Programme Specifications

Programme summary

1. Programme Aims

The programme aims to:

• Attract sufficient richly experienced managers from a wide range of educational, business and commercial backgrounds to create a positive learning environment for all participants.
• Provide such managers with a challenging educational experience in terms of general intellectual and personal development, within the context of the academic study of business and management.
• Enable participants to develop a thorough conceptual understanding of the core management disciplines and activities internationally, and to permit detailed study of chosen specialisations.
• Enhance the management skills of participants through their ongoing employment within the business, commercial and public sectors, and through an emphasis in all subjects onmanagerial relevance.
• Develop highly trained and adaptable managers who are able to meet the management and professional needs of organisations that are facing the challenges of the future.
• Develop teaching and learning in response to advances in scholarship and the needs of the business community.
• Encourage in our students hard work, enthusiasm and self-motivation, a positive attitude to change, a desire for excellence, a visionary and positive approach to future developments and openness to new ideas.
• Enhance students’ lifelong learning skills and personal development so as 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 benchmark statement for Master’s awards in business and management
• The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
• Association of Business School (ABS) guidelines
• Association of MBAs (AMBA) accreditation guidelines
• School of Business and Economics ('The School') Mission Statement of General Aims for Postgraduate Programmes
• 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 holistic understanding of:

• 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;
• 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;
• how organisations are managed - including the various processes, procedures and practices for effective leadership and management of organisations with regard to relevant theories, models, frameworks, tasks and roles of management together with rational analysis and other processes of decision making within organisations and in relation to the external context.
• the contexts and processes in which enterprise and innovation are able to thrive and prosper - including managerial style, organisational culture and stakeholder expectations.

3.2 Skills and other attributes

a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:

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

• use critical thinking, analysis and synthesis to evaluate and apply concepts and insights from business disciplines, including comprehension of complex scenarios;
• analyse and appraise theoretical and practical issues and problems in business and management by using the theories and models appropriate to those disciplines;
• collect relevant information across a range of areas pertaining to a current business or management situation, analyse that information using relevant techniques based and synthesise it into an appropriate form in order to evaluate decision alternatives.

b. Subject-specific practical skills:

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

• make effective use of information and communication technologies in a business context including word processing, storage and manipulation of data, generation of presentations, use of the internet and e-mail using appropriate software;
• conduct research effectively and efficiently using a range of sources of business-related materials including books, journals, trade and financial press, official statistics and the internet;
• use effective team-working skills, including leadership, team-building and project management in group work situations.
• effectively engage with organisations adopting new approaches to managing enterprise and produce a group consultancy report on an organisational strategic initiative. 

c. Key transferable skills:

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

• display effective interpersonal skills including effective communication, listening, influencing and conflict resolution;
• be open to new ideas and be aware that in many situations there is a range of possible interpretations and/or solutions;
• apply critical thinking and creativity to resolve practical problems;
• solve problems using relevant decision making processes and techniques;
• scan and organise data, abstract meaning from information and share knowledge;
• make effective use of Communication and Information Technology (CIT);
• recognise and utilise individuals’ contributions in group processes;
• use effective team-working skills including leadership, team building and project management;
• recognise ethical situations, applying ethical and organisational values to situations and choices;
• use effective personal organisation including time management, self-direction, self-motivation, tenacity and pro-activeness;
• learn through reflection on practice and experience.

4. Programme structure

4.1 Content

MBA Optional  Modules                                                     

In addition to the listed compulsory modules, students on the MBA Programme (full-time pathway) will undertake optional modules with a total module weight of 30 credits.    Option choices may be subject to change and/or timetabling constraints.

MBA with Internship

In addition to the listed compulsory modules, students on the MBA with Internship will undertake the MBA Internship module BSI335. The professional placement will start either at the end of semester 2 or at the end of semester 3.

4.2 The School reserves the right to offer or to withdraw any module. 

5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award

5.1 Assessment

5.1.1 In order to be eligible for the award, candidates must not only satisfy the requirements of Regulation XXI but also:

- To be eligible for the award of MBA candidates must have achieved credit in BSP319 or BSP322.

- To be eligilble for the award of MBA with Internship candidates must additionally have successfully completed BSI335, the MBA Internship module. Candidates who have not successfully completed BSI335 the MBA Professional Placement module but who otherwise satisfy the requirements of the MBA regulations will be eligible for the award of MBA. 

5.1.2 In accordance with Regulation XXI, but with the exclusion of module BSP319 or BSP322, candidates who have a right of re-assessment in a module may choose to be re-assessed in the University's Special Assessment Period. 

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

n/a