Programme Specifications

Programme summary

1. Programme Aims

These programmes are specifically targeted at bespoke or consortium clients. Therefore, the programmes aim to support participants developing an in-depth understanding of their related sectors through drawing on sector specific and wider relevant examples and cases that support students learning and comprehension.  Clients support in the development of the bespoke/sectorial related content. 

The programme aims to:

• Prepare participants for a career in senior management including formal governance and directorial responsibilities;
• Provide managers with a challenging educational experience in terms of intellectual and personal development, within the context of the advanced academic study of business and management, so as to enhance their effectiveness as managers and leaders;
• Enable participants to develop a thorough conceptual understanding of the core management disciplines and activities, and to permit detailed study in their specific sector or context;
• Create managers who have a range of skills and attributes particularly relevant to business and management, which equip them to be able to deal with complex business problems in an increasingly dynamic business environment;
• Create business leaders who are responsible for direction and vision, providing a clear sense of purpose, and leading organisational change;
• Enhance the management skills of participants through their ongoing engagement with practice, enabling them to ground their new knowledge within their past professional experience and apply it to new situations;
• Develop adaptable, innovative, inclusive and ethically-minded leaders, acting as role models within their organisation, who can meet the management and professional needs of organisations in their sectorial context now and in the future;
• Encourage enthusiasm and self-motivation, a desire for excellence, a visionary and positive attitude to future developments and an openness to new ideas;
• Enhance students’ lifelong learning skills and personal development to be able to work with self-direction and originality and to contribute to business and society at large.

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

-         The QAA benchmark statement for Master’s awards in business and management

-         The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications

-         Association of Business School (ABS) guidelines

-         Senior Leaders Level 7 Masters Apprenticeship Standard (IoA)

-         CMI Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership

-         School of Business and Economics ('The School') aims for management education within the School strategy

-         The University Academic Quality Procedures

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 internal aspects, functions and processes of organisations - including their diverse nature, purposes, structures, governance, operations and management, together with the individual and corporate behaviours and cultures which exist within and between organisations and their influence on the external context they operate in;

K2 … the external context in which organisations operate - including economic, environmental, ethical, legal, political, sociological and technological factors, together with their effects at local, national and international levels upon the strategy, behaviour and management of organisations;

K3 … the dynamics of organisational leadership and management - including relevant theories, models, and frameworks of effective leadership and management of organisations, focusing on the processes of decision-making in uncertainty that help them shape the future of an organisation within the business environment;

K4 … the contexts and processes in which enterprise and innovation can thrive and prosper with an emphasis on understanding, responding to and shaping the dynamic and changing nature of business; and

K5 … the interrelationships among and the integration between the areas covered in the programme and how to remove subject and functional boundaries so as to handle complex situations holistically. 

Application of Knowledge and understanding: K1, K2, K3, K5 relates to the PGCert.  K4 relates specifically to the PGDip.

3.2 Skills and other attributes

a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:

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

C1 ... use critical thinking, analysis and synthesis to evaluate and apply concepts and insights from business disciplines, including comprehension of complex scenarios and transform such data and concepts into effective solutions;

C2 … analyse and appraise practical issues and problems in business and management by using or adapting the theories and models appropriate to those disciplines;

C3 … use information and knowledge effectively in order to abstract meaning from information and to share knowledge, using appropriate qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills;

C4 … solve complex problems and make decisions, using logical processes, and be able to implement and review decisions. 

Application of Subject-specific cognitive skills:  C2, C3, C4 relates to PGCert. C1 relates specifically to PGDip. 

b. Subject-specific practical skills:

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

P1 ... effectively communicate with others, including networking, listening, persuasion and influencing, oral and written communication of complex ideas and arguments, using a range of media;

P2 … effectively conduct research into business and management issues, using an appropriate research design, including developing appropriate data collection, analysis and reporting methods, drawing on a range of sources of business-related materials and data, including official statistics;

P3 … select an appropriate leadership style for different situations; setting objectives, motivating, monitoring performance, coaching and mentoring; and

P4 … effectively engage with an organisation to execute a practically-based study, applying commercial acumen to produce a business report with clear, persuasive managerial conclusions. 

Application of Subject-specific practical skills:  All practical skills relate to all three levels of award.

c. Key transferable skills:

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

T1 ... display effective interpersonal skills including effective communication, listening, influencing and conflict resolution;

T2 … be able to create and evaluate a range of appropriate options, being aware that in many situations there is a range of possible interpretations and/or solutions;

T3 … apply critical thinking and creativity to solve practical problems;

T4 … integrating knowledge from across disciplines to solve complex problems holistically;

T5 … scan and organise data, abstract meaning from information and share knowledge;

T6 …effectively perform within team environments and be able to recognise and utilise own and other individuals’ contributions in group processes;

T7 … recognise ethical situations, applying ethical and organisational values to situations and choices to address ethical dilemmas;

T8 … use effective personal organisation including time management, self-direction, self-motivation, tenacity and pro-activeness;

T9 … demonstrate high personal effectiveness: critical self-awareness, self-reflection and self-management; and the ability to learn through reflection on practice and experience. 

Application of Key transferable skills:  T1, T2, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, T9 relates to PGCert. T3 relates specifically to the PGDip.

4. Programme structure

4.1 Content

 To complete the full MSc programme this option requires students to undertake eight core modules equating to 165 credits one plus 15 credit optional module.  For the PGDip students would be required to complete 120 credits (6 x 15 credit modules and 1 x 30). For the PGCert students would be required to complete 60 credits (2 x 15 credit modules and 1 x 30).  The specific requirements for the PGCert and PGDip are noted in section 7 below. 

4.2 Optional Modules 

4.2.1    The choice of optional modules available to students on the open programme variant (BSPTB1) is limited to BSPA23 and BSPA27.  These modules will be available to every intake.  The School may choose to offer additional optional modules depending on cohort size. 

4.2.2    The choice of optional modules available to students on the consortium programme variants (BSPTB8) will be agreed with the clients as part of programme contract.  

4.3 Study Plan 

A study plan which governs the scheduling of the programme of study and registration periods will be established at the commencement of the programme.  Students are required to act in accordance with this plan. 

4.4 Degree Apprenticeships 

Students registered on Apprenticeship variants of this programme should note the additional requirements of the programme which are published at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/sbe/business/apprenticeships/our-programmes/.

5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award

In order to be eligible for the award, candidates must satisfy the requirements of Regulation XXI but also.

5.1    To be eligible for the award of Postgraduate Certificate, candidates must have accumulated at least 60 credits. Specifically, candidates must have completed BSPA10, BSPA12 and BSPA20.

5.2    To be eligible for the award of Postgraduate Diploma, candidates must have completed modules with a total modular weight of 120. Specifically, candidates must have completed the modules outlined in 7.1.1 plus BSPA15, BSPA18, BSPA25, and an additional module from those listed in 4.1 above.

5.3    To be eligible for the award of MSc, candidates must have completed modules with a total modular weight of 180.  Specifically, candidates must have completed the modules outlined in 7.1.1 and 7.1.2 plus BSPA19 and BSPA26.  Students must also achieve credit in BSPA19.

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

N/A