REPORT ON PROGRAMME VALIDATION/REVIEW Q 3. Master of Science in Product Management

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1 REPORT ON PROGRAMME VALIDATION/REVIEW Q 3 Part 1 Programme details Proposed titles MSc in Product Management Nature and duration of programme DIT awards sought Classifications of award Parallel award sought Part-time, 10 months Master of Science in Product Management First Class Honours, Second Class Honours, 1 st Division, Second Class Honours, 2 nd Division and Pass N/A Professional accrediting body Background This programme is designed to build on the Postgraduate Diploma in Product Management. Overall programme aims and learning outcomes Programme Aims The programme aims to provide students with a rigorous conceptual framework and a systematic knowledge and understanding of the issues that are at the forefront of Product Management theory and practice. Students will also gain integrated and critical knowledge of product management theory and formative expertise in undertaking rigorous research. Programme learning outcomes The learning outcomes associated with the overall programme are as follows: Knowledge Breadth Knowledge Kind A systematic understanding of knowledge, at, or informed by, the forefront of a field of learning A critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, generally informed by the forefront of a field of learning Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of the practice of product management, as a strategic activity combining and integrating core functions across the business.. Have a detailed appreciation of frameworks for global strategy development and internationalization of product management. Identify the sources and systems necessary for managing innovation. Master frameworks to select, manage, modularize and roadmap strategic technologies. Understand the relationship between problem solving and design thinking in a product management environment. Know-how and Demonstrate a range of Gain deep insight into the nature and strategic advantage

2 Skill Range Know-how and Skill Selectivity Competence Context Competence Role standard and specialized research or equivalent tools and techniques of enquiry Select from complex and advanced skills across a field of learning; develop new skills to a high level, including novel and emerging techniques Act in a wide and often unpredictable variety of professional levels and ill-defined contexts Take significant responsibility for the work of individuals and groups; lead and initiate activity of business models. Have an in-depth knowledge of current product management theory, and be able to integrate this to solve managerial problems. Learn how to strategise and plan internationalization of products and manage product positioning in global markets. Gain a systematic understanding of new product development processes and tools. Learn how to prioritize projects and follow through from selection through to execution. Apply a variety of design concepts and methods to the improvement of products, services, processes and procedures. Understand how to select and position product design in alignment with the organisation s business model and strategy. Demonstrate effective knowledge of the product management activities, and have an appreciation of relevant tools and techniques. Demonstrate the analytical skills and decision-making ability necessary to work as part of a specialist functional team and to make significant contributions at management level. Enables planned implementation of the full range of programme learning in line with company strategy. Be able to observe, interpret and reframe problems. Be able to visualize and represent complex ideas in a collaborative environment. Have an insight into the dimensions of business decisionmaking from a strategy perspective. Be able to prepare plans and programmes, and integrate them across the company and ecosystem. Learn how to manage the integration of company strategy including product roadmaps within the wider innovation ecosystem. Be competent in the management of the functional elements of product management practice: planning, resource allocation, budgeting, evaluation and appraisal. Research and diagnose issues relative to maximizing product management. Understand processes that support effective change management within the organization.

3 Competence Learning to Learn Competence Insight Learn to self-evaluate and take responsibility for continuing academic/professional development Scrutinise and reflect on social norms and relationships and act to change them Demonstrate an ability to conduct academic research and present well-argued and integrated conclusions which relate to research findings and theoretical foundations. Have developed the capacity for self-directed learning that will facilitate further academic and professional development as part of a commitment to life-long learning, evaluate their relevance and application. Have insight into the consequences of product management from an organisational and strategic perspective. Be equipped to contribute as a product management practitioner, to raising the standards of practice and professionalism within their industry. Programme structure This is a 30 ECTS programme with three taught modules of 5 ECTS each and a dissertation of 15 ECTS. Entry requirements Students must be graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma in Product Management with a minimum Merit Grade Upper. Student assessment In accordance with the General Assessment Regulations Compensation may only apply to one module excluding the dissertation. Derogations, if any, sought from the General Assessment Regulations A student will be permitted to two attempts to pass each assessment. Part 2 Venue: Validation/review dates Boardroom (Room No. 2048), 2 nd Floor, DIT Aungier Street pm Refreshments (tea/coffee) served. Panel meets with College Director, Head of School and relevant members of Programme Committee, short Presentation by Head of School pm Private Meeting of the Panel pm Meeting with the School representatives to discuss the programme pm Private Meeting of the Panel to draft the report pm Panel orally represents report to the College Members of Validation Panel

4 External Members Dr Conor Carroll Marketing, University of Limerick Eimear Dunne O2 Ireland, Dublin 2 Internal Panels Mr Martin Hanratty (Chair) Professor Aidan O Driscoll Dr Anne Greene Quality Assurance Officer School of Real Estate and Construction Economics, DIT, Bolton Street. School of Marketing, DIT Aungier Street. School of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, DIT Kevin Street Nicole O Neill Part 3 Comments on documentation and arrangements for event Documentation provided The documentation provided for the Validation Panel included Part A, Background Information and Part B, the Programme Document. Briefing notes provided Extracts from the Handbook for Academic Quality Enhancement setting out procedures and other matters associated with the validation of programmes. Part 4 Findings and Recommendations The panel would like to commend the staff on their well thought out and comprehensive programme documentation and their enthusiasm for the programme. The Panel is pleased to recommend to Academic Council approval of the MSc in Product Management at level 9 within the National Framework of Qualifications, with the following recommendations. Consider the possible inclusion of a confirmation paper in lieu of a dissertation in some instances. Consideration could be given to introducing a series of milestones for the submission of aspects of the dissertation as opposed to bi-weekly meetings. The programme committee should review the module assessments with a view to providing clarity on the nature of the assessment and assessment weighting and also consider aligning some of the module assessments with the dissertation. The entry criteria should specify that students need to achieve a Merit Grade 1 in the PgDip in order to qualify for entry to the MSc. A flow chart should be included in the student handbook indicating the structure / delivery dates of the programme. The programme learning outcomes should be aligned to the module learning outcomes and the assessments. In subsequent reviews of the Postgraduate Diploma programme consideration should be given

5 to the inclusion of Marketing Communications and Product Design. The programme document should be reviewed to remove editorial inaccuracies and to ensure that workload is specified correctly, with particular attention to the table on p.23.

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