syllabus

ENT 4430 Project Management Syllabus 

2020
Office: Room 203, Voorhees Hall, (718) 260-5595
Email: sbrandt@citytech.cuny.edu

Course Description

Project management happens in scene shops, lighting shops, sound shops etc. and on a variety of job sites in project-based industries. Project Management is essential from shipyards and construction sites to software companies. Project management tasks can include scheduling, estimating labor and material costs, interpreting contracts, participating in a bidding process and staffing a show for a performance and solving problems creatively. The students will work in small teams to manage theoretical projects. They will learn how to create a budget and update it as needed to serve the project needs. The students will also prepare for their culmination projects focusing on writing their culmination proposals and preparing to start their projects.

This is an upper-level, “capstone” course. The class should be collaborative discussion amongst peers, not just a lecture. We are here to lead you through this information, but not hold your hand—you shouldn’t need that at this point in your college career. Those who are successful in entertainment repeatedly demonstrate the ability to make things happen. Development and demonstration of this ability is what we are looking for from those who successfully complete this class.

Required Internet Access

You must check Blackboard everyday throughout the semester, and you must check your city tech email every weekday. Given the nature of the class, the ability to reach the entire group quickly is critical, since tours and guest speakers will often need to be changed on short notice.

Attendance/Promptness

If you have a legitimate reason for missing a class, assignment or tour, you must contact me before class begins. All Projects are due promptly at the beginning of class. Individual Students will lose points on each project if the student is up late on the day it is due.

Show Attendance Policy (Departmental Policy)

If you are going to work in the Entertainment Industry, it is as important to be an educated and engaged audience member as it is to have a clear understanding of what happens backstage. Also, when your peers and/or faculty are working hard on a live event for the department, they must be rewarded with your strong support and encouragement, even though you may have nothing to do with that project. There is nothing worse, after working a “zillion” hours on a project, than to have a small audience. Therefore, as part of completion of this course you will be REQUIRED to attend at least one of the department’s and Theatreworks’ live events. The Haunted Hotel also must be visited at least once each year.  Please come and show your support as often as you can!

 PROJECTS

Game launch estimate

Create an estimate using excel.

Culmination proposal and poster

A series of workshops focused on the creation of your culminaiton proposal and poster

Writing assignments

This is a writing intensive course. You will be viewing and writing about a series of TED TALKS.

Final Project

Working with you team you will create an estimate to plan an event that will then tour around the vicinity. At the end of your planning process you will be given a few problems to solve.

Course Grading

Final Project                        45%
Estimate                               15%
Poster and Proposal           15%
Writing assignments          20%
Leadership/Attitude          05%

You will get a good grade if you:

• Demonstrate the ability to manage your own time, including multiple, asynchronous projects.
• Demonstrate the ability to work well in groups
• Demonstrate the ability to meet deadlines
• Demonstrate leadership.
• Demonstrate responsibility
• Demonstrate resourcefulness
• Contribute to class discussions

Online Course Technology Prerequisites

• You will need an email account and should be comfortable using it. The college provides an email account to all students.
• You should have access to and be able to use the Mozilla, Internet Explorer, Chrome Internet Explorer browsers with Blackboard.  AOL users should maximize the Internet Explorer browser and minimize AOL.
• You need access to a computer with at least 256 MB RAM and an Internet connection via a 56k modem or, ideally, the college T1 line.
• To make sure you have the online skills necessary to take this course; please take the online survey. You will receive a score and information letting you know if you are prepared to take an online course.

How to obtain the beginners guide to Blackboard and take the online survey

1. Go to the City Tech Home Page
2. Click on helpful links.
3. Scroll down to “Websupport 1.”
4. Scroll down to Instructional Technology Tutorials and Handouts
5. Scroll down to “Beginners Guide to Blackboard,” and click.
6. A series of instructional tutorials is listed

*Student training is also available in the open student lab in the General Building, sixth floor, Room G600. The phone number for the lab is (718)254-8565.

Online Component Description

• All assignments are posted in the assignment area of the course menu.
• All assignments must be turned in the assignments tab in Black board.
• I will be checking black board three times a week.
• I will be checking my email Monday through Friday

Blackboard menu

• ANNOUNCEMENT is the entry point. Announcements tell you everything you might expect to hear at the beginning of a class if we were in a classroom. In our virtual classroom, you have to read the announcements each time you enter the course by logging on. Check these announcements three times a week.
• INFORMATION is where you will find information about me (phone, email, office location and so on).  Our online classroom is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So if you want to ask me any questions about project management, you can post to the discussion board at any time and I’ll try to respond within 12 hours. (course syllabus, grading policies)
• LECTURES is where you will find all assigned readings, “handouts,” checklists, slides, lecture notes and information about how to do all the assigned work.
• ASSIGNMENTS is where all assignments (with due dates) will be turned in.
• DISCUSSIONS- Post any questions you have about Project Management.
• TOOLS is where you’ll find tools for updating your personal information, creating your own Home Page (on this site), checking your grades, and exchanging word processing files with classmates and with me via the Digital Drop Box. Also the tools for sending email to me other members of the class.

Openlab menu

• Instructions is the information hub of the webpage it includes syllabus, schedule and online etiquette.
• Lecture content- All the lecture content and materials for each lecture.
• Assignments-Your assignments and content are in this tab.
• Faculty-Professor Brandt’s information.

Course Objectives

Learning Objectives/Outcomes	Assessment
Knowledge: Through assigned readings and classroom discussions students will learn to select the specific needs of their assigned productions.	This will be measured in classwork and assignments
Systems: Students will develop communication skills that will allow them to identify information, organize it and report their findings in a useful manner.	This will be measured in classwork and the production book assignment.
Inquiry/Analysis: Students will participate in the management of a live production and participate in the real time experience. They will problem solve issues as they present in a professional manner.	This will be measured through evaluation of observation during a live performance, class discussion and homework assignments.
Integration: Students will experience live events and compose a paper about the professional relationships they develop as being part of a production team and working in a live entertainment environment.	This will be measured through evaluation of an assignment.

General Education learning outcomes

After taking this class, the student will be able to…	This will be demonstrated by…
Create an organizational design.	Students will create a system that integrates their team members and shares the information they collected using technology.
Incorporate information into an organized estimate.	Students will create work break down diagrams to demonstrate the steps of the process including labor, costs, time and materials.
Presentations, observe and critique	Students will organize and present and assess a project.
Work in a Collaborative team.	Students will work in teams to plan a production. Students will recognize team conflict and use leadership techniques to come to a resolution.