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Unit outline_

PMGT2801: Project Placement B

Semester 2, 2021 [Professional practice] - Remote

This unit of study provides student with internship and/or work placement opportunities in the field of project management. It allows student to translate their learning from their junior and intermediate units of study within Bachelor of Project Management degree into experiential learning in a real world context. Students will be required to work with the supporting/host organisation for a minimum of 120 hours or 20 working days and this arrangement needs to be endorsed by both the academic director of the program or equivalent and the supervisor of the host organisation prior to the beginning of the placement. Students will gain valuable industry and professional experience from this unit of study including communication and key aspects of project management skills such as planning, scheduling, costing, coordinating, resourcing, budgeting, monitoring and reporting. It is anticipated that this unit of study would enrich the learning experience as well as enhance future business development or job employment opportunities in the project management context. This unit of study is only available to students who have a credit average or above and who have obtained approval from the program director.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Project Management
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
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ENGG1850 AND ENGG1860 AND ENGG1863 AND PMGT1852 AND ENGG1865 AND PMGT1711 AND [12cp of 1000 level units of study]
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

This unit of study is only available to students who have a credit average or above and who have obtained approval from the program director.

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Ken Chung, ken.chung@sydney.edu.au
Project supervisor(s) Selina Wang, selina.wang@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Final report
40% Formal exam period 15000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Presentation Presentation
20% STUVAC 30 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Statement of work
Project scoping document and expectation setting.
20% Week 05 N/A
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO5
Skills-based evaluation Partner Feedback
Feedback from the industry partner
10% Week 13 TBA
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Weekly Reflection journals
10% Weekly 500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2

Assessment summary

Reflection journals: Each reflection journals (500 words) capture the student placement experience through honest self-reflection. While there are no wrong or right answers, it allows the student to reflect on their strengths, limitations, challenges and learning through their placement experience. Journals are meant to be submitted on a regular basis to the academic supervisor throughout the entire placement experience.

Statement of work: Statement of work covers the planning phases of the project scope during the placement. In other words, it details the ``product or service scope`` of the work the student does during the placement within the host organisation. It also details the ``project scope`` (i.e. the project management work required) to deliver the ``product or service scope``. This is due at a time (e.g. week 5) set by the academic supervisor and this is generally after the product and project scope is organised between the student and the host organisation (e.g. after three to four weeks into the placement).

Presentation: covers a summary of the placement experience, including summary of the project, its objectives, goals, intended deliverables, methodology, milestones and deliverables achieved (or not), value delivered to the client (including those not) and significant learnings and self-reflection of the entire placement experience. This is a 30 minute long presentation, due at a time set by the academic supervisor and this is generally towards the end of the placement.

Final Report: The final report captures details of the entire placement experience and reports on the progress of the entire project lifecycle. The maximum words for the final report is 15,000 words and is due at the end of the placement.

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:

Section 7A (4)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. (a) 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. (5) 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. Assessment procedures policy 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

Attendance and class requirements

  • Practical Expreience (120 hours): The placement will be coordinated and facilitated by the School of Project Management. The student will be assigned an academic supervisor from the program who is then responsible for ensuring that there is alignment between student learning activities and the learning outcomes involved in the placement.
  • The teaching activities related to the (intended) learning outcomes involve the following:
  1.  Planning and coordinating the logistics of the placement
  2.  Agreement with student and host organisation about appropriate learning activities and listing them in the ``learning contract`` (a negotiated document developed by the student in consultation with the academic supervisor and host organisation about the learning experience)
  3. Selection of project(s) to be undertaken in the host organisation
  4. Providing appropriate level of guidance and scaffolding to learning
  5. Provide feedback to learning
  6. Assess the learning outcomes 
  • The learning activities conducted by the students involve the following:
  1. Collecting and analysing the data to identify a situational problem or issue.
  2. Formulating solution to the problem through application of theory to the problem or situation at hand.
  3. Implementing actions to develop the solution.
  4. Evaluating effectiveness of intervention or project.
  5. Collaborating with other team members either intra- or inter-disciplinary.
  6. Reflecting on own performance to identify areas for improvement.

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.

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. have developed cross cultural and inter-disciplinary communication skills through liaising and collaboration with industry stakeholders in professional organisational settings
  • LO2. apply project management theories and methodologies in real world and practical settings
  • LO3. self-reflect and recognise one's own limitations through self-reflection of successes and failures during the project life cycle
  • LO4. have developed critical thinking and analytical skills through working in real life projects during the project planning, execution and monitoring and controlling phases
  • LO5. understand the importance of project delivery, the organisational value of achieving key milestones and project deliverables in real world projects.

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.

No significant changes have been made since this unit was last offered

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.