PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION FINAL. MSc Human Resource Management. Postgraduate Diploma Human Resource Management

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1 s PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION FINAL PART 1: COURSE SUMMARY INFORMATION Course summary Final award Intermediate award Course status Awarding body Faculty School Location of study/ campus Partner institution(s) MSc Human Resource Management Postgraduate Certificate Human Resource Management Postgraduate Diploma Human Resource Management Validated University of Brighton Brighton Business School Brighton Business School Moulsecoomb Name of institution Host department Course status 1. SELECT Admissions Admissions agency Direct to School Page 1 of 15

2 Entry requirements Include any progression opportunities into the course. MSc Year 1 For entry to MSc Year 1 candidates require a first degree, Level 6 (NQF)/H (FHEQ)/NVQ4 equivalent qualifications. All candidates are expected to have access to or be actively working in the HR field either as a HR professional or as a manager with considerable HR responsibilities. Exceptionally a candidate wishing to enter employment in the HR field will be considered for entry subject to adequate evidence of access to an appropriate HR related workplace environment. Or such qualifications and experience as are accepted by the professional body. Such candidates, who do not have a first degree but who meet CIPD entry requirements, are required to have adequate professional experience and the ability to demonstrate the ability to study at honours level through a preentry assignment. These candidates are also expected to have access to or be actively working in the HR field either as a HR professional or as a manager with considerable HR responsibilities. Requirements for non-native speakers of English: IELTS 6.5 overall, 6.0 in writing, with a minimum of 5.5 on all components. All candidates for admission will be interviewed prior to admission to confirm that all the above entry requirements have been met and to discuss the requirements or the course. MSc Year 2 Direct entry to MSc Year 2 is possible for candidates with equivalent qualifications to the first year of the MSc Human Resource Management, normally this will be the CIPD core modules of HRM in Context, Leading, Managing and Developing People, and the Developing Skills for Business Leadership module. MSc Year 3 Holders of the CIPD full qualification at Advanced Level, and persons holding membership at Chartered Member or Chartered Fellow will be considered for admission to MSc Year 3 with accreditation of prior learning (APL). Students entering for year three will be expected to undertake Strategic and International Human Resource Management in addition to the Business Research Methods for Professional Project and the Professional Project. Direct entrants to the MSc Human Resource Management would be by exception to GEAR D4.1: AP(E)L.This exception enables students to AP(E)L up to 100 credits at level 7. This, therefore, takes into account the student s professional body qualification or membership rather than a relevant number of CATS points Start date (mmm-yy) Normally September Sep-12 Mode of study Page 2 of 15

3 Mode of study Duration of study (standard) Maximum registration period Full-time Select Select Page 3 of 15

4 Part-time 3 years 6 years Sandwich Select Select Distance Select Select Course codes/categories UCAS code Contacts Course Leader (or Course Dr Penny Simpson Development Leader) Admissions Tutor Dr Penny Simpson Examination and Assessment Name Place of work Date tenure expires External Examiner(s) Ms Susan Leigh Middlesex University December 2016 Dr Eddy Donnelly London School of Economics December 2014 Examination Board(s) (AEB/CEB) Course Examination Board Approval and review Approval date Review date Validation September December Programme Specification September September Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body 1 (if applicable): Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body 2 (if applicable): Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body 3 (if applicable): CIPD 2012 March Date of original validation. 2 Date of most recent periodic review (normally academic year of validation + 5 years). 3 Month and year this version of the programme specification was approved (normally September). 4 Date programme specification will be reviewed (normally approval date + 1 year). If programme specification is applicable to a particular cohort, please state here. 5 Date of most recent review by accrediting/ approving external body. Page 4 of 15

5 PART 2: COURSE DETAILS AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES Aims The aims of the course are: The aims of the course are: 1. to provide a programme of study which educates students as specialists in HRM policy and practice within the context of general business and management within organisations. 2. to provide students with the ability to apply knowledge and understanding of HRM and aspects of business and management to complex issues and situations, systematically and creatively, to improve the management of people in organisations. 3. to enable students to prepare for and/or continue in their careers in HRM by developing skills and knowledge at a professional level, including developing a conceptual understanding that enables them to evaluate the rigour and validity of published research and assess its relevance to new situations, and to extrapolate from existing research and scholarship to identify new or revised approaches to practice. 4. to equip students with lifelong learning and personal development skills so as to be able to work with self-direction and originality and to contribute to the organisations within which they are employed. 5. to provide students with the opportunity to carry out a substantial piece of extended research in a subject of their choice, through research design, data collection, analysis, synthesis and written communication. Such research will combine theory and practical application. 6. to provide students with the conceptual understanding which will enable them to critically evaluate current research and literature in the discipline. 7. to enable students to demonstrate relevant knowledge and understanding of organisations (including a strategic and international perspective), the external context in which they operate and how they can develop to respond to change both currently and in the future. Learning outcomes The outcomes of the main award provide information about how the primary aims are demonstrated by students following the course. These are mapped to external reference points where appropriate 6. Knowledge and theory By the end of the course students will be able to 1. demonstrate that they understand organisations: their external context and how they are managed and reflect upon the work of these organisations 2. demonstrate familiarity with and apply their relevant knowledge of Human Resource Management (HRM) activities to a range of complex situations (including strategic and international situations), taking account of the relationship and interaction of HRM with other areas of the business or organisation, i.e. demonstrate a thinking performer approach. Skills 3. demonstrate a critical awareness of current issues in HRM practice and understand their links with developments in business and management, informed by leading edge practice and research in the field By the end of the course students will be able to: 6 Please refer to Course Development and Review Handbook or QAA website for details. Page 5 of 15

6 Includes intellectual skills (i.e. generic skills relating to academic study, problem solving, evaluation, research etc.) and professional/ practical skills. 1. demonstrate creativity in the application of their knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to develop and interpret knowledge in business and management 2. show that they can acquire and analyse data and information, to evaluate their relevance and validity, and to synthesise a range of information in the context of new situations 3. conduct research into HRM issues of business and management, and therefore be familiar with a range of business data, research sources and appropriate methodologies 4. communicate effectively both orally and in writing, using a range of media 5. demonstrate a range of academic transferable skills in relation to problem definition, research and methodological awareness, presentation, timemanagement, effective writing and continuing professional development. QAA subject benchmark statement (where applicable) 7 6.demonstrate progress in the development of appropriate professional skills in accordance with the new CIPD Professional qualification The QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (August 2008) and The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education Subject Benchmark Statements for Masters Degrees in Business and Management (2007) Type 1: Specialist master's degrees PROFESSIONAL, STATUTORY AND REGULATORY BODIES (where applicable) Where a course is accredited by a PSRB, full details of how the course meets external requirements, and what students are required to undertake, are included. This course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Students are required to successfully pass the Postgraduate Diploma in its entirety before they can apply for Chartered membership (either Chartered MCIPD or Chartered FCIPD). The CIPD (2010) Rules of Combination are cited below: Rules of combination for CIPD approved2 Advanced* level qualifications 2 CIPD approved qualifications are offered at centres with qualification awarding powers, e.g. university awards and university validated awards * Equates to QCF Level 7, equivalent to Level 9 Ireland and Level 11 Scotland Advanced Level Diploma in Human Resource Management / Human Resource Development Map to learning outcomes of 4 core modules and a minimum of 2 optional modules. Modules chosen must form a coherent programme, and any centre devised options included should be in a cognate discipline. This course maps to the learning outcomes of the four core modules. It also maps to the Learning outcomes of the optional modules: Organisational Design and Development, Managing Employment Relations and Employment Law. Core modules CIPD Credit value University Credit value 7 Please refer to the QAA website for details. Page 6 of 15

7 (FHEQ) Human Resource Management in Context Leading, Managing and Developing People Developing Skills for Business Leadership Investigating a Business Issue from a Human Resources Perspective (FHEQ) Optional modules CIPD Credit value (FHEQ) Organisational Design and Development Managing the Employment Relationship Employment Law LEARNING AND TEACHING University Credit value (FHEQ) Learning and teaching methods This section sets out the primary learning and teaching methods, including total learning hours and any specific requirements in terms of practical/ clinical-based learning. The indicative list of learning and teaching methods includes information on the proportion of the course delivered by each method and details where a particular method relates to a particular element of the course. This Masters will be delivered through a combination of taught sessions and guided independent study. As per Business School policy, for a typical module, approximately one fifth of the learning hours comprises taught sessions and the remainder is guided independent study (which includes all work for assessment, e.g. coursework and examination preparation). There are 1,800 notional learning hours in this course. Learning and Teaching Method Scheduled teaching activities including lectures, seminars, tutorials, project supervision, demonstrations, practical classes and workshops, supervised time in workshops/ studios, fieldwork, external visits, and work-based learning All students are expected to undertake guided independent study which includes wider reading/ practice, follow-up work, the completion of assessment tasks, and revisions. % of Student Effort 20% 80% Total study hours 100% ASSESSMENT Assessment methods This section sets out the summative assessment methods on the course and includes details on where to find further information on the criteria used in assessing coursework. It also provides an assessment matrix which reflects the variety of modes of assessment, and the volume of assessment in the course. The general guidance for assessment of modules on the MSc Human Resource Management will be that 10M is equivalent to up to a two hour examination which is the equivalent of up to two and a half thousand words of coursework. However, with particular modules the summative assessments do not exactly fit with the general principles as outlined above and, therefore, the reasoning will be explained: Employment Law: a 3 hour examination is specified due to the time-requirement needed for students to engage with the presented examination materials. This also compared favorably with CIPD National Examinations. Professional Project: While this is a 50M credit module, the 12,000 word assessment length is Page 7 of 15

8 set to align with CIPD requirements. The summative assessments for the MSc HRM are set out in the table below. In order to support our learning and teaching approach, modules will also include formative assessment. Further details on the assessments for each module can be found in the individual module descriptors and in individual module assignment briefs. The table of assessments provides details of the range of assessments by method with example course level learning outcomes. Example course level Learning Outcome Skills6: demonstrate progress in the development of appropriate professional skills in accordance with the new CIPD Professional qualification Skills4: communicate effectively both orally and in writing, using a range of media Knowledge and theory1: demonstrate that they understand organisations: their external context and how they are managed and reflect upon the work of these organisations Knowledge and theory3: demonstrate a critical awareness of current issues in HRM practice and understand their links with developments in business and management, informed by leading edge practice and research in the field Skills2:show that they can acquire and analyse data and information, to evaluate their relevance and validity, and to synthesise a range of information in the context of new situations Skills2:show that they can acquire and analyse data and information, to evaluate their relevance and validity, and to synthesise a range of information in the context of new situations Skills4: communicate effectively both orally and in writing, using a range of media Knowledge and theory2: demonstrate familiarity with and apply their relevant knowledge of Human Resource Management (HRM) activities to a range of complex situations, taking account of the relationship and interaction of HRM with other areas of the business or organisation, i.e. Assessment method Module Number of credits Individual portfolio Developing Skills for Business Leadership Group written assignment HRM in Context 4 Time-controlled Examination HRM in Context 16 Time-controlled Examination Leading, Managing and Developing People Time-controlled Examination Employment Law 10 Time-controlled Examination Presentation Individual written coursework Strategic and International HR Organisational Design and Development Strategic and International HR Page 8 of 15

9 demonstrate a thinking performer approach Knowledge and theory2: demonstrate familiarity with and apply their relevant knowledge of Human Resource Management (HRM) activities to a range of complex situations, taking account of the relationship and interaction of HRM with other areas of the business or organisation, i.e. demonstrate a thinking performer approach Skills 3: conduct research into HRM issues of business and management, and therefore be familiar with a range of business data, research sources and appropriate methodologies Knowledge and theory1: demonstrate that they understand organisations: their external context and how they are managed and reflect upon the work of these organisations Skills 1: demonstrate creativity in the application of their knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to develop and interpret knowledge in business and management Skills5: demonstrate a range of academic transferable skills in relation to problem definition, research and methodological awareness, presentation, timemanagement, effective writing and continuing professional development. Individual written coursework Individual written coursework Individual written coursework Research proposal Professional project including a reflective account Leading, Managing and Developing People Organisational Design and Development Managing the Employment Relationship Business Research Methods for Professional Project Professional Project 50 Total 180 SUPPORT AND INFORMATION Institutional/ University All students benefit from: University induction week Student Handbook: the University and you Course Handbook Extensive library facilities Computer pool rooms (approximately 260 workstations on the Moulsecoomb site) address Student support services Course leader for advice and guidance Course-specific In addition, students on this course benefit from: Page 9 of 15

10 Additional support, specifically where courses have nontraditional patterns of delivery (e.g. distance learning and work-based learning) include: The Brighton Business School Referencing Handbook The Studentcentral intranet providing learning support materials Access to on-line business resources, e.g. Business Source Premier, Emerald and Science Direct. Access to: XpertHR. Access to IES publications Page 10 of 15

11 PART 3: COURSE SPECIFIC REGULATIONS COURSE STRUCTURE This section includes an outline of the structure of the programme, including stages of study and progression points. Course Leaders may choose to include a structure diagram here. The MSc HRM course structure is as follows: MSc Year 1 Semester 1 / Semester 2 Total Credits Awards if exiting after successful completion of the year Developing Skills for Business Leadership (20) 60 *Postgraduate HRM in Context (20) Certificate Leading, Managing, and Developing People (20) MSc Year 2 Managing the Employment Relationship (10) 60 *Postgraduate Employment Law (10) Diploma Organisational Design and Development (20) Strategic and International HRM (20) MSc Year 3 Business Research Methods for Professional Project (10) Professional Project (50) Total MSc Human Resource Management *The MSc exit awards of Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate do not fully meet the CIPD requirements for recognition of the knowledge associated towards a level of CIPD professional membership. For the purposes of referrals and progression for the MSc the following will apply: 1 st year (MSc) will be considered to be stage 1a 2 nd year (MSc) will be considered to be stage 1b 3 rd year (MSc) will be considered to be stage 2 The 50M Professional Project is deemed to be the dissertation or final completion element for the purpose of awarding merits and distinctions. Modules Status: M = Mandatory (modules which must be taken and passed to be eligible for the award) C = Compulsory (modules which must be taken to be eligible for the award) O = Optional (optional modules) A = Additional (modules which must be taken to be eligible for an award accredited by a professional, statutory or regulatory body, including any non-credit bearing modules) Page 11 of 15

12 Level 8 Module code Status Module title Credit 7 HRM72 M Developing Skills for Business Leadership 20 7 HRM73 M HRM in Context 20 7 HRM74 M Leading, Managing and Developing People 20 7 HRM77 M Organisational Design and Development 20 7 HRM80 M Managing the Employment Relationship 10 7 LWM14 M Employment Law 10 7 HRM93 M Strategic and International HR 20 7 HRM94 M Business Research Methods for Professional Project 10 7 HRM95 M Professional Project 50 Total 180M Status: M = Mandatory (modules which must be taken and passed to be eligible for the award) C = Compulsory (modules which must be taken to be eligible for the award) O = Optional (optional modules) A = Additional (modules which must be taken to be eligible for an award accredited by a professional, statutory or regulatory body, including any non-credit bearing modules) 8 All modules have learning outcomes commensurate with the FHEQ levels 0, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. List the level which corresponds with the learning outcomes of each module. Page 12 of 15

13 AWARD AND CLASSIFICATION Award type Award* Title Level Eligibility for award Classification of award Final MSc Human Resource Management Intermediate PG Dip Human Resource Management Intermediate PG Cert Human Resource Management Total credits 9 Minimum credits 10 Ratio of marks 11 : Class of award 7 Total credit 180 M Minimum credit at level of award Other: Total credit 120 M Minimum credit at level of award Total credit 60 M Minimum credit at level of award 60 Select t Select Total credit Select Minimum credit at level of award Select Select Select Total credit Select Minimum credit at level of award Select *Foundation degrees only Progression routes from award: Level 7 marks Level 7 marks Level 7 marks Select Select Postgraduate degree Postgraduate (taught) d Postgraduate (taught) d Award classifications Mark/ band % Foundation degree Honours degree Postgraduate 12 degree (excludes PGCE and BM BS) 70% - 100% Distinction First (1) Distinction 60% % Merit Upper second (2:1) Merit 50% % Lower second (2:2) Pass 40% % Third (3) Pass Select Select 9 Total number of credits required to be eligible for the award. 10 Minimum number of credits required, at level of award, to be eligible for the award. 11 Algorithm used to determine the classification of the final award (all marks are credit-weighted). For a Masters degree, the mark for the final element (e.g, dissertation) must be in the corresponding class of award. 12 Refers to taught provision: PG Cert, PG Dip, Masters. Page 12 of 15

14 EXAMINATION AND ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS Please refer to the Course Approval and Review Handbook when completing this section. The examination and assessment regulations for the course should be in accordance with the University s General Examination and Assessment Regulations for Taught Courses (available from staffcentral or studentcentral). Specific regulations which materially affect assessment, progression and award on the course e.g. Where referrals or repeat of modules are not permitted in line with the University s General Examination and Assessment Regulations for Taught Courses. Normally, students will not be allowed to progress without passing all of the required assessed work of the previous year. Students studying for a Master s degree may normally be referred in a maximum of 50% of the total taught number of credits in a stage. In such circumstances a stage is normally 120M credits. At stages 1a, 1b or 2, student may not normally be referred in more than 40M credits. However, a student may, at the discretion of the examination board, be referred in the completion element (the Professional Project). If a student gets a non-pass on the proposal but passes the Professional Project, the proposal is deemed to have been passed. The maximum number of referrals for the whole of the first stage (stage 1a and 1b) of the award is 60 credits (i.e. 50% of the total taught number of credits in the whole stage). Students undertaking the Masters may only be referred up to a maximum of 90M credits (i.e. 50% of the total taught number of credits in the whole Masters). As an exception to GEAR C6: Compensation, students on this course may not be considered for compensation in respect to any module on this course in accordance with the requirements of the professional body (CIPD). All modules are mandatory and are required to be passed. Direct entrants to the MSc Human Resource Management would be by exception to GEAR D4.1: AP(E)L.This exception enables students to AP(E)L up to 100 credits at level 7. This, therefore, takes into account the student s professional body qualification or membership rather than a relevant number of CATS points. Exceptions required by PSRB These require the approval of the Chair of the Academic Board Please see above re GEAR C6: Compensation It is noted that students must complete the MSc Human Resource Management (including the Professional Project) to bank the knowledge requirements for CIPD Chartered Membership. Therefore for: 1) Postgraduate Certificate in Human Resource Management as an exit award which is normally the first 12 months of the Masters (60 M CATS) students can only bank knowledge as far as the CIPD is concerned. The exit Postgraduate Certificate award of the MSc Human Resource Management does not fully meet the CIPD Page 13 of 15

15 requirements for recognition of the knowledge associated towards a level of CIPD professional membership. 2) Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management as an exit award only (120 M CATS) if students have completed the year two but have not completed their Professional Project. As the research project has not been completed, students will not have met the full knowledge requirements of CIPD Chartered Membership. The exit Postgraduate Diploma award of the MSc Human Resource Management does not fully meet CIPD requirements for recognition of knowledge associated towards a level of CIPD professional membership. Page 14 of 15

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