Programme Specifications

Programme summary

1. Programme Aims

The Information Management and Business degree programme aims to produce high quality graduates with the knowledge, skills and understanding for an effective and valued career in a wide range of management situations, especially those requiring sophisticated management of knowledge and information.

Within this general aim the programme specifically seeks to encourage students:

• To develop knowledge, concepts and skills in the major academic disciplines of business and management as a sound basis for practice, study and training in the graduate’s chosen profession or management specialism.
• To develop a deep understanding of the importance of information management and its role in effective decision making in organisations.
• To develop the concepts, analytical approaches, evaluative thinking and numeracy skills necessary for management problem solving, including through individual experience and optionally on placement.
• To develop a positive attitude to change, a desire for excellence, a visionary and positive approach to future developments and an openness to new ideas.

Consequently the programme seeks:

• To provide a relevant, practical and constantly updated programme through close links with a wide variety of business organisations.
• To demonstrate the importance of information management and information literacy to a wide variety of business organisations.
• To provide students with a flexible learning environment allowing students to explore and develop their own interests and strengths as they progress through the programme.
• To develop teaching and learning in response to advances in scholarship and the needs of a wide variety of business organisations.
• To enhance the employability of our graduates.

2. Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external reference points used to inform programme outcomes:

• QAA: Framework for Higher Education Qualifications

• QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for Librarianship and Information Management (2007) (LIM) (http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/statements/Librarianship07.pdf)
• QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for General Business and Management (2007) (GBM) (http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/statements/GeneralBusinessManagement.pdf)
• QAA booklet - Academic Credit in Higher Education in England (2006)

• 含羞草视频, Learning and Teaching Strategy http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/ar/policy/learning_and_teaching/

3. Programme Learning Outcomes

3.1 Knowledge and Understanding

On successful completion of this programme students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

K1.   the cultural, ethical, political and social issues surrounding the use of information at an organisational level and within society and the external environment (LIM, GBM)

K2.   information systems - the development, management and exploitation of information systems and their impact upon organisations (GBM)

K3.   the changing needs of users of existing and potential information services in a global technology rich environment (LIM)

K4.   the principles of strategic management, marketing and planning and development of people within organisations (GBM)

K5.   professional, legal, moral and ethical considerations in the computing and information industries including issues such as data protection, the valuation of intellectual property, freedom of information etc. (LIM and GBM)

K6.   a variety of sources of information through a range of physical and virtual channels, media and formats (LIM)

K7.   pervasive issues such as sustainability, globalisation, corporate social responsibility, diversity, business innovation, creativity, enterprise development, knowledge management and risk management (GBM) 

K8.   human information behaviour and information seeking processes and information retrieval systems (LIM)

K9.   appropriate frameworks, standards and systems for the description, classification and indexing of information and knowledge containers and content (LIM)

K10. organisations, the external environment in which they operate and how they are managed (GBM)

K11. the internal aspects, functions and processes of organisations and their purpose, structures, governance, operations and management (GBM)

K12. different types of organisations that produce, disseminate and store information and their place in the information chain (LIM)

K13. policies and procedures that apply to the creation, capture, storage, dissemination, retrieval and destruction of information to ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks (LIM)

K14. the design, development and delivery of information products, systems and services to match customer requirements (LIM)

K15. processes, procedures and practices for effective management of organisations (GBM)

K16. the concepts, principles and techniques underpinning key aspects of planning, managing and leading services, including financial management, human resource management, project management, marketing, service quality, customer relationship management and change management  (GBM)

K17. the principles and capacities of information and communication technologies and their application in professional practice.

3.2 Skills and other attributes

a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:

On successful completion of this programme students should be able to:

C1.    demonstrate a range of cognitive and intellectual skills together with techniques specific to business and management such as critical thinking, analysis and synthesis, including the ability to relate and marshal facts, ideas and theories in a well-structured argument (LIM)

C2.    self reflect critically, demonstrating self awareness, openness and sensitivity to diversity in terms of people, cultures, business and management issues; acquire the skills of learning to learn and developing a continuing appetite for learning; reflective, adaptive and collaborative learning (LIM)

C3.    apply subject knowledge and understanding critically and effectively to real world situations (LIM)

C4.    plan effective strategies for searching and handling information, in both printed and electronic formats

C5.    apply qualitative and quantitative research methods and their application in practice. (LIM)

b. Subject-specific practical skills:

On successful completion of this programme students should be able to:

P1.    demonstrate effective use of information and communication technologies and their application in the management  of information (LIM)

P2.     specify, design and construct information services and computer-based systems according to users’ needs including identifying, formulating and solving business problems (LIM and GBM)

P3.     carry out effective problem solving and decision making using appropriate quantitative and qualitative skills (LIM and GBM)

P4.     apply the concepts, principles and techniques of strategic management in real world situations (LIM)

P5.     use a range of electronic information resources and systems including databases, search engines and portals (LIM)

P6.     conduct research into business and information management issues (GBM)

c. Key transferable skills:

On successful completion of this programme students should be able to:

T1.     make effective use of communication and information technology, for example create and manipulate documents and databases using appropriate software (LIM and GBM)

T2.    use numeracy and quantitative skills including data analysis, interpretation and extrapolation and present information in numerical and statistical form using appropriate software (LIM and GBM)

T3.     apply critical thinking, analysis and synthesis, evaluation and manage and reflect on their own learning (LIM and GBM)

T4.     show interpersonal skills of effective listening, negotiating, persuasion and presentation and communicate effectively orally and in writing using a range of media for different purposes and audiences (LIM and GBM)

T5.     demonstrate effective self-management in terms of time, planning and behaviour (LIM and GBM)

T6.     achieve effective performance, within a team environment, including leadership, team building, influencing and project management skills in various contexts (LIM and GBM)

T7.     appreciate the need for continuing professional development and manage their own lifelong learning (LIM and GBM)

T8.     demonstrate skills of critical thinking, analysis and synthesis, including the ability to relate data, facts, ideas and theories into a well-structured argument (LIM and GBM)

4. Programme structure

4.1 Part A Introductory Modules

4.2 Part B - Degree Modules

4.3 Part I - Placement (8 semester programme only)

Candidates on degree programmes which include professional training will be registered for module BSI001 Placement. They will undertake a placement of minimum 48 weeks during the year between Part B and Part C which will lead to the qualification of Diploma in Professional Studies (DPS) on successful completion of the required assessments for BSI001 and of the degree programme requirements.

4.4 Part C - Degree Modules

5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award

In order to progress from Part A to Part B and from Part B to C and to be eligible for the award of an Honours degree, candidates must not only satisfy the minimum credit requirements set out in Regulation XX but also:

- to progress from Part B to the period of professional training or study at an approved institution abroad, candidates must accumulate at least 100 credits in Part B as well as achieving at least 30% in all modules taken in Part B.

Provision will be made in accordance with Regulation XX for candidates who have the right of re-assessment in Part A or Part B of the programme to undergo re-assessment in the University’s special assessment period.

6. Relative Weighting of Parts of the Programme for the Purposes of Final Degree Classification

Candidates' final degree classification will be determined on the basis of their performance in degree level Module Assessments in Parts B and C, in accordance with the scheme set out in regulation XX. The average percentage marks for each Part will be combined in the ratio Part B 25: Part C 75, to determine the final overall percentage mark for the Programme (the Programme Mark).