PBMBUADM - Master of Business Administration

The MBA forms part of an integrated, cross-university MBA programme which is designed to give students from diverse disciplines and backgrounds the opportunity to develop their potential as managers and leaders, to study postgraduate management collaboratively and to specialise in innovation and leadership management and development.

The preparation of influential leaders and managers involves developing the self-awareness and the innovative capabilities necessary for creating successful and sustainable groups and organisations. The MBA provides students with the opportunity to study innovation management and collaboratively develop their own effectiveness as managers and leaders whilst following an MBA programme of study which includes the essential business functions of accounting and finance, leadership and strategic management, people management and marketing, and culminates in an individually designed business research project.

The MBA programme is underpinned by the understandings of responsible management, ethical and respectful behaviour and evidence-informed practice. Embedded within the programme are the principles of self and lifelong development, ethics, responsibility, inclusion, diversity and sustainability and the curriculum will be structured to involve the development of creativity, citizenship and awareness of service. This is an active response to the call for programmes to be adaptable and to prepare students for the future as flexible individuals, capable of coping with changing lives and employment opportunities.

The core of the MBA programme consists of a set of 4 integrated 20 credit modules 20 credit modules which students will study in collaboration with MBA pathway students. This which will enable students from diverse disciplines to gain knowledge and understanding of key business functions and to develop their potential as business and management practitioners. In addition to these four modules, students will study 2 additional 20 credit modules, (Innovation management and Developing effectiveness in management and leadership).

All students will also study a 20 credit module (Management Learning and Research) which is designed to familiarise them with business research methods and to prepare them to undertake the final part of the course, a Business Research Project. Students will receive supervision from GSBL and will need to comply with the School’s ethics procedures

In addition to the credit–bearing programme, there will also be an enrichment programme which will include breakfast meetings, an extended induction, workshops, visits, guest speakers and masterclasses. Students will also be encouraged to become involved in social activities and charity fundraising.

Students’ learning is initiated and directed through formal contact time with the teaching team in lectures and seminars. There is an emphasis on active learning, as the MBA and MBA pathway students develop learning through group activities organised in class and outside formal teaching time. As mature individuals developing a career path in management, they are expected to develop their competencies through required reading, writing, problem solving and other tasks outside of the class in order to prepare for face to face sessions, a ‘flipped classroom’ approach.

Students will develop their understanding and show their ability to apply knowledge and analyses to various business contexts through a range of opportunities, including the use of their own work experience, case studies, business scenarios, presentations and problem-based learning exercises. A positive, critical and responsible approach is encouraged throughout the course, enabling deep understanding and the adoption of creative and innovative responses, so reflecting the nature of the business and management environment.

The lectures and seminars which constitute the formal face-to-face elements of the course are essential activities that will support the development of knowledge and understanding. These sessions will provide students with tools of analysis, outline methods for evaluation and give clear guidance on how students may best extend and apply their learning independently. The face to face sessions are action oriented and student-centred to encourage ‘deep’ as opposed to ‘surface’ learning, and give students the opportunity to apply their understanding to various business scenarios, and to test out their ideas.

Module teaching on the MBA is structured to be developmental, so that students will first develop basic knowledge of a topic, and then apply this knowledge to a variety of problems and scenarios presented in seminars and outside formal classes. Embedded within the subject teaching will be opportunities for personal professional development appropriate to business and management practitioners, for example; to develop expertise in giving presentations.

It is expected that students will prepare in advance for both lectures and seminars using digital platforms where appropriate (a ‘flipped classroom’ model) either independently or as a group, in order that maximum active use may be made of face-to-face and peer-to-peer opportunities for learning. In addition, the reflective practitioner model will encourage students to maintain an active and reflective stance to their learning and how it connects to the world of work. The course makes use of the Open University Digital and Information Literacies Framework to encourage the development of digital literacy throughout the course

The development of the personal awareness and practical skills associated with management and leadership will be encouraged in a supportive manner throughout the programme. Group work, presentations, writing for diverse audiences and undertaking research will all contribute to the students’ practical skills. It is anticipated that personal awareness of areas for development will develop progressively through the course, and students will be strongly encouraged in a supportive manner to develop these areas.

All modules will include the use of the university’s virtual learning environment (Weblearn). Core materials, eg handbooks, presentations, reading materials etc will be made available on Weblearn and the platform will also provide the vehicle for online collaboration and other blended learning activities.

Students will be encouraged to get to know the members of their cohort, and actively participate in events which contribute to the course and to student learning and development, but which lie outside formal contact hours. There will be an extended induction which will include the principles of individual and team learning and development, action planning and preparation for academic study at master’s level. Additional events that will contribute to the course may include masterclasses, workshops, guest lectures, networking events, social occasions and visits. Students will be encouraged to take leadership roles in these events, so contributing to their own development.

All students will have access to careers’ advice, and will meet regularly with a personal academic tutor who will monitor and guide their progress.

The MBA, aims to enable its graduates to:

1. Develop awareness of the significance of responsible and ethical business management and leadership in contemporary society
2. Develop an understanding of key business functions of organisations and the external environment in which business operates;
3. Apply and evaluate forms of business analysis in a variety of contexts;
4. Identify and assess strategic challenges faced by modern organisations and articulate ways in which these challenges can be met;
5. Develop subject-specific knowledge and skills in management and leadership
6. Develop a range of cognitive and transferable professional, management and leadership skills, that emphasise social responsibility and which include intellectual, inter-personal, and applied decision-making skills;
7. Undertake personal, academic and professional development and develop the capacity for life-long learning and career-building
8. Demonstrate the ability to operate respectfully and successfully with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds

Knowledge and understanding
Upon successful completion of the MBA students will be able to:

1. develop an understanding of key business functions of organisations and the external environment in which business operates
2. articulate core business concepts, theories and models and use these tools to analyse business problems in a variety of contexts, demonstrating an awareness of ethical dimensions of business decision-making;
3. identify and evaluate strategic choices facing business organisations and make ethically informed strategic decisions and plans for the implementation of change;
4. demonstrate specialist knowledge and understanding in management and leadership

Cognitive/intellectual skills
By the end of the course the students are expected to develop higher order skills reflected in their ability to:

1. Apply intellectual skills and critical reasoning with particular emphasis on the development of the higher order skills of analysis and evaluation of concepts and models relevant in business decision-making;
2. Be able to relate theory to the student’s own practice and work environment
3. Undertake independent research and use acquired knowledge to analyse and evaluate specific issues and problems in business.
4. Demonstrate self-awareness and self-development, general study skills, problem solving, working with others, communication, self-management, self-presentation and decision-making.

Practical/transferable skills including employability
By the end of the course, students will have developed practical/transferable skills that will enhance their employability. They will be able to:

1. Demonstrate strategies and methods which provide independent learning capabilities required for continuing professional development and lifelong learning, and which demonstrate initiative and personal responsibility;
2. Work within time and other constrained environments, requiring the need to be selective and precise and to make informed decisions;
3. Communicate effectively, engagingly and professionally orally and in writing using online, face to face and paper based media, in ways suitable for diverse contexts
4. Work effectively in groups and demonstrate management and leadership, team-working, planning, communication, influencing and other “soft” skills.
5. Show capabilities associated with innovation and creativity, respect for diversity, leading and managing change, responsibility and sustainability
6. Develop digital skills in line with the Open University Digital and Information Literacies Framework (DILF) http://www.open.ac.uk/libraryservices/pages/dilframework

Subject-Specific Practical Skills
By the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. Link theoretical, quantitative and qualitative knowledge and analytical skills to practice in business organisations;
2. Communicate complex ideas and analysis in business orally and in writing
3. Design, plan, organise and deliver an individual research report reflecting professional standards;
4. Interpret and present business information effectively in a variety of contexts.
5. Demonstrate subject-specific practical skills in leadership and management

This course complies with the QAA Characteristics Statement for Master’s Degrees (2015) http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/Masters-Degree-Characteristics-15.pdf , and the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for Master’s Degrees in Business and Management http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/SBS-Business-and%20Management-15.pdffor

A range of assessment methods are used through the core modules and within the remainder of the course, reflecting the range of outcomes and diversity of learning approaches adopted by students. The assessment methods are designed designed to be for learning and of learning and foster the development of the range of learning outcomes given in Section 11. It is anticipated that the assessment strategy will sup[port the development of effective and responsible business practitioners

Communicating information coherently and effectively in writing will be supported for example, through individual and collaborative report writing, blogging and writing essays. Communicating orally will be supported through assessments that involve presentations.

Priority is given to methods of assessment consistent with giving timely feedback in order that the information can feedforward into the future. This may mean that feedback is given for example, on drafts, in seminar discussions, or on formative presentations. Feedback may be given in a variety of formats and involve individuals or groups. It is anticipated that students will act on feedback given both within and between modules in order to maximise possible achievement.

Students on the General MBA a research proposal in MN7183 and then undertake the associated business research project in MN7P95 which is related to business management and/or leadership in a defined context in order to achieve an MBA

The course conforms with the Regulations of the University Postgraduate Scheme and there are no additional regulations
All core modules and defined pathway modules shown in the table in section 27 must be taken to gain the award
Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration
2 core modules and 1 pathway (General MBA) specific module
Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration
4 core modules and 2 pathway (General MBA) specific modules

At the beginning of the course all MBA and MBA pathway students will be involved in an extended induction programme which is designed to promote active learning and development from the outset. This will include the principles of individual and team learning and development, action planning and preparation for academic study at master’s level.

Reflective learning and personal development are developed through the core modules on the MBA, through the research modules and through making connections between core, specialist and research modules. This is one of the most important features of the course as it will involve students working independently and collaboratively with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

The module Leadership and Strategic Management asks the students to create a Learning Journal which enables them to reflect on their learning and development throughout the module. A critical reflection of learning will form part of the assessment for the module. The module People and Organisations: Policies and Practices in Global Contexts asks the students to maintain a weekly blog to reflect upon developing understanding and personal awareness in relation to the management and leadership of people

The two research-focused modules, Management Learning and Research and Business Research Project anticipate that students will reflect upon the learning undertaken in the remainder of the course in order to bring together the different strands, and identify an area for independent study. The research report will include a statement of personal learning achieved through undertaking the project

Students following the MBA, will develop a personal and collaborative approach to development planning through the module Developing Effectiveness in Leadership and Management. This experiential and student-led module asks students to identify individual and group areas for development and to devise a project through which development may be promoted and reflected upon.

Students will be actively encouraged to arrange to meet with the university’s Careers Service. Additional activities including networking events, masterclasses, workshops, guest lectures etc will also support career development and employability

Graduates of the MBA may continue in their existing careers or choose to explore new opportunities. Recent graduates of our business related degrees are employed by companies including ALDI, Schwab Versand Hanau, Sapa, UBM plc, Hanson Hispania SA, Triometric and BNP Paribas. They work in management roles in the fields of international sales, area management, business development, clients services and customer service.

You will be required to have:

• a minimum of a 2.2 degree in any subject discipline (or equivalent)
• a minimum of two years’ work experience in a management context
• a detailed personal statement, including why you are applying and any relevant skills, experience or achievements that make you suitable for the course

You should also submit a full CV comprising:

• Work experience - list your most recent position first, continuing in reverse chronological order including the name, location, website and dates of your employment for each company you have worked for. Aim to use bullet points wherever possible to highlight your responsibilities and achievements in each role.
• Education - Again, in reverse chronological order, give brief details of your academic and professional qualifications along with the grades you achieved.
• Skills - For example, include every IT package or programme you have used as well as any foreign language skills you have gained. Skills such as communication and project management are harder to substantiate and should be backed up with examples.

To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Tier 4 student visa you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.

If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.