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The University of Southern Mississippi College of Science and Technology - School of Construction

BCT 386 Project Controls, Sections H001and H002, Spring 2017

C O U R S E S Y L L A B U S

Instructor

John J Hannon /Bobby Chain Technology Building /TEC 239

john.hannon@usm.edu/ 601-266-5550 (please leave voicemail-to-email)

Office Hours

MWF 10:00-12:00am / 2:00-3:00pm

By appointment

Important Dates

Prerequisites

BCT 258, Construction Planning and Scheduling

(It is highly recommended that students on older catalogue years complete BCT 258, Planning and

Scheduling, before taking this course because basic knowledge of Critical Path Method, application of

schedule logic, float, etc. is assumed).

Credit Hours

3 credit hours.

Course Description

Management techniques for controlling the investment of resources through execution of construction

projects.

Course Overview

At the Construction Engineering Technology program level, the course should prepare students for

deliverables which will be required in the capstone course and accomplish Student Learning Outcomes

(SLOs) which are listed in this document from accreditors. Other project management competencies are

addressed in a separate course (BCT 377).

Last day to add (8W1) classes without instructor permission

Last day to drop (8W1) classes and receive 100% financial credit

Last day to add/drop full-term classes without instructor permission

Last day to drop full-semester classes and receive 100% financial credit

Wednesday, Jan. 25 Grade of W issued for courses dropped starting this date

Monday - Tuesday, 

Feb. 27-28

Monday - Friday,

March 13-17

Last day to withdraw from full term classes and receive a grade of W

(After this date students will earn a letter grade for all enrolled courses)

Thursday, April 13 Last day to file application for degree for summer 2017 commencement

Friday, April 14 Good Friday holiday

Thursday, Jan. 19

Tuesday, Jan. 24

Mardi Gras holiday

Spring Break holiday

Wednesday, April 5

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Schedule

*Schedule may be revised if necessary. Students will be notified if this is the case.

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) (The set of knowledge, skills, and abilities to be attained by students upon completion of a single course.)

See AACE SLO at end of document.

Class Procedures, Requirements, and Expectations

Use of a personal computer running Microsoft Windows operating system, Windows 7 or higher, is

recommended. Technical issues with software installed on other computers is the responsibility of the

student (i.e. do not use an Apple machine).

Exams will be proctored and reference materials will not be allowed at time of exams. Therefore, it is

highly recommended that you take notes of lectures and reading materials for study purposes.

Considerable time is required for this course (readings, comprehension, and exercises) outside of class

contact time (lectures). Students will need to be disciplined in scheduling of time to do so. The

Date Lecture Topic Assessment

Wed 18-Jan Course Overview-Ethics

Mon 23-Jan Project Controls Career

Wed 25-Jan Total Cost Management Framework

Mon 30-Jan PLANNING 7

Wed 1-Feb Dev WBS/Work Packages 7.1

Mon 6-Feb Dev OBS 7.1

Wed 8-Feb Dev Execution Strategy 7.1

Mon 13-Feb Dev Schedule 7.2

Wed 15-Feb Dev Schedule 7.2

Mon 20-Feb Budgeting 7.3

Wed 22-Feb Resource Planning 7.4

Mon 27-Feb Holiday

Wed 1-Mar Value Analysis/Eng (Risk) 7.5, 7.6

Mon 6-Mar IMPLEMENTATION 8 Exam

Wed 8-Mar Control Accounts 8.1

Mon 13-Mar Holiday

Wed 15-Mar Holiday

Mon 20-Mar Dev Project Controls Plan 8.1 Ex-1

Wed 22-Mar Dev Document Control Plan 8.1

Mon 27-Mar MEASUREMENT 9

Wed 29-Mar Project Cost Accounting 9.1

Mon 3-Apr Progress & Perf Measurement 9.2

Wed 5-Apr Progress & Perf Measurement 9.2

Mon 10-Apr PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT 10 Exam

Wed 12-Apr Proj Performance Assessment-EV 10.1

Mon 17-Apr Forcasting-EV 10.2

Wed 19-Apr Change Management 10.3

Mon 24-Apr Historical Db 10.4

Wed 26-Apr Float-TBD Ex-2

Mon 1-May Float-TBD

Wed 3-May Exam Review

Mon 8-May Final Exam 4:15 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. Exam

TCM

Sect

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number of additional courses you have scheduled during the semester, work hours, and other

activities which compete for your time…are decisions which you make…please do not make those

issues mine. I do understand that the current culture in the USA is fast-paced and encourages over-

commitment, but considerable time (at least 3-4 hours/week) outside of the lectures (on average) will

be required to properly comprehend this material.

Hard Rule: There will not be make-up exams or assignments unless properly vetted/registered with

the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA) or evidence of a family emergency. Please see their

website: https://www.usm.edu/oda/services

Hard Rule: Work in this course is expected to be individual (not groups, teamwork, or collaboration).

If I find that you have even partially used the work of another, I will automatically notify you that

your grade is zero for the assessment and whether I am failing you for the course. DO NOT share or

show your work with others as (a) two students will be penalized each time irrespective of intent, and

(b) I may curve the grades, so sharing is not in your best interest. Please know your rights as a

student, and mine as an instructor, via the Student Handbook: https://www.usm.edu/student-

handbook

New content will be opened/delivered each week. Supplemental material outside of the text will be

considered required reading (‘Reference’ material is optional and will be so labeled).

Please check the ‘Announcements’ at close periodic intervals. You may also want to enable messaging

so that you are notified each time I post material to Blackboard.

All tests and assignments will be accessible in separate folders in addition to topical folders for easy

access. *Please note: exams will be timed and questions randomized…at times with no backtracking.

I will attempt to establish a rhythm of posting lecture video. You are responsible for knowing when

assessments are due; this can be accomplished by checking your email and utilizing the Blackboard

‘due date’ calendar which is accessible in the most upper right corner of the Blackboard page next to

your login name. Please also note that typically the exams/quizzes provide feedback for

correct/incorrect answers when the due date has passed, therefore make-ups are not allowed for

credit.

Student-instructor contact will occur via the following:

Within the Blackboard site (shell) or supplement, this includes Blackboard Collaborate (during

Online Office Hours) and Office 365 email. Discussion boards will be made available for

student interaction and the instructor may answer or guide questions in such forums.

The following email protocols are established for communication with the professor:

o All emails shall be sent from a USM email address.

o All emails should have a subject which should start with “BCT386_subject.”

o Please provide professor with 24 hours of response time, for all emails.

Required Text (s) and Readings

Instructor-provided supplemental readings.

No formal textbooks required for this class.

Technology Requirements

A broadband internet connection is required to view videos, access online Project Management

Information Systems (PMIS), and to consume delivery of the course in general. Please do not

attempt with dial-up or low internet connection bandwidths.

Software:

Internet Browser: It is critical that you can navigate and operate at least two browser

applications and understand how to integrate Java versions with them.

Microsoft Word and Excel: versions capable of saving files in the following formats: .doc, .docx,

.xls, .xlsx.

Microsoft Project and/or Synchro Scheduler. (Both of these CPM scheduling software

applications are provided at no cost through the School of Construction. Students will be

required to download and install the applications on a personal computer).

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Hardware

The Construction Engineering Technology program and The School of Construction has set a

minimum requirement for personal computer specifications. However, you are responsible for

having access to a computer that can accommodate the course delivery and requirements.

Please do not attempt to navigate the course solely with a tablet or smartphone (although apps

for these and push notifications are encouraged).

*Special Note Concerning Technical Support:

Students are expected to be able to use and maintain a personal computer, keeping it free of viruses

and malware, and have the ability to troubleshoot web browser issues, such as cookies and java

versions. If these are skills which you have not obtained or are not willing to obtain during the

delivery of the course, I suggest that you drop and wait for the face-to-face delivery of the course in a

different term.

Please do not rely or depend upon the instructor for technical support. For Blackboard technical

support can be found at this link: http://bbcrm.edusupportcenter.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=8140

and or Itech: http://www.usm.edu/itech.

Class Attendance Policy

Class attendance or Blackboard activity is not graded. Attendance activity may be documented for

positive influence of final grades. Course session lectures contain material for the final exam and

preparation of assignments.

Evaluation Criteria

Assessment Weight

Exam-1 20%

Exam-2 20%

Final Exam 20%

Exercise-1 20%

Exercise-2 20%

*No make-up work without proper documentation (see above).

Grading Scale 90-100 A

80-89 B

70-79 C (a ‘C’ or higher is required for credit towards degree)

60-69 D

0-60 F

The instructor maintains the official gradebook and calculates grades externally from the courseware.

The BlackBoard gradebook is not the official gradebook and is utilized only for the purpose of retrieving

quiz/exam grades, when applicable, and as a convenient feedback utility to inform students of individual

assignment grades, once available. The BlackBoard gradebook may or may not display all credit

assignments at any given time during the semester and therefore is not to be used as a planning tool for

identifying required activities or due dates. Grade totals and percentages in the Blackboard gradebook

may not accurately reflect actual course performance. I will attempt to keep the BlackBoard gradebook

as accurate as possible so that you can track your grade status in the course as closely as possible.

Late Assignments or Projects

Late work will not be accepted without formal authenticated Notice of Absence form from the

University Division of Student Affairs - Office of Student Ombudsman Services. This process needs to

be initiated within 14 days of the missed assessment to be considered. No exceptions.

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https://www.usm.edu/student-affairs/office-student-ombudsman-services

‘Process: By submitting this form, the student is petitioning to have this office authenticate the documentation provided.

The student and their instructor(s) will receive a notice from our office advising whether or not the

documentation submitted is authentic.

This notice does not "excuse" the absence, nor does it guarantee that the student will be permitted to make up

tests or other missed assignments. The absence notice simply documents that the student's illness or other

circumstances indicate that the student is/was unable to participate in class for the designated period of time. At

their discretion, the instructor will make the final decision regarding the Notice of Absence.’

Academic Integrity Policy

The following is from the USM Undergraduate Bulletin:

All students at the University of Southern Mississippi are expected to demonstrate the highest levels of academic integrity in all that they do as stated in the university's Academic Integrity Honor Code:

As a member of the Southern Miss community, I will act with honor and integrity at all times. I will not engage in any act of academic misconduct, and I understand that such acts violate the Academic Integrity Policy and Student Honor Code and undermine the community of trust so important to the integrity of the University.

Forms of academic dishonesty include (but are not limited to):

Cheating (to include copying from others' work)

Plagiarizing, which includes representing another person's words or ideas as your own and failure to properly cite

the source of your information, argument, or concepts

Falsifying documents

Disclosing test or other assignment content to another student

Submitting the same paper or other assignment to more than one class without the explicit approval of all faculty

members

Collaborating with others on work without authorization

Engaging in any of these behaviors or supporting others who do so will result in academic penalties. If a faculty member determines that a student has violated our Academic Integrity Policy, sanctions range from being required to resubmit the work to receiving an "XF" grade for the course. The XF grade will appear on the student's transcript with the notation "Failure due to academic misconduct." Repeated acts of academic misconduct will lead to suspension and expulsion.

Students may petition to remove up to one XF grade from their transcript by attending the Academic Integrity Remediation Program specified by the Academic Integrity Officer. Students who disagree with the faculty member's determination that the Academic Integrity Policy was violated, may appeal the grade. An appeal process that balances the rights of students with the University's commitment to maintaining high academic standards has been established. To learn more about the University's Academic Integrity Policy, including the appeals process, see https://www.usm.edu/institutional-policies/policy-acaf-pro-012 Students who have questions about how to adhere to the University's Academic Integrity Policy are encouraged to discuss the policy with their instructors and can find more information online at https://www.usm.edu/success

ADA Syllabus Statement for the Hattiesburg Campus

If a student has a disability that qualifies under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires

accommodations, he/she should contact the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA) for information

on appropriate policies and procedures. Disabilities covered by ADA may include learning, psychiatric,

physical disabilities, or chronic health disorders. Students can contact ODA if they are not certain

whether a medical condition/disability qualifies.

Address: The University of Southern Mississippi, Office for Disability Accommodations

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118 College Drive # 8586, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001

Voice Telephone: (601) 266-5024 or (228) 214-3232 Fax: (601) 266-6035

Individuals with hearing impairments can contact ODA using the Mississippi Relay Service at 1-800-582-2233 (TTY) or

email Suzy Hebert at Suzanne.Hebert@usm.edu.

American Council of Construction Education (ACCE) Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

1. Create written communications appropriate to the construction discipline.

5. Create construction project schedules.

10. Apply electronic-based technology to manage the construction process.

14. Understand construction accounting and cost control.

16. Understand construction project control processes.

ETAC-ABET Criterion 3, General Criterion Student Outcomes:

a. an ability to select and apply the knowledge, techniques, skills, and modern tools of their disciplines to broadly-defined

engineering technology activities.

d. an ability to design systems, components, or processes for broadly-defined engineering technology problems appropriate

to program educational objectives.

f. an ability to identify, analyze, and solve broadly-defined engineering technology problems,

h. an understanding of the need for and an ability to engage in self-directed continuing professional development.

i. an understanding of and a commitment to address professional and ethical responsibilities including a respect for

diversity.

ETAC-ABET Program Criteria for Construction Engineering Technology:

a. utilize techniques that are appropriate to administer and evaluate construction contracts, documents, and codes.

c. utilize measuring methods, hardware, and software that are appropriate for field, laboratory, and office processes

related to construction.

d. apply fundamental computational methods and elementary analytical techniques in sub-disciplines related to

construction engineering.

e. produce and utilize design, construction, and operations documents.

i. perform standard analysis and design in at least one sub-discipline related to construction engineering.