Overview

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The goal of this second course of the Project Management specialization is to provide students with skills necessary to plan and execute traditional projects. Project managers must plan and manage complex projects constrained by time and budget. This course moves learners from project initiation to detailed planning and disciplined execution. Learners will develop the tools and decision frameworks required to build realistic schedules, control budgets, manage risk, assure quality, and lead vendors through successful delivery. This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no traditional application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience. Learn more about the ME-EM program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/me-engineering-management-boulder. Logo image courtesy of Shane Rounce, available on Unsplash at https://unsplash.com/photos/DNkoNXQti3c?utm_source=email&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=photos-page-share

Syllabus

The Project Schedule
- Welcome to Project Planning and Execution. In this first module, you will understand how project managers transform a list of project tasks into a realistic and actionable timeline. You will explore how to define project activities, determine the logical order in which work must occur, and estimate how long each activity will take. Then, you'll dive into how effective scheduling helps project teams coordinate work, manage risks, and keep projects moving forward.
Project Budget and Procurement
- Once a project schedule is established, project managers must ensure the project can be delivered within budget and with the right resources in place. In this module, you will learn how project managers estimate and manage project costs, develop a project budget, and monitor financial performance as the project progresses. You will also examine how organizations decide whether to outsource work, how suppliers are selected, how contracts structure procurement relationships, and how project managers manage vendor performance throughout the project lifecycle.
Risk Planning and Management
- Projects rarely unfold exactly as planned. Uncertainty is a natural part of any project, and effective project managers must be prepared to anticipate and manage potential risks. In this module, you will learn how project teams identify risks, analyze their potential impact, and develop strategies to respond when challenges arise. By taking a proactive approach to risk planning, project managers can reduce surprises and keep projects moving toward successful outcomes.
Quality Management and Compliance
- Successful project delivery requires more than completing tasks on time and within budget. Project managers must ensure that work meets quality expectations, that issues and changes are managed effectively, and that projects are formally closed in a way that supports learning and continuous improvement. In this module, you will explore how quality is monitored during execution, how structured approaches to issue and change management help maintain project alignment, and how thoughtful project closure contributes to stronger performance in future initiatives.