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Dr Philipp Rode 8.01I and Dr Savvas Verdis 8.01E

This course is compulsory on the Executive MSc in Cities. This course is not available as an outside option.

The Consultancy Project is a six-month individual consultation undertaken by a student in the Executive MSc in Cities in their own organisation or for an external organisation. Through the consultancy project, students will apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the first six courses of the programme to craft policy or program improvements for public or private agencies and non-profit organisations. 

Through in depth interviews with the organisation’s leaders as well as the relevant stakeholders, students will focus on a specific project and offer advice on one or more of its design and implementation phases. These may include but are not limited to the concept, feasibility, design, assessment, delivery and/ or evaluation phases in the project cycle.

Examples of projects include design briefs, assessment of master plans or strategic plans, social, economic and environmental impact assessment of projects, project finance and greening of projects and policies.

Each student will be allocated a supervisor, who will provide overall guidance on the project's development. Other members of staff may also advise as required. Students will be supported with face to face or web based tutorials throughout the duration of their consultancy project.

Students will be expected to produce 1 essay in the AT.

A 500 word proposal brief for the consultation project that will be carried out independently by each student.

• Bryman, Alan. Social Research Methods, 2012. Oxford University Press.
• Cook, Curtis R. 2005. Just enough project management the indispensable four-step process for managing any project, better, faster, cheaper. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Czerniawska, Fiona, and Paul May. 2006. Management consulting in practice award-winning international case studies. London: Kogan Page.
• Lindblom, Charles Edward, and David K. Cohen. 1979. Usable knowledge: social science and social problem solving. New Haven: Yale University Press.
• Office for Government Commerce. 2004. Common Causes of Project Failure. London: OGC.
• Prime Minister's Strategy Unit. 2004. Strategy Survival Guide. London.

Project (100%, 6000 words) in the WT.

A consultancy report assessing an organisation's challenge and offering strategic advice on possible solutions at any stage of the project or policy cycle.