Course Syllabus
Contact Information
Matt Singleton currently serves as an Executive Strategist for Crowdstrike, an industry-leading cybersecurity company for intelligence, incident response, and cyber defenses. In this role, he helps organizations develop strategies for building robust cybersecurity programs and serves as an industry thought leader. Matt provides creative solutions to make organizations more secure, efficient, and effective.
Previously, he served as the Chief Information Security Officer for the State of Oklahoma and Commanding Officer for Oklahoma Cyber Command. He was charged with leading all cybersecurity defensive efforts, offensive operations, and compliance/privacy practices. He oversaw the state’s efforts to push 32,000 employees to work securely and effectively from home during the global pandemic, established the state’s first enterprise fraud prevention, detection, and investigation program, launched the Oklahoma Information Sharing and Analysis Center (OK-ISAC), and completely rebuilt Oklahoma Cyber Command with best-of-breed cybersecurity tools, expanded partnerships, and a diverse, world-class team.
He also served as Chief Operations and Accountability Officer for the state’s information services division. In that role, Matt oversaw the technology operations for 189 executive branch agencies and affiliates. In that role, he executed the unification of 110 information technology organizations across the state, realized over $875 million in cost savings, and was featured in the Wall Street Journal best-seller, “One Mission: How Leaders Build a Team of Teams” by Chris Fussell.
Prior to joining the State, Matt excelled as an IT leader for the University of Oklahoma. Notably, playing a central role in establishing OU's cybersecurity program, the OU Cyber-Forensics Lab, and OU’s highly popular technology retail store which ranked as the #1 institutionally managed Apple reseller in the Southeast. Matt also provided critical leadership for the development of one of the first iPhone apps for higher education (OU2GO).
Matt has a master’s degree in Applied Intelligence, specializing in Cyber Intelligence, Homeland Security, and Counterterrorism from Georgetown University; a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma, a master’s certificate in IT service management, and numerous other industry certifications.
Course Details
For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.
Course Delivery
Synchronous Online: Learning occurs online and in real-time, using technology such as web-conferencing software for synchronous interaction. This is the option that reflects an online course with scheduled Live Sessions. Describe the frequency of Live Sessions (weekly, bi-monthly, etc.) and any attendance requirements.
Course Prerequisites
Though it does not have prerequisites, this course assumes and expects the following background:
- Industry Knowledge: Some familiarity with the aerospace and defense sectors would help students grasp the specific challenges and requirements of these industries more quickly. Knowledge of industry standards, regulatory environments, and typical project life cycles within these sectors would be advantageous.
- Technical Acumen: Given the technical nature of many aerospace and defense projects, a background in engineering, technology, or a related field can enhance understanding and engagement with the course material.
- Leadership and Teamwork Skills: Prior experience in leading or working within teams, especially in cross-functional and multicultural environments, would be valuable, as the course also focuses on leadership and stakeholder management.
- Analytical Skills: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are important, as the course will cover risk management, quality assurance, and the integration of new technologies in project management.
Course Materials
Required Materials
- Rita Mulcahy, PMP, et al. (2023) PMP® Exam Prep, (11th ed.), RMC Publications, Inc. ISBN-13: 978-1943704347
- Briney, Kristian. (2024). AI-Driven Project Management: Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and ChatGPT to achieve peak productivity and success. Wiley Publications, Inc. ISBN-13: 978-1394232215
- International Six Sigma Institute. (n.d.). Six Sigma revealed.
Supplemental Materials
- Growth Strategies 101. (n.d.). 7 keys to successful project management in aerospace & defense. Growth Strategies 101.
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (2015). Designing the International Space Station systems engineering case study.
- Air Force Institute of Technology. (n.d.). C-5A systems engineering case study. Retrieved from https://scholar.afit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?params=/context/docs/article/1027/&path_info=C_5A_SE_Case_Study.pdf
- Air Force Institute of Technology. (n.d.). GPS systems engineering case study. Retrieved from https://scholar.afit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?params=/context/docs/article/1031/&path_info=GPS_SE_Case_Study.pdf
- Defense Technical Information Center. (2010). A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) systems engineering case study. Retrieved from https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA530838.pdf
- Defense Acquisition University. (n.d.). Tactical Battle Management Core Systems case study. Retrieved from https://www.dau.edu/sites/default/files/Migrated/CopDocuments/TBMCS%20SE%20Case%20Study.pdf
- Air Force Institute of Technology. (n.d.). Hubble Space Telescope systems engineering case study. Retrieved from https://scholar.afit.edu/docs/39/.
- International Defense Security & Technology. (n.d.). Mastering project management in defense and aerospace: Strategies for success. IDST.
- Visure Solutions. (n.d.). Agile for aerospace and defense development: Guide & best practices. Visure Solutions.
- Boston Consulting Group. (2019). Using agile methodologies in aerospace: An interview with Latécoère’s Serge Bérenger. BCG.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLO)
- Students are able to demonstrate competency in core subject matter.
- Students are able to demonstrate decision-making and problem-solving skills.
- Students exhibit global awareness and strategic perspectives.
- Students are able to demonstrate leadership and team working skills.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLO) Alignment
| CLO | Description | PLO |
|---|---|---|
| A | Understand and apply industry-specific project management frameworks: Students will learn advanced project management methodologies tailored to the aerospace and defense industries, including Agile, Lean, and Six Sigma, and how to apply them effectively to manage complex projects. | 1, 4 |
| B | Develop strategic project plans and engage in project decision-making: Participants will gain the ability to conduct strategic planning that aligns with corporate objectives, understands the integration of various project management tools, and ensures projects are designed to meet the long-term goals of their organization. | 1 |
| C | Master financial and budget management for large-scale projects: The course will equip students with skills in sophisticated financial planning and control techniques specific to large-scale and long-duration projects typical of the aerospace and defense sectors. | 1 |
| D | Enhance risk management capabilities by discussing and analyzing real-world risks: Students will learn to identify, analyze, and mitigate risks with a comprehensive understanding of global risk factors including geopolitical and regulatory challenges specific to the aerospace and defense industries. | 2, 3 |
| E | Lead quality assurance and ensure regulatory compliance through systematic planning: Students will learn to lead projects that meet the stringent quality and safety standards required in aerospace and defense, including navigating complex regulatory environments. | 1, 4 |
| F | Cultivate leadership skills and manage diverse stakeholder relationships: Students will enhance leadership abilities in managing diverse teams and complex stakeholder relationships, with a focus on effective communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution. | 4 |
Grades
Breakdown
| Activity | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Discussion Boards | Prompt Responses - To help facilitate this, you are required to write a 150-200-word response to the week's prompt and connected to this week's topic. Discussion prompts change each week, depending on the module topic. Your prompt response post should reference course material as well as sources, when possible. Your post should demonstrate comprehension of the subject matter at hand. We'll discuss these response posts in our Live Sessions each week. Post your Prompt Response before 12 PM (noon) on Saturday. | 15% |
| Participation |
To complete this assignment, write a 100-250-word reflection justifying your engagement with this module's activities and contributions to those activities. |
5% |
| Project Milestones |
Includes Project Selection, Change Management Plan, Project Budget Plan, Risk Assessment, Quality Control Plan, Stakeholder Analysis Report, and Project Communications Plan. |
5% |
| Project Charter |
Develop a comprehensive Project Charter that outlines the project’s key aspects, including its purpose, scope, objectives, stakeholders, and the approach for managing the project. This assignment will demonstrate the students' ability to initiate and plan a project effectively. |
10% |
| High-Level Project Plan |
Create a high-level project plan that provides an overview of your chosen project's lifecycle. This plan will serve as a strategic guide, showcasing the project's roadmap from initiation to closure, including major phases, milestones, deliverables, and approximate timelines. This exercise is designed to demonstrate students' ability to strategize and plan at a macro level, essential for effective project management in complex, high-stakes environments. |
20% |
| Detailed Project Plan |
Develop a detailed plan for a selected project within the aerospace or defense sectors. This plan should include a breakdown of all project tasks, detailed scheduling, resource allocation, and mechanisms for coordination and monitoring. |
20% |
| Steering Committee Presentation for Project Approval |
Prepare a comprehensive presentation aimed at convincing the CMI steering committee to approve the initiation of a project. This presentation should effectively communicate the project’s scope, benefits, strategic alignment with organizational goals, and readiness for implementation. |
25% |
| Total | 100% |
Scale
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 90–100% | A |
| 80–89% | B |
| 70–79% | C |
| 60–69% | D |
| Below 60% | F |
Course Components
Discussion Boards (Critical Thinking Discussions & Technology Integration Discussions)
Discussion boards in this course serve as an essential platform for exploring complex project management concepts and engaging with real-world scenarios. They provide students with the opportunity to reflect on critical thinking prompts, share insights, and debate methodologies like Agile, Lean, and Six Sigma in a structured yet open environment. This format allows for asynchronous participation, enabling all students to contribute thoughtful responses, regardless of their schedules.
The prompt response will be assessed based on expressing opinions and ideas in a clear and concise manner with obvious connections to the topic and course materials and/or additional references related to the topic.
This component aligns with CLOs A, D, and F.
Participation
Active participation is essential in this course because aerospace and defense project management requires a high level of collaboration, critical thinking, and adaptability. Participation allows students to engage deeply with complex concepts, such as Agile, Lean, and Six Sigma methodologies, as well as emerging AI technologies, through class discussions, case studies, and group exercises. Students will also benefit from sharing diverse perspectives, especially when analyzing case studies or discussing real-world applications. Participation fosters a collaborative learning environment where students can learn from each other, develop leadership skills, and strengthen their ability to communicate effectively—a critical component in managing large, multi-stakeholder projects in high-stakes industries.
Participation will be assessed based on the following rubric criteria: Engagement, Quality of Contributions, Collaboration and Consistency.
This component directly aligns with CLOs A, B, and F.
Project Milestone Assignments
Project milestone assignments are a central component of this course, providing students with hands-on experience in applying project management principles to a realistic project. Each milestone assignment represents a critical aspect of the project management lifecycle, such as Project Selection, Change Management, Budget Planning, Risk Assessment, Quality Control, Stakeholder Analysis, and Communications Planning. Through these assignments, students progressively build a comprehensive project plan that simulates the complex decision-making processes required in high-stakes industries.
Project Milestone Assignments will be graded as complete/incomplete. These assignments include:
- Project Selection
- Change Management Plan
- Project Budget Plan
- Risk Assessment
- Quality Control Plan
- Stakeholder Analysis Report
- Project Communications Plan
This component aligns with CLOs B, C, D, E, and F.
Project Charter
The Project Charter serves as the foundational document for the entire project in this course. It defines the project's purpose, scope, objectives, stakeholders, and key deliverables. By developing a Project Charter, students set the groundwork for all subsequent project planning and management activities. This assignment requires students to synthesize their initial project ideas into a clear and structured plan, aligning the project’s objectives with organizational goals and establishing a shared vision for the project’s trajectory. The Project Charter is a critical component because it provides a reference point for the project’s purpose and scope, ensuring that all future decisions support these initial parameters.
The Project Charter will be assessed based on the following rubric criteria: Project Description and Justification; Objectives Clarity and Measurability; Stakeholder Identification and Analysis; Scope Definition; Management Plans; Risk Management; Budget and Schedule; Professionalism and Presentation.
This component aligns with CLOs A, B, and D.
High-Level Project Plan
The High-Level Project Plan in this course acts as a strategic roadmap that outlines the major phases, key milestones, and overarching timeline of a project. It builds upon the Project Charter by adding a more detailed structure to the project’s scope and objectives. By developing a High-Level Project Plan, students learn to break down a complex project into manageable stages, set achievable timelines, and define critical checkpoints. This assignment is vital because it allows students to think strategically about the overall flow of the project while providing the flexibility to refine details in later stages.
The High-Level Project Plan will be assessed on the following rubric criteria: Clarity of Phases; Identification of Milestones; Timeline Accuracy; Resource Overview; Integration Points; Professionalism and Presentation.
This component aligns with CLOs B, C, D, and F.
Detailed Project Plan
The Detailed Project Plan serves as the comprehensive guide for the project, breaking down each phase into specific tasks, timelines, resource allocations, and coordination mechanisms. This plan builds on the High-Level Project Plan, adding a layer of depth that includes every aspect necessary for execution. In this course, creating a Detailed Project Plan teaches students how to think through each component of a project at an operational level. It requires them to map out detailed schedules, assign responsibilities, anticipate resource needs, and account for potential risks and quality control measures.
The Detailed Project Plan will be assessed on the following rubric criteria: Task Identification; Task Sequencing; Scheduling; Resource Allocation; Risk Management; Quality Control; Communication Integration; Document Quality; Adaptability to Feedback.
This component aligns with CLOs B, C, D, E, and F.
Steering Committee Presentation for Project Approval
The Steering Committee Presentation for Project Approval is a capstone component of this course, allowing students to present their project plans to a hypothetical steering committee to gain approval for project execution. This presentation requires students to synthesize all aspects of their project—from the Project Charter to the Detailed Project Plan—and deliver a compelling case for why their project should move forward. The Steering Committee Presentation challenges students to effectively communicate project scope, strategic alignment, anticipated benefits, risks, and resource needs, as well as demonstrate readiness for execution. It also simulates a high-stakes, real-world scenario where project managers must advocate for their projects before senior leadership or key stakeholders.
The Steering Committee Presentation for Project Approval will be assessed on the following rubric criteria: Content Accuracy and Relevance; Strategic Alignment; Presentation Skills; Visual Aids; Handling of Questions; Overall Persuasiveness.
This component aligns with CLOs B, D, and F.
Course Policies
Communication
Please contact me via Canvas messaging. I typically respond to students within 24 hours Monday-Friday and within 48 hours on weekends. If I have not responded within these time frames, or if you have an urgent need, please contact me again as I may have not received your message.
Please address me by my first name. We are all learners in this course. Ask questions, make comments but always be respectful of other viewpoints. My role is to help coach you through the concepts and successfully apply them to specific scenarios you may see in the future. My main goal is to see you succeed in this course.
The most proven key to success in this course is communication. Keep me informed if you are struggling with concepts or have personal obligations making assignments/deadlines more challenging. Communicate and collaborate with each other as well. While the assignments are individually graded, sharing ideas and feedback makes us all better.
Feedback
Feedback and grades on submitted activities and assignments can be expected within one week of submission. Any deviations from this time frame will be communicated along with an updated time frame.
Late Policy
Our course is built so that our assignments build on each other. Assignments will be accepted late with a 10% penalty if submitted within one week of the due date. Late work will not be accepted for the final presentation as the course timeline does not allow for it.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism.
For more information about plagiarism, watch the OU Libraries Plagiarism Tutorial video and take the short Avoiding Plagiarism Tutorial Canvas course offered by University Libraries.
Academic Integrity for Artificial Intelligence Programs
In this course, we will use generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for specific assignments to teach you how to successfully leverage the technology, especially for work. Using AI programs where they are not explicitly assigned or allowed is considered academic dishonesty and will be considered a violation of academic integrity. If the usage of such programs is found, students will receive a “0” for the grade and will be reported to OU’s Integrity Council. Students unsure about using AI tools in coursework should speak directly to their instructor or seek guidance from the Student's Guide to Academic Integrity.
University Academic Policies and Student Support
Access the University Academic Policies Document.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|