Project Management and Communication (5 cr)

Learning outcomes

The student is able to
- plan and report on the progress of a project, taking different elements of project management into consideration and using basic project management tools
- write text that is based on research results, using and referencing reliable sources of their field
- communicate in a goal-oriented way, taking the target audience and need into consideration
- utilise IT tools in project management and communication

Materials

Learning materials are provided in Canvas. Also the following works will be consulted:
• Bailey, S. 2011. Academic writing: a handbook for international students. 3rd edition. London: Routledge.
• Dawson, C. 2009. Projects in computing and information systems. 2nd edition. Harlow: Addison-Wesley.
• Lock, D. 2013. Naked Project Management: the bare facts. Gower.
• Ojasalo, K., Moilanen, T. & Ritalahti, J. 2009. Research-oriented approach. Partially translated from: Kehittämistyön menetelmät – Uudenlaista osaamista liiketoimintaan. Helsinki: WSOY.
• Snyder, C. 2013. A user's manual to the PMBOK guide. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Teaching methods

The course is implemented through several class meetings held during the intensive days. These are supplemented by tests, homework tasks, readings and an essay which is written in several drafts. A part of the course is assessed individually, and some assignments are done through teamwork. The project carried out on Basics of Corporate Safety and Security is used as a case for some of the assignments on this course, where project management tools are applied.

Students receive feedback on their essay drafts and also give face-to-face and online peer feedback on these.

Employer connections

Integrated into the study unit.

Exam schedules

See Canvas for more details.

Completion alternatives

Contact the lecturer if you feel that you have achieved the course objectives through informal or other means.

Student workload

5 ECTS = 135 hours of work
A combination of contact lessons and independent study.

Content scheduling

Students familiarise themselves with the key concepts and principles of project management and receive guidance on communication requirements and tools for carrying out academic and project-related work.
The course contains work on the following themes:
• teamwork skills, tools for collaborating on projects, resolving conflict in project work
• principles of project management using the PMBOK framework, including planning, scope management and risk management
• project reporting and documentation: project charters, plans, reports and presentations
• project tools, such as Stakeholder analysis, Work Breakdown Structures and Gantt charts
• academic writing: source referencing, style, cohesion and structure in essays and reports
• research instruments, such as surveys and interviews
• MS Office skills, especially Excel and Word
• ICT tools for project management and documentation

Evaluation scale

H-5

Further information

The project management part of the study unit is linked to work done on another study unit. Students not taking Basics of Corporate Security and Risk Management will be given compensatory tasks.