KE7001 - Approaches to Project Management

You will learn through lectures that will be delivered by a number of staff. Beyond timetabled sessions, your independent study will be guided and supported through your engagement with a range of interactive learning resources accessible on-line via the module eLP site.

Lectures will be used to introduce and develop key issues, concepts and principles across the range of topics covered on the module; in effect they will act as a framework or scaffolding to support your learning. You will then further develop and build your knowledge, understanding and expertise by engaging with the on-line, interactive reading lists made available via the module’s electronic learning platform (eLP). Working in teams you will be guided through supervision on the validity of your project choice and your draft project poster.

You will be supported through supervision where teams will be able to access staff for specific advice on the project that you and your team are developing. In addition to this examples of previous work will be available. The team will be able ask staff their views on the quality and academic merit of this material. Further, learning materials on developing a poster will be available on the eLP.

Teaching staff operate an ‘open door’ policy for students meaning you can approach them anytime during normal office hours, or via email, to answer questions, receive feedback and support your learning on the module.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
• MLO 1: Critically review and evaluate the role Logical Framework Analysis in project management
• MLO 2: Critically assess and apply approaches to monitoring and evaluation in project management

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• MLO 3: Effectively design and defend a group project poster.
• MLO 4: Effectively use and apply a range of tools that are used in project development and management.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• MLO 5: Work effectively as part of a team with consideration of the opinions and values of others.

There are 2 forms of assessment.

First Assessment: Working in teams you will develop a project poster that contains sufficient information about a project that you would like to have funded. You will defend this poster to groups of university staff and students. Individual team members will have their contribution to the project assessed through discussions with the marking team. This is worth 40% of the module. This addresses MLOs 3, 4 and 5.

Drawing on the project presentation each student will produce a 2000 word report that sets out how the project will be conducted. This is worth 60% of the module and addresses MLOs 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

The teams will receive formative support through a series of supervisory meetings that will focus on the project each team has elected to undertake.

N/A

N/A

The module focuses on critical analysis of a range of methods in project planning. The project planning cycle is introduced as a vehicle for implementing policy and programmes. The cycle is then analysed in terms of the components namely identification, appraisal, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. An overview of the three technical components of project appraisal is provided covering benefit-cost analysis, environmental impact analysis and social impact analysis. Special attention is paid to the use of log-frame analysis including SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Threats and Opportunities) analysis for the preparation of project proposals. Approaches to monitoring, review and evaluation are examined including the deployment of qualitative inquiry. In addressing the above, the influence of different epistemological persuasions is considered. Teaching is through lectures, seminars and tutorials: assessment is through poster presentation by groups and a group report. Feedback on poster presentation is delivered orally and there is written feedback to reports.