Specialisations descriptions

PMGT5871

Project Process Planning & Control

Project Management processes are what moves the project from initiation through all its phases to a successful conclusion. This course takes the project manager from a detailed understanding of process modelling through to the development and implementation of management processes applicable to various project types and industries and covers approaches to reviewing, monitoring and improving these processes. This is a compulsory unit.

PMGT5877

Management of Project Organisations

This course examines the challenges and approaches of managing project-oriented organisations. These could be independent business units or divisions within a larger corporation. Examples are construction contractors, IT services, R&D units and many internal business units that are project-oriented. Today, more organisations are adopting project management as a management strategy to provide effective and timely solutions to clients. They are managing organisational architecture to support both 'business as usual' and projects that are increasingly important to the organisation. Focus is on the relationship between project management and the following: organisational culture, structure, processes, cross-functional teams, project governance, performance management, organisational learning, change and knowledge management.

PMGT5886

System Dynamics Modeling for Project Management

Students should achieve an understanding of the roles of statistical methods, coordinate transformations, and mathematical analysis in mapping complex, unpredictable dynamical systems. Systems Thinking is a more natural and better way to think, learn, act, and achieve desired results. Effectively implemented, it can dramatically improve a manager's effectiveness in today's complex and interconnected business world. This course provides managers with many practical new Systems Thinking tools and the main concepts of Systems Thinking to enhance individual, team, and organizational learning, change, and performance.

PMGT5887

Computer applications in Project Management

Computer-Aided Project Management builds a bridge from the genesis of project management principles through today's software, developing a postmodern project management systems paradigm for the twenty-first century. Adopting a unique systems perspective that emphasises project coding--an essential skill in project database management--this course demonstrates what fundamental project management principles are, what they do, and how they work in the software environment. Addressing all phases of a project, it illustrates and expands theories through the use of realistic case studies--which are based on actual project experience--and extensive exercises running on PCs. An important feature of systems project management, the use of "scope" and "quality," is also discussed.

PMGT5872

People & Leadership

This is a core program unit with a focus on enhancing leadership and people management capability. It covers diverse traditional and innovative theories, models and tools. It complements traditional views based as PMBoK, applying diverse approaches to contemporary project environments. Many of the unit tasks are framed in uncertain and potentially ambiguous terms as is common in many project environments. Topic areas covered: Project context, Personal Competence, Interpersonal Competence , Team Competence The unit references a range of Australian and global Project Management, Management and Consulting Standards. It integrates theory and practice to optimise results. Recommended reading: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)"

PMGT6869

Advanced Knowledge in Project Management (Critical Thinking)

The ability to think critically provides practitioners with the leadership skills to transform creativity into practical solutions, maximise resources and gain commitment from others. As a foundational unit of study for Master's level project management program, this unit equips students with critical thinking and communication competencies of immediate relevance for advanced study of project management theories and methods. Components of the unit include therefore critical reflection, examination of multiple views, evaluation, interrogation, analysis and application of findings to cases and projects. This unit of study uses online delivery but also requires face to face attendance at weekly seminars.

PMGT5876

Strategic Delivery of Change

Within this unit we focus on the skills managers need to successfully plan and implement to: Change management approaches, development and implementation of change management techniques, development and implementation of change management communications and training, cultural change management - how does change to culture take place and how can it be managed, organisational factors and how do they play a role with projects and change management.

PMGT5879

Strategic Portfolio & Program Management

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.

ENGG5205

Professional Practice in Project Management

This UoS teaches the fundamental knowledge on the importance, organizational context and professional practice in project management. It serves as an introduction to project management practices for non-PM students. ForProject Management students, this UoS lays the foundation to progress to advancedProject Management subjects. Although serving as a general introduction unit, the focus has been placed on scope, time, cost, and integration related issues.

ENGG5215

International Engineering Strategies and Operations

This UoS is designed to introduce students to the global context of much of contemporary engineering and the consequent strategic and operational issues. It will address the nature, characteristics and variety of risks of global businesses, the opportunities and pressures for effective strategies, and the many management challenges in international business. In particular it will focus on Australian consulting, logistics and construction engineering firms that are operating on a global basis.

ENGG5203

Quality Engineering and Management

This subject is designed to support Engineers in the implementation of engineering tasks in the workplace, It addresses the use of quality and systems assurance. It is designed to enable engineers entering practice from other related disciplines or with overseas qualifications to do so in a safe and effective way. The study program will include management of quality in research, design and delivery of engineering works and investigation, as well as of safe work practices and systems assurance.

PMGT6867

Quantitative Methods inProject Management

This course covers different quantitative methods used in one (or more) competency areas of project life cycle, such as Capital Budgeting; PERT and CPM; Utility theory, Probability Tree, and Decision Tree and Decision Table; Pareto Analysis, Histogram, and Cause and Effect Analysis; Probability and Probability Distribution; Depreciation Methods; Simulation and Time Series Analysis; Central Limit Theorem and The Law of Large Number; and Delphi Method and Expert Group Techniques. The main objectives of this UoS are: (a) Be familiar with quantitative methods and approach of Project Management in competency areas of Project Management Life Cycle. (b) Providing the basic of the application of different quantitative methods for calculating values, setting up project metrics that will be the measures for success, and helping the project to managers understand the numerical values of risks to be addressed. (c) Convey usable concepts and techniques (of quantitative methods) that are working every day in project life. (d) Develop the skills in understanding the applicability of different quantitative methods during the different phases of Project Management Life Cycle.

PMGT5873

Project Economics & Finance

This course equips members of project management teams with information and tools to do financial appraisal and optimise decision making. It imparts basic knowledge and competencies required in project appraisal and financial management applicable to all sectors of industry and business. These include services, business investment, R&D, capital projects, local, state and national government departments and agencies. Topics include: - Review of the Fundamentals of Project Economics and Financial Techniques - Implementation of Fundamental Principles including EUAC, NPV, IRR, B/C, Valuation, Depreciation, Replacement Studies and Life Cycle Costing - Development of Project Alternatives and Application of the Analysis Techniques - Sensitivity Analysis, Risk Analysis and Management - Project Funding and Selection - Project Appraisal Report.

PMGT5888

Global Project Management

This course has been designed to suggest the development of best practices in communication, collaboration and management across international borders. The objectives are to: Understand the challenges faced by a global program and project teams; and, Improve the overall skills and practices of global project managers that will lead international companies to achieve maturity in global project management. Topics include: Introduction to traditional, distributed, and virtual project work; Global projects and requirements; Organisational change and organisational theory; Cross-cultural collaboration; Global project leadership; Trust building and conflict resolution; Coaching over distance; Global communication and channels; Leading a global organisation; Implementing collaborative tools; and, Implementing a Global Project Management Framework.

PMGT5875

Project Innovation Management

This course is intended for students who want to know what is going on at the leading edges of innovation in project management practice. Important trends in innovation in project organisation, management and delivery are identified and their implications for project innovation management explored. Major topics include: the trend to open information ("open source") rather than protected intellectual property innovation structure; impact of the open innovation structure on organisational project management; improved understanding of the client requirements and achievement of quality goals through open based or user driven project innovation management practices; distribution of innovation over many independent but collaborating actors; and toolkits that empower users to innovate for themselves.

PMGT5893

Statistical Methods in Project Management

Students should achieve an understanding of the applications of statistical methods in project environments. Objectives: - Conduct hypothesis test and draw conclusions; - Apply regression analysis to examine relationships between variables; - Explain the relationships between variables; - Describe the distributions of variables; - Draw conclusions based on results observed in a sample; - Discuss the application of statistical model for project selection; - Apply statistical method for forecasting project time and cost at completion; - Discuss the application of statistical model for cost estimating; and - Apply SPSS in analyzing and evaluating a project situation. By the end of this unit of study, students should be able to: - Discuss the applications of statistical methods in project management; - Evaluate a project situation based on statistical results; and - Apply simple statistical methods to problem-solving in project management.

PMGT5892

Project Management Industrial Project

In this intensive Project Management capstone project, students are required to apply all of the skills necessary to successfully initiate, plan, execute, control and close a project. Working as part of a team on a simulated four-month, mid-sized, high-priority project, student will be responsible for developing the key project management deliverables, including the project charter, project plan, change control process, status reports and post-project reviews. Students will facilitate meetings, update the project plan with actuals and changes, present status to management, justify your decisions to key stakeholders and determine the impacts of your actions on multiple projects. Under the guidance of a senior project manager and their academic supervisor, students will be given direct feedback and techniques to increase efficiency and effectiveness. Permission required to enrol.

PMGT5889

Integrated cost and scheduling control

This unit of study focuses on the integrated management of project scope, time and cost for effective control and delivery of projects. The scope of the subject matter includes delivering comprehensive theoretical knowledge and application skills in integrated management and control of cost and schedule in complex projects. By successful completion of this unit of study, students should achieve a clear understanding of the time and cost management and appropriate control measures in project development environments. Objectives: - Discuss the project management trade-offs on balancing the triple-constraint; - Explain the integrated cost and schedule control processes; - Construct work breakdown structure (WBS) using given project information; - Discuss scope monitoring and change control system; - Produce networks diagrams for project scheduling; - Apply critical path analysis (CPA) in network scheduling; - Apply critical chain method in project scheduling; - Estimate the project cost and duration; - Apply resource scheduling techniques; - Construct a time-phased budget plan; - Discuss cost monitoring and control processes; - Undertake earned value analysis (EVA); and - Undertake integrated cost and schedule control processes using project management software (Microsoft Project or Primavera) By the end of this unit of study, students should be able to: - Undertake WBS exercises, CPA, EVA and trade-off analysis using the given project information; - Explain how the components of time and cost management interrelate; - Explain in depth why integrated cost and schedule management are important to project management; and - Analyze a project situation that involves time and cost management issues and apply a solution(s).

PMGT5891

Project Risk Management

The aims of this course are to develop students understanding and ability in applying project risk management skills in project environments. The course enables the students to apply best practice techniques and methods commonly used by industry in project risk management. The competencies developed through this unit cover and go beyond the competencies in Risk areas as outlined in the competency standards by the Australian Institute of Project Management and Project Management Institute in the USA, respectively. The UoS aims to develop students ability to understand and conceptualise risk management issues, and analyse and apply risk management techniques using concepts and frameworks from the underpinning literature. - Ability to establish risk management plans, policies & integrate them with other project plans, organisation & align them to the business case - Ability to understand the sources of potential risks (including but not limited to political, organisational, psychological and technical risks) and to use risk management tools & techniques to identify, assess, evaluate, & prioritise risks - Ability to simulate the potential effects of risks on schedule, cost and other performance dimensions using sensitivity analysis, decision tree analysis and simulation techniques. - Ability to track, monitor & control risks & actions to achieve project objectives & the business case - Ability to close risks for an optimal outcome.

PMGT5895

Contracts Management

The aim of this unit is the understanding of fundamental contracts as it relates to project management. The aim is that students are able to understand various contracts that are available and have the ability to select the right contract for a project. The unit aims to give an understanding of contract terms and conditions that may give rise to potential issues and methods to mitigate this. Given contracts are pivotal in a project manager's role the overall aim is for students to understand contracts better and have the confidence to use contracts in their day to day activities to avoid potential risks and conflicts. In addition it will assist students to have the ability to solve complex issues by being able to think critically and analyse issues. Outcomes: Understanding the basis of contract management-including traditional and contemporary theories; Being able to identify contract terms that expose the project manager to risk; Gain confidence to be able to raise contract issues and negotiate terms.

PMGT5883 & PMGT5884

Project Management Thesis A & B

This unit is aimed at students wanting to advance their theoretical, methodological and practical knowledge in a relevant area of project management. This UoS should be treated as Honors equivalent thesis in which students are expected to develop a deeper understanding of relevant theories concerning their question(s) and/or propositions. Students are expected to develop/propose a research model or framework based on the thorough investigation and evidence of well documented critical investigation of existing seminal research work. Students would then be required to take their proposed research model and develop detailed reliable and valid data collection protocol for the collection and or use of both secondary and primary data. It is a requirement that students must demonstrate a thorough understanding of qualitative and quantitative data analysis procedure as well as the use different statistical tools to perform data analysis followed by the presentation of the research results and developing synthesis showing the relevance of theories in practice. In this UOS, it is expected that students would work independently under the supervision of an academic supervisor in formulating research question(s) leading the development of research model which can be used to provide reflection on the elicited practice by using reliable and valid data collection and analysis protocol. Thesis length 15,000 - 20,000 words. Permission required to enrol, students must have a 75 average to enrol and it can be taken over two semesters. More information can be found in the Thesis Guide.