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Unit outline_

ENGG1850: Introduction to Project Management

Semester 1, 2021 [Normal day] - Remote

Project management is a rapidly growing profession applied across all industries. This subject provides an overview of project management and its relationship to program and portfolio management and the broader business context. The Unit introduces students to variations in project management as interpreted and applied in different industries. It will cover the nature of the project management profession, project career paths and the graduate qualities sought by employers. It introduces the primary professional standards and project management terminology..

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Project Management
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Ken Chung, ken.chung@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment group assignment Group Presentation
Group Presentation
20% Multiple weeks n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Assignment Reflection
Reflection exercise
25% Multiple weeks n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Small test SAQs Short Answer Question
Short answer type question-answer format covering weeks 1-7.
25% Week 08 50 minutes + 10 minutes reading time
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO3 LO2
Tutorial quiz Short MCQ
Multiple Choice Questions format covering weeks 1-7.
5% Week 08 30 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment group assignment Group Assignment
Group Assignment
25% Week 13 n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • Short Answer Questions (25%): This will take the form of short answer-type questions (SAQ) or short-exercises or case studies. It will cover content covered in weeks 1-7 (worth 25%, in week 8 – date and time to be announced by the lecturer).
  • Short MCQ (5%) - There will be a short multiple choice questions (MCQ) assessment which will cover content from weeks 1-7 (worth 5%, in week 8 - date and time to be announced by the lecturer).
  • Reflection (25%): Reflection exercises allow you to assess and evaluate your own experience, beliefs, pre-concepts and attitudes against the learnings you have read or experienced in class. The exercise, although short, helps you develop critical reflection skills which is paramount for a project professional. There will be three reflections due in each quarter of the semester (i.e. weeks 4, 8 and 12). The first reflection (due week 4) is based on the learning during the weeks 1-4 inclusive, the second one (due week 8) based on learning during weeks 5-8 inclusive and the final one (due week 12) during weeks 9-12 inclusive.
  • Group Presentation (20%): There will be three presentations with each focusing on specific learning outcomes (LO).
    • The first presentation (due week 5) focuses on PM nomenclature and concepts in various industry settings (LO1);
    • Second presentation (due week 9) focuses on exploration of PM tools and PM standards (LO3, LO4); and
    • Third and final presentation (due week 11) on qualities that a BPM graduate would acquire for employment in the PM profession (LO5, LO6).
    • Presentations are video-based, done in groups.
  • Group Assignment (25%): This group assignment will focus on a funding application for a project that harnesses all learning aspects from this unit of study and is due in week 13.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas. All written assignment submissions (i.e. group assignment & reflections) will be due on Sunday 23:59 of that week.

Important note: Due to the COVID-19 virus situation, deadlines of assignment may change and in such cases, reasonable notice will be provided.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

For every calendar day up to and including ten calendar days after the due date, a penalty of 5% of the maximum awardable marks will be applied to late work. The penalty will be calculated by first marking the work, and then subtracting 5% of the maximum awardable mark for each calendar day after the due date. Example: Consider an assignment's maximum awardable mark is 10; the assignment is submitted 2 days late; and the assignment is marked as 7/10. After applying the penalty, marks will be: 7 - (0.5 x 2) = 6/10. For work submitted more than ten calendar days after the due date a mark of zero will be awarded. The marker may elect to, but is not required to, provide feedback on such work. Refer to section 7A of Assessment procedures policy available at: http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2012/267&RendNum=0

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Mid-semester break Easter Break Independent study (1 hr) LO7
Ongoing There is an expectation of around 10 hours per semester week of independent study required for this unit. This broadly encompasses activities of self-learning such as watching pre-workshop video lectures, textbook chapter readings, etc. Independent study (130 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 01 UoS overview and introduction Workshop (2 hr) LO2 LO5
Week 02 Why projects? Relationship with business context, programmes and portfolio Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5 LO6
Week 03 Organisational capability: structure, roles and culture Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO6
Week 04 Understanding the basics of PM Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO3
Week 05 Project Scheduling and Estimating - a primer Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 06 Consultation week: Group Presentation 1 work + help Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO4 LO7
Week 07 Managing delivery: monitoring, issues, risk, change Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO7
Week 08 MCQ & SAQ in-class assessment + online consultation for assignment help Workshop (2 hr) LO4 LO7
Week 09 PM Tools & Standards Workshop (2 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
Week 10 Considering elements of a project proposal (grant application) Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 11 Project Manager Attributes, and Graduate Qualities from the BPM Workshop (2 hr) LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 12 Grant application assignment work Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO7
Week 13 Course review Workshop (2 hr) LO5 LO7

Attendance and class requirements

Zoom will be used in each and every workshop. Please ensure you log in using the SSO sign-on via Canvas and use your unikey.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through Canvas and if necessary, through the Library eReserve, also available on Canvas. The following book is available on the library as an online textbook:

  • Richard Newton, Project Management Step by Step: How to Plan and Manage a Highly Successful Project. New York: Pearson Education, 2016. 9781292142210.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. explain the principles of project management, including formal PM concepts, terminology and nomenclature and how they are applied in different industry contexts
  • LO2. describe the basic principles of program and portfolio management and their relationship to projects
  • LO3. describe commonly used PM tools
  • LO4. conduct research to compare and contrast PM literature and PM standards
  • LO5. describe the entire degree in overview and how this subject fits into the degree as a whole
  • LO6. determine and compare graduate qualities sought by employers from a range of PM industry contexts
  • LO7. apply a selected reflective practice model to the learning gained in this unit.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Based on feedback from the class from last year, consideration has been given to the timely release of group assignments and modules as they will be released much earlier this time.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.