Western Carolina University Master s Degree in Project Management (MPM) Program Department of Management & International Business College of Business

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1 Western Carolina University Master s Degree in Project Management (MPM) Program Department of Management & International Business College of Business Primary Contact Name/Information Assessment Plan Jeanne E. Dorle, Ph.D. PMP, Assistant Professor and Program Director, Graduate Program in Project Management, Department of Management & International Business, 219F Forsyth, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina, 28723, , jdorle@wcu.edu. Department Mission Statement: The Department of Management and International Business creates and disseminates leading-edge knowledge in the management of organizations that operate in the domestic and global economy. We realize these activities by recruiting and supporting faculty who are regular contributors to the foundation of knowledge in management practice and education. We prepare students for meaningful employment in the profession, contribute to the development of the University, support community development and economic progress and contribute to the advancement of the profession Graduate Program in Project Management Program Vision and Mission: The Graduate Program in Project Management at WCU strives to be the preeminent comprehensive educational program for professional project managers, to advance the project management profession through teaching, research and service, and to develop leaders in the project management profession. The mission of the Master s of Project Management Degree (MPM) is to provide individuals worldwide with skills and knowledge to become leaders in the practice of project management by: Providing online education for the global business environment, Linking theory and practice to create real world applications and value, Advancing careers and enhancing professionalism in project management, Having a significant impact on the practice of project management through research to extend the knowledge and application of best practices, and Serving the needs of the project management community. Page 1 of 9

2 Statement on Alignment of Program Mission with the University and College Mission: The mission of the Western Carolina University is to serve the people of North Carolina through teaching and learning and to create a community of scholarship in which the activities of its members are consistent with the highest standards of knowledge and practice in their disciplines. The Management and International Business Department supports the university s mission by preparing students for meaningful employment in domestic and global businesses. The MPM Program mission of providing individuals worldwide with skills and knowledge to become leaders in the practice of project management is directly aligned with the mission of the University and the Management and International Business Department. Current MPM Course and Program Assessment The MPM Program faculty has translated this mission into approximately 35 separate learning outcomes distributed across the six, six-credit core courses that all students are required to successfully complete. These intended learning outcomes are listed in Table 1 and are currently assessed at the end of the appropriate course as well as at the end of the two-year, part-time program. Anonymously completed course evaluations assess the student s perceptions of their learning, as well as the appropriateness of the course content and the effectiveness of the instructor s delivery. The Comprehensive MPM Program Assessment is an open-ended narrative completed toward the end of the last course in the Program. These assessment results are reviewed by the Chair of the International Business Department, the MPM Program Director and the course instructors. Based on these reviews adjustments are made to the MPM Program curriculum. Plan for MPM Program Level Assessment of Student Learning During , the MPM Program Director with the assistance of the MPM Program faculty will complement the current course and program based assessment of students perceptions of learning by developing direct measures of learning at the program level. This program assessment will be designed as an ongoing process aimed at understanding and improving student learning. The steps in the development of MPM Program Level Assessment will involve: Articulating the major (4-6) program goals which are directly linked to the MPM program mission of providing individuals worldwide with skills and knowledge to become leaders in the practice of project management. Articulating these goals will make our program Page 2 of 9

3 expectations explicit. These goals will be organized around knowledge and skills. Translating each program goal into measurable objectives and traits to ensure these program goals are assessable. Primary trait analysis will result in the disaggregating of objectives into traits. Standards will then be developed for each trait. A rubric will be developed for that trait. Analyze the alignment of the curriculum with these program goals and the standards established by the Project Management Institute. Set program standards for what is acceptable Choose the specific direct assessment methods we will used to assess these goals (course embedded assessment, case analysis and specially designed tests and demonstrations as needed) Define the schedule and roles and responsibilities for gathering the program assessment data Begin collecting program assessment data fall 2007 Evaluate, report and share our program data to determine where we want to focus our efforts at continuous program improvement Page 3 of 9

4 Table 1: Current Intended Learning Outcomes Organized by Course Intended Learning Outcomes Curricular Experiences Methods of Assessment 1. Demonstrate a knowledge of the specialized management methods and techniques which have been developed specifically for use in project and matrix organizations as defined in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) 2. Examine the "real world" problems, solutions, and practices of project management as they are used to accomplish specific and clearly-defined project objectives 3. Demonstrate a knowledge of the several operations research techniques available to the practicing project manager by performing the computations necessary to their use 4. Apply a set of related operations research techniques as necessary to define, plan, estimate, schedule, and control a project 5. Specify the assumptions and limitations implicit in using these techniques, and explain the effect they have on the validity of the results obtained. 6. Demonstrate an understanding of the issues and concepts involved in the initiation phase of developing a project. Page 4 of 9

5 7. Examine a "real world" case, to identify the problems, solutions, and practices of management as they are used to accomplish specific and clearly defined objectives. 8. Identify the risks associated with a project and select the most appropriate means of managing those risks. 9. Select appropriate types of contracts for allocating and managing identified risks. 10. Develop an understanding of basic government contracting procedures. 11. Apply the components of logistics planning to support project procurement processes including physical supply. 12. Evaluate a variety of projects subject to resource constraints relevant to the parent organization. 13. Develop an understanding of the fundamentals and principles of negotiations 14. Implement effective negotiation principles in an ongoing project environment. Page 5 of 9

6 15. Demonstrate an understanding of the issues and concepts involved in the planning phase of a project. 16. Demonstrate knowledge of specialized management methods and techniques developed specifically for use in project and matrix organizations as defined in the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) 17 Examine case studies and the professional literature to identify typical problems and recommended solutions for creating clearly defined plans for accomplishing the project's objectives. 18. Identify and detail the risks associated with a project and develop appropriate risk management plans 19. Explain the dynamic relationship that exists between the planning phase of the project and each of the other project phases. 20. Develop a detailed project plan that demonstrates a fundamental understanding of the project management planning process. 21. Baseline a project and obtain approval to implement PM656: Project Implementation: Policies & Page 6 of 9

7 22. Build and lead an effective project team PM656: Project Implementation: Policies & 23. Establish an effective project monitoring process to track the project's actual progress against the project plan, and adjust the plan as appropriate, according to the standards established in the PMI Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) PM656: Project Implementation: Policies & 24. Examine cases and review the literature to identify the problems, solutions, and good management practices for use in the implementation phase of the project 25. Identify the legal principles and considerations relevant to the project implementation, and the appropriate actions needed within the project to assure compliance with all applicable requirements and regulations. PM656: Project Implementation: Policies & PM656: Project Implementation: Policies & 26. Lead a project team effectively. PM658: Project Implementation: 27. Explain several approaches to effectively managing project teams. PM658: Project Implementation: 28. Define the components of an effective PM658: Project Implementation: Page 7 of 9

8 project monitoring and control process designed to track the project's actual progress against the project plan with a specific focus on people issues 29. Examine cases and the literature to identify the problems, solutions, and practices of management as they apply to the implementation of specific and clearly defined plans for accomplishing the project's objectives. 30. Explain the dynamic relationship that exists between the project planning and control process and all other aspects of implementing the project. 31. Identify ethical and legal considerations relevant specifically to marketing and termination, and the appropriate actions needed within the project to assure compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations while accomplishing the project. PM658: Project Implementation: PM658: Project Implementation: PM658: Project Implementation: 32. Successfully complete the close-out phase of a project Develop a lessons learned process and procedure to evaluate current projects and recommend improvements for future projects 33. Understand the project manager s professional and ethical responsibilities PM660: Project Completion & Professional PM660: Project Completion & Professional PM660: Project Completion & Professional individual written assignments. individual written assignments. a 34. Evaluate a variety of methods to assess PM660: Project Completion & Professional Page 8 of 9

9 and improve and organization s project management maturity 35. Produce an Advanced Topics Paper on a current topic/problem in the project management profession PM660: Project Completion & Professional individual written assignments. completion of Advanced Topic Paper Page 9 of 9