About the Programme

The primary aim of the Master of Science in Project Management programme is to produce graduates with the necessary skills to enter the project management field at a professional managerial level. To this end, students are exposed to the full spectrum of the Project Management Body of Knowledge and related issues, including: project management and systems theory; project planning and implementation, including scheduling and control; human resource management and communication; total quality management in project environments; project finance, cost and procurement; and risk management. In addressing each of these areas, a strong emphasis is placed on the development of decision-making skills. A further aim specific to the programme is to develop research planning and design skills, and critical thinking.

Structure of the Programme

The programme comprises seven compulsory taught courses, and a minor dissertation. The seven taught courses are delivered face-to-face on campus in contact block weeks during the first two years. This is followed by the minor dissertation in the third year. As such, the programme is well-suited to part-time students.

Students are required to attend four contact block weeks in the first year (usually in January, March/April, July, and September), and three contact block weeks in second year. Exact dates may be obtained from the Department. Each taught course is 20 credits, and typically comprises a 40-hour contact week on campus, 160 hours of assignment work, and an examination. The minor dissertation is 60 credits.

Programme Courses

The seven taught courses plus the minor dissertation are as follows:

First Year:

  • CON5014Z Project Management and Systems Theory (20 credits)
    Project Management: Overview of Project Management Knowledge Areas and Project Management Processes; relationship of Project Management to other management disciplines. Systems Theory: The Project Management Body of knowledge and its place in the trans-disciplinary study of the abstract organization of projects, independent of their substance, type, or spatial or temporal scale of existence; investigation of both the principles common to all complex projects, emphasis is placed on real systems that are open to, and interact with, their environments, and that acquire qualitatively new properties through emergence, resulting in continual evolution; Systems concepts including: system-environment boundary, input, output, process, state, hierarchy, goal- directedness, and information. Project Environments: Overview of the project environment and structures.
  • CON5016Z Project Planning & Implementation (20 credits)
    The need for planning; rules for planning and control; project conception and definition; project strategy; project organisation; project methodology; project planning, scheduling, project integration and control and project closure.
  •  CON5018Z Human Resource Management & Interpersonal Communication (20 credits)
    The human resource management needs of project management interfacing with stakeholders including: communication, conflict resolution, negotiation, developing project teams, ethics and culture, group dynamics, leadership and motivation methods of achieving project objectives through others in a people intensive environment.
  • CON5046Z Research Methodology (20 credits)
    Research methodology, the research experience; knowledge and problems; the proposal chapter; designing the research; theoretical frameworks; overview of research methods – from quantitative to qualitative; case studies; writing the literature review, data presentation and analysis; concluding the research.

Second Year:

  • CON5022Z Total Quality Management (20 credits)
    Total Quality Management as a set of management processes and systems; TQM in project environments; value engineering, design management, partnering, safety, health and welfare.
  • CON5029Z Project Risk Management (20 credits)
    The Nature of Risk: Definitions of risk; risk as a social construct; risk contexts; mathematical concepts of risk; behavioural concepts of risk; risk and decision- making; risk and uncertainty; classifying risk. The Nature of Projects: The nature of projects; project complexity; mapping project risks; risky projects. Decision-making, Risk Perception and Risk Communication: decision-making environment of the organisation; communication environment of the organisation; project team decision-making and communication; external stakeholder communication; risk perceptions and the communication of risk. Systematic Risk Management: Stakeholder risks not project risks; features of systematic risk management; risk management systems. Risk Analysis: Risk allocation; A multi-dimensional risk magnitude perspective; systemic risk assessment. Risk Decisions and Actions: Risk response options; strategic risk response; risk monitoring and control; risk disaster planning and risk recovery; post- project risk evaluation and risk recording; communicating risk messages. Building a Risk Management System: Organisational maturity in risk management; creating a project risk management framework; establishing risk registers; reviewing risk management performance
  • CON5030Z Project Finance and Procurement (20 credits)
    Cost modelling basics – income and expenses, fixed and variable costs, break even analysis. Financial modelling basics – Capital Asset Pricing Model, Cost of Capital, Discounted Cash Flows and Net Present Value, Perpetuities. The use of a business case in projects, reviews and setting tolerance levels. Business case development – Economic feasibility and cost benefit analysis. Make or buy decisions – cost estimating methods, request for information procedures. Procurement / Supply chain – RFP, Bidding, Tender adjudication and vendor selection, contract awards. Cost budgeting – performance baselines. Cost control and reporting – Earned Value Management. Project finance – project, contract and governance structures: Marketing / selling solution projects; Risk and project finance. Project organisations / partnering – PPP and alternative models.

Third Year:

  • CON5023Z Minor Dissertation Project Management (60 credits) 
    Methodology: selection of the research problem; preparation of the research proposal. Research Report: conducting empirical research; analysis of findings; drawing conclusions; making recommendations; presentation of a research report.

Note: CON5046Z Research Methodology is a pre-requisite for CON5023Z Minor Dissertation as the student will use the knowledge gained in CON5046Z in their research study.

Minimum Admission Requirements

Applicants for the MSc in Project Management Programme must meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Hold a four-year Bachelor's or Honours Degree in an appropriate field, obtained from a recognised University; or

  • Hold an approved three-year degree and have a minimum of five years of Senior Managerial experience relevant to the field in which they propose to study.

Examples of appropriate qualifications include, but are not limited to: Architecture; Construction Management; Engineering; Quantity Surveying; and Planning. Other fields are also eligible provided they involve Project Management, for instance in the fields of ICT or Commerce, In addition, candidates should have work experience and should preferably be currently employed.

Programme Fees

Refer to the Student Fees Handbook 12 available at the UCT Handbooks.

Applications and Enquiries

Ms Mareldia Fagodien
Administrative Officer (Postgraduate)
Department of Construction Economics and Management
University of Cape Town
Private Bag, Rondebosch, 7701
South Africa

Tel: (021) 650 3443
Fax: (021) 689 7564
Email: con-cem@uct.ac.za