Postgraduate Diploma in Management of Software Projects
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Diploma
- Code
- E19
- Level
- Postgraduate
- Made up of
- 120 credit points
Description
The need for software development projects to be successful is increasingly important as software systems become more complex and organisations become ever more dependent on their software systems. As product life cycles get shorter and as technology enables more ways of producing goods and services, it is becoming harder to meet a client’s requirements and deliver a new software system within the constraints of time, cost and quality.
This diploma is designed for professionals in the field of computing who wish to develop their vocational interest in project management. Although it is designed to be a more specialist diploma than the Postgraduate Diploma in Computing for Commerce and Industry (C02), it includes courses to develop the skills and breadth of knowledge for careers in a project-based organisation.
Planning your studies
There are no entry requirements for the diploma courses, but you must be suitably prepared for study at professional level. You are expected to have studied to at least HNC/HND level, or to have had equivalent practical experience. Individual course descriptions will tell you more about the requirements.
You can take the diploma courses in any order. It is often helpful to begin with a course that is related to your current area of work or to your own interests or experience, so that you can build on your strengths while getting used to Open University supported open learning. We recommend that you start with only one course in the first six-month period. After this you will have a clearer understanding of the demands that courses will make on you, and can decide whether you wish to take more than one course at a time. However, if you are able to find time to study courses totalling 30 points in every study period, you can obtain a diploma in as little as two years.
There is no time limit for completing this diploma. Postgraduate computing courses (course codes beginning with ‘M’ listed below) can count towards the diploma for a maximum of eight years after we have stopped presenting them; however we cannot guarantee that the same selection of courses will continue to be available.
All postgraduate computing courses and many of the technology courses (course code beginning with ‘T’) are available with electronic submission and marking of assignments and so can be studied anywhere in the world. You should check the availability of other courses in this diploma that you wish to study, if you are studying outside the EU.
You must include at least 40 credit points from OU courses that have not been counted in any other OU qualification you have been awarded.
Career relevance and employability
The courses in the postgraduate computing programme are for professional computer specialists, engineers, technical managers and scientists who need to update their skills and knowledge in specific areas, and gain recognised qualifications to develop their careers. The compulsory project management course is accredited by the Association for Project Management (APM), and accredited by the ISEB as providing equivalent training and written examination to that required for the ISEB Certificate in IS Project Management at higher level.
For planning your next career steps, visit the OU Careers Advisory Service.
Courses
For this 120-point postgraduate diploma you require:
60 points from the following compulsory courses:
| Postgraduate compulsory courses | Points | Next start |
|---|---|---|
|
15 | May 2010 |
|
15 | May 2010 |
|
15 | May 2010 |
|
15 | May 2010 |
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued course MZX865
And 30 points from these optional courses:
| Postgraduate optional courses | Points | Next start |
|---|---|---|
|
15 | May 2010 |
|
15 | May 2010 |
|
15 | May 2010 |
|
15 | May 2010 |
|
15 | May 2010 |
|
15 | May 2010 |
|
15 | May 2010 |
|
15 | Nov 2010 |
|
15 | May 2010 FINAL |
|
15 | May 2010 |
|
15 | May 2010 |
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued courses M874, M877, M878, M879, M881.
And 30 points from these optional courses:
| Postgraduate optional courses | Points | Next start |
|---|---|---|
|
30 | May 2010 |
|
30 | May 2010 |
|
30 | Nov 2010 |
|
30 | May 2010 |
|
30 | Nov 2010 |
|
30 | May 2010 |
|
30 | May 2010 |
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued courses B824, BZX824
Once you have completed the Postgraduate Diploma, you can gain the MSc in Management of Software Projects (F43) by taking a 60-point research project and dissertation course. For this your project topic will need to be in the area of software project management. If you choose a more general computing topic, you may instead be awarded the MSc in Computing for Commerce and Industry (F05).
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
Credit for previous study elsewhere
If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution we may be able to give you credit for this study that you can count towards this Open University qualification. You can find out more on our Credit Transfer site. If you make a successful claim for transferred credit it may affect your choice of courses so you are advised to investigate this option as soon as possible.
Credit transfer details for this qualification:
On completion
On successful completion of 120 points' worth of required courses you will be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Management of Software Projects entitling you to use the letters PG Dip Mgmt SP (Open) after your name. If you obtain 60 points or more at Distinction grade in your courses, you will qualify for the award of the Diploma with Distinction.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the Award Regulations and the Student Regulations.
Award Regulations
- Introduction to the Award Regulations
- General Award Regulations
- Postgraduate Diploma in Management of Software Projects
Student Regulations
The Student Regulations (including the Code of Practice for Student Assessment and the Code of Practice for Student Discipline) are available on our Policy Documents for Students website.
How to register
To register for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the course you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that course.
About this page
A postgraduate qualification in Business and Management and Computing and ICT.
Study explained
- Credit points
- - show how much study is required to complete a course or qualification. One credit point represents roughly 10 hours of study.
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- Study explained
- - all you need to know about studying with the OU.
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