Category Archives: MSPM Curriculum

MSPM: In the Know, March 24, 2015

Top 3 for 24 Mar

•Summer and Fall 2015 Classes
Registration is now open for both the summer and fall 2015 semesters. Review your plans in DegreeMAP, schedule an advisement session with me, and register for classes to ensure you earn the seat in the course/section you want/need.

The Blackboard Collaborate schedule for summer 2015 is now available on the blog.
As a reminder, all general elective courses must be approved by your advisor to apply to the degree requirements. Failure to receive approval for your general elective may result in you having to take additional courses. Schedule an advisement session, plan ahead, and never make assumptions. Please also remember that you have both a general elective requirement to fulfill and a DNSC elective requirement. A DNSC elective is one that is offered by the Decision Sciences Department. Consult DegreeMAP to confirm your individual program requirements.

• VALOR Professional Credentialing Grant
The Office of Military and Veteran Student Services and GW Career Services are proud to announce a new initiative aimed to support our VALOR students in their efforts towards professional development. The VALOR Professional Credentialing Grant allows for eligible VALOR students to apply for reimbursement grants towards a number of professional certification exams. 10 exams are included on the list, the PMP being of most relevance to MSPM students. Application period is 1-20 Apr. Visit http://services.military.gwu.edu/valor-professional-credentialing-grant for details.

•GW Women in Business Sixth Annual Spring Conference, 28 Mar
The GW Women in Business Association is hosting their sixth annual spring conference on Saturday, 28 Mar. This year’s conference, “Be Bold, Be You,” will feature business leaders from Lucky Group, Donna Karen, Under Armour Women, and Chobani. Purchase tickets before they sell out at gwwibspringconference.org!

Fall 2015 Electives

The MSPM program will offer two electives in the fall 2015 semester – a 1.5 credit elective and a 3 credit elective. These electives are project management-specific, available on campus or via distance/online, and may be applied to the Decision Sciences (DNSC) elective requirement for the program.  An executive summary of each elective is provided below.

DNSC 6290 Project Quality Management (3 credit hours) taught by Dr. Andrew Griffith

Classic project management theory includes the concept of the triple constraint – time, cost, and quality. However, quality can be a rather vague term that is hard to quantify, measure, or improve. Project quality can be divided into three separate concerns: (1) the features incorporated in the project deliverables, (2) the fitness of the deliverables for the intended application, and (3) the effectiveness or efficiency of the project development and execution. This course is focused on the quality management of projects. It explores current theories and practices regarding quality management as applied to manufacturing and the service industry, the application to project systems, and the application to individual projects. In addition, we will explore the application of project management techniques in implementing a quality improvement initiative within an organization.

Prerequisites: None

Contact professor for sample syllabi and additional information: griffith@gwu.edu

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DNSC 6290 International Project Management (1.5 credit hours) taught by Dr. Sam Ghosh (offered online only, not on campus)

August 31-October 24, 2015

The course is designed to augment the basics of project management theory with theory, practices and methodologies pertinent to the global project environment.  The course begins with a practical look at investigating the cultural environment in order to understand the context of managing global projects.

Prerequisites: None

Contact professor for sample syllabi and additional information: sghosh12@gwu.edu

MSPM: In the Know, April 16, 2014

MSPM: In the Know

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3:		 Summer 2014 Textbook List
University Counseling Center
Events Roundup

Dear MSPM students,

The top 3 items you need to know this week:

Summer 2014 Textbook List

The textbook list for the summer 2014 MSPM courses is now available at www.gwprojectmanagement.org. The list of books has also been shared with the GW bookstore. For those looking to find the cheapest options available, review this list of 11 sites for cheap textbooks.

For all non-MSPM courses, please check the Schedule of Classes or the GW Bookstore sites for textbook information. The fall 2014 textbook list should be made available to all students in July.

University Counseling Center

This messages serves as a reminder of the services provided by the University Counseling Center. The Center is the primary mental health agency for GW students and the rest of the campus community. Their office on the Foggy Bottom Campus is open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. 24-hour support is available via phone at 202-994-5300.  We encourage all students to utilize the Center’s services.

Events Roundup

17 Apr, 12-1pm EDT – GW LinkedIn Virtual Networking Hour.

23 Apr, 11:30am-1pm EDT – Organizational Change Management for Project Managers featuring Karen Davey-Winter in Duques 453 in DC. Event is organized by PMIWDC and is free of charge, however registration requested.

23 Apr, 5:30-7:30pm EDT – Women in Technology Roundtable hosted by the GW Tech Alumni. Registration is free.

1 May – International Engineering, Security, and Project Professionals Conference in College Park, MD.

13-15 May – FOSE, the nation’s premier event for government technology professionals, in DC. Free for government personnel and members of PMIWDC (use promo code CF4F63). Visit the GW booth in the expo hall!

17 May, 12-2pm EDT – International Student Graduation Reception & Luncheon, Alumni House in DC. Free to attend, registration requested.

MSPM: In the Know, March 19, 2014

MSPM: In the Know

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3:		 Fall 2014 Registration Opens Tomorrow, 20 Mar
Fall 2014 Electives and Last Chance for a Spring 2014 Elective
Events Roundup

Dear MSPM Students,

The top 3 items you need to know this week:

Fall 2014 Registration Opens Tomorrow, 20 Mar

Registration for the fall 2014 semester opens tomorrow at 7am EDT via the GWeb Info Systems site. If you have confirmed your course registrations for the fall 2014 semester with me, register accordingly. If you need to confirm your course registrations or update your plan in DegreeMAP, schedule an advisement session with me via www.meetme.so/gwmspm. Register early to ensure a seat before we begin processing names on our wait list.

If you plan to register for DNSC 6269 PM Application (capstone) in the fall semester, you must register via a Registration Transaction Form (RTF), not via GWeb. Submit a completed RTF to my attention via email or fax for review and processing. Details for the form, such as the course CRN and section, may be found on the Schedule of Classes.

Fall 2014 Electives and Last Chance for a Spring 2014 Elective

The MSPM program will offer two 1.5 credit electives in the fall 2014 semester – DNSC 6290 International Project Management (Dr. Sam Ghosh) and DNSC 6290 Project Management & Organizational Context (Dr. Julia Keleher). Dr. Ghosh’s course will be offered during the first half of the semester, August 25-October 18, 2014. Dr. Keleher’s course will be offered during the second half of the semester, October 20-December 6, 2014. These electives are project management-specific, available both on campus and via distance, and may be applied to the Decision Sciences (DNSC) elective requirement for the program. An executive summary of each elective is available at www.gwprojectmanagement.org.

GWSB is also offering a unique on-campus course during the week of May 12-15, 2014. Earn 1.5 credits of general electives this spring through the MBAD 6290.12 Business & Society course by Rafael Lucea, Professor of International Business & International Affairs. The course offers an overview of the broad arena in which business operates with particular attention to its political, social and economic environments. The course is in DC and includes visits to the Fed, US Capitol, IMF, and USAID. To register, submit an RTF to my attention immediately via email or fax (CRN 97110). Only 6 seats remain!

Events Roundup

Tuesday, 25 Mar, 11am-12pm EDT – Understanding the Scaled Agile Framework webinar from ITMPI.

Wednesday, 26 Mar, 11:30am-1pm EDT – Practical Answers to Business Questions About Post-Award Bid Protests featuring Don Carney in Duques 453 in DC. Event is organized by PMIWDC and is free of charge.

Saturday, 29 Mar, 8pm-12am EDT – Fourth Annual Business Gives Back Gala at Long View Gallery in DC.

Wednesday, 2 Apr, 6-7pm EDT – Career Development Speaker Series: A Day as a Solutions Architect featuring Suneel Grover from SAS at Duques 353 in DC. This event is sponsored by the GW Business Analytics Association and counts toward the seminar requirement for the Certificate in Business Analytics.

Fall 2014 Electives

The MSPM program will offer two 1.5 credit electives in the fall 2014 semester – DNSC 6290 International Project Management and DNSC 6290 Project Management & Organizational Context.  These electives are project management-specific, available both on campus and via distance, and may be applied to the Decision Sciences (DNSC) elective requirement for the program.  An executive summary of each elective is provided below.

DNSC 6290 International Project Management (1.5 credit hours) taught by Dr. Sam Ghosh

August 25-October 18, 2014

The course is designed to augment the basics of project management theory with theory, practices and methodologies pertinent to the global project environment.  The course begins with a practical look at investigating the cultural environment in order to understand the context of managing global projects.

Prerequisites

None

Course Objectives

1)      To understand the difference between project management and international project management

2)      To understand different cultures and how it impacts management for projects in a domestic and global environment

3)      To understand different modules involved in international project management

Assignments
Assignments will include an individual homework assignment, an individual short paper, and a team research paper. Professor will confirm final assignments/deliverables on the first day of class.
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DNSC 6290 Project Management & Organizational Context (1.5 credit hours) taught by Dr. Julia Keleher
October 20-December 6, 2014

This course explores how the organizational context in which project management takes place interacts with project management practices.  Readings focus on three areas: 1) the characteristics that define and differentiate organizational contexts and organizational culture, 2) the role and function of a Project Management Office and 3) the interaction of organizational context and culture on project management processes. Assignments and learning activities involve applying course concepts to real-world situations and case studies. Students will analyze the influence of organizational context on project management decisions taking place during initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closing processes.

Prerequisites
None
Course Objectives

  1. Understand the key terms and concepts used to define, classify and describe organizations, organizational context and organizational culture
  2. Identify the implications of organizational context and culture for project management and learning
  3. Recognize the benefits and challenges associated with centralized project management practices and Project Management Offices (PMO) across organizational contexts
  4. Apply course concepts to  your professional experiences and real world cases
  5. Identify the skills and competencies a Project Manager needs to be successful in different organizational contexts.

Assignments

2 written assignments and 2 presentations. Professor will confirm final assignments/deliverables on the first day of class.

MSPM: In the Know, March 12, 2014

MSPM: In the Know

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3:		 New Summer 2014 DNSC Elective Added
Summer 2014 Blackboard Collaborate Schedule
AY14-15 Tuition Rates

Dear MSPM Students,

The top 3 items you need to know this week:

New Summer 2014 DNSC Elective Added

An additional distance course will be offered this summer. Dr. Jain is teaching DNSC 6290 Business Process Analytics for the MS in Business Analytics program, but has graciously added a distance section to the course. The course is now open to MSPM students who have completed DNSC 6202 Statistics for Managers. The 1.5 credit course is scheduled for summer session I (May 19-June 28). A sample syllabus is available online (see p 61). Should you have any questions, please schedule an advisement session with me to discuss.

Summer 2014 Blackboard Collaborate Schedule

The Blackboard Collaborate schedule for the summer 2014 distance courses has been posted to www.gwprojectmanagement.org. The faculty will review the schedule during the first class session, along with their expectations for the Collaborate sessions. To confirm the class dates, visit the Schedule of Classes on the Office of the Registrar website.

AY14-15 Tuition Rates

The GW Board of Trustees approved the AY14-15 tuition rates. The per credit hour rate during the summer 2014 semester is now $1,475. The fall 2014 and spring 2015 rates are $1,490 per credit hour. The student association fee will be $2.00 per credit hour, to a maximum of $30 per semester in the fall 2014 and spring 2015. Registration fees will hold steady at $35.

MSPM: In the Know, February 5, 2014

MSPM: In the Know

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3:		 Important Registration Deadlines
Summer 2014 MSPM Elective – Project Governance
GW Summer English for Academic Purposes

Dear MSPM Students,

The top 3 items you need to know this week:

Important Registration Deadlines

Friday, 7 Feb, is the last day to add a course to your spring 2014 schedule. It is also the last day to drop a course without academic penalty. Submit a Registration Transaction Form to take either action. Consult the Office of the Registrar site for details on the refund schedule.

Friday, 7 Mar, is the last day to withdraw from a course with a grade of ‘W’ using a Registration Transaction Form.  Financial penalties will apply.

Registration for the summer 2014 term will open for all students on Monday, 3 Mar. Registration for the fall 2014 will open Thursday, 20 Mar. Schedule an advisement session with me via www.meetme.so/gwmspm to confirm your plans for the summer and fall terms.

Summer 2014 MSPM Elective – Project Governance

In addition to several core classes, we will offer a 1.5 credit elective during summer session I – DNSC 6290 Project Governance (19 May-28 Jun). The course, taught by Dr. Sam Ghosh, is 6 weeks in length and will cover models, practices, and case studies for project governance. An executive summary of the elective is available on www.gwprojectmanagement.org. This class will also be open to non-MSPM students. If you are interested in the course, register within the first week of summer registration to ensure a seat.

GW Summer English for Academic Purposes

International students looking to strengthen their academic writing, research, and communication skills are invited to enroll in summer English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses. This program is open to incoming students, as well as current international students. Class sessions are scheduled 7 Jul through 15 Aug and are on campus in Washington, DC.

Please note that these courses/credits do not count toward your MSPM degree requirements. Tuition and fees will apply; $4,200 for one 3-credit EAP course. Participants in the courses will include those who scored above and below the TOEFL requirements. If you are interested in enrolling, contact the GW School of Business Global & Experiential Education team at sbglobal@gwu.edu or 202-994-2648.