Overview

The study modules for this course introduce students to the key indicators for a general understanding of project costing and project controls for civil engineering projects. It presents an overview of the main challenges and opportunities associated with project execution, risk, economics, estimating, tendering, planning and scheduling for project success. Factors that need to be familiar to and understood by project cost engineers are also outlined.

Requisites

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Describe the various steps in the life cycle of a project, and basic project delivery systems used for project execution (K3, K5, S4, A4)
  • Apply fundamentals of engineering economics, including the time value of money and various measures used to evaluate projects, compare financial alternatives such as cost-benefit analysis, cash and investment flows, inflation, escalation, and foreign exchange. (K2, K3, K6, S1)
  • Quantify and prepare bill of quantities using the Australian Standard method of measurement of civil engineering works and building works. (K2, A4)
  • Appreciate the fundamentals of project planning and scheduling for cost engineering purpose. (S2, S4, A3, A7)
  • Recognise applicable project costs and apply estimating principles to prepare various levels of cost estimates for different project phases. (K2, K3, S1, S4, A4)
  • Function professionally as an individual and as part of a team to evaluate project progress, forecast completion, manage change and risk, and communicate with stakeholders to deliver projects to budget and on time. (K6, S1, S4, A7)
  • Use engineering tools to manage cost information for accurate and professional analysis and reporting. (K2, S4, A4)

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Lecture
2.00 12 weeks 24
On-campus
Class
2.00 12 weeks 24
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Independent Learning
8.50 12 weeks 102
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
AssignmentIndividual 20 - 30% 3,4,5,7 
ExaminationIndividual 40 - 60% 1,2,3,4,5,6 
ProjectGroup 20 - 30% 3,4,5,6,7 
TestIndividual 10 - 20% 1,2,3,4,5,6 

Content

  • Project and facility life cycle, from origin to obsolescence
  • Project delivery systems and commercial options
  • Risk assessment for evaluation of project contingency
  • Project controls to analyse and report progress
  • Introduction to engineering economics
  • Measurement of quantities and tender bids
  • Cost estimation for project scope
  • Cost estimation for construction
  • Project planning
  • Project scheduling using computer software
  • Commercial aspects and contracts
  • Supporting cost engineering spreadsheet technique.

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.