Case Study

“I first heard about the Project Management Short Course through an email I got from the University’s information page.   

It sounded really interesting, the chance to spend ten weeks learning online about how companies can take an idea through to the end product – and how I can get involved in that myself.  

The course was designed to give me a better understanding of everything which goes into making a great Project Manager.   

I saw that as pretty attractive, considering it was a chance to develop the knowledge and skills I’ll need to put theory into practice.  

The other reason I decided to enrol was that I had already done a module (and all the related coursework!) on financial and project management during my degree.   

I really enjoyed it and did well, so I was happy to find another way of going after that interest.  

The course has really added to what I knew about the subject from my postgraduate studies.   

We covered some of the things I’d learnt on the course, but the tutor took that information further.   

I particularly liked the illustrations they put together which really helped to solidify my understanding of the subject.  

I learned about concepts, models and theories that are directly relevant to the demands of today’s international organisations and the projects they manage.  

There are lots I can see myself doing using what I’ve learned in this course. I would like to set up a private secondary school in the future.  

I already have a background in education, so one of the main things I still needed was an understanding of running a large project like this.  

That’s what the course has given me, bringing me another step closer to reaching my goal.  

Something really great about the programme is that you get to work in a team. You’re given a case study of a project in which you have to use the various ideas we talk about in the class to come up with a solution.  

It’s really putting learning into action. My team’s case study was based on the task of developing a website for a sports club.  

I was responsible for the Work Breakdown Structure (or WBS), the schedule of the project, the Critical Path (CP) and the Gant chart (an organisational tool).  

You learn a lot throughout the whole team process, especially during the brainstorming and project development sessions.   

Plus, you hear from the other groups at the end when they do their final presentations, so it feels like a really collaborative process.  

A great aspect of the course was the teaching. Dr Lawrence Jones-Esan shared his personal experiences running different projects, which really helped put the ideas into context.  

But it wasn’t just Larry talking to us. He encouraged us to share our project ideas too. It made me feel like my plans could be taken seriously, that I was learning practical things which would help me see them through.   

I think anyone looking to get a modern understanding of project development should consider applying for the course.  

We all take on projects every day, even if we don’t realise it. That could be as simple as doing the weekly shop, planning for a trip or a birthday party or decorating a room.   

That means the fundamentals of project management are useful for everyone, even if you’re not thinking of going into it for your career.”  

Want to follow in Azeez’s footsteps? Take a look at our Project Management Short Course now.  

You can find all our short courses in the Opportunities section of our Careers and Employability pages.  

And visit our MSc International Business Management to learn more about what he studied.