BSc (Hons)  Management (Professional Practice)

The BSc (Hons) Management (Professional Practice) programme has been designed around the integration of theory and work-based learning, gained at both university and work. It maps to the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA), meaning that successful completion of the degree programme will allow you to undertake your End Point Assessment.

The programme consists of six modules per academic year modules where you will come together with other apprentices to learn the fundamentals of business and management. You will be introduced to theory and concepts that will help you in your job and your own personal and professional development.

During your first year emphasis is on acquiring knowledge and skills to succeed in higher education while developing your own self-awareness. You will also gain a general understanding of management. Your first module - Introduction to Higher Education Workplace Learning - provides you with knowledge, skills and behaviours to help you establish yourself in academic learning while at work. Other modules in your first year introduce you to key business functions, including Accounting and Finance, Marketing, People Management, Economics and Management Science.

During the second year greater emphasis is placed on managing and leading others and gaining greater knowledge, skills and behaviours to address business issues in your own organisation. Your core apprenticeship module will look at conducting business research and will include an exploration of various forms of business communication, helping you to determine the best medium for your message. Your other modules will include Project Management, Human Resource Management, Management of Operations, Leadership and Management and e-Business.

In your final year focus is on strategic perspectives for your organisation and its business environment. You will conduct an in-depth professional project on your own organisation. Additional modules, to complete your degree programme, include Strategic Management, Financial Management, Business Ethics and Service Management.

Year 1 

Introduction to HE Workplace Learning (20 credits)

The aim of this module is to enable you to become more independent, reflective and self-managed in your approach to study, learning and time management.

Accounting and Finance for Business (20 credits)

The aim of this module is to provide an introduction to accounting and finance. It examines the basic principles and underlying concepts of accounting and the ways in which accounting statements and financial information can be used to improve the quality of decision making.

Marketing Principles and Practice (20 credits)

The aim of this module is to provide you with an introduction to marketing, its fundamental concepts and an overview of marketing practice.

People Management (20 credits)

The aim of this module is to develop your understanding of individual and group dynamics in organisational settings.

Economics (20 credits)

In this module you will be introduced to the fundamental economic issues stemming from the scarcity of resources. The relationship between business and the economic problem is analysed by means of micro and macro-economic models to equip you with an understanding of decision-making at the levels of the market, the firm and the nation.

Introduction to Management Science (20 credits)

The aim of the module is to introduce a range of quantitative methods, models and applications that will act as an aid to management decision-making

Year 2 

Business Research and Communication (20 credits)

You will develop further research and communication skills necessary to achieve success in modern organisations and will be introduced to the concepts of critical thinking and the development of arguments, supported by effective written and oral communication.

Management of Operations (20 credits)

The aim of the module is to critically evaluate the role of Operations Management within a business context. This will be developed into an understanding of the role and function of the operations management in contributing to an organisation’s competitiveness.

Project Management (20 credits)

You will examine critically the role of Project Management within a contemporary business context. It will go on to explain how specific project management applications play an important role in producing successful business outcomes.

Management and Leadership (20 credits)

The aims of the module are to promote the study of management and leadership within organisations and the ability to systematically apply knowledge and understanding to complex and ambiguous situations in order to evaluate and justify recommendations for improved practices.

Human Resource Management (20 credits)

This module will equip you with the ability to understand and analyse core HRM concepts, operational Human Resource activities and responsibilities and relate these to a range of organisational contexts.

e-business (20 credits)

Here you will explore the business paradigm shift that arises from application of emerging information and communication technologies. You will gain an understanding of business activities and interaction between business and the business environment and how technologies can be deployed to enhance these activities.

Year 3 Modules

Business Ethics (20 credits)

This module will help you to develop an understanding of ethical theory, the ability to apply relevant theory to business situations, and to encourage you to develop your own individual perspective as ethical decision makers.

Financial Management (20 credits)

Through this module you will develop an understanding of corporate financial issues and an understanding of the treasury function and corporate financial strategy.

Service Management (20 credits)

The aim of the module is to provide students with an appreciation of the significant issues relating to management in the service sector and the management of the service provision in all sectors.

Strategic Management (20 credits)

This module aims to provide you with an understanding of the impact of the business environment and the resources of the organisation, both human and material, on strategic planning and choice.

Professional Project (40 credits)

The aim of this 40 credit module that runs over two semesters is to provide you with the opportunity to produce a major independent professional study that reformulates knowledge and understanding gleaned from your studies and the workplace and applied to a substantial management problem. Upon completion of the degree programme, this professional project will be put forward as evidence to support the End Point Assessment for the CMDA.

Successful completion of the BSc (Hons) Management (Professional Practice) will enable graduates to proceed to their End Point Assessment to be awarded their Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship. With this powerful set of qualifications, you will be prepared to apply for a new role within your own organisation and beyond. Private, public and not-for profit organisations all require highly skilled and motivated managers to reach their goals. Graduates will also be able to consider further study at Level 7 (Masters).

Learning, teaching and assessment is heavily oriented towards work-based learning where knowledge gained is applied to your role in the workplace. This will provide you with rich opportunities for reflection and evaluation to further enhance your professional practice. The approach to learning and teaching is participative, which means that you will contribute to discussion and debate from your own experience and you will also learn from your lecturers and your peers. All programmes are informed by the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy 2015-2020.

Teaching

A blend of face-to-face and online activities will be used to meet the modules’ learning outcomes and to provide a bridge between university and work-based learning. You will normally study two modules at a time, one day per week. In addition, you will meet with your academic personal tutor and your workplace mentor every six weeks.

Core information may be provided via narrated PowerPoint presentations, suggested readings and learning activities, while learning at university will encompass classroom teaching, both independent and group work and formative peer-feedback to align theoretical and practical knowledge. Importantly face-to-face facilitates active learning and enhanced engagement in work-based learning as you value and accredit the knowledge and skills which have been learnt through your work. This allows you to demonstrate knowledge, skills and behaviour development relevant to your work. You will be challenged with alternative approaches to problem solving so that you can consider new ways of working.

Independent Learning

You are encouraged to reflect on the classroom teaching and carry out structured activities to reinforce, consolidate and revise learning. Self-directed learning is less structured and encourages autonomy and independent learning and can be enhanced by the use of the University’s virtual learning environment (Blackboard) and our e-library where you will have access to online journals and books.

Overall workload

Apprentices will come together to study the equivalent of 6 modules at each level of the programme and you will normally study two 20 credit modules at a time, with 30 hours of academic directed study per module. There is an expected additional 20 hours per module of on-the-job learning. You are also expected to work independently on preparation for class-based activities, coursework and exam revision.

Academic Input

All teaching will be undertaken by full time and associate Business School faculty. They are all experts in their field and bring industry experience and academic research into their teaching. Throughout your studies you will be supported by both an academic (university) and a workplace mentor. Your academic tutor will help you with your learning, teaching and assessments, while your workplace mentor will support you at work, where learning is also key to your success on the programme and for future employment. Regular meetings with you will provide opportunities to discuss your progress and to identify areas where additional support or guidance may be required to help you reach your goals, both at work and with your studies.

The assessment methods within the programme aim to provide a range of opportunities for you to demonstrate and enhance your knowledge, skills and abilities. As such the range of assessments accommodates a broad range of learning styles and includes activities which are not only useful in the classroom, but also in the workplace. Examples of assessment include researching and writing essays and reports, which demonstrate your critical thinking skills; create and deliver presentations with supporting documents to demonstrate your command of information and your presentation of self; record reflections and give evidence of how future decisions are informed by past experience; sit examinations; your final professional project and you may be asked to lead teaching and training sessions to help develop your communication skills.

Not all of your assessment is graded. Formative (ungraded) assessment is a key and on-going part of student-centred learning and it plays a fundamental part in academic and work-based learning activities. It supports the development of your summative (graded) assessment through a range of activities i.e. peer feedback, small group discussions, comments on a draft script and presentations. This approach will allow you to develop the skill of providing constructive feedback, to share knowledge and to critique your learning. These are all important skills for managers.

Percentage of the course assessed by coursework

The approximate percentage of the course assessed by coursework is as follows:

Year 1

50 per cent coursework and 50 per cent written exams

Year 2

60 per cent coursework and 40 per cent written exams

Year 3

60 per cent coursework, 30 per cent written exams and 10% presentations

Feedback

Not all of your assessment is graded. Formative (ungraded) assessment is a key and on-going part of student-centred learning and it plays a fundamental part in academic and work-based learning activities. It supports the development of your summative (graded) assessment through a range of activities i.e. peer feedback, small group discussions, comments on a draft script and presentations. This approach will allow you to develop the skill of providing constructive feedback, to share knowledge and to critique your learning. These are all important skills for managers.

You will receive feedback on all practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken

by coursework. Feedback on examination performance is available upon request from the module tutor. Feedback is intended to help you learn and you are encouraged to discuss it with your module tutor. We aim to provide you with feedback within 15 working days of hand-in.

• 
  APM (Association for Project Management)

You will gain professional recognition through the Association for Project Management if you score 60% or more on your Level 5 Project Management module.