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Project management

Whether you’re a current or aspiring project manager or a project team member, this module supports you to improve your practice and make your contribution even more effective. You’ll gain an understanding of the essential steps in the project life cycle and reflect on the techniques available to you and how they can be applied. You’ll have the opportunity to review, in light of your new knowledge and experience, a project on which you have already worked. The topics covered include stakeholders, finance, risk, people, project administration and quality.

Vocational relevance

The module takes a broad approach to technological projects and will be relevant to project managers and those wishing to increase their knowledge about project management. The tools and techniques presented will be of use to project managers and team members in improving the effectiveness of their teams.

This module is accredited by the Association for Project Management (APM). It refers to the APM Body of Knowledge, British and International Standards, Prince2 and many other established sources.

Qualifications

M815 is an option module in our:

Excluded combinations

Sometimes you will not be able to count a module towards a qualification if you have already taken another module with similar content. To check any excluded combinations relating to this module, visit our excluded combination finder or check with an adviser before registering.

Module

Module code
M815
Credits

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
30
Study level
Across the UK, there are two parallel frameworks for higher education qualifications, the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Northern Ireland and Wales (FHEQ) and the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). These define a hierarchy of levels and describe the achievement expected at each level. The information provided shows how OU postgraduate modules correspond to these frameworks.
OU Postgraduate
SCQF 11
FHEQ 7
Study method
Distance learning
Module cost
See Module registration
Entry requirements

Find out more about entry requirements.

Module details Entry requirements Module registration Study materials

What you will study

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 own reflections on the applicability, or not, of the principles and processes to projects within your own 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 the development of your own 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 address the activities and assessment in the module.

This module is presented wholly online. Your study is directed from the module website with a study planner to guide 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.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

Throughout your module studies, you’ll get help and support from your assigned module tutor. They’ll help you by:

  • Marking your assignments (TMAs) and providing detailed feedback for you to improve.
  • Guiding you to additional learning resources.
  • Providing individual guidance, whether that’s for general study skills or specific module content.
  • Facilitating online discussions between your fellow students, in the dedicated module and tutor group forums.

Module tutors also run online tutorials throughout the module. Where possible, recordings of online tutorials will be made available to students. While these tutorials won’t be compulsory for you to complete the module, you’re strongly encouraged to take part. If you want to participate, you’ll likely need a headset with a microphone.

Assessment

The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box.

Professional recognition

This module is accredited by the Association for Project Management (APM).

Course work includes

3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
End-of-module assessment

Future availability

Project management (M815) starts once a year – in May.

This page describes the module that will start in May 2025.

We expect it to start for the last time in May 2027.

Regulations

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.

Entry requirements

This module is suitable for you if you have experience of working on projects, possibly as a team member, and 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 of working in organisations and be able to relate your experience to projects.

You would benefit from already having some awareness 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.

This is a postgraduate module and you will need to be able to demonstrate in the assessment that you can analyse and evaluate situations and theories and communicate at the appropriate level. Guidance on postgraduate study skills is given. If you are new to postgraduate study, or returning to study after a gap you are likely to need more time to study the module.

Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you will need a minimum overall score of 6 and minimum score of 5.5 in each of the four components: reading, writing, speaking and listening under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Please see the IELTS website for details.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.

Register

Start End England fee Register
01 May 2025 Oct 2025 £1660.00

Registration closes 10/04/25 (places subject to availability)

Register
This module is expected to start for the last time in May 2027.

Future availability

Project management (M815) starts once a year – in May.

This page describes the module that will start in May 2025.

We expect it to start for the last time in May 2027.

Additional costs

Study costs

There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.

Ways to pay for this module

We know there’s a lot to think about when choosing to study, not least how much it’s going to cost and how you can pay.

That’s why we keep our fees as low as possible and offer a range of flexible payment and funding options, including a postgraduate loan, if you study this module as part of an eligible qualification. To find out more, see Fees and funding.

Study materials

What's included

This module is only presented online – there are no printed materials.

All materials will be available on the module website, including:

  • the study planner
  • core topics of the module
  • a wide range of activities, to develop technical and professional skills
  • assignment details and submission section
  • optional additional resources to extend your learning
  • online tutorial access
  • online forum access.

Computing requirements

You’ll need broadband internet access and a desktop or laptop computer with an up-to-date version of Windows (10 or 11) or macOS Ventura or higher.

Any additional software will be provided or is generally freely available.

To join in spoken conversations in tutorials, we recommend a wired headset (headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone).

Our module websites comply with web standards, and any modern browser is suitable for most activities.

Our OU Study mobile app will operate on all current, supported versions of Android and iOS. It’s not available on Kindle.

It’s also possible to access some module materials on a mobile phone, tablet device or Chromebook. However, as you may be asked to install additional software or use certain applications, you’ll also require a desktop or laptop, as described above.

If you have a disability

The module is presented wholly online. Figures, descriptions and online transcripts of any audio components are included online, as are printable versions of the module text. Some text may not be fully accessible using a screen reader, for example mathematical notation may be particularly difficult to read in this way. Other alternative formats of the study materials may be available in the future.

If you use specialist hardware or software to assist you in using a computer you are advised to contact us about support that can be given to meet your needs.

To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our disability support pages.

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