MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MBA)

Aims of the Programme:
The programme aims to enable students to:
•Develop a critical and systematic approach to knowledge of issues at the forefront of contemporary research and debate in the field of business and management studies; engaging with a wide range of theoretical perspectives and academic sources such as peer-reviewed journals.
•Critically engage in reflection related to contributions within specific subject areas related to the discipline of business and management studies and in self-reflection in relation to their own context, professional experience and leadership style.
•Develop capacity for critical and reflective independent learning and advanced skills of self-management, interpersonal skills, creative thinking, problem solving, written and oral communication and the use of technology;
•Develop research skills, including undertaking both an extensive literature review and primary research in an area of interest and relating that to professional practice and leadership, that provides the basis for further study, for example at doctoral level.

Programme Structure:
There will be seven taught modules and a research project. The academic timetable has been designed such that students may start the programme in September or January. The programme can be taken over a period of 18 months on a full-time basis or over 2-3 years part-time as set out below:

Full-time: Six taught modules across three terms followed by the dissertation / capstone project module:
Term 1: 12 weeks: 2 x 20 credit modules. 40 credits in total.
Term 2: 12 weeks: 2 x 20 credit modules. 40 credits in total.
Term 3: 12 weeks: 2 x 20 credit modules. 40 credits in total.
Term 4: Dissertation / capstone project module: 60 credits

Part-time: Six taught modules across two years (6 terms) following by the dissertation / capstone project module:
Year 1
Term 1: 12 weeks: 1 x 20 credit module
Term 2: 12 weeks: 1 x 20 credit module
Term 3: 12 weeks: 1 x 20 credit module

Year 2
Term 4: 12 weeks: 1 x 20 credit module
Term 5: 12 weeks: 1 x 20 credit module
Term 6: 12 weeks: 1 x 20 credit module

Year 3 Dissertation / capstone project module: 60 credits

Entry Requirements:
The MBA is a professional programme and therefore requires up to five years of full-time, post-graduation work experience with evidence of career progression into a management-level role. Required academic qualifications comprise a first degree in business, management or a related subject, or equivalent professional experience (RPEL). Professional experience and/or aptitude for the academic study of business and management may be assessed through the submission of written work if the first degree is not in a related field.

Blended Learning Mode:
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the College had already invested significantly in provision for online teaching and learning. This has been further developed and blended learning now forms and important part of the College’s overall learning, teaching and assessment strategy. Blended learning consists of students combining elements of in-person attendance with distance learning. Normally, there is a minimum of onsite attendance for one-third of the contact hours specified in the module data set, with provision of up to two-thirds online. For the online elements of blended learning, the same approaches (outlined below) that are used in the distance learning mode apply.

Distance Learning Mode:
The College’s distance learning pedagogical approach comprises the following: Allocation of a personal tutor who is focused on students engaging in online learning and provision of written and video materials specifically tailored to online delivery (i.e. videos that include all of the key information that would be communicated in a typical face-to-face lecture but that are divided into shorter segments and are interspersed with other tasks such as reading and formative work. Students are allocated to group with other distance learning students and are brought together for online small group tutorials using video conferencing and collaboration software, such as Zoom / Microsoft Teams. Student co-produced work is uploaded to dedicated VLE pages that are specifically designed for distance/online learning.

Module type Module code Module name Credit value(CATS)
Mandatory taught modules CBM 701 Leadership and Management Theory and Practice 20 credits
Mandatory taught modules CBM 702 Research Methods 20 credits
International Business Management pathway CBM 703 International Business Environment 20 credits
International Business Management pathway CBM 704 International Business Marketing 20 credits
International Business Management pathway CBM 705 Strategic Human Resourse Management and Organisational Development 20 credits
Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation pathway CBM 706 Social Innovation Design and Return on Investment 20 credits
Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation pathway CBM 707 Strategic Marketing and Social Enterprise 20 credits
Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation pathway CBM 708 Creating and Managing the New and Entrepreneurial Organisation 20 credits
Optional taught modules CBM 709 Strategic Financial Management 20 credits
Optional taught modules CBM 710 Technology and Change in a Global Context 20 credits
Optional taught modules CBM 711 Independent Study Project 20 credits
Research/dissertation project options CBM 712 Dissertation 60 credits
Research/dissertation project options CBM 713 Capstone Business Project 60 credits

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ADDITIONAL DETAILS

The skills offered as part of our Business degrees can provide graduates with the opportunity to work in many different areas of the business sector.

Below are some examples of job roles each qualification could lead to:

PATHWAY JOB ROLES
ACCOUNTING FINANCE Chartered Accountant
Accounting Technician
Financial Advisor
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Business Manager
Business Development Manager
Business Advisor
Office Manager
GENERAL/ALL PATHWAYS Sales Manager
Retail Manager
Business Consultant
General Manager

These job roles are based on descriptions from The National Occupational Standards for Business and Management – industry standards for skills, developed in collaboration with employers, professional bodies and others which make it easier for employers to describe job roles, externally and internally.

We work with employers on the design, delivery, and assessment of the course. This ensures that students enjoy a programme of study that is engaging and relevant, and which equips them for progression.

Just as the student’s voice is important, so too is the employer’s. Employers play a significant role in the design and development of all regulated qualifications. This input should extend into the learning experience, where engagement with employers will add value to students, particularly in transferring theory into practice.

We consider a range of employer engagement activities. These could include:

  • Field trips to local businesses
  • Inviting members of the local business community to present guest lectures
  • Using employers to judge the quality of assessed presentations
  • (For the more entrepreneurial) establishing a panel of experts who students can pitch an idea to.

Students are integral to teaching and learning. As such it is important that they are involved as much as possible with most aspects of the programme on to which they are enrolled. This input could include taking into account their views on how teaching and learning will take place, their role in helping to design a curriculum, or on the assessment strategy that will test their knowledge and understanding.

There are many ways in which we capture the student voice and student feedback, both formal and informal. Formal mechanisms include the nomination of student representatives to act as the collective student voice for each student cohort, student representation at course team meetings, and an elected Higher Education representative as part of the Student Union. Student forums also take place periodically throughout the year with minutes and action plans updated and informing the overall annual course monitoring process. Unit specific feedback is also collated by students completing unit feedback forms, end of year course evaluations, and scheduled performance review meetings with their tutor.

However, this is not the only time when feedback from students is sought. Discourse with students is constant, teachers adopt a ‘reflection on action’ approach to adjust teaching, so that students are presented with an environment that is most supportive of their learning styles. Just as employers could have an input into assessment design, so too could students. This supports the development of assignments that are exciting and dynamic, and fully engage students in meaningful and informative assessment.

The biggest advantage of consulting students on their teaching, learning and assessment is securing their engagement in their own learning. Students feel empowered and develop a sense of ownership of all matters related to teaching, learning and assessment, not just their own experiences. Students could also view themselves as more accountable to their lecturers, ideally seeing themselves as partners in their own learning and not just part of a process.

Condensed and expanded delivery

At Christ The Redeemer College, we recognise that learners have different needs and varying levels of learning abilities.  Therefore, we offer the BTEC courses in both condensed expanded delivery modes.

Both versions have their advantages: the condensed version provides an opportunity for students to gain early success and achievement. This enhances their self-efficacy (the sense of one’s belief in one’s ability to succeed) and self-confidence, with teachers being able to identify and respond to less able students early in the teaching and learning cycle. The advantages of the expanded version include providing a longer timescale for students to absorb new knowledge and therefore, potentially, improve success, and giving tutors an opportunity to coach and support less able students over a longer period.

As there are pros and cons to both approaches, the use of a planning forum helps to ensure the most suitable approach.  We may choose to deliver the first teaching block using the expanded version, with the subsequent teaching block being delivered through a condensed approach.  This approach applies equally to programmes that are being delivered face-to-face or through distance learning.

We use wide range of techniques to deliver the scheme of work.

The table below lists some of the techniques that we use in a planned programme structure.

Technique Face-to-Face Distance Learning
Lectures and seminars These are the most common techniques used by tutors. They offer an opportunity to engage with many students, where the focus is on sharing knowledge through the use of presentations. Delivery would be through video conferencing and/or pre-recorded audio and/or visual material, available through an online platform. Synchronous discussion forums could also be used.
Workshops These are used to build on knowledge shared via tutors and seminars. Teaching can be more in-depth where knowledge is applied, for example to case studies or real-life examples.

Workshops could be student-led, where students present, for example, findings from independent study.

 While more challenging to organise than for face-to-face delivery, workshops should not be dismissed. Smaller groups of three or four students could access a forum simultaneously and engage in the same type of activity as for face-to-face.
Tutorials These present an opportunity for focused one-to-one support, where teaching is led by an individual student’s requirements. These can be most effective in the run up to assessment, where tutors can provide more focused direction, perhaps based on a formative assessment. Other than not necessarily being in the same room as a student, tutors could still provide effective tutorials. Video conferencing tools provide the means to see a student, which makes any conversation more personal.
Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) These are invaluable to students studying on a face-to-face programme. Used effectively, VLEs not only provide a repository for taught material such as presentation slides or handouts but could be used to set formative tasks such as quizzes. Further reading could also be located on a VLE, along with a copy of the programme documents, such as the handbook and assessment timetable. A VLE is a must if students are engaged with online delivery through distance or blended learning, as this would be the primary or the key source of learning. Where distance learning is primarily delivered through hard copies of workbooks, etc., the same principle would apply as for face-to-face learning.
Blended learning The combination of traditional face-to-face learning and online learning. This can enable the students to gain personalised support, instruction and guidance while completing assigned activities and tasks remotely. Offline learning enables students to develop autonomy and self- discipline by completing set activities and tasks with limited direction and traditional classroom-based constraints.
Work-based learning Any opportunity to integrate work-based learning into a curriculum should be taken. This adds realism and provides students with an opportunity to link theory to practice in a way in which case studies do not. Many full-time students are involved in some form of employment, either paid or voluntary, which could be used, where appropriate, as part of their learning, for example when assignments require students to contextualise a response to a real organisation. It is likely that most distance learning students would be employed and possibly classed as mature students. Bringing theory to life through a curriculum, which requires work- based application of knowledge, would make learning for these students more relevant and meaningful. Perhaps more importantly, assessment should be grounded in a student’s place of work, wherever possible.
Guest speakers These could be experts from industry or visiting academics in the subject area that is being studied. They could be used to present a lecture/seminar, a workshop or to contribute to assessment. The objective is to make the most effective use of an expert’s knowledge and skill by adding value to the teaching and learning experience. As long as the expert has access to the same platform as the students then the value-added contribution would still be very high. Consideration would need to be given to timings and logistics, but with some innovative management this technique would still have a place in distance learning programmes.
Field trips Effectively planned field trips, which have a direct relevance to the syllabus, would add value to the learning experience. Through these trips, students could relate theory to practice, have an opportunity to experience organisations in action, and potentially open their minds to career routes. The use of field trips could be included as part of a distance learning programme. They will add the same value and require the same planning. One additional benefit of field trips for distance learning is that they provide an opportunity for all students in a cohort to meet, which is a rare occurrence for distance learning students.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a method of assessment (leading to the award of credit) that considers whether students can demonstrate that they can meet the assessment requirements for a unit through knowledge, understanding or skills they already possess, and so do not need to develop through a course of learning.

We recognise students’ previous achievements and experiences whether at work, home or at leisure, as well as in the classroom. RPL provides a route for the recognition of the achievements resulting from continuous learning. RPL enables recognition of achievement from a range of activities using any valid assessment methodology. Provided that the assessment requirements of a given unit or qualification have been met, the use of RPL is acceptable for accrediting a unit, units or a whole qualification. Evidence of learning must be valid and reliable.

Students seeking RPL need to book an appointment with the Course Leader to review their previous academic attainments and work experience.

Equality and fairness are central to the provision at Christ The Redeemer College. Promoting equality and diversity involves treating everyone with equal dignity and worth, while also raising aspirations and supporting achievement for people with diverse requirements, entitlements, and backgrounds. An inclusive environment for learning anticipates the varied requirements of students and aims to ensure that all students have equal access to educational opportunities.

Equality of opportunity involves enabling access for people who have differing individual requirements as well as eliminating arbitrary and unnecessary barriers to learning. In addition, students with and without disabilities are offered learning opportunities that are equally accessible to them, by means of inclusive qualification design.

The college’s equality policy requires all students to have equal opportunity to access our qualifications and assessments.

We are committed to making sure that:

  • Students with protected characteristics (as defined in legislation) are not, when they are undertaking one of our courses, disadvantaged in comparison to students who do not share those characteristics.
  • All students achieve the recognition they deserve from undertaking a qualification and that this achievement can be compared fairly to the achievement of their peers.

Our policy regarding access to its qualifications is that:

  • They should be available to everyone who can reach the required standards
  • They should be free from any barriers that restrict access and progression
  • There should be equal opportunities for all those wishing to access the qualifications.

MBA BUSINESS PATHWAYS

MBA International Business Management
MBA Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation