MBA851

Project Evaluation

Management Sciences
800 level
3 credit units
108 pages
15 units

This course introduces students to the principles and practices of project evaluation. It covers the project cycle, evaluation methodologies, and factors influencing project location. Students will learn demand and supply analysis, cost analysis, and financial statement projections. The course aims to equip students with the skills to evaluate projects effectively, assess their economic impact, and make informed investment decisions.

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About this course

Difficulty: Intermediate
Study hours: 208 hours
Maths: Intermediate
Content: Theoretical, practical, case study
Practical work: Yes

How it is assessed

Assignments
Tutor marked assignments
Final examination

What you'll read

The real module and unit structure of MBA851, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.

Module 1

Module 2

Module 3

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

MBA851 · UNIT 1: THE PROJECT CYCLE

The project idea stage is the first stage of a project cycle. The idea about a project arises from a variety of sources within the internal environment or market place.

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What you should be able to do

Discuss the totality of project evaluation
Prepare simple project plans/business plans
Evaluate projects submitted for consideration
Apply financial analysis techniques to project evaluation
Assess the economic impact of projects

What it prepares you for

Careers

Project Manager
Financial Analyst
Investment Analyst
Business Development Manager
Management Consultant

Where it is applied

Banking
Manufacturing
Construction
Consulting
Government

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

Module 3:
Unit 2: Projected Cash Flow Statements
Requires understanding of complex financial modeling and forecasting techniques.
Module 3:
Unit 3: The Projected Balance Sheet
Involves intricate calculations and understanding of accounting principles.
Module 3:
Unit 4: Project Evaluation Criteria
Requires a solid grasp of financial mathematics and investment theory.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 28 hours in total. Yours will differ.

Week 1Module 1:
- Unit 1: The Project Cycle · 2 hours
  Read Unit 1: Understand the stages of a project cycle from conception to execution.. Identify sources of new project ideas and their importance.. Complete Tutor-Marked Assignment 1: Explain the project cycle and its stages..
Week 2Module 1:
- Unit 2: Project Evaluations – An Introductory Format · 2 hours
  Study Unit 2: Learn the technical, management, demand/market, financial, and economic segments of project evaluation.. Use the checklist to evaluate a sample project.. Complete Tutor-Marked Assignment: Discuss the key segments of project evaluation..
Week 3Module 1:
- Unit 3: Factors Affecting Location of Projects · 2 hours
  Read Unit 3: Identify factors affecting project location, including market proximity and raw material sources.. Analyze the impact of power and water supply on project viability.. Complete Tutor-Marked Assignment: Mention and discuss factors influencing project location..
Week 4Module 1:
- Unit 4: Capacity and Production Planning · 2 hours
  Study Unit 4: Understand capacity concepts (installed, attainable, actual) and production planning.. Analyze the production plan of a vegetable oil refining plant.. Complete Tutor-Marked Assignment: Explain installed capacity and its difference from attainable capacity..
Week 5Module 1:
- Unit 5: The Concept Of Engineering Evaluation · 2 hours
  Read Unit 5: Learn the components of engineering evaluation, including plant and equipment identification.. Review the checklist for plant/machinery evaluation.. Complete Tutor-Marked Assignment: Explain why engineering evaluation of a project is important..
Week 6Module 2:
- Unit 1: Manpower Planning and Evaluation · 2 hours
  Study Unit 1: Understand manpower planning and evaluation in project evaluation.. Analyze the manpower requirements of a water packaging project.. Complete Tutor-Marked Assignment: Explain why a manpower plan is important in a start-up project..
Week 7Module 2:
- Unit 2: Demand Analysis · 2 hours
  Read Unit 2: Learn the analytical framework for demand analysis.. Analyze population data and potential customers.. Complete Tutor-Marked Assignment: Explain why analyzing population data is important when building a demand analysis..
Week 8Module 2:
- Unit 3: Supply Analysis · 2 hours
  Study Unit 3: Understand the supply equation and its components.. Analyze supply data and identify key suppliers.. Complete Tutor-Marked Assignment: Discuss the three components of supply that make up the supply equation..
Week 9Module 2:
- Unit 4: Competition and Marketing Plans · 2 hours
  Read Unit 4: Learn about competition and marketing plans.. Analyze the forces governing competition in an industry.. Complete Tutor-Marked Assignment: Discuss the five basic forces that govern competition in industry..
Week 10Module 2:
- Unit 5: Project Cost Analysis · 2 hours
  Study Unit 5: Understand project cost analysis and its components.. Review the checklists for cost of land, building, machinery, etc.. Complete Tutor-Marked Assignment: Explain why it is important to know the total cost of a project..
Week 11Module 3:
- Unit 1: Projected Income Statement · 2 hours
  Read Unit 1: Understand the structure and components of a projected income statement.. Analyze the revenue and expense projections for a vegetable oil refining plant.. Complete Tutor-Marked Assignment: Discuss the likely users of a projected income statement..
Week 12Module 3:
- Unit 2: Projected Cash Flow Statements · 2 hours
  Study Unit 2: Understand the meaning and uses of projected cash flow statements.. Analyze the structure of a projected cash flow statement.. Complete Tutor-Marked Assignment: Explain why banks are interested in projected cash flow statements of projects..
Week 13Module 3:
- Unit 3: The Projected Balance Sheet · 2 hours
  Read Unit 3: Understand the meaning and components of a projected balance sheet.. Analyze the steps in constructing a projected balance sheet.. Complete Tutor-Marked Assignment: Identify the users of information in a projected balance sheet and why they need it..
- Unit 4: Project Evaluation Criteria · 2 hours
  Study Unit 4: Understand project evaluation criteria, including traditional and discounted cash flow methods.. Distinguish between payback period, ARR, NPV, and IRR.. Complete Tutor-Marked Assignment: Explain why discounted cash flow techniques are better than traditional methods..

Preparing for the exam

What to do

Create a detailed study schedule allocating time for each unit.
Focus on understanding the key concepts and formulas in financial analysis.
Practice preparing projected income statements, cash flow statements, and balance sheets.
Review and understand the different project evaluation criteria (NPV, IRR, Payback Period).
Work through example problems and case studies to apply your knowledge.
Pay close attention to the tutor-marked assignments and use them as a guide for exam preparation.

Questions students ask about this course

What is MBA851 about?

How many units does MBA851 have?

MBA851, Project Evaluation, has 15 units across 3 modules, over 108 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is MBA851?

MBA851 carries 3 credit units, at 800 level in Management Sciences.

Is MBA851 hard?

MBA851 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 MBA851 take to study?

About 208 hours of study, spread across its 15 units.

How is MBA851 assessed?

MBA851 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assignments and final examination.

What can I do with MBA851?

Project Manager, Financial Analyst, Investment Analyst, Business Development Manager and Management Consultant.