575.747.81 - Environmental Project Management
Description
This course provides students with the knowledge for an integrated approach to environmental project management, applying pertinent scientific, engineering, legal, public policy, and project management disciplines. Emphasis is placed on factors that are common to an environmental project, such as external impacts, stakeholder conflicts, scope uncertainty, and the evolving environmental regulatory environment. The students learn the elements of environmental project plans, including project organization and staffing, schedule dependencies and optimization, cost estimating and control, and communication with internal and external stakeholders. The types of environmental projects addressed include infrastructure, restoration and remediation, program development, and alternatives analysis. Project Management Institute materials are utilized, along with case studies, to illustrate actual project conflicts, necessary adjustments, and successes.
Instructors
Hedy Alavi
Jay Abbott
Course Structure
Course Topics
The 12 Modules of Environmental Project Management are:
- Environmental Projects - Types of environmental projects
- Stakeholders - Partnerships with stakeholders who have different objectives
- PMBOK Standard - What is expected from an Environmental Project Manager
- PMBOK Guide - How an Environmental Project Manager delivers results
- Alternatives, Impacts, Mitigation - The core work of Environmental Project Management
- Scope, Staff, Screening - What is needed, who is available, what is important
- Schedules, Costs - Interactive and variable with project events
- Communications - Your “willingness” and preparations to communicate
- Infrastructure - Basic physical facilities needed for modern society
- Restoration - Opportunities to balance impacts caused by a project
- Strategic Env. Review - Programs for anticipated infrastructure projects
- Emerging Environmental Project Manager Challenges - Anticipated issues in the years ahead
Course Goals
- Equip an Environmental Project Manager to direct a multidisciplinary environmental staff for an infrastructure project toward efficient environmental, engineering, and construction mitigation measures.
- Understand the interests of both “internal” and “external” stakeholders
- Apply industry-norm project management skills for environmental modifications.
- Deal with unknowns on project scope and emerging environmental challenges.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)
- Skills for managing Environmental Projects addressing future impacts, existing/ongoing impacts, and environmental restoration.
- Partnering with both “internal” and “external” stakeholders, whose specific goals may be in conflict.
- Knowledge and process requirements of Project Management Institute (PMI) procedures to improve the overall project and subsequent environmental modifications.
- Understand how “strategic" or "programmatic" environmental reviews can expedite critically needed infrastructure.
- Prepare competitive environmental project proposals with unknowns on project parameters including scope, schedule, and costs.
Textbooks
- Guide to Project Management Body of Knowledge, 7th Edition, Project Management Institute, ISBN 9781628256659
- Primer of Ecological Restoration, Karen Holl, Ph.D., ISBN 9781610919739
Other Materials & Online Resources
Under "Readings" for each Module, there are required on-line materials; short website pages or short videos. These materials are subject to updates and availability and may be revised prior to each Module.
Required Software
In this class, some computer literacy skills you are expected to have include creating and submitting files in a word processing program, downloading and installing software, using spreadsheets, using presentation software, and using web conferencing tools and software. Additionally, you will be expected to use online search tools for academic purposes, properly cite information sources, and prepare a presentation of such findings.
Student Coursework Requirements
| Assignments | Total | pts./each | Total pts. | % | |
| Discussions | *10 | 20 | 200 | 20% | |
| Quizzes | *10 | 20 | 200 | 20% | |
| Group Projects | 3 | 100 | 300 | 30% | |
| Midterm Exam | 1 | 150 | 150 | 15% | |
| Individual Project | 1 | 150 | 150 | 15% | |
| 1,000 | 100% | ||||
| *11 are assigned, lowest or one missing is dropped | |||||
Grading Policy
EP uses a +/- grading system (see “Grading System”, Graduate Programs catalog, p. 10).
| Score Range | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 100-97 | = A+ |
| 96-93 | = A |
| 92-90 | = A− |
| 89-87 | = B+ |
| 86-83 | = B |
| 82-80 | = B− |
| 79-77 | = C+ |
| 76-73 | = C |
| 72-70 | = C− |
| 69-67 | = D+ |
| 66-63 | = D |
| <63 | = F |
Course Policies
The Instructors will assign the students for each of the Group Project teams.
Academic Policies
Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses
Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.
Academic Misconduct Policy
All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.
This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.
Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility
Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.
For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.
Student Conduct Code
The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically.
For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/
Classroom Climate
JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity.
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).
Course Auditing
When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.