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Business and Management
Please note: There are plans to introduce a new specialist pathway within this programme for 2012 entry; MA Business and Management (Health Services Management). This will be of interest to professionals working, or considering working, as managers in health, health and social care and allied fields. It will also be suitable for new graduates who wish to pursue a professional career in this field.
Welcome to the MA in Business and Management with specialist pathways in Marketing and Creating and Developing Your Business. This exciting new programme is specifically designed to help you to develop your knowledge and understanding of business and management and be able to implement this effectively across a wide range of complex business - based scenarios.
You will engage in the advanced study of a diverse range of organisations and the rapidly changing environments in which they operate both nationally and internationally. You will enhance both your academic research skills and the practical management skills that you will need in order to manage human resources, complex organisational systems and the challenging issues affecting business in a rigorous, pragmatic and effective manner.
Course Structure and Content
The Master’s degree is offered in a modular format offering participants the greatest choice in tailoring their final degree content to match their academic interest and future career development.
Participants take a mix of taught modules in the first two trimesters (120 credits) and complete a dissertation/research project (15,000-20,000 words) in the third trimester (60 credits). To achieve the MA you will need to complete 180 credits in total.
For those whose previous undergraduate study has been in an unrelated discipline, the programme will provide you with the skills and knowledge that you will need to gain a broad understanding of the complexities associated within modern day organisations and their effective management. It will prepare you to feel confident and assured in your own capacity to analyse complex issues and situations and to be able to manage yourself and the organisation through them in a positive and effective manner.
If you are preparing yourself for the skills and understanding that you will need to enter self-employment or to create and develop your own business idea the specialist pathway (Creating and Developing your Business) will provide a framework around which you can make this a practical reality.
Alternatively, you might be seeking to deepen current knowledge and understanding of business and management from the marketing perspective. The specialist pathway in Marketing will enable you to achieve this.
Modules
Trimester 1
By the end of the first trimester you will have developed a core of
knowledge about the contemporary business environment and managing in the
21st century. In addition you will have begun to gain insight into the key
themes that will comprise your final degree, taking one further compulsory
half-module dependent upon your degree pathway choice, together with one
additional optional half-module.
Managing in the New Millennium
This module introduces all Business and Management Master’s students to the
holistic and complex nature of organisations today and will provide a
springboard to subjects that are then studied in depth throughout the
programme.
Managing Marketing
The purpose of this module is to provide an understanding of the importance
of the marketing concept within any organisation. The module outlines both
the philosophical underpinning supporting contemporary marketing theory and
its application in different organisational contexts.
Business Economics
This module is designed to fulfil your need and interest with an in-depth
background analysis to both microeconomics and macroeconomics with an
emphasis on their applicability to the analysis of contemporary business
problems. It introduces you to the key principles of economics that are
relevant to a modern day business, and how economists build and use models
to help make sense of the sometimes messy and confusing world around us.
Financial Management
This module enables you to understand how and why organisations report on
their financial performance and position in the way they do. You also
develop an understanding of how financial information is used for decision
making purposes and how relevant financial information is effectively
evaluated and communicated across the organisation.
Trimester 2
All students take four half-modules. Students within the specialist pathway
degrees take two compulsory half-modules in Trimester 2 - each half-module
forming a key component of their discipline of choice. Students can then
choose two further optional half-modules, designed to enable them to tailor
their degree whilst demonstrating the broadening of their knowledge and
understanding from an interdisciplinary perspective.
Launching New Ventures
This module helps you to develop a comprehensive business plan. Content will
include: Entrepreneurship and the planning process, stakeholder analysis,
environmental analysis and audit, assessing organisational readiness,
strategic objectives and direction, product/service development, delivery
method, implementation plan, self-development plan and personal reflection.
Services and Relationship Marketing
This module is designed to explore the various facets of managing in the
service industry. The emphasis of this module is on the consistency in
service delivery to benefit the range of stakeholder groups. In addition to
explore how businesses can achieve a competitive edge through better
understanding of the intangible as well as the tangible part of their
engagement with their customers
Managing Innovation, Creativity and Change
This module enables you to develop your capacity in creativity and
innovation, and in the manner that you communicate and negotiate with
colleagues and key stakeholders. It helps you to become more self-aware,
both as a learner and as a manager, in the way you apply these skills to the
organisation.
Marketing Communications
This module explores the key issues and challenges in contemporary marketing
communications. It covers strategic issues of brand strategy, planning, and
channel integration as well as the tactical considerations needed to execute
relevant and appropriate marketing communications campaigns that meet the
needs of key identified audiences.
Managing Information
The purpose of this module is to provide an understanding of the key
approaches for managing information within organisations. Within this
context, the module aims to provide students with the tools and capabilities
to assess and manage information together with the analysis and evaluation
of the different theoretical perspectives in developing and managing
information and technology assets
Entrepreneurship
This module explores the contribution of entrepreneurship and of individual
entrepreneurs to future organisational growth and sustainability. It defines
the different role of the entrepreneur in different organisational contexts
– small, medium and international, and identifies the necessary requirements
associated with the creation and management of an entrepreneurial culture.
Managing People
Whatever your specialism, managers increasingly need to be managers of
people, lead teams and undertake many aspects of human resource management.
It is also increasingly being recognised that organisational performance can
be enhanced and competitive advantage gained through the strategic
management and development of people.
Managing the Organisation
The purpose of this module is to provide an understanding of effective
operations and process management to meet identified organisational goals.
The importance of quality management processes and procedures and their
management application across the organisation are analysed and evaluated as
is the manner in which the quality of operations impacts on stakeholder
behaviour (staff, customers etc.)
Strategy and Governance
This module focuses on strategy and its importance to any organisation if it
is to be able to grow and sustain itself within the contemporary global
competitive environment. The module identifies the key concept of
organisational purpose linked to both normative and technique based
strategic tools and applies these in a variety of different organisational
contexts.
Non-Profit Management
This module explores the distinctive challenges associated with the
management of non-profit organisations from a marketing perspective.
Ownership and strategic imperatives are identified alongside the contrasting
demands of resource attraction, administration and application.
Trimester 3
Project/Dissertation
Between June and September Master’s students work (supported by a nominated
supervisor) on their dissertation or detailed research project
(15,000-20,000 words). The module commences with a series of taught
interventions designed to promote scholarly endeavour in the research
context – resulting in the formulation of clearly articulated research
proposal outlining your research questions and the framing of the detailed
work to be undertaken.
Teaching Methods and Resources
By the time you complete the programme, you will be able to:
- Understand the major business functions - understanding markets, developing plans, understanding and improving delivery, managing relationships with people, managing finance, technology and other resources;
- Develop skills and techniques - in gathering, analysing and evaluating information, planning, applying concepts and models to the solution of problems, evaluating risk, making decisions, communicating, working in teams, thinking effectively and in flexibly managing your own work and that of others;
- Evaluate and challenge both the positive and negative effects of a range of business and management practices and be able to make judgements about their value and implications;
- Apply your learning in a variety of business contexts ranging from the experience of large multinational organisations to sole party ownership; through different industry and sector specific experience; and through analysis of enterprise at different stages of development - self-employment, start-up and small business.
Tutors
Your tutors offer you access to a wide range of academic and practical expertise in business and management. Many of them maintain deep practical experience gained in business and management engagement across the commercial, public and the non-profit sectors. Our tutors are committed to delivering the highest quality teaching and learning and the application of that learning to deliver effective practice in the workplace.
Assessment Methods
A variety of assessment methods are utilised, including:
- Individual report
- Individual presentation
- Group project work
- Group presentation
- Examination
Assignments are designed to integrate theoretical concepts with practical application.
Employability
This programme is designed to prepare participants for a wide range of careers in general management across all industry sectors. It will prepare you for entry level into management and ready you for progression to middle management positions. The advanced learning that it provides delivers practical management based skills and techniques that are directly applicable to a wide range of occupations.
Study within the specialist pathways allows for further concentration of skills and techniques in marketing and in business start-up and small and medium size business management. The content of the programme is also directly applicable those participants who wish to work in a self-employed capacity in the creative and performing arts sectors.
Entry Requirements
Applications from a variety of backgrounds are welcomed. Normally a good honours degree in any academic discipline or a relevant professional qualification. Applicants who do not meet the academic entry standard, but who have relevant work experience, will be considered on their individual merits by the Course Director. Previous experience and learning can be taken into consideration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many days a week should I devote to the course?
A: For the first two trimesters you will need to attend taught sessions
twice a week. Additionally, you will need to find time to work with
colleagues on the programme and allow time for self-directed study. In the
third trimester you will need to attend one day a week initially but the
majority of the work is self-directed study supported by your supervisor.
Q: How will I decide which course pathway and modules are the right ones for
me?
A: The Course Director is happy to discuss with you the best pathway option
for you as your application progresses. The Course Director and the course
tutors are available to discuss particular module choices with you as you
progress through the course.
Q: What kind of mentoring and support will I receive on the programme?
A: When you start on the programme we will work with you to decide the
pathway that best meets your needs. One of our business and management team
will act as your mentor throughout the programme and will be available for
advice and support. You will have full access to the business and management
team throughout the programme and will gain further support through our
Business Enterprise Club and through engagement with our
entrepreneurs-in-residence. Your nominated supervisor will meet with you
regularly through the research/project/dissertation element of the degree.
