Master of Science in Project Management (weekend)

Apply in your professional life the Project Management tools and processes learnt from class one.

Business project management

Description
The projects that are developed and implemented in companies are fundamentally originated to cover the strategic needs that each company identifies and plans over a period. These projects can be about the launch of new products and / or services, the implementation of new processes and / or improvement of current ones, organizational restructuring, the transformation of an area or the company, etc. In order to apply a business vision to a project, it is essential to know how that project impacts the operation of the company, both internally and externally, and to know the reason for that project, and the reasons that have influenced it to be approved and planned. The best project managers combine excellent management and leadership skills, with a business and strategic vision of how this project influences and impacts the success of a company, and this allows you to lead with the maximum guarantees. In short, a project is developed under a specific business environment and context, which must be known and managed. This is undoubtedly the fundamental objective of this subject.
Type Subject
Primer - Obligatoria
Semester
Second
Course
1
Credits
5.00
Previous Knowledge

Project Management

Objectives

1. Acquiring of a structured vision on the knowledge related to the Project Management.
2. Foreseeing situations that may have an impact in a project.
3. Assessing project results.
4. Mastering the specific techniques and tools related to Project Management.
5. Enable the students to analyse the different Project Management existing options in a critical way.
6. Becoming familiar with the main Project Management methodologies, standards and frameworks.
7. Obtaining a practical vision on how theories on Project management can be applied.
8. Developing Project management skills in specific areas or disciplines.
9. Applying a humanistic view to typical Project management problems.
10. Becoming familiar with conflict resolutions management trends.

Contents

1. The Project and the organization.
2. Enterprise Project management.
3. Portfolio and program management.
4. Project management office (PMO).
5. Critical chain - Management.
6. Decision-making.
7. Change management.

Methodology

The teaching methodology used in the on-campus modality is divided into four steps for each of the sessions that make up the subjects of the program:
• Students must prepare at home the previous tasks of the session recommended by the teacher: reading an article, watching a video, solving a practical case or exercise, etc. In this way, the student prepares the topic of the session and acquires prior knowledge that will allow him to take better advantage of the session together with the teacher and the rest of the classmates.
• The teacher dedicates the first part of the session to working on the concepts related to the theme of the day, encouraging debate and discussion among the students, taking advantage of the fact that they have prepared the previous tasks and are based on prior knowledge.
• The teacher dedicates the second part of the session to the analysis, debate and resolution of the practical case or exercise proposed in the previous tasks. In this way, the concepts covered in the first part of the session are taken to a practical environment to strengthen the student's learning. It is essential that students work on the case or exercise at home to make the most of the contributions of the rest of their classmates during the second part of the session, as well as make valuable contributions to the group.
• It is recommended that students prepare at home the subsequent tasks of the session recommended by the teacher, which aim to finish consolidating the knowledge discussed and worked on in class.

The teaching methodology used in the online modality is based on a proprietary methodology developed by La Salle URL called SDBL (Self Directed Based Learning). SDBL is an active methodology based on situational learning and self-directed learning. With situational learning, the student is taught, through challenges, to address real problems and situations of the company with which he can consolidate the new knowledge acquired. With self-directed learning, the student decides how to advance in their training based on their previous experience.
Weekly, the LMS (Learning Management System) platform releases the content of a new topic. The operation of the week is as follows:
• kick-off Synchronous session:
o The teacher makes an overview of the contents and tasks that the student will find throughout the week. The objective of this meeting is to try to discover and reveal on a personal level which aspects of the week that are going to be discussed may be more difficult for the student individually.
o The teacher solves possible doubts of the students about the subject of the previous week.
• Among synchronous connections:
o The student visualizes the content of the sessions and develops the tasks entrusted to him about the topic of the week to consolidate knowledge and identify doubts.
• Check point Synchronous session:
o The teacher solves any doubts that students may have about the contents of the current week.
o The teacher presents additional content or practical cases, which are interesting for the students.
o The teacher generates debate and discussion among the students about the content of the current week to help the students in their assimilation, therefore, improving their learning.
o The teacher provides oral feedback about the deliverables registered by the students in the feedback well of the previous week, emphasizing the difficulties and errors found. This instance is for feedback only and not for qualification. The feedback wells are an instrument for the students to validate with the mentor, in general terms, the resolution to the proposed tasks. In this way, the feedback wells are created thinking of giving the students an opportunity to feel the answers with the mentor. Based on the feedback provided by the mentor, the students will be able to finish developing the task and present it as a final deliverable, with the advantage of having had prior advice from the teacher.
• Rest of the week. The objective is to finish the development of the tasks of the current week from the clarifications received in the synchronous check point session to pass the exercises, tasks and / or deliverables of the topic. It is worth mentioning that most of the time spent during this last part of the week should be spent on solving tasks and deliverables, rather than assimilating content (an aspect that should have been resolved between the kick-off and check point sessions).
The LMS platform gradually opens content (week by week) so that the whole group follows the same academic itinerary. In other words, the sequential opening of topics is done so that all students in the program are working on the same subjects simultaneously.

Evaluation

In the On-campus modality:
The evaluation of the subject will be based on the individual performance of the student and the grade obtained in the final objective test.

In the Online modality:
The evaluation of the subject will be based on the individual performance of the student and the grade obtained in the final presentation.

Evaluation Criteria

On-campus modality:
• A - Resolution - Case study presentation: 60%
• B - Final objective test (multiple-choice test):40%

Online modality:
• Individual work (resolution of cases, application of techniques, deliverables): 60%
• Assessment activity – Individual interview: 40

Basic Bibliography

• Articles about “La organización en la empresa”– McGraw-Hill.
• PMBOK Guide Sixth Edition - PMI.
• “Advanced Project Portfolio Management and the PMO” – Gerald Kendall y Steven C. Rollins. J. Ross Publishing Inc. (2003).
• “El pequeño libro de las grandes decisiones” – Michael Krogerus – Ed. Alienta (2001).
• “Harvard Business Review – La Gestión del Cambio”. Deusto S.A Ediciones (2007).
• “Contemporary Reflections on Business Ethics” – Ronald F. Duska. Springer (2007).

Additional Material
List of Professors
Víctor Manuel Espinosa Lojo
Jordi Dalmau Royo