BMG835 Project Management & Research Module Handbook 2024-25 | UU

Table of Contents

Welcome    
1. Module Overview and Communication    
2. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Graduate Attributes (GAs) in your module    
3. Aim and Learning Outcomes    
4. Assessment and Feedback    
5. Learning Resources    
6. Organisation and Management    
7. Student Voice and Support Services

BMG835 Module Overview and Communication

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Graduate Attributes (GAs) in your module

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The UN SDGs are a comprehensive set of global goals to end poverty, protect our planet, and improve living conditions of the Global Population. You are encouraged to think critically and reflect on SDGs in the context of this module.

The following SDGs are relevant in the context of this module:

Graduate Attributes (GAs)

Ulster University’s Graduate Attributes are a high-level set of competencies, developing universal understandings, skills, qualities, and values.

As a result of engaging with this module, you will have opportunities to develop and practise the following selected attributes:

BMG835 Aim and Learning Outcomes

Project management is the practice of initiating, planning, executing and closing the work of a team to meet specific goals/success criteria at the specified time. The objective of project management is to produce a complete project that complies with the organisation or client's objectives. This module will provide students with the primary knowledge necessary to prepare a research project.

It is essential that students of management are aware of the breadth of possible research approaches to provide consumers or users of research with rigorous, valid and reliable outputs. The ability to manage such projects with limited resources and yet deliver and implement effective solutions is important in today's business world.

Overall Aim of the Module

The aims of this module are: to develop an understanding of how to successfully manage a project; to be able to select, use and analyse the findings from a range of research methods; and apply this learning to managing a research project on an organisational issue.

Learning Outcomes

What should you be able to do by the end of this module?

Successful participants will be able to:

1 Understand the purpose and content of project management: roles, principles, themes, processes and major management products.

2 Analyse a current business and management issue and formulate a suitable and practical research plan.

3 Apply and tailor project management principles within the context to develop a project plan.

4 Evaluate each step of the project plan, justifying the decisions taken to guide the project throughout its lifecycle.

BMG835 Assessment and Feedback

What do you need to do to demonstrate the achievement of learning?

Summary Assessment Information

This Module Will be Assessed Via One item of Assessment

BMG835 Assessment Guidance

1) Word count includes the title page, contents page, in-text references and citations but excludes tables, reference list and appendices.

2) Your work should include references to relevant journal articles and other good-quality information sources and should be properly laid out using the Harvard system of referencing. More detailed guidance is available in the Subject Guides. We encourage you to make good use of all the support services offered by your Campus Librarian; further details are in the Learning Support Services Section.

3) You should refer to the assessment criteria to provide fuller details of the marking criteria for each classification band.

4) In addition, you should refer to the standard assessment guidelines as presented in your Course Handbook/Support Area, which includes guidance and policies on referencing style, plagiarism, etc.

5) We recommend the use of Studiosity, which offers constructive feedback on draft written submissions within 24 hrs.

6) Coursework must be submitted by the dates specified. Coursework submitted after the deadline, without prior approval, is not normally accepted. For further guidance on the late submission of coursework, please see the course handbook.

7) Assessments must be submitted as per the assessment brief.

Please note: Words in excess of +10% of the word count will not be marked.

Coursework 1-Assessment Task

Written Assignment

Coursework 1 – Brief

Students are required to produce a project plan for a research project for a case organisation. The project plan should include:

• Aims and objectives of the project
• Analysis of the project environment and stakeholders
• Planned research methodology
• Project schedule
• Risk assessment

The project plan should be supported by a reflective statement on the process of producing the project proposal and justification of the plan, including the research methodology. The final report should be 3000 words.

As a guide, your written assignment should contain the following:

Aims and Objectives

Your aims stem from what you hope to achieve through undertaking the project. You should be able to give a full outline of the project and context of the project (i.e. environment and stakeholders). You should formulate your overall expectations and aspirations. Objectives should be more specific (SMART) and set out how you hope to achieve your overall aim.

Planned Research Methodologies

Articulate your planned research methodologies, clearly identifying how these will lead to credible answers to the questions posed. State exactly how the methods you have chosen will fulfil your project objectives. Under this heading, you should explain and justify your approach, e.g. qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, how you will find respondents (including articulation of population and sampling procedures), the data collection method (s) you intend to use, e.g. surveys, interviews, focus groups etc., and methods of analysis, giving reasons for your chosen method(s). Attention should also be paid to issues of ‘validity’ and ‘reliability’.

Project Schedule

This section includes the development of a realistic schedule within set timescales and a Gantt Chart. Your schedule should be realistic and conform to any overarching time frames or deadlines. You should be very specific with respect to dates and are advised to follow the suggested progression dates for key sections of your work. You are to develop a Gantt chart to monitor your progress and set personal deadlines (see Saunders et al., 2019, p.57 for an example). You should factor in time for contingencies and project time delays.

Risk Assessment

In this section you should identify and assess realistic risks that can affect the project and how those risks have to be managed. A risk mitigation strategy is to be planned to effectively deal with the possible/potential risks related to the project.

Coursework 1 – Assessment Rubric\Marking Proforma

BMG835 Learning Resources

A list of current learning resources specifically chosen to build your knowledge and understanding for this module

Reading List

Books/Journal Article/Publications Required Reading (Must read)

1. Bell, E., Bryman, A. and Harley, B. (2022). Business research methods. 6th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

2. Larson, E.W. and Grey, C.F. (2020). Project management: the managerial process. 8th ed., International student edition. ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education

3. Pinto, J.K. (2020). Project management: achieving competitive advantage. 5th ed. Harlow, England: Pearson.

4. Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2019), ‘Research Methods for Business Students’, 8th Edition, Harlow, Pearson Education Limited

Books/Journal Article/Publications Recommended Reading (Should read/Could read)

Association for Project Management (2020) APM body of knowledge. 7th ed. Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire: Association for Project Management.

Bell, J. (2010). Doing Your Research Project: A Guide for First-Time Researchers in Education and Social Science. 3rd ed. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Open University Press.

Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R. and Lowe, A. (2008) Management Research: An Introduction. 3rd edition. London: Sage.

Gill, J. and Johnson, P. (2010) Research Methods for Managers. 4th ed. London: Sage.

Hinde, D. (2018) PRINCE2 Study Guide: 2017 Update. Newark: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated.

Jankowicz, A. D. (2005). Business Research Projects (4th ed.), Thomson

Kumar, R. (2011). Research Methodology: A Step-by-step Guide for Beginners. 3rd ed. London: Sage.

Lind, D.A., Marchal, W.G. and Wathen, S.A. (2008). Basic statistics for business and economics. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Meredith, J.R., Shafer, S.M. and Mantel, S.J. (2022). Project management: a strategic managerial approach. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Yin, R.K. (2010). Case study research: design and methods. 4th ed. London: Sage.

Yin, R.K. (2012). Applications of Case Study Research. 3rd ed. London: Sage.

Library's Support Services

In collaboration with teaching staff, your Campus Librarian will be delivering timetabled workshops to ensure you can make the best use of the Library’s services and information resources in completing your coursework. Furthermore, if you need specific help with an assignment or dissertation, then you can make an appointment to meet with your Subject Librarian by email, phone or through the appointments schedule.

Online support is also available by accessing the Library’s Guides as these provide help in developing your information and research skills by identifying the best learning resources available, forming effective literature searches, offering academic writing support and adopting the best referencing techniques.

Organisation and Management

Types of learning activities that will make up your weekly timetable

BMG835 Project Management & Research is a 15-credit point module, which requires approximately 150 hours of your commitment, distributed through the following learning and teaching activities over the 15-week semester. For a description of the nature of the learning activities, please refer to your course handbook.

Summary of Learning Activities

The teaching and learning plan provides a more detailed overview of content every week.

Module delivery will typically consist of a three-hour lecture with seminar activities integrated, although format may vary slightly between weeks/sessions.

Seminars – please refer to the teaching and learning plan below for the seminar topic. Attendance at seminars is most important and therefore will be monitored. All students should download the SEAtS Student Attendance App to their smartphones. Regularly checking into class using the app helps you keep track of your attendance and ensures you stay on track with your studies. Please view the university attendance website for more information, including user guides, video demonstrations, and FAQs.

Teaching and Learning Plan

The teaching plan/order of weekly topics is subject to change. The list below provides an outline summary of weekly activities, and further information is available on BBL in the relevant week’s folder. Students will be expected to engage in all prescribed activities that contribute towards final assessment.

Student Voice and Support Services

How we support you

As a course team, we incorporate the key partnership principles set out in the joint UU & Ulster University Students’ Union Student Voice Guidelines and proactively engage with the democratic election of UUSU academic student reps (Faculty Reps, School/Dept Reps & Course Reps) to ensure that student  opinion  is heard at  Ulster. We respect  your views  and  welcome  your honest and constructive feedback on the module.

There are several ways to do this:

You can contact your Module Coordinator about any queries related to your learning experiences on the module as/when you have them.

You can voice your opinions through the formal Staff/Student Consultative Committee process by contacting one of the elected UUSU Course Reps in your class.

You will have the opportunity to give feedback on the module through completing the online Student Module Feedback Survey.

UUSU Advice Bureau Service

If you are experiencing difficulties that are impacting your studies, you can contact the Advice Bureau in the Students’ Union (UUSU). You can get advice and guidance on issues such as - complaints, appeals, housing problems, disciplinaries, and info on various support providers available. To have a chat with the team, contact UUSU online.

UU Student Wellbeing Service

Ulster University’s Student Wellbeing team is available to help you manage common pressures many students experience while studying in higher education. Common pressures include stress, relationship issues, financial problems, and managing disability-related challenges, including mental health difficulties. There is no stigma to seeking support to maximise your wellbeing and achievement at UU.

Student Wellbeing support is free and confidential and is located on each of our campuses. Please view the Student Wellbeing pages for details on how to contact student wellbeing staff. Other external helplines are also available.

UU Student Success Team

Ulster University’s Student Success team has developed a series of academic and study skills training resources and workshops to help you succeed educationally and develop personally and professionally. You can access these resources via the Student Success website or you can contact the team directly via email.