Diploma - Graduate School of Business

Major Description

Whether it is a large project or a small one, effective management is the key to any project''s success.
The Diploma in Project Management program is designed to introduce participants to the project management process, to increase their awareness of potential risks, and to extend their knowledge and skills so that they can define, implement and evaluate projects using the best professional practices.

Course Description

The course emphasis is placed on identifying generally recognized best practices in project management, including the skills, tools and techniques that can enhance the chances of success. The project environment shall be explained from different viewpoints: the project organization and how it relates to corporate structures, the project life cycle from the initiation stage to the handover of the project, as well as different project management processes needed to initiate, plan, execute, control and close the project.

This course addresses the project processes required to build an effective and realistic project plan. The course covers the identification of project scope and structuring it, determining the specific schedule for activities that need to be performed to produce the various project deliverables along with their interdependencies. The course includes comprehensive hands-on training on using project management software in creating project plans.

This course introduces the different cost and financial aspects of the project, which are one of the main concerns in managing today’s projects irrespective of their size and type. Emphasis is given to real-world tools and techniques needed for planning, estimating and budgeting project costs so that the project can be completed within the approved budget. The course also includes comprehensive hands-on training on using software systems in developing the costs for an internal project or for bidding on an external project.

This course focuses on how to monitor and control project progress and cost aspects. The course will introduce the earned value management (EVM) methodology used internationally for integrating scope, schedule, and resources, and for objectively measuring project performance and progress. This methodology is now declared as standard for integrated progress and cost management in the USA and the UK after being used for a long time by the US Department of Defense. The student shall also learn how to use project management software to implement EVM methodology on real world projects.

The course focuses on processes such as: risk management planning, identification, qualitative and quantitative analysis, risk response and contingency plans, and monitoring and control of a project with the objective of increasing the probability and impact of positive events versus adverse ones.
The processes and activities required to determine quality policies, objectives, and responsibilities. It implements the quality management system in the project environment through policy and procedures, with continuous process improvement activities conducted throughout the project, as appropriate.

This course covers contract management and change control processes required to administer contracts or purchase orders in the project context. The course covers a variety of contracting and procurement issues essential for professionals working in the project management field such as: planning for purchases and acquisitions, documenting requirements, identifying and pre-qualifying potential contractors, issuing requests for proposals (RFPs), obtaining and evaluating proposals, ing contractors and negotiating contracts using a contract management software system.