This module considers the whole life cycle of projects. The principles and processes are contextualised through reference to case studies, and you are encouraged to develop your reflections on the applicability, or not, of the principles and processes to projects within your organisation, industry or area of practice. You will review and evaluate frameworks and standards.
The module includes case studies from a variety of technological settings. Throughout the life cycle, the recurring topics of stakeholders, finance, risk, people, project administration and quality are discussed in the context of what the project manager is doing, responding to or monitoring. Tools and techniques for project managers are explained and evaluated to facilitate developing your expertise in choosing appropriate techniques and applying them in your professional practice. You will be encouraged to engage with the choice between using project management software or working through techniques manually to deepen your understanding and ability to evaluate output from software packages. Microsoft Project 2016 is provided, or you can use a package you are familiar with, provided it enables you to address the activities and assessments in the module.
This module is presented wholly online. Your study is directed from the module website, where a study planner guides you through the text materials, the activities, and the assessment. Where you need to study additional materials, such as case studies, articles, and journal papers, you will be directed to these.
The module takes a broad approach to technological projects and will be relevant to project managers and to those wishing to deepen their knowledge of project management. The tools and techniques presented will help project managers and team members improve their team's effectiveness. It refers to the APM Body of Knowledge, British and International Standards, PRINCE2 and many other established sources.
This module is accredited by the Association for Project Management (APM).
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Course work includes:
This module is only presented online – there are no printed materials.
All materials will be available on the module website, including:
You can study this module on its own or use the credits you gain towards an Open University qualification.
M815 is an option module in our:
Sometimes you cannot count a module towards a qualification if you have already counted another module with similar content. To verify any excluded combinations with this module, check with an adviser before registering.
Project management (M815) starts once a year – in May.
It will next start in May 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in May 2030.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
This module is suitable for you if you have experience working on projects, possibly as a team member. You do not need to have worked on all phases of the project lifecycle.
If you have not worked on projects, you need to have experience working in organisations and be able to relate your experience to projects.
You would benefit from being aware of project management processes, although you do not need to be a practising project manager. In the assessment, you will need to reflect on project work that you have done and be able to relate the tools and techniques presented in the module to a project or a situation within a project within your experience.
The study material is online, so you’ll spend considerable time using a computer and the internet.
Some components might not be fully accessible using a screen reader. Mathematical notation can be particularly difficult to read in this way.
Written transcripts of audio components, figure descriptions and printable versions of texts are available.
If you’re using printed materials as part of reasonable adjustments to support your studies, note that printed versions of online materials are unavailable for this module.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our disability support pages.
| Start | End | Register by | England fee |
|---|
| 01 May 2026 | 31 Oct 2026 | 09 Apr 2026 | £1,775 |
| 01 May 2027 | 31 Oct 2027 | 08 Apr 2027 | Not yet available* |
There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
If your income is not more than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after your module has started.
There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study costs. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in England.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to help with your tuition fees. To find out more, see Postgraduate tuition fee loans in Northern Ireland.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to help with your tuition fees. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in Scotland.
If you study this module as part of an eligible qualification, you can apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study costs. To find out more, see Postgraduate loans in Wales.
The Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA) offers a convenient 'pay as you go' option to pay your OU fees, which is a secure, quick and easy way to pay. Please note that The Open University works exclusively with OUSBA and is not able to offer you credit facilities from any other provider. All credit is subject to status and proof that you can afford the repayments.
You pay the OU through OUSBA in one of the following ways:
Joint loan applications
If you feel you would be unable to obtain an OUSBA loan on your own due to credit history or affordability issues, OUSBA offers the option to apply for a joint loan application with a third party. For example, your husband, wife, partner, parent, sibling or friend. In such cases, OUSBA will be required to carry out additional affordability checks separately and/or collectively for both joint applicants who will be jointly and severally liable for loan repayments.
As additional affordability checks are required when processing joint loan applications, unfortunately, an instant decision cannot be given. On average, the processing time for a joint loan application is five working days from receipt of the required documentation.
Read more about Open University Student Budget Accounts (OUSBA).
Studying with The Open University can boost your employability. OU courses are recognised and respected by employers for their excellence and the commitment they take to complete. They also value the skills that students learn and can apply in the workplace.
Over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees.
You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module.
We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.
We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may wish to pay part of your tuition fee with a debit card and pay the remainder in instalments through an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA).
We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may get support from your employer to pay part of your tuition fee and pay the remainder by credit or debit card.
For more information about combining payment options, contact an adviser.
Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and, therefore, the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.
