Program Overview
CVEN 5129: Program & Project Management
Course Information
This course will cover the principles, practice, and phases of international development program and project management, including identification, design, execution, monitoring, and evaluation, exit strategy, and scaling up. Emphasis will be posed on specific challenges and constraints related to the multidisciplinary, dynamic, and complex nature of development projects. Students will be exposed to a number of methodologies and tools for planning, participation, and evaluation commonly used to identify needs and promote social change, including the Theory of Change and the Logical Framework Approach.
Learning Goals
- Describe the principles, phases, and challenges of the international development project cycle management.
- Use formats, tools, instruments, and procedures employed in planning, implementation, and evaluation of international development projects.
- Develop a theory of change, a logical framework, and the indicators used to measure progress towards an intervention’s outcome achievement.
Textbooks and Materials
There is no required text. Readings will consist of textbook chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles, and reports. All required readings will be provided through Canvas.
Course Calendar
- International development project challenges and constraints - CENTROMAR case study
- Theory of Change
- Program management and project cycle management
- Logical Framework Approach: Stakeholder analysis, problem/solution/strategy analysis
- Logical Framework Approach: logframe matrix, activity, and resource scheduling
- Project implementation: Case study MAE-GOH
- Project implementation: Case study MAE-GOH
- Monitoring and evaluation plan
- Exit strategy and scaling up
- Presentations
- Presentations
Assignments
- Class participation (20% of final grade): Class participation is an essential component of the requirements for successful completion of this course. Points for class participation are not simply guaranteed by attendance (which is required); participation consists of being present in class, reading all assignments prior to the beginning of class, and being an active member in class discussions and presentations.
- Essays and presentations (20% of final grade): Students will write essays and present in class about assigned topics, readings, and case studies. Directions will be given in class and posted in Canvas.
- Logical framework/Theory of Change (60% of final grade): Students will develop a logframe matrix for two assigned scenarios and a Theory of Change for a case study of their choosing.
Late Policy
The grade for late assignments will be reduced by 10 percentage points (on a 100-point scale) per day that the assignment is late.
Extra Credit
Extra credit assignments are not anticipated but may arise as the course progresses.
Exams
There will be no exams in this course.
Grading Scheme
Grades will be recorded throughout the course. At the end of the term, the scores on all assignments are weighted by the percentages given above to determine a course score. Student grades will be determined as follows based on their course score rounded to the nearest single decimal place:
- A: 100.0 to 93.0 percent
- A-: 92.9 to 90.0 percent
- B+: 89.9 to 87.0 percent
- B: 86.9 to 83.0 percent
- B-: 82.9 to 80.0 percent
- C+: 79.9 to 77.0 percent
- C: 76.9 to 73.0 percent
- C-: 72.9 to 70.0 percent
- D+: 69.9 to 67.0 percent
- D: 66.9 to 63.0 percent
- D-: 62.9 to 60.0 percent
- F: 59.9 to 0 percent
Instructor
Instructor: Carlo Salvinelli
Course Availability
NOT OFFERED SPRING 2026
Additional Courses
- GEEN 1400: First Year Engineering Projects
- EVEN/CVEN 2909: Intro to Global Sustainability
- EVEN 5979/89/99: Humanitarian Aid Series
- ENVS 5100: Special Topics in Environmental Studies: AI for Good
- MCEN 4228/5228: Design Research Theory and Methods
- MCEN 4291/5291: Project Based Learning in Rural Schools
- MCEN 4299/5299: Household Energy Systems in the Global South
- CVEN 4969/5969: Water Security, Sanitation & Hygiene
- CVEN 5109: Intro to Environmental & Development Economics for Engineers
- CVEN 5119 & 5149: Intro to Global Health & Applied Global Health for Engineers
- CVEN 5129: Program & Project Management
- CVEN 5139: Solution Identification & Proposal Development
- CVEN 5909: Hazards, Resilience & Sustainability for the Natural & Built Environment
- CVEN 5919: Global Development for Engineers
- CVEN 5939: Global Engineering & Hazard Resilience Practicum
- CVEN 5979: Community Appraisal
- CVEN 5989: Study Design & Impact Evaluation
- Online Courses:
- CVEN 5109: Introduction to Environmental & Development Economics for Engineers - Online
- CVEN: Energy Access for Global Engineers - Online
- CVEN 5939: Global Engineering and Hazard Resilience Practicum - Online
- EVEN 5979: Introduction to Humanitarian Aid - Online
- CVEN 5999: Data Analytics for Development - Online
Practicum Placements
Available for students to gain practical experience in global engineering and resilience.
Student Job Opportunities
Available for students to work in various roles related to global engineering and resilience.
Research Areas
The Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience focuses on sustainability, energy, and environment, offering research opportunities in these areas.
About the Mortenson Center
The Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience is located at the Sustainability, Energy and Environment Community (SEEC), 4001 Discovery Drive, UCB 608, Boulder, CO 80303. The center is part of the University of Colorado Boulder, with the mission of "Engineering for real change . . . Solutions for the real world."
Contact Information Removed
As per the instructions, all contact information has been removed to ensure the response is self-contained and free of digital-specific language.
Conclusion
The CVEN 5129: Program & Project Management course offers a comprehensive overview of international development program and project management, including principles, practices, and phases. With a focus on challenges and constraints in development projects, students learn methodologies and tools for planning, participation, and evaluation. The course is part of the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience at the University of Colorado Boulder, which emphasizes sustainability, energy, and environment in its research and educational programs.
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