SCI20020 Introduction to Project Management and Leadership

Academic Year 2024/2025

Project management and leadership skills are relevant to everyone throughout their professional and personal lives. Many people think that only "senior" people in an organisation or society are leaders. However, we are all involved in leadership (with a small L) . This module places an emphasis on leadership skills that everyone can acquire. These leadership skills are directly relevant to daily life as a student and to all careers.

In terms of project management, the emphasis of the module is on real life practical problems and how to address them.

Leadership and project management involves team work. You will work in teams in lectures to take on a case study and to come up with approaches to typical "dilemmas" that a leader or project manager may face. However, grading is done on an individual basis so that you get graded on your contributions as opposed to getting a "group grade".

Participants will also become familiar with Microsoft Project (or similar package) as a tool to help in project management.

Time management is a key skill for leaders and project managers. The course will explore time management and present practical tips for improving your time management skills. In addition a decision making methodolgy will be investigated to provide you with a framework for making decisions in the future. It will also deal with communication skills and the thorny issue of how to deal with difficult people.

This module has proved popular with a wide range of students from Business, Law, Engineering, Science, Nursing, Sports Science, Arts and so on.

Lecture attendance is MANDATORY as much of the learning is derived from group discussions in the lectures.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

What Will I learn?
- Time management - how to manage your time to get a project completed on time.
- Understand and the key steps in project management
- Improve your communication skills by participating in group discussions
- Use Microsoft Project (or similar package) to create a Gantt charts
- Understand the issues and approaches to dealing with difficult people
- Become familiar with some of the principle of behavioural science and how they influence decision making
- Understand the importance of communication and negotiation in project management and leadership.
- Understand and apply a structured process in effective decision making.

Indicative Module Content:

Nature of leadership. Stephen Covey's 7 habits. Behavioural Science: cognitive biases, influencing people, and decision making methodology. Thinking environments. Conversations and leadership. Negotiation techniques. Time management techniques, prioritisation and use of lists.

Introduction to key steps of project management (PM).

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Computer Aided Lab

6
Specified Learning Activities

30
Autonomous Student Learning

50
Total

110
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
There are 2 lectures per week. These take place in an active learning environment where students sit in groups of up to 9. In many lectures a dilemma is presented and is discussed in each group with a short feedback session after the discussion.

A number of external guest lecturers will present their experience of leadership in the "real" world.

Time is set aside at the end of each lecture so that each group can work on their group case study in class. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
BMGT10150 - Project Management, COMP20140 - Intro to Project Management, EEME40080 - Project Management, MEEN40310 - Project Management


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Portfolio: The portfolio consists of (a) reflective writing entries in response to weekly questions; (b) reflective commentary on group discussions and (c) case study commentary n/a Graded No

100

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Remediation Type Remediation Timing
Repeat Within Two Trimesters
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Name Role
Mrs Niamh Byrne McKenna Lecturer / Co-Lecturer