Category Archives: MOP Students

Look how far your career can go as an Project Management Alumni

University of Manchester Alumnus, Paul Barnfield graduated from the MSc in the Management of Projects in December 2014. Since then he has enjoyed a fast developing career in project management and regularly gives guest lectures to current MOP students.  Paul was back on campus yesterday and recorded the following short interview, which captures his professional experiences since graduating and gives some top tips for aspiring project managers.  Watch the full video (9 minutes) here

Study Skills for MOP Students

The study tips contained in this presentation, have been drawn from my 8 year experience of teaching and assessing over 1500 Management of Projects students here at The University of Manchester.

study-tips-for-mop-studentsI am also indebted to Mike Courtney and Xiangping Du of the University of Hertfordshire, whose book “Study Skills for Chinese Students” I wholeheartedly recommend to all Management of Projects students.
It is available to buy from Amazon here,

This week I have been reading……..

………“Reconstructing Project Management” by Professor Peter Morris of University College, London Reconstructig Project Management Image

I thoroughly enjoyed this wide ranging and thought provoking tome, so much so that I cracked through it in just over a week – not bad for a busy mum of two, Lecturer in the Management of Projects and part-time Doctoral Researcher.    It is written in a relaxed but academically rigorous style, and draws on Professor Morris’s long and distinguished career as an academic and practitioner of project management.  Indeed my first observation is that this book should be essential reading for any prospective student in the domain of project management.  Continue reading This week I have been reading……..

Revising: A quick guide for MOP students

I have never professed to being an expert at revision.  Whilst I was pretty studious at school, at University I discovered a whole world of distractions – mostly sporting and involving alcohol – that meant that I was not the most conscientious of students, and I managed to get through my final exams with only a serious amount of last minute cramming.  It remains a supreme irony to me that I now sit on the other side of the fence as a lecturer; strongly advising students to work diligently throughout the term and not leave revision to the last minute!

With this health warning in mind here are my tips to help you prepare for January’s MOP exams: Continue reading Revising: A quick guide for MOP students

Surviving and Thriving on The Management of Projects MSc

The MSc in the Management of Projects (known as MOP) is a large, very successful taught MSc programme offered by the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering at the University of Manchester.  Each year around 300 anxious looking MOP students descend on the University from over 30 countries. This year I have students from China, Japan, India, Ecuador, Lebanon, El Salvador, Ireland to name just a few.  85% of students are not native English speakers and it is our job as faculty to teach, encourage and support YOU the students to succeed on this programme.

As many of you know I teach a popular optional unit on the programme entitled Project Finance for Infrastructure projects.  I have been teaching this unit since 2008 and during that time have taught and assessed over 1000 MOP students.  Out of this experience and my own journey through a taught Masters programme, albeit at a competitor institution, I would like to share my thoughts on how to maximise the chances of success on this MSc programme. Continue reading Surviving and Thriving on The Management of Projects MSc