Syllabus

Master of Business Administration

MGT 640: Project Management for Operational Excellence

Credits - 3

Description

This course prepares MBA students to lead projects that achieve operational excellence across business functions, with a focus on supply chain management. Students will learn core project management skills, including scope definition, scheduling, budgeting, resource allocation, and risk management. The course also emphasizes leadership, effective communication, and fostering collaboration across interdisciplinary and global teams in dynamic, rapidly changing environments.

Materials

  • Project Management Institute (PMI)
    • A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Eighth Edition (2025)
      Digital access via PMI student membership (Membership Benefits)
  • PMI Student Membership
  • Linkedin Learning membership (required for the duration of the course)

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

  • Analyze project workflows and team dynamics for efficiency and performance.
  • Define key elements of project initiation, including purpose, scope, stakeholders, risks, and feasibility.
  • Apply project management methods and tools to structure organizational projects.
  • Develop an integrated project plan including schedule, resources, costs, communication, and risk.
  • Lead project teams by establishing roles and supporting effective collaboration.
  • Evaluate AI-assisted project documentation for accuracy and alignment with project goals.

Assignments

Applied Project Life Cycle Simulation

 You will serve as Project Manager for a realistic organizational project, managing it from initiation through closeout over eight weeks. Each week’s deliverable builds on the previous week’s work. Deliverables include a project charter and supporting initiation documents, a Work Breakdown Structure and populated project schedule, an operational leadership analysis, an execution constraint response presentation, a change request evaluation with acceptance criteria and status report, and a final closeout presentation with lessons learned. Formats vary across the course and include written analyses, Excel schedules, slide presentations, and recorded video briefings.

Discussions

Weekly discussions function as project team communications. You will deliver video status updates, draft stakeholder emails, practice giving and receiving professional feedback, and evaluate classmates’ project decisions. Most weeks require an initial post (often audio/video) plus two peer responses with structured, constructive feedback. In Week 8, you will review classmates who managed different project scenarios to identify transferable lessons across industries.

AI Coursework

Complete the PMI course Talking to AI: Prompt Engineering for Project Managers and submit your certificate. You will apply prompt engineering skills in the Week 3 discussion.

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

AssessmentsPoints
Week 1: Project Selection & Initial Assessment (video) 5
Week 1: Discussion: Introducing Yourself as the Project Manager 3
Week 2: Project Charter & Initiation Documentation 10
Week 2: Discussion: Project Update #1 — Team Kickoff Meeting (video) 4
Week 3: AI Course Completion — PMI Prompt Engineering Certificate 5
Week 3: Project Management Methodologies, Tools & AI 7
Week 3: Discussion: Early-Phase Project Communication & AI Support 4
Week 4: Project Schedule & Work Breakdown Structure 12
Week 5: Operational Leadership During Execution 8
Week 5: Discussion: Project Update #2 — Execution Status Briefing (video) 4
Week 6: Responding to an Execution-Phase Constraint 10
Week 6: Discussion: Project Update #3 — Constraint Impact Memo 4
Week 7: Change Control, Acceptance Criteria & Status Reporting 10
Week 7: Discussion: Framing a Change Request Decision (audio/video)4
Week 8: Project Closeout & Final Presentation 13
Week 8: Discussion: Project Closeout & Cross-Project Learning 7
Total Points:100

Grade Scale

Grade Points Grade Point Average (GPA)
A 94 – 100% 4.00
A- 90 – 93% 3.75
B+ 87 – 89% 3.50
B 84 – 86% 3.00
B- 80 – 83% 2.75
C+ 77 – 79% 2.50
C 74 – 76% 2.00
C- 70 – 73% 1.75
D 64 – 69% 1.00
F 00 – 63% 0.00

Schedule

Term Dates: 7/8/2026 – 8/28/2026

Week 1: Wednesday – Sunday
Week 2: Monday – Sunday
Week 3: Monday – Sunday
Week 4: Monday – Sunday
Week 5: Monday – Sunday
Week 6: Monday – Sunday
Week 7: Monday – Sunday
Week 8: Monday – Friday

WEEK TOPICS ASSESSMENTS DUE
1
  • What is project management?
  • Projects vs. operational work
  • The project triangle: scope, schedule, and cost
  • The project life cycle
  • Course and project orientation
  • Assignment: Project Selection & Initial Assessment (video)
  • Discussion: Introducing Yourself as the Project Manager
  • Discussion initial post due Friday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Assignment due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
2
  • Project initiation
  • Project charter
  • Scope boundaries
  • Stakeholder and risk registers
  • Preliminary budgeting
  • Assignment: Project Charter & Initiation Documentation
  • Discussion: Project Update #1 — Team Kickoff Meeting (video)
  • Discussion initial post due Friday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Assignment due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
3
  • Waterfall, Agile, and Hybrid delivery approaches
  • Project management software options
  • AI and prompt engineering for project managers
  • Building a project schedule template
  • Assignment: AI Course Completion — PMI Prompt Engineering Certificate
  • Assignment: Project Management Methodologies, Tools & AI
  • Discussion: Early-Phase Project Communication & AI Support
  • Discussion initial post due Friday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Assignments due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
4
  • Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
  • Activity sequencing and dependencies
  • Effort, duration, and resource estimating
  • Building the project schedule
  • Assignment: Project Schedule & Work Breakdown Structure
  • Assignment due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
5
  • Moving from planning into execution
  • Operational leadership and team dynamics
  • Meeting effectiveness and decision authority
  • Escalation and risk management
  • Status reporting and G/Y/R indicators
  • Assignment: Operational Leadership During Execution
  • Discussion: Project Update #2 — Execution Status Briefing (video)
  • Discussion initial post due Friday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Assignment due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
6
  • Execution challenges and constraints
  • Impact assessment across scope, schedule, budget, and quality
  • Vendor management and escalation
  • Decision documentation
  • Communicating change to the team
  • Assignment: Responding to an Execution-Phase Constraint
  • Discussion: Project Update #3 — Constraint Impact Memo
  • Discussion initial post due Friday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Assignment due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
7
  • Monitoring and controlling project performance
  • Change control and change requests
  • Acceptance criteria
  • Final status reporting
  • Assignment: Change Control, Acceptance Criteria & Status Reporting
  • Discussion: Framing a Change Request Decision (audio/video)
  • Discussion initial post due Friday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Assignment due Sunday by 11:59 PM ET
8
  • Project closeout
  • Lessons learned
  • Final acceptance and recommendations
  • Cross-project learning
  • Assignment: Project Closeout & Final Presentation
  • Discussion: Project Closeout & Cross-Project Learning
  • Discussion initial post due Wednesday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Assignment due Wednesday by 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion response posts due Friday by 11:59 PM ET

Student Resources

Online Student Support

Your Enrollment and Retention Counselor is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Please reach out to your student success team member.

UNE Libraries:

  • Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Brightspace.
  • Research by Subject: Business & Entrepreneurship Collection
  • Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.

UNE Student Academic Success Center

UNE's Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of free online services to support your academic achievement. Writing support, ESOL support, study strategy and learning style consultations, as well as downloadable resources, are available to all matriculating students. To make an appointment for any of these services, go to une.tutortrac.com. For more information and to view and download writing and studying resources, please visit:

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

Online Peer Support

Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Students should notify their student success team member and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.

ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week 

Phone: Mon-Fri: (207) 602-2487

After Hours/Weekends: (877) 518-4673

Career Ready Program

UNE Online supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!

The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

Online Peer Support

Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.

ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.

Career Ready Program

The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!

The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.

Policies

Passing Grade Statement

A grade of 80% or higher is required to pass the course. A grade lower than 80% will result in you having to repeat the course. Obtaining two "Fs" in the program may result in dismissal from the program.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Statement

Generative AI (GenAI) applications (like ChatGPT) have proven to be powerful and effective tools, and students are encouraged to become familiar with and use them. However, as with any tool, students must use GenAI in ways that support their roles as learners and professionals. The use of AI in academic work falls under our academic integrity agreement, ensuring that all AI applications are used in alignment with our commitment to honest and responsible learning.

In situations in which AI tools are used as a resource, students must:

  • Ensure that all submitted academic work adequately demonstrates student learning (i.e., that the student, rather than a machine, has met the learning outcomes related to the assessment).
  • Acknowledge, in written assessments and extra-curricular applications, the role played by AI tools in producing the student’s work (this can usually be done in a citation or by including a session transcript).
  • Take ultimate responsibility for accuracy of results, think critically about them, and never substitute them for professional human judgment.
  • Monitor GenAI output for bias and risks for vulnerable populations and underrepresented groups.

As GenAI continues to evolve, students should also stay abreast of best practices and changing risks and benefits.

Please note that individual courses or assignments may have specific guidelines regarding AI use — please refer to your faculty’s directions or assignment instructions for details.

The Student Orientation has a module "Artificial Intelligence Literacy for Students", please refer to this module for more information about navigating the use of AI.

Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool

UNE uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.

Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. 

You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements.

Late Policy

Students are responsible for submitting work by the date indicated in Brightspace. In a professional environment, deadlines matter because work impacts teams, clients, and decisions, and this course reflects those expectations.

Quizzes and Tests: 

Quizzes and tests must be completed by the posted deadline .

  • No late submissions are accepted
  • Students are encouraged to plan accordingly, as these are time-sensitive assessments

Assignments: 

Each assignment includes an automatic 48-hour grace period after the posted deadline.

  • No penalty
  • No explanation required

After the grace period:

  • Up to 5 days late: 10% deduction per day
  • More than 5 days late: Not accepted without prior instructor approval

Discussion posts:

Discussion activities depend on timely participation and peer engagement and therefore do not include a grace period.

  • Initial posts: Must be submitted by the deadline; late initial posts are not accepted
  • Response posts: May be submitted within 48 hours after the deadline for up to 50% of the response post grade.

Students are expected to communicate proactively if they anticipate difficulty meeting a deadline. In cases of significant or unforeseen circumstances, extensions may be considered at the instructor’s discretion.

UNE Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

Please contact your Enrollment and Retention Counselor if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. Tuition charges may still apply. Students are strongly urged to consult with Student Financial Services, as course withdrawals may affect financial aid or Veterans benefits.

Attendance Policy

Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Business will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 p.m. ET of the first week. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean’s Office.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.