Project Evaluation
- Management Sciences
- 800 level
- 3 credit units
- 111 pages
- 15 units
This course on Project Evaluation is designed for MBA students. It covers project evaluation from the project cycle to engineering evaluation, demand/market evaluation, and financial and economic analyses. The course aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills to evaluate projects effectively, whether as initiators or evaluators. Students will learn to prepare project plans, assess project feasibility, and make informed investment decisions based on predetermined criteria.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 195 hours
- Maths
- Intermediate
- Content
- Theoretical, practical, case study
- Practical work
- Yes
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assignments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of MBA840, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
MBA840 · UNIT 1 THE PROJECT CYCLE
We need to stress that new project ideas may originate from any level in an organisation. A factory cleaner within an organisation may come up with a new product idea. Also an executive director in an organisation may also generate a new project idea.
What you should be able to do
- Evaluate projects using various financial and economic criteria.
- Prepare project plans and feasibility studies.
- Analyze market demand and supply for project outputs.
- Assess project costs and benefits.
- Apply discounted cash flow techniques.
- Understand the project cycle and its stages.
- Identify factors affecting project location.
- Develop marketing plans for projects.
- Conduct sensitivity analysis for risk assessment.
What it prepares you for
- Project Manager
- Financial Analyst
- Investment Analyst
- Business Development Manager
- Management Consultant
- Banking
- Manufacturing
- Construction
- Agriculture
- Consulting
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 3:
Unit 2: Projected Cash Flow Statements
Projected cash flow statements require a strong understanding of accounting principles and financial forecasting techniques, including the ability to estimate future revenues and expenses accurately.
- Module 3:
Unit 4: Project Evaluation Criteria
Project evaluation criteria involve complex calculations and understanding of financial ratios, requiring a solid foundation in mathematics and financial analysis.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 34 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1:
Unit 1: The Project Cycle · 2 hours
Understand the stages of a project cycle from conception to execution.. Identify sources of new project ideas and their systematic identification.. Discuss the roles of experts in project evaluation..
Unit 2: Project Evaluations – An Introductory Format · 2 hours
Explain the format for project evaluation.. Discuss the technical and engineering segment checklist.. Understand the demand and market segment checklist..
- Week 2Module 1:
Unit 3: Factors Affecting Location of Projects · 2 hours
Explain the factors affecting the location of projects.. Discuss the importance of nearness to markets and raw materials.. Understand the political considerations in project location..
Unit 4: Capacity and Production Planning · 2 hours
Explain capacity and production planning.. Discuss the concepts of installed, attainable, and actual capacity.. Understand the nature of the production plan..
- Week 3Module 1:
Unit 5: The Concept Of Engineering Evaluation · 2 hours
Explain the concept of engineering evaluation.. Discuss the identification of plant and equipment.. Understand the importance of technical support and maintenance..
- Week 4Module 2:
Unit 1: Manpower Planning and Evaluation · 2 hours
Explain manpower planning and evaluation.. Discuss the practical applications in industry.. Understand the roles of direct and indirect labor..
Unit 2: Demand Analysis · 2 hours
Explain what a demand analysis is.. Discuss how to conduct demand analysis.. Understand the analytical framework for demand analysis..
- Week 5Module 2:
Unit 3: Supply Analysis · 2 hours
Explain what a supply analysis is.. Discuss supply analysis in relation to project evaluation.. Understand the supply equation..
Unit 4: Competition and Marketing Plans · 2 hours
Explain the meaning of competition.. Discuss marketing plans and how they are designed.. Understand the analytical framework for competition..
- Week 6Module 2:
Unit 5: Project Cost Analysis · 2 hours
Explain what project cost analysis is.. Discuss how the analysis can be prepared.. Understand the components of project cost analysis..
- Week 7Module 3:
Unit 1: Projected Income Statement · 2 hours
Explain the meaning of projected income statement.. Discuss its application in project evaluation.. Understand the structure of the projected income statement..
- Week 8Module 3:
Unit 2: Projected Cash Flow Statements · 2 hours
Explain what a projected cash flow statement is.. Explain how it can be prepared.. Understand the usefulness of projected cash flow statements..
- Week 9Module 3:
Unit 3: The Projected Balance Sheet · 2 hours
Explain the meaning of a balance sheet.. Explain the preparation of the projected balance sheet.. Understand the components of a balance sheet..
- Week 10Module 3:
Unit 4: Project Evaluation Criteria · 2 hours
Discuss project evaluation criteria.. Distinguish between the traditional criteria and the discounted cash flow relative to project evaluation.. Understand the payback period method..
- Week 11Module 3:
Unit 4: Project Evaluation Criteria · 2 hours
Discuss the accounting rate of return (ARR) method.. Understand the net present value (NPV) method.. Understand the internal rate of return (IRR) method..
- Week 12Module 3:
Unit 5: Introduction to Economic Analysis · 2 hours
Explain the meaning of an economic analysis.. Distinguish between an economic analysis and a financial analysis.. Understand the nature of economic analysis..
- Week 13Module 3:
Unit 5: Introduction to Economic Analysis · 2 hours
Discuss the adjustments to financial analyses.. Understand the linkage effects of a project.. Review all course materials and prepare for final examination..
Preparing for the exam
- Create a study schedule allocating specific time slots for each module and unit.
- Focus on understanding the core concepts of project evaluation criteria (NPV, IRR, Payback Period).
- Practice numerical problems related to cash flow analysis and investment appraisal.
- Review all Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) and their solutions to identify areas of weakness.
- Create concept maps linking project cycle stages to evaluation techniques.
- Prioritize understanding of economic analysis adjustments (transfer payments, subsidies) and linkage effects.
Questions students ask about this course
What is MBA840 about?
This course on Project Evaluation is designed for MBA students. It covers project evaluation from the project cycle to engineering evaluation, demand/market evaluation, and financial and economic analyses. The course aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills to evaluate projects effectively, whether as initiators or evaluators. Students will learn to prepare project plans, assess project feasibility, and make informed investment decisions based on predetermined criteria.
How many units does MBA840 have?
MBA840, Project Evaluation, has 15 units across 3 modules, over 111 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is MBA840?
MBA840 carries 3 credit units, at 800 level in Management Sciences.
Is MBA840 hard?
MBA840 is rated intermediate level, with intermediate mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical and case study work, and it has a practical component.
How long does MBA840 take to study?
About 195 hours of study, spread across its 15 units.
How is MBA840 assessed?
MBA840 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assignments and final examination.
What can I do with MBA840?
Project Manager, Financial Analyst, Investment Analyst, Business Development Manager and Management Consultant.