BUSI 414 is Liberty's Project Management I course. Its written work is four two-week forums based on chapter topics, a two-page integration of faith paper relating a biblical story to project management, and a major paper on a project management theme in three parts: topic, outline with annotated bibliography, and a 10-page paper.
Liberty's catalog lists the course as BUSI 414 Project Management I, 3 credit hours; Canvas and the course guide file print it as BUSI414.
What BUSI 414 covers
The catalog description: This course provides focused instruction in the first five (of nine) project management competencies as delineated in the Project Management Institute's Body of Knowledge (PMBOK): Project Integration Management, Project Scope Management, Project Time Management, Project Cost Management, and Project Quality Management. Students will apply processes to ensure project coordination, plan development processes, project plan execution processes and integrated change control processes.
The course gives focused instruction in the first five of the PMBOK knowledge areas: integration, scope, time (schedule), cost and quality management, applying processes for project coordination, plan development, plan execution and integrated change control. The texts are Dinsmore and Cabanis-Brewin, The AMA Handbook of Project Management, and PMI's A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge.
A midterm and final (350 points) have no guide here. The paper topic (Part 1) is due in Week 1 for zero points but must be approved before Part 2.
Textbook named in the published guide: Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin, The AMA Handbook of Project Management (2014). PMI, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (2017). Check the current edition in your Canvas section.
BUSI 414 assignments, week by week
Every graded written assignment in the published guide has its own how-to guide below. Quizzes, exams, checklists and class introductions are left out because there is nothing to write.
| Week | Assignment | Points | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discussion Board Forum 1 | 100 | Thread at least 200 words; replies at least 100 words |
| 3 | Discussion Board Forum 2 | 100 | Thread at least 200 words; replies at least 100 words |
| 3 | Paper Part 2 Outline and Annotated Bibliography | 100 | An outline and an annotated bibliography |
| 5 | Discussion Board Forum 3 | 100 | Thread at least 200 words; replies at least 100 words |
| 5 | Integration of Faith | 50 | 2 pages |
| 7 | Discussion Board Forum 4 | 100 | Thread at least 200 words; replies at least 100 words |
| 7 | Paper Part 3 | 100 | 10 pages |
Week 1: Discussion Board Forum 1
A 200-word thread with outside research on a chapter topic in Week 1, then two 100-word replies in Week 2. How to write BUSI 414 Week 1 Discussion Board Forum 1.
Week 3: Discussion Board Forum 2
A 200-word thread with outside research in Week 3, then two 100-word replies in Week 4. How to write BUSI 414 Week 3 Discussion Board Forum 2.
Week 3: Paper Part 2 Outline and Annotated Bibliography
An outline of your 10-page project management paper and an annotated bibliography of its sources. How to write BUSI 414 Week 3 Paper Part 2 Outline and Annotated Bibliography.
Week 5: Discussion Board Forum 3
A 200-word thread with outside research in Week 5, then two 100-word replies in Week 6. How to write BUSI 414 Week 5 Discussion Board Forum 3.
Week 5: Integration of Faith
A 2-page paper relating a biblical story to project management. How to write BUSI 414 Week 5 Integration of Faith.
Week 7: Discussion Board Forum 4
A 200-word thread with outside research in Week 7, then two 100-word replies in Week 8. How to write BUSI 414 Week 7 Discussion Board Forum 4.
Week 7: Paper Part 3
The 10-page research paper on your project management theme. How to write BUSI 414 Week 7 Paper Part 3.
How BUSI 414 is graded
The published guide totals 1,010 points. The four forums are 100 each (thread 50, replies 50). The paper's Part 2 and Part 3 are 100 each, the integration of faith paper 50, exams 350 and the checklist 10.
| Graded item | Points |
|---|---|
| Discussion Board Forums (4) | 400 |
| Paper Part 2 Outline and Annotated Bibliography | 100 |
| Paper Part 3 | 100 |
| Integration of Faith | 50 |
| Midterm Exam | 175 |
| Final Exam | 175 |
| Course Requirements Checklist | 10 |
The published scale puts an A at 900 to 1010 points.
Week timing in the published guide: Each course week (except Module/Week 1) begins on Tuesday morning at 12:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on Monday night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final week ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday.
How to approach BUSI 414
Choose a paper theme in Week 1 that ties to the five knowledge areas: scope creep and change control, earned value management, schedule compression, quality planning in agile projects, or project integration in complex programs.
Forum threads need outside research, and the instructor looks for substantial, critical discussion rather than summaries.
Questions students ask
What is the BUSI 414 major paper?
A paper on a project management theme in three parts: a topic submission (Week 1), an outline and annotated bibliography (Week 3) and a 10-page paper (Week 7), in current APA.
How long are BUSI 414 forum posts?
A thread of at least 200 words with outside research and at least 2 replies of at least 100 words, based on a chapter topic.
Working through BUSI 414 now?
Tell us the week and the assignment. A tutor who knows the course replies with a plan for the draft.