Outsourcing is becoming more and more critical in todays economic environment making it essential that a project manager in the multi-national marketplace have a firm understanding of the negotiating, contracting and procurement environment and potential pitfalls. This course will address the interdependence of the make-or-buy decision-making process and the success of many projects in terms of risk management as well as achieving acceptable financial goals. Students will explore contracting pitfalls by addressing and proving an understanding of the key factors, regulations, and vocabulary which are critical for the project manager to be able to employ in their business dealings with contracting and legal departments.

A sound quality management strategy and plan are critical in today's complex business organizations and projects. Students in this course will review the history of quality efforts from Deming, Juran and Crosby in the setting of the original quality efforts, international competition, and the concept of Six-Sigma as initiated by the Motorola Corporation in response to that competition. The use of the Baldrige Excellence Framework for designing, implementing, and improving project and organizational practices that influence quality will be explored. Students will examine multiple specific process improvement approaches they could apply within their organizational / project quality plans, approaches such as preventions over Inspection and continuous Improvement of processes.

This integrative capstone is the final course in the Master of Science in Project Management program. All other required coursework must have been completed prior to receiving approval to register for this course. Students in this course will have the opportunity to apply the principles learned to the entire program of study and will demonstrate competence by integrating and applying those skills to a real-world scenario. Students will apply knowledge in a group case study setting while documenting the decision-making process, and will analyze methodologies and rationale for selecting those methodologies in a project log including templates designed and used, case study analytical results, and decision outcome analysis/results.

Introduces the nature of politics and political institutions. Emphasizes political behavior and continuing issues of modern politics, such as power, authority, legitimacy, freedom, and order.