The University Of Texas At Dallas

The University Of Texas At Dallas School of Management Project Management, Executive Education

Self-Study Report 2004 - 2005

For Accreditation by the Project Management Institute (PMI)

The University Of Texas At Dallas School of Management Project Management, Executive Education

Self-Study Report 2004 - 2005

For Review by Global Accreditation Center (GAC) Project Management Institute (PMI) March 2005

PMI ACCREDITATION Self-Study Report 2004 – 2005

Submitted to Global Accreditation Center Project Management Institute

Submitted by Project Management Program, Executive Education The School of Management The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, Texas

March 15, 2005

We certify that all the facts submitted in this self-study report are true to the best of our knowledge and belief

James C Joiner, Director

David J Springate, Associate Dean

CONTACT INFORMATION The Dean of the School of Management is: Dr. Hasan Pirkul School of Management The University of Texas at Dallas P.O. Box 830688, Richardson, TX 75083 Telephone: 972-883-6813 Fax: 972-883-4095 Email: [email protected] The Associate Dean of Executive Education is: Dr. David J Springate School of Management The University of Texas at Dallas SM 1.708, Richardson, TX 75080 Telephone: 972-883-2647 Fax: 972-883-6381 Email: [email protected] The Director of the Project Management Program is: James C Joiner School of Management The University of Texas at Dallas SM 1.903, Richardson, TX 75080 Telephone: 972-883-2652 Fax: 972-883-6381 Email: [email protected] Questions related to this report should be directed to the Program Director, Mr. James Joiner.

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1 THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS ..................................................................................................... 1 THE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................................. 2 EXECUTIVE EDUCATION ............................................................................................................................. 2 PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ............................................................................................................ 2 INTRODUCTION TO THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AT UTD................................ 4 C.2.1 MISSION AND OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................................... 5 C.2.1.1: PROGRAM IS GUIDED BY A CLEAR MISSION.................................................................................... 5 Mission.................................................................................................................................................. 5 Strategic Objectives derived from the mission statement: .................................................................... 6 Mission Statement of UTD .................................................................................................................... 7 Mission Statement of SOM at UTD....................................................................................................... 7 C.2.1.2: ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT OF MISSION STATEMENT ....................................................................... 7 C.2.1.2: CONSONANCE WITH CENTER’S OBJECTIVES .................................................................................. 8 C.2.2 ASSESSMENT OF ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES ...................................................................... 10 C.2.2.1: SELF-ASSESSMENT PROCESS........................................................................................................ 10 1. Module Evaluation .................................................................................................................... 10 2. Course Survey ........................................................................................................................... 11 3. Exit Survey................................................................................................................................. 11 4. Advisory Council ....................................................................................................................... 11 5. Faculty Meetings ....................................................................................................................... 12 6. Staff Meetings ............................................................................................................................ 12 C.2.2.2: PROGRESS RELATIVE TO MISSION STATEMENT ............................................................................ 12 C.2.2.3: FACULTY, STUDENT AND ALUMNI ASSESSMENTS ........................................................................ 14 C.2.2.4: PROGRAM STRENGTHS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS ........................................................................ 15 1. Integrated Curriculum............................................................................................................... 15 2. Completion Options................................................................................................................... 15 3. Broad scope of degree ............................................................................................................... 15 4. Online and on campus programs............................................................................................... 15 5. Faculty....................................................................................................................................... 16 6. International Faculty and Students ........................................................................................... 16 7. International Study Tour ........................................................................................................... 16 8. Dynamic nature of program ...................................................................................................... 17 9. Future directions ....................................................................................................................... 17 Expansion of online program .......................................................................................................................... 17 Removing technological barriers for online program...................................................................................... 17 Improvement in the gender ratio ..................................................................................................................... 17 Improvement in general management skills.................................................................................................... 17 International Management Issues.................................................................................................................... 17 Development of Advanced Short Courses ...................................................................................................... 17 Development of Ph.D. program ...................................................................................................................... 17

C.2.3 ACADEMIC COMMUNITY/FACULTY AND STAFF ............................................................... 19 C.2.3.1: STANDARDS FOR FACULTY AND STUDENTS ................................................................................. 19 1. Approval by the Director........................................................................................................... 19 2. Student Admission ..................................................................................................................... 19 3. Graduation Requirements ......................................................................................................... 20 C.2.3.2: INTERACTION WITH OTHER PROGRAMS ....................................................................................... 20 1. Sharing Resources..................................................................................................................... 20 2. Sharing faculty and curriculum................................................................................................. 21 3. Drawing on research strength and reputation .......................................................................... 21 4. Executive Advisory Council....................................................................................................... 21

5. Directors Meetings of Executive Education .............................................................................. 22 6. SOM faculty meetings and events.............................................................................................. 22 C.2.3.3: CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS INTELLECTUAL AND SOCIAL LIFE ....................................................... 22 1. Executive Advisory Council....................................................................................................... 22 2. Project Management Advisory Council..................................................................................... 22 3. Alumni deliver annual simulation.............................................................................................. 22 4. Alumni tutoring and mentoring ................................................................................................. 23 5. Special events for students......................................................................................................... 23 6. Beta Gamma Sigma participation ............................................................................................. 23 C.2.3.4: CONTRIBUTION OF INSTITUTION TO PROGRAM ............................................................................ 23 1. Library....................................................................................................................................... 23 2. Information Technology Resources ........................................................................................... 23 3. Special Events and Lectures for UTD students ......................................................................... 24 4. Women’s Center ........................................................................................................................ 24 C.2.3.5: DISTRIBUTION OF EFFORT FOR EACH FACULTY MEMBER ............................................................. 24 1. AACSB Accredited..................................................................................................................... 25 2. Course Coordinators................................................................................................................. 25 C.2.3.6: DISTRIBUTION OF EFFORT FOR ADMINISTRATOR ......................................................................... 25 C.2.3.7: DISTRIBUTION OF EFFORT FOR EACH STAFF POSITION ................................................................. 25 1. Program Coordinator................................................................................................................ 25 2. Administrative Assistant ............................................................................................................ 25 3. Programmer .............................................................................................................................. 26 4. Research Assistant..................................................................................................................... 26 5. Work Study ................................................................................................................................ 26 C.2.3.8: FACULTY APPOINTMENT, PROMOTION AND TENURE .................................................................... 26 C.2.3.9: EVIDENCE OF STUDENT EVALUATIONS ........................................................................................ 26 C.2.3.10: OPPORTUNITIES TO ACQUIRE NEW SKILLS ................................................................................. 26 C.2.4 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES................................................................................................. 28 C.2.4.1: STUDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN LEARNING ................................................................................... 28 C.2.4.2: STUDENTS’ ACCESS TO INTELLECTUAL RESOURCES ................................................................... 28 C.2.4.3: STUDENTS’ ACCESS TO ADVISING RESOURCES ............................................................................ 28 C.2.4.4: VARIOUS STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ....................................................................................... 29 C.2.4.5: POST-GRADUATION SUPPORT TO STUDENTS ................................................................................ 29 C.2.4.6: ALUMNI EMPLOYMENT ............................................................................................................... 29 C.2.4.7: STUDENT PROFESSIONAL, HONOR SOCIETIES ............................................................................... 29 C.2.4.8: DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM IN CATALOGS ................................................................................... 29 C.2.5: STUDENT SELECTION............................................................................................................... 31 C.2.5.1: PROGRAM’S SELECTIVITY, RETENTION AND TIME-TO-GRADUATION ........................................... 31 C.2.5.2: CLEAR INFORMATION REGARDING CANDIDATE SELECTION ......................................................... 31 C.2.6: CURRICULUM AND LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES........................... 32 C.2.6.1: SPECIFICATION OF THE DEGREES BEING OFFERED ....................................................................... 33 C.2.6.2: EVIDENCE CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES MEET LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES .......... 33 C.2.6.3: OUTLINE OF CURRICULUM .......................................................................................................... 33 C.2.6.4: GRAPHIC MATRIX CROSS-REFERENCING LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES ................ 34 C.2.6.5: INCLUSION OF FACULTY, STUDENTS AND STAFF IN CURRICULUM REVIEW ................................... 40 C.2.7: STUDENT PERFORMANCE CRITERIA................................................................................... 41 C.2.7.1: GRADUATES SATISFY LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES ............................................ 41 CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................................... 42

Introduction The University of Texas at Dallas The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) had its beginnings from the realization of its founders Eugene McDermott, Cecil Green and J. Erik Jonsson, that for the Southwest "To grow industrially, the region must grow academically; it must provide the intellectual atmosphere, which will allow it to compete in the new industries dependent on highly trained and creative minds." They established the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest (later renamed the Southwest Center for Advanced Studies) in 1961. McDermott, Green and Jonsson decided to donate SCAS and its lands to The University of Texas System, and on June 13, 1969, Governor Preston Smith signed the bill creating The University of Texas at Dallas. Initially, UTD offered only Ph.D. degrees in physics, earth and space sciences, and molecular biology. In 1975, expanding in scope and size, UTD enrolled its first set of undergraduate students at the upper division level and in Fall 1990, freshmen were admitted. Over 45,000 students have graduated from UTD since its founding with approximately 23,000 of those graduates still living and working in the North Texas region. UTD's student body has become more culturally diverse even as enrollment continues to climb. As UTD strives for greater academic excellence with challenging programs of study and high academic standards, it also reaches out to ambitious, highly talented young people from traditionally underserved communities. Over 45% of UTD baccalaureate graduates are first-generation college graduates. In 2001, it ranked 49th among public universities in SAT scores, and in 2002 it ranked 49th in National Merit and Achievement Scholars. UTD maintains a consistent one-to-one gender ratio at a time when many public universities have seen male enrollment drop and many technology-centered institutions have continued to demonstrate clear two- or even three-to-one gender ratios with women in the minority. According to data compiled by the U.S. Department of Education under the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), UTD confers more computer science degrees to women than any other private or public university in the nation. At the instance of University of Texas System’s administration, a study was conducted by The Washington Advisory Group, LLC on Research Capability Expansion for The University of Texas at Dallas. In a report published in May 2004 (http://www.utsystem.edu/news/wag/Report/WAGReportUTD5-7-04.pdf), the study indicated that UTD could realize its goal of achieving top-tier status with continued support from the state, UT System and private sources, and strong leadership.

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Exhibits E.0.1 and E.0.2 are a representation of the central administrative and academic organizational structure at UTD.

The School of Management Beginning with offering courses to 26 students by four full-time faculty members in 1973, the School of Management (SOM) has grown to become UTD’s largest of seven schools with 4545 students, 108 full-time faculty members and has become the fountainhead of management knowledge to people with varied backgrounds. SOM offers ¾ Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting and Information Management, with total undergraduate enrollments approaching 2,300 students. ¾ MBA, MS and MA degrees including a distance learning MBA with total enrollments approaching 2,000 students. ¾ Four different executive level MBAs, including two distance learning programs, with total enrollments approaching 250 students ¾ A PhD degree with a full complement of majors In demonstrating a commitment to the Dean’s vision (as documented in the report published by The Washington Advisory Group, LLC on Research Capability Expansion for The University of Texas at Dallas) of being rated in the top 20 schools within the next 3 years, the School of Management had a 204,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, $38million new building completed in August 2003. Exhibit E.0.3 refers to the organizational structure of the School of Management.

Executive Education Executive MBA degree was first offered in 1992 for full-time executives with ten years or more of business experience to provide a vehicle for middle level managers to reach higher levels by acquiring valuable, practical skills. The Executive Education expanded in subsequent years to include three specialized executive MBA programs, namely, Global Leadership Executive MBA (GLEMBA) program, Project Management Program and Medical Management program. The Executive Education department also offers other specialized non-degree Certificate programs. Exhibit E.0.4 provides an overview of the organizational structure and the personnel in the Executive Education department at the time of documenting this self-study report.

Project Management Program The UTD Project Management Program began in October, 1997 as a direct result of the needs and demands from local industry. In the spring of 1997, Raytheon Corporation approached the University with a request for a program that would allow their project managers to sharpen and upgrade project management skills. Electronic 2

Data Systems (EDS) and Nortel Networks expressed similar interest. The design of the curriculum was a joint effort by Dr. Jack Brittain, Dr. Raymond Lutz and Mr. James Joiner of UTD, along with representatives from Raytheon, EDS and Nortel Networks. Discussions and deliberations led to the development of a 9 month Project Management Certificate program scheduled in a once per month, three day Thursday-Friday-Saturday format. As the curriculum was being developed, it became apparent that the need was for a graduate level curriculum. The curriculum was redesigned and the resulting course work was appropriate for the graduate level. A rather novel approach was taken in the design of the project management curriculum in that it was intended to be an “integrated” set of topics as opposed to individual courses. The reason behind this was that since the job of a project manager is to integrate many different activities, the ideal curriculum would model this format. Thus, instead of teaching specific functional topics on a course by course basis, the curriculum was designed around PMBOK knowledge areas and a project life cycle. The result was a blending of topics across disciplines taught at various points in the flow of a project. Shortly after the program was started, the Master of Science in Management and Administrative Sciences degree was approved and this was to be earned by completing the project management curriculum and then taking four additional core courses. The first set of students to graduate with an MS was in August, 1999. Feedback from students indicated the need for an MBA degree and thus the Project Management Program became an Executive MBA program with project management emphasis. The first MBA students graduated in December 2002. With the advancement in web technology, short term professional online courses in the field of project management were developed and offered online as non credit courses. With this experience, it was decided to offer the entire program online as well as on campus. Since the original design of the curriculum was in six half-day (4 hour) modules per month held over nine months, the program was able to maintain the same content online by mapping a half-day module to a one week module online over twelve months. The content thus remained the same and online classes followed the flow and structure of on campus classes. On campus degree programs are now delivered beginning in September each year and six months later, in February, the online degree program begins. The first online class started in May 2002 and the first group of online students to graduate with the M.S. degree was in May 2004 and the first group of online students to earn the M.B.A. degree was in December 2004.

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Introduction to the Project Management Program at UTD The Project Management Program at UTD aims to provide practical, contemporary, application oriented education in the field of project management. The curriculum blends technical, leadership and general business training. The first phase of the curriculum, called the Certificate Program, integrates the various topics in project management, focusing on both practical application and theoretical knowledge. Students may then elect to continue in a more traditional, course by course curriculum to earn either the Master of Science or Master of Business Administration degree. The specialized, innovative curriculum was developed to better meet the educational needs of professionals with significant program and project responsibilities. An online program was developed for those who require a more flexible, asynchronous delivery model in order to balance work, education, and personal responsibilities. Both on campus and online programs are organized as cohort, team-centered models designed to encourage a more personalized approach to learning and better prepare students for the challenges of the project management profession.

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C.2.1 Mission and Objectives The program shall have a clearly worded mission statement consistent with the mission of the Center, and the parent institution (where applicable), and which are realistic for the program in general. Furthermore, the mission and objectives should be in consonance with the quality level and outcomes established by the standards set forth in this document.

C.2.1.1: Program is guided by a clear mission A statement demonstrating that the program is guided by a clear mission which is consistent with the mission of the Center, and the parent institution (where applicable). The mission of the program was developed keeping in mind the timeless values and nature of imparting knowledge, the means to enrich the learning content, rewards of rigor and changing face of technology.

Mission The Project Management program at The University of Texas at Dallas aims to teach the diverse realms of knowledge and skills to professionals in the field of project management by •

focusing on the multifaceted responsibilities of a project manager and imparting the knowledge to carry them out;

•

enhancing leadership skills based on a strong sense of ethics;

•

creating a framework that supports a confluence of faculty knowledge, students’ experience and current industrial tools and techniques;

•

fostering a strong relationship between a growing alumni and students of the program;

thereby producing highly skilled individuals (with sound fundamental knowledge, improved analytical and critical thinking, and communication skills) able to fulfill needs of, and excel, in a global market subject to constant technological advancements. The mission statement acknowledges that the primary responsibility of the program is to teach skills related to project management. Emphasis of the Executive MBA program is therefore guided by this primary principle that students of the program expect to improve professionally in the field of project management. Within this scope, however, the program is committed to teaching wide-ranging tools and skills to its students.

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The mission statement indicates that the program is about building leadership skills based upon strong values of ethics. The building blocks of any type of education are to provide a clear grasp of the underlying fundamentals so that the student can learn any additional knowledge easily and quickly. Understanding the basic premise also stokes the interest of a student towards learning in general and induces an attachment to acquire knowledge continuously. The mission statement makes note of the importance of blending the knowledge of the faculty and the students. This is especially important in executive programs where the experience of the students with various backgrounds is often an important part of the education. The theoretical and practical elements of teaching need to overlap to allow students to take advantage of both and this has been a guiding principle for the program, especially in the design of the curriculum and in choosing the instructors. The mission statement recognizes the role of the alumni in improving, promoting and enriching the program by providing links to the business community. Alumni also enhance the learning experience of the students and this has been observed in the program.

Strategic Objectives derived from the mission statement: The goals of the mission statement are sought to be met by achieving the following objectives: •

Provide practical knowledge in the management of project selection, planning, execution and closeout.

•

Broaden students’ perspective by providing various approaches to project management including systems-oriented thinking skills

•

Provide a platform to grow leadership skills, improve problem solving, nurture team skills, and sharpen negotiation skills

•

Provide with an understanding of the overall project management process and an ability to build project structures that comply with PMI standards

•

Provide a platform to grow leadership skills, improve problem solving, nurture team skills, and sharpen negotiation skills

•

Enable students to successfully complete the PMI Project Management Professional (PMP) examination

•

Develop a basic understanding of general principles of statistics as related to statistical data analysis and management science to support decision-making process 6

•

Develop a basic understanding of general principles of marketing as related to marketing management methods, principles and concepts of product pricing, promotion and distribution decisions

•

Develop a basic understanding of general principles of accounting through financial statement analysis, cash flow analysis, cost management performance measures, planning and control

•

Develop a basic understanding of general principles of finance by knowledge of administration of finance in business firms, planning fundraising, controlling of firm finances, working capital management, capital budgeting and cost of capital

•

Teach business principles of global markets, business economics and the scientific approaches towards operations management

•

Inculcate a sense of professional and ethical responsibility

Mission Statement of UTD The mission of The University of Texas at Dallas is to provide Texas and the nation with the benefits of educational and research programs of the highest quality. These programs address the multi-dimensional needs of a dynamic, modern society driven by the development, diffusion, understanding and management of advanced technology.

Mission Statement of SOM at UTD The School of Management at the University of Texas at Dallas is committed to providing our students an outstanding educational experience, one that will expand and sharpen their skills, help them become leaders of business and leave with strong career prospects. Focusing on the rapidly changing challenges of our technology-driven society, many of the school’s cutting edge programs have been instituted in response to requests from business and designed to meet the needs of tomorrow’s industry. The programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. levels stress innovations in the latest technologies while providing a foundation in the basics of business management.

C.2.1.2: Orderly development of mission statement Evidence that the mission statement has been developed in an orderly process with clearly stated objectives and that mission statement and objectives are realistic for the program, given the resources and personnel which are available to the program The mission statement has been developed, keeping in mind an expanding program with a broad vision. The vision of the School of Management is “An institution of choice, preparing tomorrow’s business leaders and expanding the frontiers of management knowledge”. The vision is a reflection of the fact that the School serves a 7

business community that has changing needs caused by markets in a permanent state of flux and technological advancements. The vision is also one of intellectual contribution by way of research in the field of management. The mission statement recognizes that changes in technology changes the skills and tools required of its students to excel in the field. Therefore, the aim is to teach contemporary skills. However, a clear understanding of the fundamentals is the best way of acquiring and grasping new knowledge. The program draws on the resources of the School of Management, and these are plentiful. The new and spacious School of Management building completed in August 2003 has a separate Executive Education wing with audio-visual equipment in all classrooms, break-out rooms for Executive students, wireless and wired networking availabilities and a dining hall. Besides this, the School has twenty nine fully equipped classrooms, two large computer labs with the current versions of software installed on every machine and printers, a medium sized auditorium, conference rooms, etc. These resources will continue to be available to Executive Education students. The primary personnel for the program are its Director and faculty. The instructors for the program are drawn from the talented pool of faculty from the School of Management and practitioners from the industry. Dallas Fort-Worth being a major player in the technology sector, there is no dearth of the latter either. Administrative support for the students has been generally acknowledged to be exceedingly good.

C.2.1.2: Consonance with Center’s objectives Evidence that the mission statement objectives are in consonance with those of the Center. The learning and performing objectives of the Center are qualified as follows: 1. General Studies: An undergraduate professional degree must include general studies in the arts and sciences, either as an admission requirement or as part of the curriculum. While this work is traditionally governed by guidelines established by the institution, the program must ensure that students have the prerequisite general academic knowledge skills needed to effectively undertake professional studies. This objective is not applicable as the program under review is a graduate level degree program. 2. Professional studies: The core of a professional degree consists of the required courses that address the generally accepted processes and knowledge areas found within the project management profession and as described in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide). Upon completion of the program, students should be sufficiently prepared to achieve the project management learning outcomes delineated below 8

To meet the curricular requirements of a Center accredited degree program, graduates shall be adequately prepared to perform a core set of project management responsibilities based on the following performance domains: Domain I: Domain II: Domain III: Domain IV: Domain V: Domain VI:

Initiating the Project Planning the Project Executing the Project Controlling the Project Closing the Project Professional Responsibility

The mission statement of the program, states, inter alia, “The Project Management program at The University of Texas at Dallas aims to teach the diverse realms of knowledge and skills to professionals in the field of project management by focusing on the multifaceted responsibilities of a project manager and imparting the knowledge to carry them out… thereby producing highly skilled individuals (with sound fundamental knowledge, improved analytical and critical thinking, and communication skills)” This translates to a learning objective of imparting skills in all phases of project management according to the constraints of cost, resource and time. These teachings are aligned with PMBOK and therefore there is a direct relationship between the program’s and Center’s objectives.

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C.2.2 Assessment of Anticipated Outcomes C.2.2.1: Self-assessment process Description of the program’s self-assessment process The program has recognized the need for constant introspection to keep abreast of the evolving and growing nature of the field of project management. This principle has been in place since the inception of the program and has been one of its strengths. The program seeks to assess itself through a few established and accepted practices such as module, course and exit surveys, forming and supporting an Advisory Council made of business leaders and program students, informal discussions with the students by the Director, the faculty and the Program Coordinator, comparing the curriculum with the industry and student needs, and reviewing the curriculum of similar programs at other universities, and regular faculty and staff meetings to share view points. These are sought to be described in detail here.

1. Module Evaluation Every module (four hour session on campus or a week online) during the Certificate phase has an evaluation survey that allows the students to assess the session both quantitatively and qualitatively. Exhibits E.2.1.1 and E.2.1.2 are examples of forms used for module evaluation during the Certificate and the MS/MBA programs respectively. This sets in motion a chain of events and forms a feedback loop as it becomes an input for critical appraisals of the course curriculum. The Program Director examines the module evaluations periodically to make an informed judgment on the value of the course to the students. These are discussed at length with the instructors during faculty meetings. Depending upon the feedback, the instructors decide to make short-term, long-term changes or none at all. The Director decides if long-term implications need a change in the course curriculum and makes changes as needed. The self-study process, which began with a letter sent by the Director Mr. Jim Joiner to Project Management Institute (PMI) on May 05, 2004 requesting an accreditation of the program, has helped the program to review the success of this process. Since the program had to be reviewed as a whole, a study of the evaluations and the current structure of the program show that the program has accommodated student needs and expectations by the students. Specifically, 1. A capstone project requirement to earn an MS degree was removed and replaced with an International Study Tour. This placed the program on par with other Executive MBA programs that had international study tour as part of curriculum. 2. The program incorporated more project management tools and PMI processes (‘hard skills’) in the curriculum 3. The grading system for the Certificate Program was modified to make it quantitative.

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4. The delivery, grading, and submission of integrated assignments were standardized. 5. A procedure to inform the students at least a month in advance of study requirements was set in place. 6. Systems Management was introduced in the curriculum for the Certificate Phase. 7. Nine-month on campus curriculum was extended to twelve months by offering the legal sessions online. 8. Web Course Content tool Blackboard was used to support on campus students (it was initially used to support online students alone) 9. Web conferencing that allows students to work on files synchronously was introduced to online and on campus students.

2. Course Survey Each business core and MBA course has an associated course survey that allows the students to evaluate courses. The course survey seeks to identify the strengths and weaknesses of courses. Exhibit E.2.1.3 is a sample form used for course evaluations in the online program.

3. Exit Survey The program offers three exit points for students: Certificate, M.S., or MBA options are available. An exit survey was offered to students after they finished the Certificate stage to get their perspective on the learning content, applicability to their work place, strengths and weakness of the program and overall educational experience at UTD. Exhibit E.2.1.4 is a copy of the exit survey given to the MBA graduate students. The self-study has helped the program identify that written evaluations from the students are one of the important sources of feedback for the program. Therefore, the design of the surveys was reviewed. Questions were classified depending upon the information sought: attempt to measure student satisfaction versus learning, short term suggestions versus long term suggestions, identify strengths versus weaknesses, draw suggestions on tools and techniques helpful at workplace, and identify areas for growth. This has lead to redesigned module evaluations that are specific to each module, exit surveys and mid-point surveys that help identify needed corrective measures half-way through the program. Exhibit E.2.1.5 is the module survey that was developed as a result of the self-study. Exhibit E.2.1.4 is the exit survey that was developed as a result of the self-study. Exhibit E.2.1.6 is the mid point survey that was developed to help identify problems earlier in the program. Evaluations are confidential documents that will be available to the visitation team members of the PMI Accreditation Committee.

4. Advisory Council An Advisory Council for the Project Management Program was formed in January 2004. The Advisory Council is filled with people from three categories: current 11

students, alumni and business leaders with non-UTD backgrounds. The members advise the Director on the curriculum, take lead role in alumni affairs, give inputs on marketing strategies and share knowledge on current, relevant topics. At the time of this report, the Advisory Council is composed of twelve members and has identified three core areas of responsibilities: 1. Ensure the program remains connected with the business world 2. Galvanize alumni activities 3. Ensure marketing efforts are directed to the right audience Exhibit E.2.1.7 is an example of minutes from an Advisory Council meeting.

5. Faculty Meetings Periodic faculty meetings are convened by the Director to discuss course curriculum, schedule, student, administrative, technical and delivery issues. Faculty meetings are also an opportunity to discuss the tools and techniques that are currently being used in the industry. This is critical since the faculty composition is a blend of practitioners and Professors from the academia. Teleconferences are frequently used as a medium to conduct these meetings as international faculty teach in this program. Since almost the same faculty teach both on campus and online programs, feedback from one program helps to take timely corrective actions for the other. Exhibit E.2.1.8 is an example of minutes from a Project Management Program faculty meeting.

6. Staff Meetings The self-study process has necessitated and heralded a new practice of conducting regular staff meetings. Discussion of the program by academic, administrative and technical staff helped in discussing and pooling ideas of all aspects of the program, understanding program issues faced by other support personnel of the program. Exhibit E.2.1.9 is an example of minutes from a Project Management Program staff meeting.

Thus the program uses various mechanisms to critically evaluate itself.

C.2.2.2: Progress relative to mission statement Progress which has been made relative to each dimension of the program’s mission statement. A brief comparison of the mission statement and progress made has been tabulated in table T2.2.1 below. Mission The Project Management program at The University of Texas at Dallas aims to

¾

Activities Technical aspects of Project Management like scope, scheduling, 12

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Progress Good progress in fulfilling this aspect

teach the diverse realms of knowledge and skills to professionals in the field of project management by ¾

¾

¾

¾

focusing on the multifaceted responsibilities of a project manager and imparting the knowledge to carry them out

¾

enhancing leadership skills based on a strong sense of ethics

¾

¾

promoting a desire for lifelong learning by inculcating the fundamentals

¾

¾

resource allocation, baseline budgeting, reporting covered in curriculum Integrated curriculum lends itself to easy changes Socio-cultural aspects such as leadership, negotiation, team work, problem solving, politics, customer expectations taught Simulation conducted to test ability to integrated all aspects of project management Project Management as a Systems oriented approach added to broaden student’s outlook Curriculum of Certificate program aligned with the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK) that covers all dimensions of a project management professional. Leadership modules included in the curriculum Intra group and inter group assignments allow students to practise team and presentation skills Preparatory classes offered to ensure strong fundamental business knowledge Applied Calculus for Project Manages offered to all students to improve avenues for lateral thinking 13

9

Good progress

9

Needs more emphasis in the program

9

Reasonable progress

creating a framework that supports a confluence of faculty knowledge, students’ experience and current industrial tools and techniques

¾

Interaction between faculty and students is high because of small instructor/student ratio

9

Needs technological improvements to build a better framework to ensure free transmission of thoughts and ideas and record these for future students

fostering a strong relationship between a growing alumni and students of the program;

¾

Formation of Advisory Council Planned alumni gathering

9

Making progress but needs improvement

thereby producing highly skilled individuals (with sound fundamental knowledge, improved analytical and critical thinking, and communication skills) able to fulfill needs of, and excel, in a global market subject to constant technological advancements

¾

Students (graduates and current) able to immediately and gainfully apply knowledge, tools and techniques at workplace Global and cultural experience possible because of international faculty/student composition Rigorous curriculum

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Good progress

¾

¾

¾

C.2.2.3: Faculty, student and alumni assessments Faculty, student, and alumni assessments of the program’s overall curriculum and learning content Exit surveys at three exit points measure student’s overall assessment of the curriculum and learning content. Alumni assessments provide feedback with a graduates’ perspective. Faculty assessments are currently done verbally. Self-study has helped in understanding importance of written assessments and therefore plans have been made to implement written faculty assessments as well. Exhibit E.2.3.1 refers to the survey mailed to the alumni.

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C.2.2.4: Program strengths and future directions Any notable program strengths and future directions The program derives it strengths mainly from a sound marriage of practice and theory and the balance achieved between the two. Future directions involve taking note of and embracing technological advancements. These are listed in detail below:

1. Integrated Curriculum The Certificate Program is delivered as an integrated body of topics as opposed to the traditional method of delivering separate courses. The long term advantage to the program is it allows various practitioners who are specialists in their particular fields to together teach a course and this pattern is repeated across courses comprising the Certificate Program. The immediate and strategic advantage gained by the student is in that they are required to think across disciplines for each course. This parallels the work environments of a project management professional who is required to integrate various project management knowledge and skills at any given time. Exhibit E.2.4.1 is an example of the integrated topic schedule for the Certificate Program.

2. Completion Options The program offers three completion options to the students. Students may opt to finish with a Certificate in twelve months of course work, or continue on to earn the MS degree after completing 40 credit hours, or may waive the MS degree and continue to complete the MBA degree at 53 credit hours. Each course work month approximates to twenty four class hours for the on campus program. For the online program, each course work month approximates to sixteen class hours. Exhibit E.2.4.2 is the degree plan that lists the three completion options.

3. Broad scope of degree The degrees offered – MS in Management and Administrative Sciences and MBA - are broader in scope as they teach management and business principles with an emphasis in project management. This affords the students a broader understanding of business and management credentials, rather than project management outlook alone. This will offer students a competitive advantage as project managers are required to shoulder more of a firm’s business responsibilities.

4. Online and on campus programs The program offers the same curriculum online and on campus delivered approximately six months apart. This yields many advantages that are unavailable to programs offered in only one method. The first is that lessons learned from one program by way of evaluations received are applied through corrective actions in the other, where applicable. Thus, the turn around time for improving the program is short. The second is that it offers the students – on campus students at any rate – an opportunity to switch course work between the on campus and online programs. This flexibility is important 15

and appreciated in a profession that demands unplanned travel for significant periods. The third distinct advantage is that it offers the on campus students the technology available to the online students. For instance, the web courseware tool Blackboard used to support delivery of the online course is used by the on campus students as well, as they prefer the integration of course work in one location. Web conferencing, teleconferencing and program specific IT support are available as well. Similarly, the administrative resources of the on campus program are open to the online students. Exhibit E.2.4.3 is the program web page that explains both delivery options for the curriculum. Exhibit E.2.4.3a is a table that provides enrollment information for both programs since inception in 1997 along with a graphical representation.

5. Faculty This program is taught by world-class faculty with a blend of industrial project management experience, consulting and teaching experience in graduate degree programs. The program derives its strength from the faculty composition – industrial practitioners teach current tools and techniques used in the profession and instructors from the academia teach the fundamentals of business. Exhibit E.2.4.4 is a list of all faculty in the Project Management Program.

6. International Faculty and Students International faculty offer students a new window of learning into knowledge and techniques flavored by a country’s backgrounds. For instance, at the time of this selfstudy, Dr. Armin Brinkmann from Germany – known for its engineering prowess – teaches Systems Management, which is an engineer’s approach towards project management. Dr. Hobbs from the University of Quebec, Canada teaches the fairly recent principles of Advanced Project Management. Online program typically consists of students with diverse backgrounds and some of them are nationals of different countries. This, together with the composite nature of faculty makeup, brings in a cross-cultural, cohort experience that is unique and bodes well for students towards realizing the work culture in foreign countries. Exhibit E.2.4.4a is a graphical representation of the entering Certificate Program students’ country of origin since the first class in 1997.

7. International Study Tour The MS and MBA degree programs require students to undertake a study tour – at the time of writing, to Germany or France – and study alongside foreign students, at a university and learn the operative procedures of several companies. The international study tour replaced a capstone project and was included at the request of students to place it on par with other executive MBA programs. It has been significant in giving the students an educational, industrial and cultural experience rolled in one. Exhibit E.2.4.5 is a copy of the syllabus for the International Study Tour to Germany and Exhibit E.2.4.6 is the syllabus for the trip to France. 16

8. Dynamic nature of program The program has evolved by adapting to the needs of the students and the industry rapidly. For all of the reasons mentioned earlier, the program’s curriculum has been modified from the time of inception and as it is delivered today. Exhibit E.2.4.7 is a topic schedule for the 1999-2000 Certificate Program and Exhibit E.2.4.8 is a topic schedule for the 2004-2005 On Campus Certificate Program.

9. Future directions

Expansion of online program The online program will be marketed to a more global audience, by either customizing the program to meet a market’s requirement or by partnering with international universities.

Removing technological barriers for online program Delivery will be redesigned to allow many options for a student to participate in an online class. Current practise of requiring them to download, teleconference and web conference presupposes technology availability which may not be available, especially in foreign countries.

Improvement in the gender ratio The self-study process revealed that the gender enrollment ratio is below the university and School of Management’s percentage of female enrollment. This is represented in Exhibit E.2.4.9. The program aims to address this issue.

Improvement in general management skills Project management methods will continue to be blended with general management skills in the degree programs.

International Management Issues Project outsourcing developments have meant that managing projects across borders has become an important aspect of project management. This needs to be emphasized more in the curriculum.

Development of Advanced Short Courses There is a market demand for certified Project Management Professionals (PMPs) to maintain their certification status by taking advanced courses in project management. These courses will be developed, especially keeping the alumni in mind.

Development of Ph.D. program This is an ambitious, long term project for the program. A Ph.D. in project management is offered by very few universities and will be a notable 17

achievement. This will also improve the research in the field of project management.

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C.2.3 Academic Community/Faculty and Staff The program should demonstrate that it both benefits from and contributes to its institutional context. It must also demonstrate that it provides adequate human resources for a professional degree program in project management including a sufficient faculty complement, an administrative head with sufficient time for effective administration, administrative and technical support staff, and faculty support staff. Student enrollment and scheduling of classes must assure adequate time for an effective tutorial exchange between the faculty member and the student. The total teaching load should be such that faculty members have adequate time to pursue research, scholarship, and practice in order to enhance their professional development in the field.

C.2.3.1: Standards for faculty and students The program’s academic and professional standards for both faculty and students The program has been accredited by AACSB and SAC which has minimum requirements for recruiting faculty and admitting students. The program has additional requirements in hiring faulty and admitting students and these are listed in detail here:

1. Approval by the Director The director hires faculty based on many factors: academic/industrial background, level of experience, field of expertise, needs of the curriculum and program, international experience to support educational objectives, reputation and recommendation by peers.

2. Student Admission Candidates have to meet the minimum standards of the university, as specified in the AACSB report. Since this is an executive program, students are required to have minimum work experience and management experience or equivalent worth of experience. The worth of experience is defined – that is, there is no hard and fast rule for satisfying a minimum number of years - and is decided by the Director. Candidates are evaluated on a number of criteria that includes prior academic and professional accomplishments, serious commitment, and leadership skills. These are listed on the program’s web pages: http://som.utdallas.edu/project. Exhibit E.3.1.1 is a print out from the web page that lists the admission requirements and admission procedures. A candidate desiring admission has to submit a professional resume for the Director’s review. If the candidate satisfies the Director of minimum work experience, he/she is encouraged to submit a statement of purpose that details their work experience that demonstrates (successful) professional career pattern and educational objectives. If the statement of purpose is consistent with the program’s (selective process ensures that high standards are maintained in a cohort class) requirements and the educational

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objectives can be provided by the program, the director approves the candidate’s application, pending the Associate Dean of Executive Education’s approval. Transfers of credit may be granted for equivalent graduate coursework taken at other universities with a grade of B or better within the past six years. The Program Director initiates such transfers which must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. The total number of transfers of credit toward the completion of a master’s degree cannot exceed twelve hours toward the M.S. degree, and fifteen hours toward the MBA degree. Refer to Exhibit E.3.1.2 from the graduate catalog.

3. Graduation Requirements A student can graduate only upon satisfying the program’s requirement of achieving a minimum GPA of 3.0. Exhibit E.3.1.3 is a print out from the UTD graduate catalog explaining graduation requirements for a master’s degree.

C.2.3.2: Interaction with other programs The level of interaction between the program and other programs at the institution The Project Management Program benefits from the interaction between its program and other programs in Executive Education and the School of Management. It is one of a suite of programs in Executive Education. Executive MBA (EMBA) and Global Leadership EMBA (GLEMBA) are the other departments offering the EMBA program. The Project Management Program has drawn significantly on the experiences and knowledge of these programs in offering its own specialized Executive MBA program. The other programs in Executive Education at the time of this self-study are Alliance for Medical Management Education, Customized Corporate MBA Programs, Certificate Programs, and Professional Development Programs. Exhibit E.3.2.1 is a publication that describes each of the programs in the Executive Education department.

1. Sharing Resources The program draws on the administrative and infrastructure resources of both Executive Education and the School of Management. The technological resources shared with Executive Education are a web based courseware tool, Blackboard, on a server maintained by GLEMBA and Project Management, web conferencing and teleconferencing product Meeting Place of CISCO. The information technology resources shared with the University include free wireless and wired networking available in all locations in the SOM and in most locations on campus, two big computer labs in the SOM with recent software and printers installed, Information technology Resources (IR) helpdesk and IT help in maintaining the servers. Exhibit E.3.2.1 is a copy of the web page explaining Blackboard and Meeting Place. Also refer to Exhibit E.3.2.2., which is a print out of instructions on how to use the web conferencing feature.

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Administrative resources shared within the Executive Education area and The School of Management include the Executive Programs Business Office plus operation and maintenance of classroom facilities that include state-of-the-art audio/visual capabilities, distance learning support and wired/wireless Internet access, conference rooms and office space, copy equipment and supplies and study rooms. Administrative resources shared with the School of Management include a 204,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, $38-million building open to students since August 2003 equipped with 29 classrooms, 350 seat auditorium and provides office space. Exhibit E.3.2.3 is a copy of a brochure on the new School of Management building.

2. Sharing faculty and curriculum The School of Management has a documented Strategic Plan (report submitted to AACSB) to increase the faculty enrolment. Faculty size has increased from 48 full-time faculty members in Fall 1996 to 107 full-time faculty members in 2004. Faculty expertise is sought to be built in five broad areas of Finance, Accounting, Marketing and Business Economics, and Management of Information Systems. The Project Management Program draws significantly from the talented pool of faculty teaching in the School of Management for its Certificate and degree programs. Exhibit E.3.2.4 is a copy of the web page that lists the faculty in the School of Management.

3. Drawing on research strength and reputation ¾ An article published in ORMS Today ranks The UTD School of Management sixth worldwide in business school research productivity in the fields of operations management and management information systems between 1996 and 2002 ¾ U.S. News and World Report ranks the UTD School of Management’s Cohort MBA program among the top 62 fulltime MBA programs in the nation and among the top 35 at public colleges and universities ¾ Financial Times ranks the UTD Executive MBA program 61st in the world and 34th in the US. ¾ A study conducted by SOM’s Center for Information Technology and Management (CITM) ranked SOM 35th in North America on the basis of research productivity of faculty, by tracking the publications of business school faculty worldwide since 1990 in 22 leading academic journals

4. Executive Advisory Council The Executive Advisory Committee is made up of approximately 35 business leaders, many past graduates of Executive Programs. The mission of the organization is to provide feedback that will assist in the development of programs that continue to meet the new challenges of the business world and to help promote Executive Programs throughout the business community. Exhibit E.3.2.5 describes the mission of the Executive Advisory Council and lists the current members. 21

5. Directors Meetings of Executive Education The Associate Dean of Executive Education convenes regular meetings with the Directors of all programs operating under the wing of Executive Education. These meetings are used as a forum to share experiences, build collaboration among programs, develop plans to sustain vision, report recent developments, discuss technology issues and marketing strategies. Exhibit E.3.2.6 is a copy of minutes from an Executive Education Directors’ meeting.

6. SOM faculty meetings and events Dr. Hassan Pirkul, Dean, School of Management chairs periodic faculty meetings for all School of Management faculty, in order to inform and discuss issues affecting both the School of Management and the University. There are also social events and special events for faculty to encourage the open exchange of ideas within the group.

C.2.3.3: Contribution towards intellectual and social life The contribution of the students, faculty, and administrators to the governance as well as to the intellectual and social life of the institution

1. Executive Advisory Council Past graduates of the program are eligible to be invited to serve on the Executive Advisory Council. Currently one graduate from the Project Management Program sits on the Executive Advisory Council. Members serving on the Executive Advisory Council meet regularly with the Associate Dean of Executive Education and Program Directors to discuss issues of interest to Executive Programs.

2. Project Management Advisory Council The Project Management Advisory Council affords students opportunities to influence the program in beneficial ways. This is covered in detail in section C.2.2.1

3. Alumni deliver annual simulation The Certificate Program ends with a hands-on project simulation exercise in which students must integrate and apply the project management processes and work as teams through the project cycle to closeout. This simulation activity, typically held over two days for both on campus and online programs, is developed and delivered by alumni volunteers. Exhibit E.3.2.7 is a copy of the RFQ handed out to the students at the beginning of the simulation exercise.

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4. Alumni tutoring and mentoring Alumni help the program by tutoring and mentoring students in subjects that they have difficulty in understanding.

5. Special events for students There are many students’ organizations on campus that work to provide both academic and social events for student participation. In addition, students are invited to attend lectures and meetings of professional organizations that are sponsored or held at the university. Exhibit E.3.2.8 is a listing of student organizations on the UTD campus.

6. Beta Gamma Sigma participation Beta Gamma Sigma recognizes outstanding academic achievements of students from only those collegiate business programs accredited by AACSB. To be eligible for membership in Beta Gamma Sigma, a student must rank in the upper seven percent of the junior class, upper 10 percent of the senior class, or upper 20 percent of the graduating master's class. Doctoral candidates are automatically eligible following completion of all requirements for the degree. The international organization has a membership of more than 460,000. Exhibit E.3.2.9 is a news release announcing the installation of the UTD chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma in 2002.

C.2.3.4: Contribution of institution to program Contributions of the institution to the program in terms of intellectual resources as well as personnel

1. Library Students have free access to the UTD libraries, including the virtual resources and special collections. There are two main libraries on campus, The Eugene McDermott Library and Callier Library. The libraries contain over two million items, including over 700,000 books. UTD has greatly extended the digital collections of its libraries so online learners can have easy access to resources. In addition, the School of Management maintains its own satellite library, The McDermott Library Management Satellite. The SOM satellite library staffs full time librarians and virtual workstations so SOM students have easier access and better support for library services. Exhibit E.3.4.1 is a copy of a page in the UTD graduate catalog that describes the UTD libraries. Exhibit E.3.4.2 is the web page on the School of Management McDermott Library Management Satellite.

2. Information Technology Resources There are three monitored labs and one unmonitored lab, open to all students of UTD. These labs maintain PCs, Macs and UNIX machines. There is a multimedia room to enable video editing. The list of hardware currently available is given in http://www.utdallas.edu/ir/tcs/labs/hardware.htm. The list of software that is currently 23

installed on these labs is listed in http://www.utdallas.edu/ir/tcs/labs/software.htm. The university also provides Information Resources helpdesk that helps students solve technical issues by questions over campus phone, email or in person. The School of Management, apart from the IT resources provided by UTD, maintains two large computer labs with printing capabilities, IT support helpdesk, and wireless and wired internet access for students. Exhibit E.3.4.3 are printouts off the web pages on the UTD microcomputer labs and a description of wireless availability on campus.

3. Special Events and Lectures for UTD students As referenced above, UTD students are provided many opportunities to participate in special events, lectures, and social gatherings intended to create an educational environment that is intellectually stimulating.

4. Women’s Center A Women’s Center dedicated to advancing the status and success of women on campus was formed in 1996. The services offered by the Women’s Center are: ¾ Confidential counseling, guidance, support, mentoring and community resource referral offered to students, faculty and staff, with particular emphasis on genderrelated topics, such as relationship issues, sexual harassment, workplace conflicts, equity, and professional development. ¾ The Galerstein Library offers a variety of reading materials and videos for loan on topics such as: self-help, health & wellness, legal issues, family life, women's history, community resources, and popular fiction. ¾ Support groups, guided-discussion, programs and workshops to openly discuss topics traditionally associated with women, such as balancing work and family, career and glass-ceiling issues, eating disorders, divorce and single parenting, life changes and moving forward, relationships, stress, and self-esteem. ¾ Special events, guest speakers, panels, and social gatherings, designed to connect with the Dallas community, network professionally, and commemorate historical milestones for women.

C.2.3.5: Distribution of effort for each faculty member A description of the distribution of effort between teaching and other responsibilities of each faculty member

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1. AACSB Accredited The program meets the AACSB standards for faculty responsibilities in the degree programs.

2. Course Coordinators There are two course coordinators in the Certificate Program who are responsible for coordinating the flow of topics within the courses and topics across courses plus coordinate development of major assignments. Faculty members in the Certificate Program, other than the course coordinators, are solely responsible for the development and teaching of their modules.

C.2.3.6: Distribution of effort for Administrator A description of the distribution effort between administrator and other responsibilities for each position The Director, Mr. James Joiner, has dual responsibilities as Program Director and faculty member in both the Certificate Program and MBA Program. As Director, his responsibilities include leading the department, designing courses, hiring faculty, overseeing the delivery of courses, advising students, marketing the program, representing the program in various national and international fora. As an instructor, he conducts an “Introduction to Project Management” workshop for the Certificate students and Operations Management for MBA students.

C.2.3.7: Distribution of effort for each staff position A description of the distribution of effort between staff and other responsibilities for each position

1. Program Coordinator The Program Coordinator, Ms. Judy Clothier, has course and administrative responsibilities. She coordinates and oversees delivery of both on campus and online graduate programs, and other short term courses in Project Management. Her administrative responsibilities include handling accounts, reconciling finances, organizing international study tours, and correspondence with various arms of the university.

2. Administrative Assistant The Administrative Assistant, Ms. Diana Lau, is a full-time administrative assistant who co-ordinates on campus classes, manages student accounts, maintains finance books, organizes events and provides administrative support to students.

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3. Programmer Full time position, whose responsibilities include handling technical aspects of on campus and online graduate programs, maintaining web server and Blackboard server and keep the program technologically advanced.

4. Research Assistant The Research Assistant, Karthik Alagu, works half time and provides technical support for online and on campus programs.

5. Work Study Work Study student, Wilston Nkangoh, works part time and provides administrative and technical support to the program.

C.2.3.8: Faculty appointment, promotion and tenure A description of the policies, procedures, and criteria for appointment, promotion, and tenure (as appropriate), and for accessing faculty development opportunities (Qualifications of faculty as required by the institutional accreditation takes precedent) The program meets AACSB and SAB requirements for faculty appointment, promotion and tenure.

C.2.3.9: Evidence of student evaluations Evidence that the students evaluate individual courses and faculty The students use module evaluations, course evaluations, mid point survey, exit survey and alumni survey to evaluate courses and faculty. This was covered in more detail in section C.2.2.1. The self-study process has helped in modifying and adding surveys to improve the quality of feedback received.

C.2.3.10: Opportunities to acquire new skills Opportunities for the acquisition of new skills and knowledge and support of attendance at professional meetings There are many opportunities for program administrators and staff to update skills and knowledge through participation in professional conferences and meetings. Examples are as follows:

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1. The Director and Program Coordinator attend the EMBA Council meeting annually. It is a series of workshops developed on current topics relevant to the development of executive MBA curriculums and programs 2. The Director represents the program at PMI GLOBAL annually along with selected staff/students. 3. Program and UTD sponsors New Product Development to which students are invited to attend. 4. Library resources provided for faculty and staff. 5. The Director attends IPMEU Conference annually. The Project Management Program at UTD is set to host the IPMEU conference in 2006.

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C.2.4 Student Support Services The program should demonstrate that it provides support and encouragement for students to assume leadership roles both during their school years and later in the profession.

C.2.4.1: Students’ participation in learning How students participate in establishing their individual and collective learning agendas The program originally established a process of student evaluation that required students to complete a module evaluation for each module in the Certificate Program and a course evaluation after completion of each course in the MS and MBA phases of the program. Additionally a mid-point survey and exit survey were initiated in 2005 for both the on campus and online Certificate Programs. Also, a final alumni survey was developed and mailed out to the graduating class of December 2004. All evaluations and surveys provide feedback to faculty and administrators for consideration in developing course and program learning objectives.

C.2.4.2: Students’ access to intellectual resources How students have access to necessary physical and intellectual resources relevant to the program of study Students in the program have access to an array of resources provided by the university. Intellectual resources include the UTD Libraries, both on campus and virtual resources, computing labs, the UTD Microcomputer Center, the Callier Center, the Carolyn Lipshy Galerstein Women’s Center, and the Cecil and Ida Green Center for the Study of Science and Society. In addition, students also have access to the UTD Activities Center and weekly events organized and offered through the Student Union.

C.2.4.3: Students’ access to advising resources How students have access to advising services related to their coursework, and are provided with the support necessary to complete their intended course of studies The Program Director is the assigned advisor to all students in the program. No separate advising office is needed since the program curriculum is set with no elective courses included. There is easy access to faculty and the Director for guidance as needed.

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C.2.4.4: Various student support services Description of student support services, including academic and personal advising, career guidance, evaluation of progress, and internship placement (if applicable) The School of Management maintains a Career Services office that provides career counseling and job search opportunities. Since students in the Project Management Program are employed with significant work experience, this is usually not a service utilized by students in the program.

C.2.4.5: Post-graduation support to students Any post-graduation support which is provided to students by the applicant program/institution Alumni activities are organized each year through the UTD Alumni Association, the School of Management Alumni Office, The Executive Education alumni office, and the Project Management Program. Executive Education established a separate Alumni Program Office in 2004 with a full-time administrator. Events offered for alumni include seminars, workshops, mixers, and opportunities for community service.

C.2.4.6: Alumni employment The proportion of alumni who have sought and achieved employment within the field of project management Not applicable as all student must be employed within the field of project management to be admitted into the program.

C.2.4.7: Student professional, honor societies Evidence of opportunities to participate in student professional societies, honor societies, and other campus-wide student activities Students in the program are eligible to participate in any of the student organizations sponsored by the university. In addition, graduates are eligible for consideration into the prestigious honorary fraternity, Beta Gamma Sigma.

C.2.4.8: Description of program in catalogs The description of the program as it appears in university catalogs and other institutionally authorized printed materials The standard description of the program as appears in most School of Management publications is: 29

UTD’s program in project management blends technical, leadership, and general business training help project managers meet the changing needs of new corporate structures. Students receive a broad management education as well as sound preparation for the Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam, the certifying exam of the prestigious Project Management Institute (PMI). UTD’s Project Management Program offers: • • • • •

MBA as well as Master of Science tracks, both incorporating a two-week European study tour Preparation for PMI certification A convenient coursework schedule, either on campus three-day-per-month, or online An adult-education learning environment with other experienced project managers Class assignments directly related to work assignments

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C.2.5: Student Selection As a general practice, students admitted to master’s or doctoral degree programs should hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a recognized institution. In addition, assessment of applicants to advanced degree programs should be made via a review of previous academic performance, performance on a recognized standardized test, and/or relevant life experience related to the field of project management.

C.2.5.1: Program’s selectivity, retention and time-tograduation There is a clear policy in place outlining the program’s selectivity, retention, and time-to graduation rates since the last accreditation sequence. Not applicable. The School of Management is AACSB and Southern Association of Universities accredited and maintains compliance with both.

C.2.5.2: Clear information regarding candidate selection Clear, complete and accurate information is provided to the public in the program catalog and all program promotional literature regarding candidate selection for program admission and the academic expectations of the program. Refer to Section C.2.3.1 for detailed description of the admission process. Exhibit E.3.1.1 is a printout of the web page listing admission requirements and application procedure.

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C.2.6: Curriculum and Learning and Performance Objectives The Center accredits professional programs at the bacherlor’s, master’s and doctoral degree levels. Center curricular requirements are objectives-based rather than prescriptive in nature, in accordance with the current trends and philosophy found throughout the professional accreditation milieu. The curricular requirements for awarding these degrees must include both general studies and specific professional studies which respond to the need of the institution, the project management profession, and the students respectively. Together these components comprise a general education that ensures that graduates will be technically competent critical thinkers who are capable of defining multiple career paths within a changing societal context. These components are defined as follows: a. General Studies: An undergraduate professional degree must include general studies in the arts and sciences, either as an admission requirement or as part of the curriculum. While this work is traditionally governed by guidelines established by the institution, the program must ensure that students have the prerequisite general academic knowledge skills needed to effectively undertake professional studies. b. Professional studies: The core of a professional degree consists of the required courses that address the generally accepted processes and knowledge areas found within the project management profession and as described in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide). Upon completion of the program, students should be sufficiently prepared to achieve the project management learning outcomes delineated below To meet the curricular requirements of a Center accredited degree program, graduates shall be adequately prepared to perform a core set of project management responsibilities based on the following performance domains: Domain I: Domain II: Domain III: Domain IV: Domain V: Domain VI:

Initiating the Project Planning the Project Executing the Project Controlling the Project Closing the Project Professional Responsibility

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C.2.6.1: Specification of the degrees being offered The two degrees offered are the Master of Science in Management and Administrative Sciences or the Master of Business Administration. Refer to Section C.2.2.4 and Exhibit E.2.4.2 that lists two degree options for the program.

C.2.6.2: Evidence curriculum objectives meet Learning and Performance Objectives Evidence that the curriculum is designed to meet the Center Learning and Performance Objectives as listed above The curriculum was designed to include various topics in the project cycle. This translates to a learning objective of imparting skills in all phases of project management according to the constraints of cost, resource and time. These teachings are aligned with PMBOK and therefore there is a direct relationship between the program’s and Center’s objectives.

C.2.6.3: Outline of curriculum For each degree being offered, an outline of the curriculum showing the distribution of general (where applicable) and professional studies (including their prerequisites). Refer to Exhibit E.6.3.1 which describes the degree plan, gives course descriptions and a list of furnished text books.

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C.2.6.4: Graphic matrix cross-referencing Learning and Performance Objectives A graphic matrix that cross-references each required course with the Learning and Performance Objective(s) it fulfills. Project Management Program PMBOK Domains

OPRE6271 OPRE6372 OPRE6373 OPRE6374 OPRE6375 OPRE6376 MAS6301 MAS6101

Stat

Acct

Fin

S

S

Ops Mgt Ops Rsch Strat mgt

Domain I: Initiating the Project 1.1 Determine and document project goals by identifying and working with project stakeholders in order to learn and ensure compliance with their requirements, specifications, and/or expectations

P

P

1.2 Determine, describe, and document product or service deliverables by reviewing or generating the scope of work, requirements, an/or specifications to meet stakeholder expectations

P

P

1.3 Identify, document, and communicate project process outputs by selecting appropriate practices, tools, and methodologies to ensure required product/service delivery

P

P

1.4 Identify and document project schedule, budgetary, resource, quality, and other constraints through coordination with stakeholders and review of projectrelated policies and procedures to ensure compliance.

P

P

1.5 Identify and document project schedule, budgetary, resource and other assumptions by determining information which must be validated or situations to be controlled during the project in order to facilitate the project planning process

P

1.6 Define the project strategy by evaluating alternative approaches in order to meet stakeholder requirements, specifications, and/or expectations.

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

P

S

S

P

P

S

S

1.7 Identify and list performance criteria by referring to product/service specifications and process standards in order to ensure an/or support the quality assurance effort

P

P

P

S

S

1.8 Identify, estimate and document key resource requirements by referring to deliverables in order to support planning and decision making

P

P

P

S

S

P

P

S

S

P

S

S

S

1.9 Define and document an appropriate project budget and schedule by determining time and cost estimates in order to support decision making 1.10 Provide comprehensive information by producing a formal project charter document to obtain an approval decision from the appropriate stakeholders

S

P

P

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S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

PMBOK Domains

OPRE6271 OPRE6372 OPRE6373 OPRE6374 OPRE6375 OPRE6376 MAS6301 MAS6101

Stat

Acct

Fin

Ops Mgt Ops Rsch Strat mgt

Domain II: Planning the Project 2.1 Identify , analyze, refine and document project requirements, assumptions, and constraints through communication with stakeholders and/or by reviewing project documents to baseline the scope of work and enable development of the execution plan.

S

P

S

S

2.2 Develop the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) using the Scope Statement, Statement of Work (SOW), other project documents, and decomposition techniques to facilitate detailed project planning and the executing, controlling, and closing processes.

P

S

S

2.3 Develop the resource management plan (human resources, procurement, etc.) by identifying resource requirements and obtaining commitments from internal, external, and procured sources required to complete all project activities.

S

P

S

S

2.4 Analyze and refine project time and cost estimates by applying estimating tools and techniques to all WBS tasks in order to determine and define project baseline, schedule, and budget.

P

S

S

2.5 Identify and implement project controls by defining the required correct processes, measures, and controls to manage project change, communications, procurement, risk, quality, and human resources to facilitate project executing and controlling proces

P

S

S

S

2.6 Develop a formal and comprehensive project plan by integrating and documenting project deliverables, acceptance criteria, processes, procedures, risks, and tasks to facilitate project executing, controlling, and closing processes.

P

S

S

S

2.7 Obtain project plan approval by reviewing the plan with the client and other stakeholders individually or in small group presentations. Negotiate open items or issues in order to confirm project baselines prior to execution of the plan.

P

S

S

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S

S

S

PMBOK Domains

OPRE6271 OPRE6372 OPRE6373 OPRE6374 OPRE6375 OPRE6376 MAS6301 MAS6101

Stat

Acct

Fin

Ops Mgt Ops Rsch Strat mgt

Domain III: Executing the Project 3.1 Commit project resources by utilizing the work authorization/release system and procedures to initiate and monitor the performance of work in accordance with the project plan. Assess work in process to ensure that all activities and only those activi

P

S

S

3.2 Implement the project plan by authorizing the execution of project activities and tasks required to produce project deliverables.

P

S

S

3.3 Manage project progress by applying performance reporting, analysis, and progress measurement techniques in order to ensure that activities are executed as planned so that project objectives are achieved.

P

S

3.4 Communicate project progress by producing project reports to provide timely and accurate project status and decision support information to stakeholders

P

S

3.5 Implement/carry out quality assurance procedures by performing project control activities to meet project objectives.

S

36

P

S

S

S

S

S

PMBOK Domains

OPRE6271 OPRE6372 OPRE6373 OPRE6374 OPRE6375 OPRE6376 MAS6301 MAS6101

Stat

Acct

S

Fin

Ops Mgt Ops Rsch Strat mgt

Domain IV: Controlling the Project 4.1 Measure project performance continually by comparing results to the baseline in order to identify project trends and variances.

P

P

S

S

4.2 Refine control limits on performance measures by applying established policy in order to identify needs for corrective action.

P

P

S

S

4.3 Perform timely corrective action by addressing the root causes in the problem areas in order to eliminate or minize negative impace.

P

P

S

4.4 Evaluate the effectiveness of the corrective actions by measuring subsequent performance in order to determine the need for further actions.

P

P

S

4.5 Ensure compliance with the change management plan by monitoring response to change initiatives in order to manage scope.

P

P

S

4.6 Reassess project control plans and practices by scheduling periodice project and change control system reviews with stakeholders in order to ensure their effectiveness and currency. Update the plans and practices as required.

P

P

S

4.7 Recognize and respond to risk event triggers in accordance with the risk management plan in order to properly manage project outcomes.

P

4.8 Monitor project activity by performing periodic inspections to ensure that authorized approaches and processes are followed or to identify the need for corrective action.

P

37

S

S

S

S

S

S

P

S

S

PMBOK Domains

OPRE6271 OPRE6372 OPRE6373 OPRE6374 OPRE6375 OPRE6376 MAS6301 MAS6101

Domain V: Closing the Project 5.1 Obtain final acceptance of deliverables by obtaining formal approval from appropriate stakeholders to achieve closeout.

S

P

S

5.2 Document lessons learned by surveying project team members and other relevant stakeholders to use for the benefit of future projects.

S

P

S

5.3 Facilitate administrative and financial closure in accordance with the project plan in order to comply with organization and stakeholder requirements.

S

P

S

5.4 Preserve essential project records and required tools by archiving them for future use to adhere to legal and other requirements.

S

P

S

5.5 Release project resources by following appropriate organizational procedures in order to optimize resource utilization.

S

P

S

38

Stat

Acct

Fin

Ops Mgt Ops Rsch Strat mgt

PMBOK Domains

OPRE6271 OPRE6372 OPRE6373 OPRE6374 OPRE6375 OPRE6376 MAS6301 MAS6101

Domain VI: Professional Responsibility 6.1 Ensure individual integrity and professionalism by adhering to legal requirements and ethical standards in order to protect the community and all stakeholders.

S

6.2 Contribute to the project management knowledge base by sharing lessons learned, best practices, research, and other information within appropriate communities in order to improve the quality of project management services, build the capabilities of co

S

P

S

6.3 Enhance individual competence by increasing and applying professional knowledge to improve services.

S

P

S

6.4 Balance stakeholders' interests by recommending approaches that strive for fair resolution in order to satisfy competing needs and objectives.

S

P

S

P

S

S

6.5 Interact with team and stakeholders in a professional and cooperative manner by respecting personal, ethnic and cultural differences in order to ensure a collaborative project management environment.

S

39

S

P

P

Stat

Acct

Fin

Ops Mgt

Ops Rsch

Strat mgt

C.2.6.5: Inclusion of faculty, students and staff in curriculum review Examples of the means by which faculty, students, and staff are included in curriculum review and program development. A cohort program builds a strong student community that empowers the students to express their views on the curriculum in various ways. As detailed in sections C.2.2.1, module, course, mid point, exit and alumni surveys are documented methods for students to express an opinion at micro and macro levels. Other forums for students to influence the curriculum are through an open dialogue with the Director, teleconferences and conversations with the faculty and staff. The Advisory Council is yet another for students’ representatives to critically review the design of the program. Faculty meetings with the Director and Program Coordinator are an avenue for the faculty to discuss the curriculum. Staff meetings are opportunities for the staff to share the feedback received from students and faculty, and this is an input to the Director when reviewing the curriculum.

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C.2.7: Student Performance Criteria The program must ensure that all its graduates possess the knowledge, skills and the ability to accomplish the tasks established by the Center and as defined in the Learning and Performance Objectives which comprise Section C.2.6 of this document.

C.2.7.1: Graduates satisfy Learning and Performance Objectives All graduates have satisfied each of the individual Learning and Performance Objectives listed in Section C.2.6 through required course work, professional experience, and experiential learning The curriculum (exhibit E.2.4.2) covers all aspects of the Project Management Body of Knowledge. There are approximately six major assignments (exhibit E.7.1.1) that students in the Certificate Program have to submit, and these test their understanding of concepts learned across different topics in project management. Module assignments (exhibit E.7.1.2), apart from the major assignments, are such that students have to do them in the work place. Instructor expertise in various fields ensures that students benefit by doing practical assignments on all major topics. At the end of the Certificate Program, students are required to integrate and apply their knowledge across all topics in a simulation activity carried out over two days (exhibit E.3.2.7).

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Conclusion This self-study report is a documentation of the self-study conducted by the staff of Project Management Program at the University of Texas at Dallas in partial fulfillment of the requirement to be considered for PMI accreditation awarded by the Project Management Institute. The self-study process provided an opportunity for the program to introspect, reflect upon the chain of processes in the program, critically evaluate those processes at a micro level, realize the strengths of the program, attempt to address the weaknesses, and reaffirm the vision for the program.

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