Course syllabus autumn 2011
Course syllabus autumn 2011
Title
Project Management and Organisation
Swedish title
Project Management and Organisation
Course code
OL104A
Credits
30 credits
Grading scale
UV / Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with Distinction (VG)
Language of instruction
English
Decision-making body
Faculty of Culture and Society
Syllabus approval date
2011-08-24
Syllabus valid from
2011-08-29
Entry requirements
Bachelor´s degree, consisting of 180 credits or equivalent. English course B in Swedish secondary school.
Level
Advanced level
Main field
Leadership and Organization
Progression level
A1N
Progression level in relation to degree requirements
Single subject course in advanced level.
Course objectives
This multidisciplinary course deals with the issues of leading organisational development and projects.
Project Management and Organisation provides students with an understanding of common challenges and approaches to leading organisational development. Furthermore the course provides an opportunity for students to develop specialized knowledge on leading organisational change in their specific areas of expertise.
The course is intended for students and professionals within a wide area of different backgrounds but with a common interest to develop their understanding and skills in leading projects and organisational development
Course contents
Project Management and Organisation is divided into three modules. The Introductory module provides an overview of models and strategies for organising and planning projects and for working with organisational development. The module Perspectives on organisational development has a thematic approach, including topics such as group dynamics and learning in organisations. Students will read some common literature but will also be required to find and synthesise relevant research on their own in relation to their field of interest. In the two case seminars students will get an oppurtunity to get first hand knowledge of the challenges involved in project management and organisational development.
In parallel with the Perspectives on organisational development module, students are expected to develop their Independent work, which provides a culmination of the course.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
After a successful completion of this course the student will be able to demonstrate:
- an understanding of the challenges involved in organisational development and project management
- an understanding of how project management tools and techniques relate to creating and sustaining a coalition of stakeholders where stakeholders may have highly different understandings and incentives
- a number of different models and techniques for broad stakeholder involvement including new forms of interactive media
- insight into current research within leadership and organisation
- insight into that part of the field that constitutes the student’s specific area of interest
Skills and competencies
After a successful completion of this course the student will:
- be able to discuss different perspectives on the challenges of organisational development and particularly different approaches to project management
- be able to make informed decisions on choice of management models, strategies of communication and in handling a project’s relation to its organisational context
- be able to find, evaluate and synthesise current research on organisational development related to the student’s particular area of interest
- be able to identify and assess ethical issues in balancing the interests of different stakeholders with an end toward creating sustainable development
- be able to communicate conclusions with respect to organisational development in a clear manner both in written form and in oral presentation
- be able to demonstrate methodological skills appropriate to advanced study of leadership and organisation
Judgment and approach
After a successful completion of this course the student will:
- be able to argue for an approach to organisational development based on a developed understanding of it’s implications for sustainable development
- be able to critically and reflexively relate to contemporary literature on projects and organisational development
Learning activities
Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, case seminars and teacher moderated workshops.
The course comprises approximately 120 hours of lectures/seminars, of which 15 hours are mandatory, 40 hours of group work and 640 hours of individual work.
Assessment
The course is divided into three modules each with separate assessments in accordance with the following:
- Introductory module (9 credits) is assessed by an individual project planning assignment.
- Perspectives on organisational development (12 credits). This module is assessed by one group report (6 credits) and one individual report (6 credits) and active participation in two case seminars.
- Independent work (9 credits) is assessed by means of an essay or a project report, written individually or in a small group, and defended orally at a seminar.
A passing grade in the course as a whole is achieved if the student has completed each of the modules with a passing grade. A student passes with distinction (Swedish grading VG) if a distinguishing grade is achieved in modules corresponding to at least 18 credits.
Course literature and other study material
- Booth, W.C., Colomb G.G. & Williams, J.M. (2003). The craft of research. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
- Hayes, N. (2001). Managing teams: a strategy for success. Thomson Learning, Andover.
- Northouse, P. (2009). Leadership. Theory and practice. (5th ed.). Sage, London.
- Sandberg, J. & Targama, A. (2006). Managing Understanding In Organisations. Sage Publications Ltd, London.
- Silverthorne, C.P. ( 2005). Organizational psychology in cross-cultural perspective. New York University Press, New York.
- Tolbert, P. & Hall, R. (2008). Organizations. Structures, Processes and Outcomes: International edition. Pearson.
- Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of Practice. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
- Wysocki, R.K. (2009). Effective Project Management; 5th Edition. Traditional, Agile, Extreme, Wiley.
- Yin, R.K. (2003). Case Study Research: Design and Methods; Third Edition, Applied Social Research Methods Series, Vol 5. Sage, London.
Articles
The course includes reading numerous articles on project management and organisational development some of which will be designated by teachers as the course progresses. These articles are available via the Malmö University Library databases. Students will choose further research articles as they seek to develop a particular area of interest.
Case studies
The material for the two case seminars has to be purchased online.
Course evaluation
The course as a whole will be evaluated on completion. A summary of the results will be kept in archive. A discussion of the course from a student's perspective will be held halfway into the course and upon completion.