Course description
Introduction
This course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), and may be studied part time over 28 months or full time over 12 months.
Construction professionals in a changing market need the knowledge and skills which are developed by postgraduate study. Successful project managers are people who can think, lead and act in an uncertain and dynamic business environment, who have access to the latest information, understand the appropriate techniques and systems, and have the expertise to apply these to market needs and business opportunities.
Project management is the discipline that draws these qualities together. This course is aimed at architects, surveyors, services engineers, civil engineers and construction managers, quantity surveyors and existing project managers who wish to formalise their training.
Content
The course features:
Teaching and learning to meet the needs of the practising professional
Content which reflects the diversity and change within the construction industry
Opportunities to network with those working at the leading edge of both research and practice
Staff active in research and consultancy, through the Faculty's Construction and Property Research Centre
Material which equips you and your organisation with appropriate market skills and specialisms to maximise business opportunities
A supportive learning environment in a modern, well-equipped faculty building on the main University Campus
Course is supported by a group of employers who contribute towards resources used in teaching, offer sponsorship and placements to students, and who are keen to employ our graduates.
The nature of projects is explored in relation to organisations and their commercial environment. This will include the establishment of teams that have to analyse risk in terms of environmental issues and the forms of procurement available. Also considered is the use of information technology, together with organisational change and innovation. The planning and control of projects is examined in relation to the organisations who contribute to and manage the process.
Modules
Modules are regularly reviewed to ensure that they remain up to date and relevant, so some of them may change before the course starts or whilst you are on it, but the overall aims and broad content of the course will remain the same.
Construction Project Management Principles
An essential module to give a holistic view of a generic project. It looks at the life cycle of project management and the strategic choice of project management tools and techniques to suit a particular situation and economic sector.
Built Environment Information Management
Gives a strategic awareness of spatial and project information systems used in the built environment. It provides a framework for the integration, synthesis and effective presentation of information to support decision-making. It also addresses issues of quality assurance in the built environment.
Construction Operations Management
Examines the implementation phase of the project and the control of the project to enhance productivity and to maximise effectiveness. Considers resourcing, risk, programming and health and safety management to support integrated management decision making in design and construction.
Finance for Managers
Provides a critical evaluation of financial management from the point of view of the non-financial manager. It gives a firm grounding in the interpretation of published accounts and other financial data and introduces management accounting in such areas as budget control, investment appraisal and cost behaviour.
Construction Procurement Management
Examines the sources and remedies of conflict and dispute in the construction industry and looks at ways of maintaining a customer focus and maintaining control over the whole supply chain.
Construction Project Management Practice
A project module integrating the skills and practice of the project manager. By selection of a case study of a current or recent project, the environment, client objectives, feasibility, implementation, strategy and commissioning and success of the project are analysed and benchmarked with other projects.
Research for Policy and Practice
This module provides a critique of qualitative and quantitative research methods with guidance on appropriate sources to support the methodology you require for your own dissertation.
Organisational Analysis and Change
Evaluates the role and relevance of management theory in achieving organisational roles and the effect of organisational structures on individual behaviour and group dynamics. It also examines the current forces for change and the strategy for becoming a world class provider. An optional alternative to this module is: Organisational Structures and Behaviour.
International students
This course will help you develop skills and knowledge which can be applied in a range of international contexts. It may therefore be suitable for international students, and there are opportunities for incorporating material and examples from your home country into your studies, especially in the dissertation.
Pattern and duration of study
You may study either full time or part time. For part-time students, taught elements are delivered in 10 two-day blocks of attendance per year. Modules are studied between September and the following May; with the period June to September being mainly devoted to work on the dissertation. Study begins with a short induction course and tutor support is provided between teaching blocks. With full-time study it can be completed in 12 months, involving 20 two-day blocks plus additional tutorial support.
