Course specification and structure
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PMCONPRM - MSc Construction Project Management

Course Specification


Validation status Validated
Highest award Master of Science Level Masters
Possible interim awards Postgraduate Diploma, Postgraduate Certificate
Total credits for course 180
Awarding institution London Metropolitan University
Teaching institutions London Metropolitan University
School School of the Built Environment
Subject Area Construction
Attendance options
Option Minimum duration Maximum duration
Full-time 1 YEARS 2 YEARS
Part-time 2 YEARS 4 YEARS
Course leader  

About the course and its strategy towards teaching and learning and towards blended learning/e-learning

Skilled construction project managers are in demand both in the UK and globally. At the London Metropolitan University School of the Built Environment, we have designed a course which aims to produce highly skilled and valued project managers who are able to effectively lead projects across the globe.

As a student on our course, you will engage in authentic learning and assessment on real world projects, working with established national and international organisations operating within the global construction and real estate sector. You will visit live projects to experience first-hand the challenges, excitement, and opportunities a career in construction project management can offer.

Placing an emphasis on real world and authentic assessment means that throughout the course students will showcase their achievements to industry and employers and contribute to solving challenges on live construction projects. In some modules, such as Project Management Principles, project choice will be available to students allowing students to choose where in the world they locate their projects which will allow students to discuss different perspectives within and outside the UK. This will aid students’ critical thinking and awareness of how different perspectives on issues relating to diversity in ethnicity, culture and nationality can impact the project manager and the management of projects.

Assessment types will be varied, and modules such as Project Management Practice and Sustainable Built Environments, will include assessment choice whereby the students can agree with the module team the format of the presentation which, for example, could be live in person, a recorded talking head video, or a recorded PowerPoint presentation with commentary. If recorded, then there will be a scheduled opportunity for Q&A.

Formative assessment is key to students’ progression as it provides the opportunity for impactful feedback to the students which will directly benefit their future submissions. Formative assessments will be embedded in modules, sometimes taking the form of a scheduled event, for example a workshop in the Applied Research Project module in which the output of the workshop will be a project outline proposal which will be arrived at through group and individual discussions with the module team.

The course will adopt a blended learning approach which will combine the benefits of a traditional classroom taught course with the flexibility which is afforded by delivery that is enhanced through embracing web-based technology and resources. These web-based technologies allow students flexible ways of engaging with the course material, academics, and their peers. The University’s Virtual Learning Environment will provide students with access to the course materials, including lecture notes, recordings and supporting resources. Through the library students will have access to e-books, journals, and construction industry databases.

London Metropolitan University’s commitment to social justice and using the power of education to change lives is central to the learning and teaching on this course, encouraging all students to engage and fulfil their potential. The course has been designed with the objective of removing arbitrary and unnecessary barriers to learning, by facilitating a learning experience accessible for all, irrespective of the group or groups to which students belong. The student experience will raise aspirations and support achievement for people with diverse requirements, entitlements, and backgrounds. All our students belong and contribute to our community of learners, engaging with the opportunities the course, School, and University offer.

Course aims

The need for expert management of construction projects is a priority for every organisation operating, developing, and owning built environment assets across the globe. The aim of this course is to develop construction project managers who have excellent communication and technical skills, and understand the contribution the principles of integrity, professionalism, respect, and excellence make towards their becoming ethical practitioners. These skills will enable them to motivate and lead the project team to achieve the client’s goals in a wide variety of scenarios, considering the challenges brought about when projects are placed within their cultural and national contexts. To do this the course will cover the knowledge, skills and behaviours required by project managers to allow them to expertly plan, programme, and allocate resources to a project whilst monitoring progress and managing risk as they work towards a successful project conclusion. It will introduce students to the principles behind advanced project management and they will practically apply them to define and ascertain the feasibility of a project, engage in the detailed planning of a project including strategic procurement, build a cross disciplinary project team, set project goals, and monitor the same within a dynamic project environment.

The course will embrace the latest project management techniques, codes of practice and bodies of knowledge. It will mobilise the latest technologies within real-life project scenarios. This will ensure the learning experience of our students is one through which they become highly employable project professionals leading ethical and sustainable project delivery within a sustainable, low carbon world.

Course learning outcomes

University Learning outcome

  1. UL0 Demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and will act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible practitioners/professionals in their discipline.

Knowledge and Understanding

On successful completion of this course you should be able to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and understanding of

2: the theories, concepts and principles which underpin traditional and contemporary project management and their application to the management of construction projects.

3. the nature of the built environment and the construction project lifecycle including the relationships and linkages between the various stakeholders.

4. the concepts of legal context, finance, economics, risk, corporate governance, ethics and sustainability as appropriate to a project manager operating in the construction and built environment industries.

5. the principles of effective project team development and how these are formed and maintained throughout the construction project lifecycle

Cognitive/Intellectual Skills

On successful completion of this programme you should be able to:

6. identify, critically evaluate and produce solutions to facilitate successful strategic and operational project management.


7. identify, critically evaluate and apply suitable techniques associated with the management of the project team, project plan, resources and uncertainty.


8. define, investigate and critique a complex problem in an area specific to project management.


Subject-specific practical skills

9 . appraise and advise on appropriate traditional and contemporary project management techniques for a range of project types.


10. how to effectively manage the dynamic landscape within which construction projects are planned and delivered.

Key Transferable Skills

11. adopt methods of communication suitable for the intended audience to convey complex information in an efficient and appropriate manner.

Principle QAA benchmark statements

Assessment strategy

Assessments will be inclusive, accessible and promote decolonization and diversification to aid students’ critical thinking and awareness of how different perspectives on issues relating to diversity in ethnicity, culture and nationality can impact the project manager and the management of projects. This will be achieved twofold. Firstly, through using case studies from across the globe to bring to the student’s attention the challenges facing project managers when working in different countries and cultures. Secondly, project choice will be available to students allowing them to choose where in the world they locate their projects which will encourage contributions from students with diverse backgrounds allowing them opportunities to draw upon, express and see the value in their different and varied personal experiences.

Placing an emphasis on real world and authentic assessment means that throughout the course students will be asked to demonstrate critical thinking and awareness of how different perspectives on issues relating to diversity in ethnicity, culture and nationality can impact the project manager and the management of projects.

The course uses a variety of assessment methods and modules are generally assessed using more than one type of assessment. As was mentioned in section 9, modules such as Project Management Practice and Sustainable Built Environments, will include assessment choice whereby the students can agree with the module team the format of the presentation which, for example, could be live in person, a recorded talking head video, or a recorded PowerPoint presentation with commentary. If recorded, then there will be a scheduled opportunity for Q&A.

The course assessments will allow students to evidence their knowledge of the course core learning materials, their intellectual and problem-solving abilities, their awareness of the impact of issues relating to diversity in ethnicity, culture and nationality on the project manager, and the skills they have gained during the course. Each module will provide an opportunity for formative assessment which will be provided ahead of any summative submissions to enable the students to learn and benefit from this feedback, improving their overall performance. The delivery of formative assessment will be different across modules and may sometimes form part of a timetabled seminar or class session.

In modules where enquiry-based learning is used, industry inspired scenarios will form the basis of the assessment, sometimes using a live project as the vehicle for the assessment.

Assessment types will include:

Debates: Group debates will be conducted around a particular topic or subject area. A proposition will be offered and defended within the group context. These are often used as the vehicle for formative feedback sessions and occur during scheduled workshops.

Essays: A focused piece of writing in which the student is required to inform or persuade through argument, explanation, narrative or description.

Portfolios: Typically, a portfolio brings together several related pieces of work which together form the basis of a response to a problem set.

Projects: These will be based on a scenario that relates directly to the construction industry and will require an objective solution to the problem that has been set.

Presentations: These may be live (face to face or online) or recorded and could include video. Whether the presentations are synchronous or asynchronous there will be an opportunity for live Q&A scheduled into the assessment timetable.

For the Applied Research Project module, the assessment is based on a substantial, individual piece of research conducted by the student. Throughout the project formative feedback and guidance will be available to all students through their work with their supervisors including opportunities for 1:1 supervision meetings.

In broad terms, the assessment strategies adopted on the course will require students to provide evidence of the following:

Analysis – have key concepts been understood and the relationship between them articulated?

Integration of theory and practice – has evidence from both academic research and professional practice been effectively related to each other, and have theoretical concepts been appropriately applied to practical situations?

Critical thinking – has information been used in a critical way rather than simply reproduced and accepted as fact?

All assessment briefs will provide students with a clear and unambiguous guide to the assessment requirements and the marking criteria to be applied. Assessments will be spread across the whole academic year to minimise assessment bunching and any feedback issued will be done so in a timely manner which, where applicable, will help inform subsequent submissions.

All students are required to submit assignments via relevant WebLearn sites through Turnitin. These are marked and made available to second markers and external examiners in all cases and all students are informed of these procedures through module discussions as well as during induction undertaken by the Course Leader.

Organised work experience, work based learning, sandwich year or year abroad

n/a

Course specific regulations

Part time starts (day release)

September start, 2 years

Year 1 Autumn semester core modules CO7000 Project Management Principles; and TBC Procurement, and Contract Practice

Year 1 Spring semester core modules; CO7005 Sustainable Built Environments and CO7001 Project Management Practice.

Year 2 Autumn semester core modules CO7004 Project Planning and Delivery; and CO7P00 Applied Research Project’

Year 2 Spring semester core module CO7P00 Applied Research Project. In addition, students to choose 1 option module from CO7006 Building a Successful Project Team or CO7003 Managing Risk and Uncertainty.

Year 2 Summer semester core module CO7P00 Applied Research Project.

February start, 2.5 years

Year 0.5 Spring semester core modules CO7000 Project Management Principles; and CO7005 Sustainable Built Environments.

Year 1 Autumn semester core modules TBC Procurement, and Contract Practice; and CO7001 Project Management Practice.

Year 1 Spring semester. Students to choose 1 option module from CO7006 Building a Successful Project Team or CO7003 Managing Risk and Uncertainty.

Year 2 Autumn semester core modules CO7P00 Applied Research Project; and CO7004 Project Planning and Delivery.

Year 2 Spring and Summer semester core module CO7P00 Applied Research Project.

Qualifying mark for module completion 50% on all modules, each of which can be passed on aggregate.

Modules required for interim awards

Postgraduate Certificate 60 credits must include CO7000 Project Management Principles and CO7001 Project Management Practice

Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) all modules except CO7P00 Applied Research Project module.

Arrangements for promoting reflective learning and personal development

As with many academic disciplines it is accepted that a knowledge of fundamental concepts and vocabulary has to be acquired by the student and this basic knowledge will be obtained primarily via the course material, including online resources, supplemented by their own personal research. However, the acquisition of that knowledge will not be adequate to develop the high-level intellectual skills appropriate to a master’s level course. Hence, the course will make extensive use of enquiry- based learning.

In the enquiry-based learning approach students are presented with scenarios which are open-ended and allow a variety of responses or solutions. Students determine the lines of enquiry and the methods employed, and the enquiry requires students to draw on existing knowledge and identify their required learning needs. Tutors often act as facilitators, providing guidance, feedback and encouragement to students, with the emphasis being on empowering students to make critical decisions, reflecting on feedback received, to seek practical solutions to the problems posed. Students work collaboratively and use the extensive resources available to them to research the problems presented in the scenario.

Through both their regular class-based activities and module assessments, students will be provided with feedback and asked to reflect and learn from this. Opportunities will be provided for students to engage with opportunities to receive feedback both real time and asynchronously.

The learning process is thus highly student-centred, with the students effectively taking responsibility for what and how they learn. The scenarios are carefully designed so that there is no single correct answer and indeed, many alternative responses may be available to them as is the case in the real world of the project manager. Students gain a much deeper understanding of the material through these interactions and feedback channels, gaining knowledge by experience, alongside developing their social, cultural and employability skills.

Other external links providing expertise and experience

n/a

Career, employability and opportunities for continuing professional development

As a construction project management graduate, your technical skills, business knowledge and communication skills will be valued by employers in a range of sectors. The private sector is a major source of employment and within the public sector both central and local government bodies offer graduates in construction project management employment opportunities.

Typical employers include:

  • Major UK and international construction companies and consultancies
  • Residential and commercial property developers
  • Construction and civil engineering contractors
  • Architectural and design practices
  • Social housing organisations
  • Public sector organisations
  • Specialist consultants including cost consultants, engineering, and environmental consultancy

The technical, management and professional skills you will gain during your studies are also valued by employers in other sectors, such as renewables, engineering and manufacturing.

Professional Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) accreditations & exemptions

We will be seeking accreditation for our Construction Project Management MSc from the Chartered Institute of Building, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, and the Association for Project Management as soon as possible.

Career opportunities

As a construction project management graduate, your technical skills, business knowledge and communication skills will be valued by employers in a range of sectors.

The private sector is a major source of employment and within the public sector, both central and local government bodies offer graduates in this field employment opportunities. Typical employers include:

  • Major UK and international construction companies and consultancies
  • Residential and commercial property developers
  • Construction and civil engineering contractors
  • Architectural and design practices
  • Housing associations
  • Public sector organisations
  • Specialist consultants including cost consultants, engineering, and environmental consultancy

The technical, management and professional skills you’ll gain during your studies are also valued by employers in other sectors, such as renewables, engineering and manufacturing.

Entry requirements

You’ll be required to have a:

  • Minimum 2:2 honours degree in a built environment subject such as, quantity surveying, architecture, civil engineering, construction management, real estate or quantity surveying

Or

  • Chartered or full membership of an appropriate built environment or project management professional body which needs to be approved for this purpose by the University, accompanied by relevant industry experience at an appropriate level

If you’re applying with non-standard qualifications and/or relevant experience:

  • You will be considered on an individual basis. Assessment of your experience will confirm that you have achieved the necessary skills

If you are applying for the part-time mode:

  • You’ll typically need to have a minimum of three years’ relevant experience at the appropriate level and have the support of your employer who will wish to integrate study and projects into your day-to-day work

Official use and codes

Approved to run from 2022/23 Specification version 1 Specification status Validated
Original validation date 13 Dec 2022 Last validation date 13 Dec 2022  
Sources of funding HE FUNDING COUNCIL FOR ENGLAND
JACS codes 100151 (construction management): 100%
Route code CONPRM

Course Structure

Stage 1 Level 07 September start Not currently offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
CO7000 Project Management Principles Core 20        
CO7001 Project Management Practice Core 20        
CO7002 Procurement and Contract Practice Core 20        
CO7004 Project Planning and Delivery Core 20        
CO7005 Sustainable Built Environments Core 20        
CO7P00 Applied Research Project Core 60        
CO7003 Managing Risk and Uncertainty Option 20        
CO7006 Building a Successful Project Team Option 20        

Stage 1 Level 07 January start Not currently offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
CO7000 Project Management Principles Core 20        
CO7001 Project Management Practice Core 20        
CO7002 Procurement and Contract Practice Core 20        
CO7004 Project Planning and Delivery Core 20        
CO7005 Sustainable Built Environments Core 20        
CO7P00 Applied Research Project Core 60        
CO7003 Managing Risk and Uncertainty Option 20        
CO7006 Building a Successful Project Team Option 20