CEM380: Construction Project Management: from Inception to Site Delivery

Module code: CEM380

Module provider: School of Construction Management and Engineering, School of Built Environment

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Professor Stuart Green, email: s.d.green@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded: IN TAKING THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT TAKE CEM280 (Compulsory)

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The aim of the module is to provide students with a conceptual understanding of project management as applied to construction.  Emphasis extends beyond the traditional ‘iron triangle’ of time, cost and quality to focus on value creation on behalf of diverse stakeholders.  Coverage includes alternative conceptualisations of project management and associated tools and techniques.  Effective project management during the early stages of projects is seen to depend on advanced behavioural skills.  Coupled with an ability to be persuasive.  Leadership skills are therefore of vital importance, not least in terms the ability to structure problems at a conceptual level. The project manager who manages on behalf of the client must further be able to co-ordinate teams of designers and specialists from diverse backgrounds. The focus throughout is on the application of ideas to real-world situations. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Diagnose projects in relation to the core governing principles of project management and establish requirements for agile project delivery.  
2. Recommend appropriate techniques for managing construction projects from inception through to completion. 
3. Explain the role of project leadership within the scope and context of the construction sector.
4. Apply management and organisational theories to a range of practical and contemporary issues in the management of construction projects – from inception through to completion.

Module content

• Change and continuity in the construction sector.
• Evolving models of project management; agile vs waterfall;the projectification of construction. 
• Project management in a problematic world. 
• Understanding client organisations. 
• Project control: time, cost and quality. 
• Project management during (by) design. 
• From project delivery to value creation. 
• Building performance evaluation. 
• Learning lessons from the Poulson scandal. 
• Project procurement. 
• Project leadership and mega-projects. 
• Visioning sustainability. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures, seminars, case studies, group working. Self-study, directed reading. 

Study hours

At least 32 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The below information applies toall full time and flexible modularstudents on taught PGT programmes in SBE

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Active participation of students who have work experience is encouraged to share experiences and knowledge. In class there will be discussion of the course content as this is delivered, with appropriate groupwork.  

Reassessment

Additional costs