UMUC

Graduate School of Management & Technology – Programs

Course Descriptions - PMAN

PMAN 600 Project Management: Foundations and Advanced Methods (6)

This six-credit study integrates the foundations of project management (PMAN 634) with advanced methods in project management (PMAN 670). A one-semester study of the foundations of project management, including project planning, organizing, team building, tracking, and controlling. Analytical and quantitative concepts involved in project management (such as techniques for estimating project time and cost, optimizing allocation of resources, expediting projects, and applying scheduling algorithms) are examined. Simulation tools and statistical techniques are used to analyze uncertainty in project selection, budget allocation, and time estimation. The processes, tools, and techniques of project management are applied to a large-scale governmental or commercial project that is developed from proposal to completion through group work. Students who receive credit for PMAN 600 may not receive credit for PMAN 634, PMAN 635, or PMAN 670.

PMAN 634 Foundations of Project Management (3)

An overview of the theory and practice of managing projects in any organization. Focus is on the fundamental building blocks of project management, including project planning, organizing, team building, tracking, and controlling projects. Key aspects of management and proven techniques that differentiate project management from other types of management are examined in-depth. The goal is to gain a solid understanding and foundation to successfully manage each phase of the project life cycle, work within organizational constraints, set goals linked directly to stakeholder needs, and utilize proven project management tools to complete projects on time and within budget while meeting specifications. Essential concepts, processes, and techniques are applied through management of a term project.

PMAN 637 Project Risk Management (3)

Prerequisite: PMAN 600 or PMAN 634. An in-depth analysis of risk management methodologies, from both the strategic and tactical aspects. Risk management is the systematic process of identifying, analyzing, evaluating, and controlling project risks. State-of-the-art tools and techniques for identifying, measuring, and monitoring risks in the project management environment are examined. Both qualitative and quantitative risk analyses are conducted and strategies for proactive risk aversion and reactive risk response are developed. Focus is on how a comprehensive risk management approach can enable a project team to proactively manage issues that adversely impact the successful control and completion of a project.

PMAN 638 Project Communications Management (3)

Prerequisite: PMAN 600 or PMAN 634. An overview of the international aspects of project management and the skills needed to deal effectively with the key issues of labor, environment, stakeholders, global project workforce, and relevant country disputes. Managing the human elements of project management is as challenging as mastering the technical aspects. Innovative approaches are employed to successfully negotiate and resolve conflicts among the team members and stakeholders. In today’s global corporate environment, project workers are faced with critical global issues both at home and abroad. Proven techniques to make conflict a constructive rather than a destructive experience are discovered. Emphasis is placed on effective communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills to successfully lead both domestic and global projects.

PMAN 639 Project Quality Management (3)

Prerequisite: PMAN 600 or PMAN 634. A study of the policy, processes, and procedures involved in assuring that projects satisfy the objectives for which they were undertaken. Emphasis is on quality planning, quality assurance, quality control, and process improvement. Discussion covers all the activities that determine quality objectives, policies, and responsibilities. The importance of customer satisfaction, prevention over inspection, management responsibility, and continuous improvement is recognized. Topics include control charts, cause and effect diagrams, Pareto charts, failure mode and effect analysis, design reviews, and cost of quality. Content and approach are compatible with the International Organization for Standardization.

PMAN 641 Project Procurement Management (3)

Prerequisite: PMAN 634. An examination of the tools needed for project procurement management. Focus is on determining what needs to be purchased or acquired and determining when and how to acquire it. Topics include planning the contracting efforts (documenting products and services and identifying potential sellers); requesting sellers’ responses (obtaining information, quotation, bids, offers, or proposals); selecting the seller (receiving and reviewing offers, selecting among those potential offers, and negotiating a contract); administering contracts (managing the relationship between buyers and sellers, including documentation, corrective actions, and contract changes); and closing contracts (completing the contract and settling all open issues).

PMAN 650 Financial Management of Projects (3)

Prerequisite: PMAN 600 or PMAN 634. An investigation of financial decision making in management of projects. Major topics include developing cost estimates, analyzing accuracy of estimates, and monitoring and controlling project budgets. Other topics include top-down and bottom-up budgeting, in particular integrating cost estimates with work breakdown structures. Techniques of cost and schedule control are discussed in the context of project baselines against which projects can be monitored and re-directed. There is in-depth discussion of managing change within the project, in particular design of a project control system, the use of reserves, methodologies to exercise control, and change management practices. Earned value analysis is applied as a technique for evaluating, monitoring, and forecasting project costs and schedule. There is coverage of breakeven analysis, discounted cash flow, and financial risk management in the context of cash flow, schedule, and cost. There is also coverage of how different functional units in an organization.

PMAN 670 Advanced Project Methods (3) (Formerly PMAN 635)

Prerequisite: PMAN 600 or PMAN 634. An overview of advanced methods of managing projects using industry-standard software tools for project management and risk analysis. Analytical and quantitative concepts involved in project management (such techniques for estimating project and time cost, optimizing allocation of resources, expediting projects, and applying scheduling algorithms) are examined. Simulation tools and statistical techniques are used to analyze uncertainty in project selection, budget allocation, and time estimation. The processes, tools, and techniques of project management are applied to a team project.