Operations Management - Project Course, 12 credits

Produktionsledningsprojekt, 12 hp

TPPE73

Main field of study

Industrial Engineering and Management

Course level

Second cycle

Course type

Programme course

Examiner

Fredrik Persson

Director of studies or equivalent

Helene Lidestam

Education components

Preliminary scheduled hours: 96 h
Recommended self-study hours: 224 h
ECV = Elective / Compulsory / Voluntary
Course offered for Semester Period Timetable module Language Campus ECV
6CIEI Industrial Engineering and Management - International, Master of Science in Engineering, Chinese (Master Profile Operations Management) 9 (Autumn 2026) 1, 2 4, 4 Swedish/English Linköping, Valla C
6CIEI Industrial Engineering and Management - International, Master of Science in Engineering, French (Master Profile Operations Management) 9 (Autumn 2026) 1, 2 4, 4 Swedish/English Linköping, Valla C
6CIEI Industrial Engineering and Management - International, Master of Science in Engineering, German (Master Profile Operations Management) 9 (Autumn 2026) 1, 2 4, 4 Swedish/English Linköping, Valla C
6CIEI Industrial Engineering and Management - International, Master of Science in Engineering, Japanese (Master Profile Operations Management) 9 (Autumn 2026) 1, 2 4, 4 Swedish/English Linköping, Valla C
6CIEI Industrial Engineering and Management - International, Master of Science in Engineering, Spanish (Master Profile Operations Management) 9 (Autumn 2026) 1, 2 4, 4 Swedish/English Linköping, Valla C
6CIII Industrial Engineering and Management, Master of Science in Engineering (Master Profile Operations Management) 9 (Autumn 2026) 1, 2 4, 4 Swedish/English Linköping, Valla C
6MIND Industrial Engineering and Management, Master's Programme (Operations Management) 3 (Autumn 2026) 1, 2 4, 4 Swedish/English Linköping, Valla C
6CMMM Mechanical Engineering, Master of Science in Engineering (Operations Management) 9 (Autumn 2026) 1, 2 4, 4 Swedish/English Linköping, Valla C

Main field of study

Industrial Engineering and Management

Course level

Second cycle

Advancement level

A1F

Specific information

Not generically selectable for students in semester 7 and above, see Entry requirements.

Course offered for

  • Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management - International
  • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
  • Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management
  • Master's Programme in Industrial Engineering and Management

Entry requirements

This course concludes the master profile Operations Management for the I/Ii and M programs and the master profile Operations Management for the IND program, and it is required that the student has already passed the preparatory profile courses. Prior to the start of the course, the examiner/director of studies will verify that participating students have sufficient knowledge, see information under Prerequisites.

Prerequisites

Pass in at least one of the following courses; Production and Operations Management, Production System Planning and Management, Manufacturing Planning and Control, Operations (Manufacturing) Strategy, or Quantitative Models and Analysis in Operations Management.

Intended learning outcomes

The course aims to impart knowledge and skills and to develop students’ capacity for implementation of Operations Management. Students will solve, in project form, real Operations Management problems in different kinds of businesses. On completion of the course the student will have achieved the following learning objectives:

  • Knowledge about research methods in Operations Management.
  • Be able to identify, select and apply theory and knowledge areas based on specific problems.
  • Be able to identify, select and apply theory and investigation tools in a real problem.
  • Mastery of written and oral communication of the results of the project work during various phases of the project.
  • Obtain experience in planning and implementing projects in the group.
  • Critical review of own and others’ work.

Course content

  • Research methods in Operations Management, such as in a structured way break down and clarify a problem, to analyze and draw conclusions on a substantiated way.
  • Data collection, interviews, surveys, and data capture.
  • Report-writing methodology, presentation and opposition.

Teaching and working methods

A small number of lectures and/or seminars give grounds in methodical investigations and analysis, suitable to be applied in Operations Management. The students are divided into smaller groups. These groups are working on a major project with a company specific task. Each project is assigned a supervisor from the Department. The course runs throughout the whole fall semester.

Theory seminars are used to disseminate knowledge about the theory that may be needed within the framework of the course. Part of the seminar is in preparation for the presentation of the contents of the others in the course. The second part is the active participation of theory workshops.

Examination

PRA3Project work including halftime examination6 creditsU, 3, 4, 5
PRA2Project work including halftime examination6 creditsU, G
The project report is the main examination dossier. Report assesses from main criteria logic/red wire and credibility, which includes:
  • The problem is clearly presented and problematized and specific issues are clearly justified.
  • The theoretical framework is motivated, presented and applied in a relevant way.
  • The methods and approaches are justified and can be considered as appropriate and applied appropriately.
  • That the conclusions can be judged as credible and is a logical consequence of the work presented.

Grades

Four-grade scale, LiU, U, 3, 4, 5

Other information

About teaching and examination language

The teaching language is presented in the Overview tab for each course. The examination language relates to the teaching language as follows: 

  • If teaching language is “Swedish”, the course as a whole could be given in Swedish, or partly in English. Examination language is Swedish, but parts of the examination can be in English.
  • If teaching language is “English”, the course as a whole is taught in English. Examination language is English.
  • If teaching language is “Swedish/English”, the course as a whole will be taught in English if students without prior knowledge of the Swedish language participate. Examination language is Swedish or English depending on teaching language.

Other

The course is conducted in such a way that there are equal opportunities with regard to sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation and age.

The planning and implementation of a course should correspond to the course syllabus. The course evaluation should therefore be conducted with the course syllabus as a starting point. 

The course is campus-based at the location specified for the course, unless otherwise stated under “Teaching and working methods”. Please note, in a campus-based course occasional remote sessions could be included.  

Department

Institutionen för ekonomisk och industriell utveckling

Course literature

Books

  • Karlsson, Christer, (2016) Research methods for operations management. Second edition. New York : Routledge, 2016
    ISBN: 9781138945418, 1138945412, 9781138945425, 1138945420, 9781315671420
Code Name Scope Grading scale
PRA3 Project work including halftime examination 6 credits U, 3, 4, 5
PRA2 Project work including halftime examination 6 credits U, G
The project report is the main examination dossier. Report assesses from main criteria logic/red wire and credibility, which includes:
  • The problem is clearly presented and problematized and specific issues are clearly justified.
  • The theoretical framework is motivated, presented and applied in a relevant way.
  • The methods and approaches are justified and can be considered as appropriate and applied appropriately.
  • That the conclusions can be judged as credible and is a logical consequence of the work presented.

Course syllabus

A syllabus must be established for each course. The syllabus specifies the aim and contents of the course, and the prior knowledge that a student must have in order to be able to benefit from the course.

Timetabling

Program courses are timetabled after a decision has been made for this course concerning its assignment to a timetable module. Single subject courses can be timetabled at other times.

Interruption in and deregistration from a course

The LiU decision, Guidelines concerning confirmation of participation in education, Dnr LiU-2020-02256 (https://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/764582), states that interruptions in study are to be recorded in Ladok. Thus, all students who do not participate in a course for which they have registered are therefore obliged to report the interruption so that this can be noted in Ladok. Deregistration from or interrupting a course is carried out using a Web-based form.

Cancelled courses and changes to the course syllabus

Courses with few participants (fewer than 10) may be cancelled or organised in a manner that differs from that stated in the course syllabus. The Dean is to deliberate and decide whether a course is to be cancelled or changed from the course syllabus. For single subject courses, the cancellation must be done before students are admitted to the course (in accordance with LiUs regulation Dnr LiU-2022-01200, https://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/622645).

Guidelines relating to examinations and examiners 

For details, see Guidelines for education and examination for first-cycle and second-cycle education at Linköping University, Dnr LiU-2023-00379  (http://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/917592).

An examiner must be employed as a teacher at LiU according to the LiU Regulations for Appointments, Dnr LiU-2022-04445 (https://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/622784). For courses in second-cycle, the following teachers can be appointed as examiner: Professor (including Adjunct and Visiting Professor), Associate Professor (including Adjunct), Senior Lecturer (including Adjunct and Visiting Senior Lecturer), Research Fellow, or Postdoc. For courses in first-cycle, Assistant Lecturer (including Adjunct and Visiting Assistant Lecturer) can also be appointed as examiner in addition to those listed for second-cycle courses. In exceptional cases, a Part-time Lecturer can also be appointed as an examiner at both first- and second cycle, see Delegation of authority for the Board of Faculty of Science and Engineering.

Forms of examination

Principles for examination

Written and oral examinations and digital and computer-based examinations are held at least three times a year: once immediately after the end of the course, once in August, and once (usually) in one of the re-examination periods. Examinations held at other times are to follow a decision of the faculty programme board.

Principles for examination scheduling for courses that follow the study periods:

  • courses given in VT1 are examined for the first time in March, with re-examination in June and August
  • courses given in VT2 are examined for the first time in May, with re-examination in August and January
  • courses given in HT1 are examined for the first time in October, with re-examination in January and August
  • courses given in HT2 are examined for the first time in January, with re-examination in March and in August.

The examination schedule is based on the structure of timetable modules, but there may be deviations from this, mainly in the case of courses that are studied and examined for several programmes and in lower grades (i.e. 1 and 2). 

Examinations for courses that the faculty programme board has decided are to be held in alternate years are held three times during the school year in which the course is given according to the principles stated above.

Examinations for courses that are cancelled or rescheduled such that they are not given in one or several years are held three times during the year that immediately follows the course, with examination scheduling that corresponds to the scheduling that was in force before the course was cancelled or rescheduled.

When a course, or a written or oral examination (TEN, DIT, DAT, MUN), is given for the last time, the regular examination and two re-examinations will be offered. Thereafter, examinations are phased out by offering three examinations during the following academic year at the same times as the examinations in any substitute course. The exception is courses given in the period HT1, where the three examination occasions are January, March and August. If there is no substitute course, three examinations will be offered during re-examination periods during the following academic year. Other examination times are decided by the faculty programme board. In all cases above, the examination is also offered one more time during the academic year after the following, unless the faculty programme board decides otherwise. In total, 6 re-examinations are offered, of which 2 are regular re-examinations. In the examination registration system, the examinations given for the penultimate time and the last time are denoted. 

If a course is given during several periods of the year (for programmes, or on different occasions for different programmes) the faculty programme board or boards determine together the scheduling and frequency of re-examination occasions.

For single subject courses, written and oral examinations can be held at other times.  

Retakes of other forms of examination

Regulations concerning retakes of other forms of examination than written examinations and digital and computer-based examinations are given in the LiU guidelines for examinations and examiners, Dnr LiU-2023-00379 (http://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/917592).

Course closure

For Decision on Routines for Administration of the Discontinuation of Educational Programs, Freestanding Courses and Courses in Programs, see Dnr LiU-2021-04782 (https://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/1156410). After a decision on closure and after the end of the discontinuation period, the students are referred to a replacement course (or similar) according to information in the course syllabus or programme syllabus. If a student has passed some part/parts of a closed program course but not all, and there is an at least partially replacing course, an assessment of crediting can be made. For questions about the crediting of course components, contact the Study councellors.

Registration for examination

In order to take an written, digital or computer-based examination, registration in advance is mandatory, see decision in the university’s rule book Dnr LiU-2020-04559 (https://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/622682). An unregistered student can thus not be offered a place. The registration is done at the Student Portal or in the LiU-app during the registration period. The registration period opens 30 days before the date of the examination and closes 10 days before the date of the examination. Candidates are informed of the location of the examination by email, four days in advance. 

Code of conduct for students during examinations

Details are given in a decision in the university’s rule book, Dnr LiU-2020-04559 (http://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/622682).

Retakes for higher grade

Students at the Institute of Technology at LiU have the right to retake written examinations and digital and computer-based examinations in an attempt to achieve a higher grade. This is valid for all examination components with code “TEN”, “DIT” and "DAT". The same right may not be exercised for other examination components, unless otherwise specified in the course syllabus.

A retake is not possible on courses that are included in an issued degree diploma. 

Grades

The grades that are preferably to be used are Fail (U), Pass (3), Pass not without distinction (4) and Pass with distinction (5). 

  • Grades U, 3, 4, 5 are to be awarded for courses that have written or digital examinations.
  • Grades Fail (U) and Pass (G) may be awarded for courses with a large degree of practical components such as laboratory work, project work and group work.
  • Grades Fail (U) and Pass (G) are to be used for degree projects and other independent work.

Examination components

The following examination components and associated module codes are used at the Faculty of Science and Engineering:

  • Grades U, 3, 4, 5 are to be awarded for written examinations (TEN) and digital examinations (DIT).
  • Examination components for which the grades Fail (U) and Pass (G) may be awarded are laboratory work (LAB), project work (PRA), preparatory written examination (KTR), digital preparatory written examination (DIK), oral examination (MUN), computer-based examination  in a computer lab (DAT), digital preparatory written examination in a computer lab (DAK), home assignment (HEM), and assignment (UPG).
  • Students receive grades either Fail (U) or Pass (G) for other examination components in which the examination criteria are satisfied principally through active attendance such as tutorial group (BAS) or examination item (MOM).
  • Grades Fail (U) and Pass (G) are to be used for the examination components Opposition (OPPO) and Attendance at thesis presentation (AUSK) (i.e. part of the degree project).

In general, the following applies:

  • Mandatory course components must be scored and given a module code.
  • Examination components that are not scored, cannot be mandatory. Hence, it is voluntary to participate in these examinations, and the voluntariness must be clearly stated. Additionally, if there are any associated conditions to the examination component, these must be clearly stated as well.
  • For courses with more than one examination component with grades U,3,4,5, it shall be clearly stated how the final grade is weighted.

For mandatory components, the following applies (in accordance with the LiU Guidelines for education and examination for first-cycle and second-cycle education at Linköping University, Dnr LiU-2023-00379 http://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/917592): 

  • If special circumstances prevail, and if it is possible with consideration of the nature of the compulsory component, the examiner may decide to replace the compulsory component with another equivalent component.

For possibilities to alternative forms of examinations, the following applies (in accordance with the LiU Guidelines for education and examination for first-cycle and second-cycle education at Linköping University, Dnr LiU-2023-00379 http://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/VisaBeslut/917592): 

  • If the LiU coordinator for students with disabilities has granted a student the right to an adapted examination for a written examination in an examination hall, the student has the right to it.
  • If the coordinator has recommended for the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination, the examiner may grant this if the examiner assesses that it is possible, based on consideration of the course objectives.
  • An examiner may also decide that an adapted examination or alternative form of examination if the examiner assessed that special circumstances prevail, and the examiner assesses that it is possible while maintaing the objectives of the course.

Reporting of examination results

The examination results for a student are reported at the relevant department.

Plagiarism

For examinations that involve the writing of reports, in cases in which it can be assumed that the student has had access to other sources (such as during project work, writing essays, etc.), the material submitted must be prepared in accordance with principles for acceptable practice when referring to sources (references or quotations for which the source is specified) when the text, images, ideas, data, etc. of other people are used. It is also to be made clear whether the author has reused his or her own text, images, ideas, data, etc. from previous examinations, such as degree projects, project reports, etc. (this is sometimes known as “self-plagiarism”).

A failure to specify such sources may be regarded as attempted deception during examination.

Attempts to cheat

In the event of a suspected attempt by a student to cheat during an examination, or when study performance is to be assessed as specified in Chapter 10 of the Higher Education Ordinance, the examiner is to report this to the disciplinary board of the university. Possible consequences for the student are suspension from study and a formal warning. More information is available at Cheating, deception and plagiarism.

Linköping University has also produced a guide for teachers and students' use of generative AI in education (Dnr LiU-2023-02660). As a student, you are always expected to gain knowledge of what applies to each course (including the degree project). In general, clarity to where and how generative AI has been used is important.  

Regulations (apply to LiU in its entirety)

The university is a government agency whose operations are regulated by legislation and ordinances, which include the Higher Education Act and the Higher Education Ordinance. In addition to legislation and ordinances, operations are subject to several policy documents. The Linköping University rule book collects currently valid decisions of a regulatory nature taken by the university board, the vice-chancellor and faculty/department boards.

LiU’s rule book for education at first-cycle and second-cycle levels is available at https://styrdokument.liu.se/Regelsamling/Innehall

Books

Karlsson, Christer, (2016) Research methods for operations management. Second edition. New York : Routledge, 2016

ISBN: 9781138945418, 1138945412, 9781138945425, 1138945420, 9781315671420

Note: The course matrix might contain more information in Swedish.

I = Introduce, U = Teach, A = Utilize
I U A Modules Comment
1. DISCIPLINARY KNOWLEDGE AND REASONING
1.1 Knowledge of underlying mathematics and science (G1X level)
X
Basic courses
1.2 Fundamental engineering knowledge (G1X level)
X
Uses basic knowledge in Operations Management
1.3 Further knowledge, methods, and tools in one or several subjects in engineering or natural science (G2X level)
X
PRA2
PRA3
Uses knowledge in Operations Management
1.4 Advanced knowledge, methods, and tools in one or several subjects in engineering or natural sciences (A1X level)
X
PRA2
PRA3
Uses advanced knowledge in Operations Management
1.5 Insight into current research and development work

                            
2. PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES
2.1 Analytical reasoning and problem solving
X
PRA2
PRA3
Company relevant problem
2.2 Experimentation, investigation, and knowledge discovery
X
PRA2
PRA3
Planning and realisation of a larger study in Operations Management
2.3 System thinking
X
PRA2
PRA3
Recommendations from a larger perspective
2.4 Attitudes, thought, and learning
X
PRA2
PRA3
Planning of own work
2.5 Ethics, equity, and other responsibilities
X
PRA3
Ethical considerations about data and cooperation. Professional relations towards the company.
3. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS: TEAMWORK AND COMMUNICATION
3.1 Teamwork
X
PRA2
PRA3
Group contracts, weekly diary over group work, roles in the group
3.2 Communications
X
PRA2
PRA3
Oral and written communication, presentations skills and writing reports
3.3 Communication in foreign languages
X
PRA2
PRA3
Course is given in english
4. CONCEIVING, DESIGNING, IMPLEMENTING AND OPERATING SYSTEMS IN THE ENTERPRISE, SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT
4.1 External, societal, and environmental context
X
PRA3
Sustainable development in Operations Management
4.2 Enterprise and business context
X
Contact with company
4.3 Conceiving, system engineering and management

                            
4.4 Designing

                            
4.5 Implementing

                            
4.6 Operating

                            
5. PLANNING, EXECUTION AND PRESENTATION OF RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WITH RESPECT TO SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIETAL NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS
5.1 Societal conditions, including economic, social, and ecological aspects of sustainable development for knowledge development
X
PRA3
Sustainable development in Operations Manageme
5.2 Economic conditions for knowledge development

                            
5.3 Identification of needs, structuring and planning of research or development projects
X
PRA2
Project planning
5.4 Execution of research or development projects

                            
5.5 Presentation and evaluation of research or development projects

                            

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