VIU’s Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) students pursuing their degree in business administration

Graduate Diploma in Project Management

Courses

GDPM 502 (3) Project Management Essentials

This course introduces Project Management techniques, to allow the student to understand how to initiate, plan, execute, monitor, control, and close projects. These skills will be applied in different organizations, and industry contexts. (3:0:0)

Prerequisite: Admission to the program.

GDPM 505 (3) Project Management Scope and Schedule

Many projects fail due to mismanagement of scope and resource allocation. Successfully planning a project is both an art and a science that's difficult without the right approach. This course provides the tools and techniques to create and manage the scope of projects and schedule project activities. (3:0:0)

Prerequisite: Admission to the program.

GDPM 510 (3) Project Management Risk Assessment

This course examines Project Management from the point of view of risks. The student will understand threats and opportunities, and how to respond to them with qualitative and quantitative risk analysis techniques. (3:0:0)

Prerequisite: Admission to the program.

GDPM 515 (3) Project Management Cost and Schedule Control

Effective measures for controlling schedule and cost are prerequisite of any successful project. This course provides tools and techniques to develop logical framework for scheduling and controlling project activities, budgeting, monitoring, analyzing and reporting costs and performing of earned-value analysis and balancing project objectives to the budget and time constraint. (3:0:0)

Prerequisite: Admission to the program.

GDPM 520 (3) Project Management Systems

The business environment is growing in complexity, so proficiency in Information Systems (IS) is key to managing projects in dynamic environments. This course takes the fundamental skills from previous courses to develop key deliverables using various tools. Planning and control tools such as PERT/CPM, Gantt charts, resource leveling, etc. (3:0:0)

Prerequisite: Admission to the program.

GDPM 525 (3) Research Methods

This course is designed to develop students' ability to appropriately design research projects, and to understand both where and how to gather data, and how to convert data into reliable information for business decision-making. The course will have a practical orientation, with an emphasis on issues faced in the workplace. (3:0:0)

Prerequisite: Admission to the program.

GDPM 540 (3) Quantitative Decision Modeling

This course will provide an overview of decision modeling under certainty/uncertainty and develop students' skills in applying decision trees, expected value analysis, single- and multiple-attribute decisions, sensitivity analysis, and linear programming for solving business problems. Microsoft Excel will be used to model and solve many of these problems. (2:0:1)

Prerequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrolment in core courses of GDPM or GDIT program.

GDPM 545 (3) Contracts and Procurement Management

This course will provide an overview of contracting and procurement process in increasingly complex legal and regulatory structure. Topics covered include procurement planning, developing procurement Scope of Work and Request for Proposal, supplier selection, price negotiation, identifying proper contract type, and explaining the strengths and weaknesses of different contract approaches. (3:0:0)

Prerequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrolment in core courses of GDPM or GDIT Program.

GDPM 550 (3) Forecasting in Business and Economics

An introduction to selecting, using and evaluating business forecasting methods to investigate trend, seasonality, and cyclical influences, their inter-relationships in the world economy, and effects on international business. Emphasis will be on time series forecasting and its importance to all functional areas of an organization. (3:0:0)

Prerequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrolment in core courses of GDPM or GDIT program.

GDPM 555 (3) Operations Management

This course will enable students to understand the operational issues, develop analytical skills in solving problems related to the design, planning, control and improvement for both manufacturing and services environment. Topics will include operations strategy in global context, demand forecasting, product development, process/project analysis, management of inventory/capacity/quality/supply chain. (3:0:0 for 13 weeks)

Prerequisite: Admission to the Graduate Diploma in Project Management or International Trade program.

GDPM 560 (3) Project Management in Marketing

This course builds on application of project management tools/skills to a real-life event in marketing. Students will identify an opportunity within the community, develop an event plan and then execute it by using all the processes, tools and techniques as a project manager and analyze the reasons of success/failure. (3:0:0)

Prerequisite: Completion of or concurrent enrolment in core courses of GDPM or GDIT program.

GDPM 590 (6) Applied Project

A substantial research-based project where students will apply their knowledge and skills through the investigation and analysis of a complex business problem or management issue in Project Management. The study should be aimed at extending current knowledge in project management, testing qualitatively/quantitatively, drawing conclusions and writing a project report. (0:0:0 -90)

Prerequisite: Completion of all core courses and completion of or concurrent enrolment in all elective courses of GDPM program.