BU.355.475.XX – Project Management – Instructor– Page 1 of 6

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Project Management
3 Credits
BU.355.475.XX
[Day &Time / ex: Monday, 6pm-9pm]
[Start & End Dates / ex: 3/24/15-5/12/15]
[Semester / ex: Fall 2016]
[Location / ex: Washington, DC]

BU.355.475.XX – Project Management – Instructor– Page 1 of 6

Instructor

[Full Name]

Contact Information

[Email Address]

[Phone Number, ###- ###-#### (Optional)]

Office Hours

[Please specify the day and time of the 2 hours that will be dedicated to office hours each week. For evening classes, faculty may wish to hold their office hours by phone or email. While faculty are permitted to state “and by appointment,” office hours should not be held exclusively by appointment.]

Required TextsLearning Materials

Horine, G. (2013). Project Management: Absolute Beginner’s Guide. (3rded.) Que Publishing: Indianapolis, IN. ISBN-10: 0-7897-5010-4, ISBN-13: 978-0-7897-5010-5.

Course Description

In this course, students learn how to effectively plan and manage projects. Successful project management requires a blend of both technical knowledge and non-technical skills such as effective communication, organization, and leadership. Students will learn techniques and best practices for all phases of the project life cycle: project initiation and scope, stakeholder management, risk management, work breakdown structure, planning, cost analysis, personnel management, team building, resource estimation, scheduling, monitoring and controlling, documentation, project closure, and transition to operations.

Prerequisite(s)

None

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Define and scope a project.
  2. Specify the requirements for a project.
  3. Develop a project plan that effectively meets a set of requirements.
  4. Apply metrics and reporting techniques to monitor and control a project.
  5. Apply decision-making procedures to select the most appropriate project management life cycle model.
  6. Work effectively in a team environment to apply project management techniques and practices in an organizational context.

To view the complete list of Carey Business School’s general learning goals and objectives, visit the Carey website.

Attendance
Attendance and participation are part of your course grade. You are expected to attend all scheduled class sessions. If you need to miss a class, please let the instructor know as soon as possible. You are responsible for all information covered in class, both substantive and administrative, by obtaining that information from a classmate. Classes will include opportunities for you to participate in discussions and for your teams to work together. Failure to attend class will result in an inability to achieve the objectives of the course. Absences may result in loss of points for class participation. Full attendance and active participation are required for you to succeed in this course.

Assignments & Rubrics

Assignment / Learning Objective(s) / Weight
Class Participation / 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 / 10%
Individual Homework and Quizzes / 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 / 15%
Individual Exams / 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 / 40%
Team Assignments and Project / 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 / 35%
Total / 100%

Details about the assignments are provided below, along with grading rubrics that will be used in each case. Rubrics are posted on the course Blackboard site.

Class Participation (Rubric: Class Participation)

This course will be delivered with in-class sessions, supplemented by the Internet technology provided by Blackboard. While a portion of the course will involve classroom lecture, the class is run in an interactive style, with classroom discussion on course material, cases, and current events related to the subject. Specific textbook and outside readings will provide the foundation for discussions. Consequently, extensive class participation is required.

You will be graded using the Class Participation Rubric. The activities below provide more guidance to you in support of expectations for class participation:

  • Attending class
  • Being prepared each class by having completed assignments and readings
  • Responding to questions and “cold calls” in a way that reflects being prepared
  • Participating in group discussions
  • Asking and answering questions
  • Completing assignments on time
  • Sharing experiences, knowledge, and opinions
  • Taking on action items to investigate a topic outside of class and report back
  • Paying attention and engaging with the class activities, which means, as professionals, that you don’t engage in phone calls, texting, email, non-class Internet use, or related activities during class sessions

You are expected to participate in discussions. In assessing your oral comments, quality is more important than quantity. A quality contribution is concise. For example, it may bring out a new aspect of the topic being discussed, contribute to an idea introduced by a classmate, provide a useful alternative perspective on a subject, helpfully summarize previous comments to support the learning, introduce highly original thinking on an issue or problem, identify linkages and relationships to other knowledge or events, demonstrate deep understanding of a critical point, present an analysis of the facts of a case, guide the discussion in a more fruitful direction, provide a reasoned argument based on evidence from the case or readings, or offer an observation from your experience when it adds to the discussion and learning.

You are encouraged to volunteer to answer questions and to be prepared. The instructor may call on you to answer questions even when you have not volunteered (“cold call”).

Individual Homework and Quizzes (Rubric: Written Reports)

These will provide opportunities for you to demonstrate an understanding of specific course material and apply it to new situations. Assignments may includeanswering questions, completing in-class exercises and quizzes, or preparing case analyses, article critiques, etc.

Individual Exams (Rubric: Written Reports)

Two examinations will provide opportunities for you to demonstrate a broad and deep understanding of the course material by applying what you have learned.

Team Assignments and Project (Rubrics: Written Reports and Oral Presentations)

You will have an opportunity to work as part of a team to apply course material to the challenge of project management for a case study. Your team may also be given other assignments on which to develop solutions and submit them as a team.

Important Required Procedures for Submitting Your Work
Submit assignments and presentations in MS Office format (Word or PowerPoint), unless otherwise approved in advance in writing. Unless otherwise indicated, each assignment will be posted in the ‘Assignments’ section of our Blackboard site. Submit your response via Blackboard (not email) by the starting time of the class when the assignment is due using the file naming convention: lastname-assignment, where assignment is the name of the assignment. All submitted work must be completed on time. If you will not be present for a class, you must submit the assignment before the beginning of the scheduled class. Assignments submitted late or not following the file naming convention will be marked down.

General Project Management References

These supplementary resources are available online without cost and may provide further breadth and depth to your study of project management.

  • Agresti, W. W., and Feist, T. (2010). Introduction to Project Management. Online course developed through a grant from the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator, Health Information Technology. Login at You will have access to 20 components (courses) developed as curricular material for the introduction and use of electronic health records and health IT. “Introduction to Project Management” is #19 on the list of components. The PM component has 11 units, each with Powerpoints, audio files, and self-assessments. This material is not required; it is an additional resource that may be of help.
  • MS Project Online Help Facility:
  • Saylor Academy. Project Management: From Simple to Complex. Available free online at

The following books are available free online through JHU library, Safari Books Online:

  • Cooke, J. (2012). Everything You Want to Know About Agile. IT Governance Ltd.:Cambridgeshire, UK.
  • Heldman, K., & Mangano, V. (2011). PMP®: Project Management Professional Exam: Review Guide (2nd Ed.). John Wiley - Sybex: Indianapolis, IN.
  • Heldman, K. (2011). Project Management JumpStart (3rd Ed.). John Wiley - Sybex: Indianapolis, IN.
  • Kerzner, H. (2009). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling (10th Ed.). John Wiley & Sons: New York.
  • Project Management Institute, Inc. (2013). Project Management Body of Knowledge: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (5th ed.) Project Management Institute, Inc.: Newtown Square, PA.

Grading

Effective Fall 2017: The grade of A is reserved for those who demonstrate extraordinarily excellent performance as determined by the instructor. The grade of A- is awarded only for excellent performance. The grades of B+, B, and B- are awarded for good performance. The grades of C+, C, and C- are awarded for adequate but substandard performance.The grades of D+, D, and D- are not awarded at the graduate level (undergraduate only). The grade of F indicates the student’s failure to satisfactorily complete the course work.

Please note that for Core and Foundation courses, a maximum of 25% of students may be awarded an A or A-; the grade point average of the class should not exceed 3.3. For Elective courses, a maximum of 35% of students may be awarded an A or A-; the grade point average of the class should not exceed 3.4. (For classes with 15 students or fewer, the class GPA cap is waived.)

Tentative Course Calendar**The instructors reserve the right to alter course content and/or adjust the pace to accommodate class progress. Students are responsible for keeping up with all adjustments to the course calendar.

Week / Content / Reading – Text Chapters / Due
1 / Overview of Project Management / 1
2 / Initiating a Project
Case Study: “New Manufacturing Facility in China” / 2, 3
3 / Planning: Defining Scope
Case Study for Team Project: “Medical Research Center” / 4
4 / Planning: Statement of Work (SOW) / 5
5 / From SOW to Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) / 6 / SOW due
6 / Building a WBS -- Activity Estimates / 6,7
7 / Estimation of Project Resources / 7,8,9 / Exam #1
8 / Project Network Diagrams -- Finding the Critical Path / 8,9
*** NO CLASS *** Fall Break
9 / Building a Schedule -- Resource Utilization / 8,9 / WBS due
10 / Project Scheduling / 8,9
11 / Project Management Tools:
MS Project -- Lab Session / 10, 23
12 / Project Control: Managing Budget, Risks, Quality, and Schedule / 10 - 15 / Resource Estimates due
*** NO CLASS *** Thanksgiving Holiday / 16 - 19
13 / Project Execution: Leading Your Team
14 / Project Closing and Transition to Operations / 22 / Exam #2
15 / Executive Project Reviews;
Project Teams brief their schedules / Project Schedule due

BU.355.475.XX – Project Management – Instructor– Page 1 of 6

Carey Business School

Policies and General Information

Blackboard Site

A Blackboard course site is set up for this course. Each student is expected to check the site throughout the semester as Blackboard will be the primary venue for outside classroom communications between the instructors and the students. Students can access the course site at Support for Blackboard is available at 1-866-669-6138.

Course Evaluation

As a research and learning community, the Carey Business School is committed to continuous improvement. The faculty strongly encourages students to provide complete and honest feedback for this course. Please take this activity seriously; we depend on your feedback to help us improve. Information on how to complete the evaluation will be provided toward the end of the course.

Disability Support Services

All students with disabilities who require accommodations for this course should contact Disability Support Services at their earliest convenience to discuss their specific needs. If you have a documented disability, you must be registered with Disability Support Services ( or 410-234-9243) to receive accommodations. For more information, please visit the Disability Support Services webpage.

Academic Ethics Policy

Carey expects graduates to be innovative business leaders and exemplary global citizens. The Carey community believes that honesty, integrity, and community responsibility are qualities inherent in an exemplary citizen. The objective of the Academic Ethics Policy (AEP) is to create an environment of trust and respect among all members of the Carey academic community and hold Carey students accountable to the highest standards of academic integrity and excellence.

It is the responsibility of every Carey student, faculty member, and staff member to familiarize themselves with the AEP and its procedures. Failure to become acquainted with this information will not excuse any student, faculty, or staff from the responsibility to abide by the AEP. Please contact the Student Services office if you have any questions. For the full policy, please visit the Academic Ethics Policy webpage.

Students are not allowed to use any electronic devices during in-class tests. Calculators will be provided if the instructor requires them for test taking. Students must seek permission from the instructor to leave the classroom during an in-class test. Test scripts must not be removed from the classroom during the test.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the Johns Hopkins University’s regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. Please contact the Student Services office if you have any questions. For the full policy, please visit the Student Conduct Code webpage.

Student Success Center

The Student Success Center offers free online and in-person one-on-one and group coaching in writing, presenting, and quantitative courses. The center also offers a variety of workshops, exam study sessions, and instructor-led primer seminars to help prepare students for challenging course content, including statistics and accounting. For more information or to book an appointment, please visit the Student Success Center website.

Other Important Academic Policies and Services

Students are strongly encouraged to consult the Carey Business School’s Student Handbook and Academic Catalog and Student Resources for information regarding the following items:

  • Statement of Diversity and Inclusion
  • Inclement Weather Policy

Copyright Statement

Unless explicitly allowed by the instructor, course materials, class discussions, and examinations are created for and expected to be used by class participants only.The recording and rebroadcasting of such material, by any means, is forbidden. Violations are subject to sanctions under the Honor Code.