Explore online education in Tennessee

PRST 5105/6105/7105 Syllabus

Course Syllabus

PRST 5105/6105/7105 - Project Planning and Scheduling

3 Credit Hours

Course Information

Course Description:

This graduate level course has a required text, and will be project based. It was initially developed and delivered through the Manufacturing Engineering Technology program. However, the focus, content and delivery are developed with intent to be open and applicable to those having other majors.

The course content is offered at a graduate level and assuming that the average enrolled student has a basic understand of algebra as well as PC operations such as Windows and MS Office applications. Prior knowledge and experience with MS Project is helpful, but not expected.

The Bulletin description of this course is: “Contemporary methods used in project planning and scheduling; emphasis on critical path method (CPM) with computer application; solution of actual problems stressed.”

Course Outcomes:

The course is divided into major topic areas relating to different phases or stages of project management. After developing a sense of the strategic overview of project management, we will begin analyzing various components of project management such as project selection, planning, organizing, and project control. The goal is to shape the course to approximate the elements of project management and the challenges faced chronologically; that is, first considering how to plan the project and then how to more effectively run the project. The intent is not to make you into a project manager, but to have you be conversant on project management, its components and its importance to an organization.

We will be reading almost the entire book, so do not get behind. Although we are taking a "business" approach to project management, we will examine some of the technical aspects of project management

Prerequisites & Co-requisites:

None

Course Topics:

Topic areas include: Project definition including scope, work breakdown structure, establishment of milestones and methods for estimation of time and costs. Advanced topics include: Resource leveling, risk management and project crashing. All modules will be followed in sequence and according to the course schedule.

Specific Course Requirements:

OpenProj (Shareware) is required for this course. It can be obtained at: https://sourceforge.net/projects/openproj/

Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements

Required Textbooks:

Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course. Move your cursor over the "Books" link in the navigation bar and select "Textbooks & Course Materials." Select your Program, Term, Department, and Course; then select "Submit."

Supplementary Materials:

OpenProj (Shareware) is required for this course. It can be obtained at: https://sourceforge.net/projects/openproj/

Hardware and Software Requirements:

Minimum hardware requirements can be found here.

Minimum software requirements can be found here.

Common applications you might need:

Web Resources:

Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab (for APA, MLA, or Chicago style)

The Writing Center Online Writer's Handbook

Student Resources:
  • Technical support information can be found on the TN eCampus Help Desk page.
  • Smarthinking virtual tutoring is available FREE of charge. to access Smarthinking, visit the course homepage and select Smarthinking under Course Resources. You also view sample sessions to see what Smarthinking offers and how it works.
  • Information on other student issues or concerns can be located on the TN eCampus Student Resources page.

Instructor Information

Please see "Instructor Information" in the Getting Started Module for instructor contact information, virtual office hours, and other communication information. You can expect to receive a response from the instructor within 24-48 hours unless notified of extenuating circumstances.

Participation, Assessments, & Grading

Testing Procedures:

All examinations will be given online. Most assignments have a related quiz that provides immediate feedback on key issues. While assignment work is to also be turned in to the Dropbox for possible partial credit and evidence of the level of student work, most primary grading comes from assessments (quizzes and exams). Most quizzes and even regular exams are opened for a second attempt. This second attempt policy requires a 12-hour period of time between attempts, where it is assumed further preparation is being accomplished. Without the time interval, the second attempt is disregarded.

Second attempt allowed for all Quizzes & Exams

Policies for the second attempt include:

The purpose of making second attempts for all Quizzes and Exams routine is enhancement of learning, and to encourage setting a schedule to perform the work early enough to allow for the second attempt, if desired. This policy is NOT intended to provide an opportunity for quiz and exam preview. Policies include: 

  •  To encourage preparation before opening the first attempt, the score used is the average of attempts. Determination of any scoring curve will include all legitimate attempts.
  • While the second attempt could increase your grade for the item, it can also lower your grade.
  • Many quizzes and exams are test banks, so the second attempt, while covering the same materials, may not be exactly the same questions and in the same order as the first attempt.
  • There MUST be at least 12 hours between attempts, or the second attempt will not count. Since D2L will not accommodate specification and enforcement of the time delay between attempts, this will be manually administered. If the 12 hour minimum delay between the first and second attempt is not observed, the second attempt will be disregarded and the score from the initial attempt will be used in the official gradebook
Grading Procedures:

The grades will reflect the student's performance from all required course activities. High achievement in the course will occur when the student is actively involved in all required learning events. The Content Modules are supposed to lead you through the material to be certain you do not miss a course activity

Grading Scale:
Point RangeAssigned Grade
900-1000 PointsA
800-899 Points B 
700-799 PointsC
600-699 PointsD
under 600 PointsF

 

Assignments and Projects:

Assignments and Projects: Note that more detailed contents of units, dates of availability and web page links are provided in the Course Schedule (An MS Excel File) and in the course content modules Review course mechanics and expectations. Accomplish Unit 1 and post to discussion boards

Week 1: Deliverables: Discussion – Self-Intro & Ch01, Assignments = Student Info Sheet, Pretest and Quiz on Chapter 1 
Week 2: Accomplish Unit 2, and post to discussion boards. Deliverables: Discussion, Two quizzes from MS Office Online web page information.
Week 3:Accomplish Unit 3, and post to discussion boards. Deliverables: Discussion, Two quizzes, one from MS Office Online, second on Chapter 2.
Week 4: Regular Exam on Units 1, 2, & 3, Deliverables: Exam 1, Critique #1 
Week 5: Accomplish Unit 4, and post to discussion boards. Deliverables: Discussion, feedback survey, Quizzes on Chapters 3 and 4.
Week 6:Accomplish Unit 5, and post to discussion boards. Deliverables: Discussion, Assignment = Project Scheduling-Networks
Week 7:Accomplish Unit 6, and post to discussion boards. Deliverables: Project Paper Proposal, Discussion, Assignments = Project Scheduling – Gantt and Quiz on PMI 
Week 8:Regular Exam on Units 4, 5, & 6, Deliverables: Exam 2, Critique #2
Week 9:Accomplish Unit 7, and post to discussion boards. Deliverables: Discussion, Quiz Chapter 6, Quiz MS Office Online-Resources 
Week 10Accomplish Unit 8, and post to discussion boards. Deliverables: Discussion, Assignment-Resource leveling, MS Online Quiz-Defining project scope
Week 11:Accomplish Unit 9, and post to discussion boards. Deliverables: Discussion, Assignment-Risk management, 2 Quizzes from MS Office Online
Week 12:Regular Exam on Units 7, 8 & 9, Deliverables: Exam 3, Critique #3
Week 13:Accomplish Units 10 & 11, and post to discussion boards. Deliverables: Discussion, Quizzes on Chapter 7 & Chapter 8, Project Paper is Due at end of week
Week 14:Accomplish Unit 12, and post to discussion boards. Deliverables: Discussion
Week 15: Final Exam (comprehensive)

 

Class Participation:

Students must participate in all interactive aspects of the course, although all are asynchronous. Participation in threaded discussion boards includes responding to the instructor’s posting and also to postings by other students. Participation in the discussion boards is scored based on evidence of student contribution, quality and interaction or response to postings by other students. Language and Spelling are also part of the scoring. Scoring is posted and discussion locked for each unit one week before each of the three exams is due. Students are responsible for checking course bulletin board and email frequently for announcements.

Late Policy:

Course Ground Rules

The following two statements (1., 2.) were derived from the TBR System-wide Student Rules document, released January 2012:

RULES OF THE TENNESSEE BOARD OF REGENTS STATE UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM OF TENNESSEE SYSTEMWIDE STUDENT RULES CHAPTER 0240-02-03 STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS

Read the document in its entirety here.

1. Standards of Conduct:

  • Students are required to adhere to the same professional, legal and ethical standards of conduct online as on campus. In addition, students should conform to generally accepted standards of "netiquette" while sending e-mail, posting comments to the discussion board, and while participating in other means of communicating online. Specifically, students should refrain from inappropriate and/or offensive language, comments and actions.

2. Review the TN eCampus Academic Integrity/Academic Honesty Policy:

  • In their academic activities, students are expected to maintain high standards of honesty and integrity. Academic dishonesty is prohibited.

Such conduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • an attempt by one or more students to use unauthorized information in the taking of an exam
  • to submit as one's own work, themes, reports, drawings, laboratory notes, computer programs, or other products prepared by another person,
  • or to knowingly assist another student in obtaining or using unauthorized materials.

Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited.

Students guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, are subject to disciplinary action through the regular procedures of the student’s home institution.  Refer to the student handbook provided by your home institution to review the student conduct policy.

In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed, the instructor has the authority to assign an "F" or zero for an activity or to assign an "F" for the course.

Other Course Rules:

Students are expected to:

  • Participate in all aspects of the course
  • Communicate with other students
  • Learn how to navigate in Brightspace
  • Keep abreast of course announcements
  • Use the assigned course management (Brightspace) email address rather than a personal email address
  • Address technical problems immediately:
  • Observe course netiquette at all times.

Guidelines for Communications

Email:

  • Always include a subject line.
  • Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way. Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.
  • Use standard fonts.
  • Do not send large attachments without permission.
  • Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.
  • Respect the privacy of other class members

Discussions:

  • Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker then a discussant.
  • Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.
  • Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of other’s ideas.
  • Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.
  • Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.
  • Be positive and constructive in group discussions.
  • Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.

Library

The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in TN eCampus programs and courses. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading will be included within the course modules. To access the Virtual Library, go to the course homepage and select the Virtual Library link under Course Resources.

Students with Disabilities

Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes

The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on the course bulletin board.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this syllabus is for general information purposes only. While we endeavor to keep this information up-to-date and accurate, there may be some discrepancies between this syllabus and the one found in your online course. The syllabus of record is the one found in your online course. Please make sure you read the syllabus in your course at the beginning of the semester. Questions regarding course content should be directed to your instructor.


Last Revised on May 10, 2017