Teaching and Learning Strategies:
Knowledge and Understanding
The programme builds a holistic perspective on organisation and its management, through an appreciation of the knowledge contained in the key functional areas of the curriculum. Students benefit from this in several ways and will:
- gain a basic and more advanced understanding of core functional areas (Organisational Analysis, Knowledge Management, Human Resource Management).
- be able to apply, analyse and evaluate organisational processes and management policies, using core functional subjects.
- draw on taught units provided in Philosophy and Research Methodology of Social Science in order to evaluate knowledge in core areas and to develop a critical appreciation of these subjects.
- also develop the capacity to design research programmes relevant to the under-standing of organisational problems and to extending knowledge in these areas.
- develop knowledge and understanding of organisation and management and an appreciation of how to apply it in practice.
- follow a path from theoretical under-standing through conceptual analysis of problems and develop an appreciation of context to the design of research activity which provides the solution of problems in practical activities.
Associated Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategies
In general terms, the programme is taught through plenary lectures, plenary and group workshops, student self-directed learning and individual tutorials relating to written work and research projects with supervisors.
Core areas are taught through plenary lectures and plenary/group workshops throughout the first two terms. In addition, students undertake guided independent study throughout, tailoring their existing knowledge to programme content. The diverse educational, cultural and occupational backgrounds of students allows for rich and varied cross-fertilisation of experience. Assessment of knowledge in core areas is by supervised coursework assignments, one per term. The two central coursework exercises are of 5,000 words each. Two examinations relating to the three core areas are held in January and April. There are also two shorter essays and a groupwork project associated with the research taught units – one to be completed per term.
Students engage in a series of practical exercises guided by supervision. This culminates in the design and execution of an extended research project.
Students demonstrate that they have followed the pathway of their learning by the completion of a research project. They write a dissertation project of 15,000 in the final period of the programme. This relates to a theoretical issue, develops knowledge of a particular field or deals with practical organisational problems.
