Programme Specifications

Programme summary

1. Programme Aims

The programme aims to:

• develop individual skills and prepare participants for management career progression in the automotive retail sector, mainly through development of both their technical knowledge and skills, and their conceptual and analytical abilities;
• prepare participants for automotive retail management roles in which they will be expected to contribute towards the functional and strategic management of their organisations;
• provide participants with the opportunity to develop deep understanding in areas of particular interest by undertaking research and work-based projects;
• enable participants to see ways in which theory can be applied in practice to complex issues with the aim of improving business and management practice;
• enhance students’ career development in the automotive sector
• encourage participants to pursue personal development and lifelong learning skills and be self-motivating
• provide a relevant, practical and constantly updated programme through close links with the automotive industry.

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

• The benchmark statement for Masters Awards Business and Management (MB&M)
• The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
• Professional Accreditation by the Institute of the Motor Industry 

3. Programme Learning Outcomes

3.1 Knowledge and Understanding

On successful completion of this programme participants should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the following areas:

• The impact of environmental forces on automotive sector organisations including ethical, economic, political, social and technological change issues;
• The development and operation of the sector specific markets for resources, goods and services including customer expectations, market orientation and the marketing mix;
• The concepts and processes in the production and marketing of automotive goods and services, and the management of resources and operations;
• The financing of the automotive dealer network involving the sources, uses and management of finance; use of accounting for managerial and financial reporting applications;
• The characteristics of the management role; the management and development of people within organisations; organisational behaviour, HRM, change management;
• The development, management and exploitation of information systems and their impact on dealership operations;
• The use of relevant interpersonal communication technologies for application in business and management;
• The development of appropriate business policies and strategies within a changing context of the automotive sector to meet stakeholder interests;
• The uses and limitations of a range of research methods/techniques, both qualitative and quantitative and an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses for providing information and evaluating options in an uncertain organisational environment;
• The roles, responsibilities and requirements of different activities across the multifunctional areas of automotive dealerships.

3.2 Skills and other attributes

a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:

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

• manage self and others; organise thoughts, analyse, synthesise and conduct critical appraisal;
• establish criteria for problem solving and decision making, use appropriate decision techniques including identifying, formulating and solving business problems;
• use of models of business situations and research skills;
• identify appropriate leadership styles for situations;
• recognise complex situations where choices involve consideration of ethical and organisational values;
• conduct research into business and management issues;
• learn through reflection on practice and experience.

b. Subject-specific practical skills:

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

• apply leadership and performance management selecting the appropriate style for situations;
• perform effectively within a team environment and recognise and utilise individuals' contributions in team processes including team selection, delegation, development and management;
• use effective oral and written communication, using a range of media including business reports;
• engage effectively in two-way communication including listening, negotiating and persuading or influencing others;
• create, identify and evaluate options; implement and review decisions;
• make effective use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in a business context;
• employ numerical and quantitative skills including the use of models of business situations and qualitative research skills;
• conduct research effectively and efficiently using a range of sources of business-related materials including books, journals, trade and financial press, official statistics, the Internet and primary research.

c. Key transferable skills:

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

• create, identify and evaluate options; implement and review decisions;
• organise data and extract meaning from information and share knowledge;
• use communication and information technology appropriately in acquiring, analysing and communicating information;
• listen, negotiate and persuade or influence others;
• use effective oral and written communication; using a range of media including business reports;
• demonstrate effective performance within a team environment and recognise and utilise individuals' contributions in group processes; team selection, delegation, development and management;
• set targets, motivate and employ performance management techniques;
• interpret numerical information and use numerical reasoning;
• manage themselves and their time effectively, be self-aware, display sensitivity to diversity in people and different situations, and manage continued learning;

4. Programme structure

4.1                  Compulsory Subjects  (total modular weight 30)

                                                                                                                                     Module Weight

4.2                  Optional Subjects  

4.3                 MSc Subjects (total modular weight 60)

^†  by Partial Distance Learning (>50%)

4.4   For full details of the specific assessment requirements for each module see the Module Specification.

5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award

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

5.1 To be eligible for the award of the Postgraduate Certificate in Automotive Retail Management, candidates must have accumulated at least 60 credits, comprising 30 credits from the compulsory modules listed in 4.1 and 30 credits from the optional modules in 4.2.

At the discretion of the Programme Director candidates for the Certificate may substitute for the modules listed in 4.2 any similar modules with an equivalent or greater weight from the School of Business and Economics suite of postgraduate modules.

5.2 To be eligible for the award of Postgraduate Diploma in Automotive Retail Management candidates must have completed modules with a total modular weight of 120 from the modules listed in 4.1 and 4.2.

5.3 To be eligible for the award of MSc in Automotive Retail Management candidates must have satisfied all the requirements outlined in 5.2 and in addition must complete 60 credits from the modules listed in 4.3. 

Candidates who have the 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