Project Management PG (8427) - University of Canberra

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Project Management PG

Available teaching periods	Delivery mode	Location
View teaching periods	On-campus	Bruce, Canberra
EFTSL	Credit points	Faculty
0.125	3	Faculty Of Science And Technology
Discipline	Study level	HECS Bands
Academic Program Area - Technology	Post Graduate Level	Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021) Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan Social Work_Exclude 0905) Band 5 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)

Introduction

This unit will review the core project management techniques including scope, time, cost, quality and resource management. It then go beyond this core to explore the tools and techniques needed to govern projects effectively, balance portfolios and ensure programmes are managed to realise benefits. The topics reviewed will include strategy, organisational change, project sponsorship, programme management, performance measurement, and culture and portfolio management. Relevant Australian and International Standards on Project Governance and new industry methodologies around portfolio, programme and change management will be reviewed.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a capacity to use & critique standard project management tools and techniques;
2. Assess the influence of project governance, portfolio management, programme management and change management on the outcomes of projects; and
3. Synthesise research to selectively apply the most promising tools/methodologies to support top management and overcome project failure.

Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings

Skills development

This unit will provide a broad overview and review the core project management theories, principles and techniques along with contemporary practices. It then goes beyond this core to explore the tools and techniques needed to govern projects effectively and to manage and realise benefits. The topics reviewed will include strategy, organisational culture and context, project sponsorship, stakeholders, change management, scheduling, monitoring and reporting. Relevant Australian and International Standards and practices around Project Governance and industry methodologies will be reviewed.

Prerequisites

6678 Systems Project and Quality Management G OR 9784 Technology and Engineering Management PG

Corequisites

None.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

Basic project management knowledge, for example 6678 Systems Project and Quality Management G.

Availability

Availability for enrolment in 2026 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.

Year	Location	Teaching period	Teaching start date	Delivery mode	Unit convener
2025	Bruce, Canberra	Semester 2	28 July 2025	On-campus	Dr Hamed Sarbazhosseini
2026	Bruce, Canberra	Semester 2	10 August 2026	On-campus	Dr Hamed Sarbazhosseini

Timetable

The information provided should be used as a guide only. Timetables may not be finalised until week 2 of the teaching period and are subject to change. Search for the unit timetable.

Resources

Required texts

Students should be aware that this course uses contemporary material from industry and government. It is supported by a suitable textbook:

Kerzner, HR 2013, Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling, John Wiley & Sons.

Key articles will be available electronically. Students are encouraged to refer to the following texts for programme management and benefits management:

Office of Government Commerce 2007, Managing Successful Programmes, 3rd ed. The Stationery Office, London.

Jenner, S 2012, Managing Benefits, The Stationary Office, Norwich.

Additional readings will also be made available electronically, or will be available in the University Library. All material provided will be subjected to be examinable if not advised otherwise in the class.

Assessment requirements

Submission of assessment items

Special assessment requirements

To PASS this unit, students have to obtain a mark of 50% or greater for all the assessments in total. See the Assessment Guide for details.

Higher grades will be awarded on the basis of the total mark being ≥ 65% for a credit, ≥ 75% for a distinction and ≥ 85% for a high distinction. Some scaling of marks and academic judgement may be applied to determine students' final grades - in this process no student will be disadvantaged. In the case of any assignment that places you in jeopardy of a Fail in the whole unit, appropriate moderation procedures will be used.

The unit convenor reserves the right to question students on any of their submitted work for moderation and academic integrity purposes, which may result in an adjustment to the marks awarded for a specific task.

If there is any doubt with regard to the requirements of any particular assignments or assessment procedure, the onus for clarifying the issue rests with the student who should contact the unit convener about the matter.

All work quoted from any source should be appropriately referenced using a recognized style, the "Harvard" referencing style as described in the link below (note that there are multiple version of the Harvard referencing style, and you should use the one described here) is preferred.

http://canberra.libguides.com/referencing

Academic integrity

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Student responsibility

Learner engagement

The following table is a guide that may help you plan your semester's effort levels:

Activity	Hours per week	Semester Total
Lectures	2	24
Tutorials/Workshops	1	11
Class test/ preparation	-	20
Pitch Presentation & Preparation	-	16
PM case study preparation and presentation	-	15
Team meeting and discussion	-	16
Final Project Delivery (G2 & G3)	-
Final Project Delivery (G2 & G3)	-	30
Weekly reflective journal	1.5	18
TOTAL	-	150

Inclusion and engagement

None

Participation requirements

You are strongly advised to attend/listen all lectures, workshops/tutorials and to fully participate in the class/forum. Your participation in both class and online activities will enhance your understanding of the unit content and therefore the quality of your assessment responses. Lack of participation may result in your inability to satisfactorily pass assessment items. There is recurring and ongoing group work throughout the unit. The lecture slides and relevant materials will be published on the website immediately after the lecture. Lecture slides should not be considered a substitute for textbook or attending the lectures or tutorials. Discussions during the lecture or tutorial should be referred in the assessment items.

Announcements made in lectures or published using UC Canvas are deemed to have been read by all students in the unit.

Required IT skills

You are expected to be a competent computer user and familiar with word processing, presentation software and workflow and document management software (on line instructions are supplied) in this unit. All assignments are expected to be submitted electronically in Microsoft Office compliant format or PDF; unless specifically stated otherwise.

In-unit costs