Industrial Project Management Masters/MSc

Program Overview

The MSc in Industrial Project Management is a part-time, distance-learning program that enhances the skills of working project leaders in delivering efficient industrial projects. Accredited by APM, the program covers project management fundamentals, leadership, execution, and improvement strategies. Students can choose to complete a Certificate (1 year), Diploma (2 years), or MSc (3 years), with a focus on practical application and critical evaluation of current project management practices.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The MSc in Industrial Project Management is a part-time, distance-learning program designed for working project leaders who want to enhance their skills in delivering reliable and efficient industrial projects and programs. The program goes beyond common project management practices, equipping students with the ability to assess and critique new and existing practices, fostering a career in successful project leadership. The program is delivered through a partnership between the University of Birmingham and industry experts, ensuring a practical and relevant curriculum. It aims to provide students with:

• A systematic understanding of project management knowledge and critical awareness of current challenges in an industrial context.
• A comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to advanced study of project management.
• Innovation in the application of project management knowledge, with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret information.
• Conceptual understanding of project management that enables students to critically evaluate current research and advance scholarship and evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them.
The program is accredited by the UK's Chartered Association for Project Management (APM).

Outline:

The program is modular in structure, consisting of six compulsory taught 20-credit modules (a total of 120 credits of taught material) and a major project in the third year (60 credits). Students can choose to complete one year (for a Certificate in Project Management), two years (for a Diploma in Project Management), or a full three-year MSc course.

Year 1:

• Introduction to Industrial Project Management (20 credits): Covers the fundamentals of project management from a business-driven and critical perspective.
• Purpose and Planning (20 credits): Focuses on the planning and purpose of industrial projects.
• Leadership and Collaboration (20 credits): Explores leadership and collaboration skills essential for successful project delivery.
• Projects, Systems, and Control (20 credits): Examines the relationship between projects, systems, and control mechanisms.

Year 2:

• Managing Execution for Flow (20 credits): Addresses the execution and management of projects for optimal flow.
• Managing and Improving Projects in Organisations (20 credits): Explores strategies for managing and improving projects within organizations.

Year 3:

• Major Project (MSc only) (60 credits): Students undertake a research project on an in-depth industrial project, applying the principles and tools learned in the previous two years.

Course Schedule:

• Students study one module every 4 months during the first two years of the program.
• They are expected to commit about 8-15 hours per week to their studies.
• The final year project will take about 400 hours of work.

Assessment:

• Assessment is primarily through coursework, with assessed tutorials and presentations in some cases.
• The major project is assessed via a report and presentation.

Teaching:

• The program combines supported online learning with annual in-person hub workshops.
• Students study from their current home base.
• The program is delivered through a partnership between the University and industry experts.
• The core recorded material consists of short presentations by a wide range of the University's academic staff and industry experts.
• In Years 1 and 2, two-day 'Hub' workshops are held, allowing for more interaction and experiential discussion and learning.
• The hubs take place on the Birmingham campus, with an alternative location usually in Asia or the Middle East.

Careers:

• The course is aimed at people currently in work (in an industrial setting) and will provide significant development within their existing career path or offer an opportunity to change to a more project-oriented career.
• The successful management of projects is critical to the growth and safe operations of many businesses.
• The course will equip project managers and team members with the skills and knowledge to significantly increase the success rates of their projects.
• As University of Birmingham students, IPM MSc participants will have access to the full range of services offered by the University for careers and development.

Other:

• The program addresses the particular needs and challenges of industrial projects, particularly manufacturers with the need to develop their assets.
• It covers the complete project from the client's perspective, not only the implementation/construction stage.
• The program goes beyond the coverage of project management Bodies of Knowledge.
• It equips students to take an independent critical perspective on how projects are implemented and to develop the ability to assess and critique perceived 'good practice'.
• The program is designed for working project managers, allowing them to implement their learning and create business benefit during the program.
• It is facilitated by a faculty that combines academic rigor with decades of experience of managing these kinds of projects.
• The University of Birmingham's virtual learning platform presents students with a flexible environment for their online studies.
• The program takes full advantage of digital media with modules that draw on interactivity, active student participation, and social connectivity with staff and peers to provide a more dynamic learning experience.
• Students who successfully complete Year 1 qualify for a Postgraduate Certificate qualification (PGCert), and those who complete both Years 1 and 2 qualify for a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip).
• For the full MSc qualification, all six modules and the research project have to be completed.

January 2024 entry £10,620 September 2024 entry £11,340 Course fee is due in 3 installments, each installment invoiced beginning of each year of study. £3,540 each year for January 2024 start. £3,780 each year for September 2024 Fee rates for future cohorts beyond the start dates given above are subject to revision