout your degree. View the Course Structure tables relating to the different start dates.
Successful project delivery is founded on the principles of project management. How project objectives are determined and how to establish and differentiate between project success factors and success criteria will all be explored in this module. You'll develop your knowledge of the processes involved in planning, managing, controlling, coordinating and closing a project, as well as the creation of a project plan based on a given brief. The topics will include the selection and justification of various tools/techniques and methodologies essential for professional project planning, implementation and evaluation of associated benefits and costs.
You'll develop an understanding of the significance of the project lifecycle and its role in aiding project management and the application of established and innovative processes and methodologies used for project planning, execution and control will be explored. This includes the applicability and effectiveness of the use of Business case, various PM tools, configuration management, project closure and reflective practice.
This module allows you to reflect and evaluate your own styles and approaches before developing your own leadership style, based on a professional development model. You’ll also focus on the critical overview of traditional approaches to leadership, such as trait, situational and process theories, as well as wide-ranging consideration of new approaches, which conceptualise leadership as separate from authority and management, such as Connective Leadership, Shared/Distributed Leadership, Servant Leadership, VUCA and Narrative Leadership.
Enhance your ability to apply risk management techniques into various project settings. Techniques such as identifying risks and differentiating threats and opportunities, causes of risk and risk measurement will be applied at a more advanced level and analysed using their application in various project settings.
You'll cover uncertainty in projects and how it can be successfully managed, including the theoretical framework to reduce uncertainty.
You'll look at the complex project environment and how it differs from traditional projects, which will cover systems integration, project complexity model, advanced project planning and control techniques such as Earned Schedule Management and Critical Chain Scheduling.
You will focus on a real-life business and management issues and present it in the form of a project proposal. Research, data analysis, communication and networking between the client/research sponsor are all focal points of this module. Learning how to combine and balance theoretical (academic) and practical/applied business requirements will also be taught.
The project proposal preparation will include a problem definition in the light of a business context/issue, potential client needs/benefits, business and research aims and objectives, a literature review and a research methodology.
This module extends the Business Research and Analytics module by focusing on an in-depth investigation of real-life business issues, which includes organisation-based projects, desk-based research, analytics, and presenting it in the form of a report producing recommendations for business on the basis of original findings.
You'll build your in-depth knowledge and understanding in core subject areas depending on the area of your interest, as well as the practical application of methods and techniques relevant to your subject.
Please see the course structure tables for the different start dates below.
If you choose to study the MSc Project Management with Professional Placement, your first year will follow either the Full-time one-year September or January start course structure tables below.
Your Professional Work Placement in industry or through a placement based at the University is equivalent to and replicates an authentic professional or research environment. You will carry out the professional work placement across all three terms and the placement will be worth 120 credits.
| Year | Term | Module | Credits | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Principles of Project Management | 30 | 10 x 4 hours |
| Professional Development and Leadership | 30 | 10 x 4 hours | ||
| 2 | Managing Risk, Uncertainty and Complexity in Projects | 30 | 10 x 4 hours | |
| Business Research and Analytics | 30 | 10 x 4 hours | ||
| 3 | Research Project | 60 | 10 x 2 hours plus 6 supervisory meetings |
| Year | Term | Module | Credits | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Principles of Project Management | 30 | 10 x 4 hours |
| 2 | Managing Risk, Uncertainty and Complexity in Projects | 30 | 10 x 4 hours | |
| 2 | 1 | Professional Development and Leadership | 30 | 10 x 4 hours |
| 2 | Business Research and Analytics | 30 | 10 x 4 hours | |
| 3 | Research Project | 60 | 6 x 1-hour supervisory meetings |
| Year | Term | Module | Credits | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 (Jan - Mar) | Principles of Project Management | 30 | 10 x 4 hours |
| Professional Development and Leadership | 30 | 10 x 4 hours | ||
| 2 (Apr - May) | Research Methods and Analytics module preparation and initial project proposal development | |||
| May - Sept | Summer break | |||
| 2 (Sept - Dec) | Managing Risk, Uncertainty and Complexity in Projects | 30 | 10 x 4 hours | |
| Research Methods and Analytics | 30 | 10 x 4 hours | ||
| 2 | 3 (Jan - May) | Research Project | 60 | 10 x 4 hours plus 6 x 1-hour supervisory meetings |