About this programme
This programme will give you the skills and expertise to manage projects from start to finish, to deliver projects on time and to budget. Managing projects is an exciting career path and can be utilised anywhere in the world.
You will develop the theory and practical applications required of project managers and also have the opportunity to join the NZ Project Management Institute and complete their professional examinations.
What you will learn
You will study the principles of project management, business finance, operations management, advanced project management and Business Transformation and Change. These skills and knowledge gained will be used as you complete an industry project.
The project management knowledge you will gain on this programme aligns with the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK)®, as defined by the Project Management Institute. This knowledge will give you a solid foundation should you wish to seek certification with The Project Management Institute.
Courses in this programme
| Compulsory Courses |
Level |
Credits |
|
AMPM601 - Project Management Theory
Aim: To enable the student to learn the basic principles and terminology of the profession of project management, and apply this to create project plans.
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Compare and contrast project management and general management.
- Apply MS Project software to develop a project plan, which incorporates a Gantt chart, scheduled activities and assigned resources, including people, equipment and their relevant costs.
- Evaluate a project for cost, time and resource workload.
- Monitor and evaluate a project utilising control techniques and project milestones and performance outcomes.
|
6 |
15 |
|
AMIF603 - Introduction to Finance
Aim: Students will apply financial management knowledge and skills to a small or medium size business for decision-making purposes.
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the business finance environment.
- Calculate, interpret and evaluate capital budgeting techniques and apply them to the appraisal of investment decisions.
- Apply understanding of working capital and current assets management to given business situations.
- Evaluate short term and long term financing alternatives for businesses.
- Analyse principles of capital structure including the cost of capital.
- Demonstrate application of different aspects of business finance to case studies and offer recommendations.
|
6 |
15 |
|
AMOM632 - Operations Management
Aim: To give students an understanding of the concepts and analytical methods that contribute to the systematic direction and control of the processes that transform inputs into completed goods and services. Operations management focuses on the management of people and resources through systematic management and feedback. Students will gain introductory knowledge and experience of an operation’s contribution to the macro-management environment
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Explain and apply principles and practices for the design and specification of products, services, processes, jobs and systems, including project management and performance measurement and control.
- Evaluate resource planning, sales forecasting and production planning techniques and apply the principles of capacity management.
- Demonstrate understanding of quality management principles and use quality tools and techniques in the design of efficient and effective operating systems.
- Explain the principles of supply chain management, integrated systems strategies, activity scheduling and apply to a given situation.
|
6 |
15 |
|
AMPM700 - Advanced Project Management
Aim: To enable students to understand and apply the principles of the project management in accordance with the expectations of the Project Management Institute PMBOK®.
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Evaluate the processes triggered by project initiation.
- Construct project planning documentation including scope planning, scope definition, creation of WBS, and scope control.
- Determine cost profiles for a project and evaluate project performance against baseline estimates.
- Apply quality management principles to projects and analyse the impact of this on project success.
- Evaluate human resource management assigned to projects, including balancing workload and analyse the impact of this on resource utilisation and cost.
- Evaluate communications management within the context of running a project.
- Critically evaluate activities involved with project integration management including the effectiveness of a project using principles of project control, cost and schedule variance, and earned value.
- Analyse and evaluate solutions for issues that may arise during project closure.
|
7 |
15 |
|
AMTC700 - Business Transformation and Change
Aim: This course will give students an insight into the excitement and challenge associated with introducing change, especially strategic change in organisations. It will examine the forces that impact on an organisation in today’s business environment such as the pressures of deregulation, privatisation, social renewal, globalisation and other external and internal factors. Having identified the forces that drive strategic change, discussed issues associated with articulating a vision of strategic change, practical aspects of implementing change will be addressed. The student will explore what it means to be a change agent in an organisation. The student will learn how to align business strategy, culture and management capability in order to match the level of turbulence within the organisation’s operating environment.
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Apply concepts, tools and techniques to organisation change, and identify how change comes about, its constituents, and its impact upon organisations.
- Critically evaluate the concept of strategy, the relationship between strategy and change.
- Evaluate the activities, programmes and tools managers employ to make change occur.
- Analyse the dimensions of leadership and their relationship to change and the challenges inherent in implementing change.
- Evaluate the methods of measuring the progress and success of change programmes.
- Research the issues facing change agents in organisations.
|
7 |
15 |
|
AMIP700 - Industry Project
Aim: To develop capabilities related to chosen area of specialisation, in a “hands-on” immersion in industry practice.
To enable students to apply their learning, test the relevance of academic theories to the workplace and to reflect critically on this relationship between their academic study and industry practice.
To enable students to carry out a significant work assignment for the host organisation on a topic in a field allied to their major and present a project report in conjunction with an academic supervisor. The project forms the final component of the programme and requires students to produce work of the highest quality as evidence of their development
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Critically analyse and reflect upon the work experience in relation to relevant theories, concepts, models and current industry practice.
- Demonstrate the ability to define, plan and present a report involving the collection, analysis and interpretation of data and theory appropriate to an approved industry topic.
- Synthesise solutions and draw conclusions from the analysis of data.
- Produce a project report of professional standard that meets the host organisation’s needs as well as academic requirements
|
7 |
45 |
Workload
You will have approximately 4 hours of class time a week for each course followed by approximately 10 hours of self-directed study.
Our lectures are supported by our e-learning resources. This contains lecture presentations, additional reading, discussion forums and other resources which help reinforce your learning.
Career opportunities
Build your career around Project Management. An exciting and demanding career that can take you in many different directions and into many industries. With career opportunities in Business, Banking, Event Management, IT, Construction, Hospitality, Government, Health and Manufacturing, you will have the project planning expertise as well as your management skills to ensure projects are completed successfully on time and within budget.
Additional costs
There are additional costs for text books. These can vary from $50 to $150 per course. Class materials $50.
There are additional costs associated with membership of the Project Management Institute and for those who wish to sit the PMI professional examinations.
Admission information
Academic Requirements
-
A Bachelor's degree in any field excluding project management.
-
or alternatively, a Level 6 or 7 Diploma and relevant work and/or life experience (equivalent to a Bachelor's degree).
-
or Evidence of equivalent practical, professional or educational experience eg. 3 - 5 years full time work experience (relevant to business studies).
If English is not your first language you may also be required to provide evidence of your English language skills as listed below.
Qualifications gained
Northland Polytechnic Graduate Diploma in Project Management
Courses and programmes may be cancelled, postponed or have their content or configuration changed from time to time (including during the academic year) at the discretion of NorthTec. Fees are an indication, include GST and apply to domestic students only. View terms and conditions
From 1 January 2023, all NorthTec learners will be part of Te Pūkenga. Please note that these programmes of study are currently under review as part of the reform of vocational education training and may be subject to change.
Resources and Publications