The Claude Littner Business School

Transcription

1 The Claude Littner Business School Course Handbook BA (Hons) Business Studies

2 Course Handbook Contents Page No. Section 1 Key Information Welcome to the Course 1.2 Overview of the Course 1.3 Sources of Help and Support 1.4 Facts and Figures 1.5 Your Responsibilities Section 2 Structure and Content Introduction 2.2 Award Title, Exit Points and Progression 2.3 Course Philosophy, Aims and Objectives 2.4 Course Outline 2.5 Module Summary Section 3 Learning, Teaching and Assessment Learning and Teaching Approaches 3.2 Assessment 3.3 UWL Graduate Attributes Section 4 Student Support and Guidance Introduction 4.2 Learning Support 4.3 Induction 4.4 Workplace/Practice Support Section 5 Quality Management and Enhancement Course Management 5.2 Student Evaluation 5.3 Course Committee/Board Appendix Term and semester dates 51 Page 1

3 Section 1 Key Information 1.1 Welcome to the course We hope you will find your time on your Business degree enjoyable and challenging and that your introduction to the University of West London(UWL) and the London School of Science & technology (LSST)will be as smooth as possible. This Course handbook aims to give you an outline of the course and to signpost you to the sources of information or assistance you may need. It includes detailed information about the course and is designed to answer most queries you are likely to have regarding the course. The BA(Hon) Business Studies degree is located within the Claude Litter Business School, University of West London, and is delivered in partnership with LSST. Modules are delivered concurrently between LSST and the University, who set agreed assignments and academic standards and accordingly moderate marks for students at both the University and at LSST. In addition to this handbook there are other important sources of information with which you should familiarise yourself: London School of Science & Technology Student Handbook University of West London Undergraduate Supplement Module Study Guides We hope that your educational and personal experiences at University of West London and at LSST will be rich and fulfilling, and wish you every success with your studies. Page 2

4 Student Handbook The Student Handbook contains details of the Student Charter, general regulations, disciplinary regulations and appeals and additional information on support for students. The Student Handbook and other online website support can be accessed at Module Study Guides these are given out by the module tutors during the first week of teaching. We hope your educational and personal experiences at the University of West London and at LSST will be rich and fulfilling and wish you every success with your studies. 1.2 Overview of the Course This handbook contains information based on a Course Specification formally approved by the University. The relevant sections of the specification, for example, the course s aims, module content, learning outcomes, teaching and learning methods, assessment requirements, are incorporated into the handbook. The full Course Specification is available from the Course Leader. For information regarding the University Regulations, Policies and Procedures, please see the current Student Handbook, relevant supplement Blackboard, LSST Connect. The regulations applying to a student will be those in place for the academic year of their enrolment. 1.3 Sources of Help and Support Administration Office The course administration activities centre upon the Administration Office located at the Paragon Campus, Brentford. This office is staffed to assist with students/staff contact for the duration of the course. The contact details of the Admin officer are as follows: Administrators Course Administrator Liga Beitina Tel: liga.beitina@lsst.ac Page 3

5 Staff contacts Course Leader - Dhan Chooramun: Course Leaders` responsibilities for the Business degrees are shared by a number of individuals. The primary responsibilities of the Course Leader lie in the recruitment of students, structuring and monitoring the overall course, dealing with non-subject specific student matters and overall planning and control of assessment. When you wish to contact the Course Leader on any of the foregoing, the best way to do this is by passing a message through the systems, School Office or using the University voice mail. It may be possible to reach the Course Leader directly by telephone, but is must be remembered that the Course Leader is also a tutor on other courses in the University. Easy, direct telephone contact at all times cannot therefore be assured. The Course Leader`s contact details are: Course Leaders (Full-Time Course) Title Name Contact Course Leader Tel: Level 6 Dhan Chooramun dhan.chooramun@lsst.ac Module Leaders and Tutors At UWL the different subjects that you study are called modules. Each of the modules within the course has been specially developed for the course. Each module has a Module Leader and module tutor(s). They will be available to help you through their part of the course. Module Leader Strategic Management Module Leader International Business Module Leader Contemporary Issues in Management - Project Module Leader Enterprise & Social Responsibility Module Leader Managing Small & Medium Enterprises Urmila (Priya) Chooramun Dr Alex Pietrus Gidraph Michuki Susan Simei- Cunningham Dhan Chooramun Alperton Campus Tel: urmila.chooramun@lsst.ac Alperton Campus Tel: alex.pietrus@lsst.ac Alperton Campus Tel: gidraph.michuki@lsst.ac Alperton Campus Tel: susan.simei@lsst.ac Alperton Campus Tel: e- mail: dhan.chooramun@lsst.ac Page 4

6 Module Leader Project Management Dr Raaj Dogra Alperton Campus Tel: Module Study Guides Each module of your course has a detailed study guide which explains how the topics will be covered week by week, gives required and recommended reading and details the assessments and assessment criteria. 1.4 Facts and Figures Teaching and Learning Data Percentage of students study time: Level 4 Level 5 Level 6 Scheduled teaching & learning time 21% 21% 21% Guided independent study time 79% 79% 79% Assessment Percentage of final marks assessed by: Level 4 Level 5 Level 6 Exam 25% 25% 25% Coursework 75% 75% 75% NB: These numbers are derived from the most recent data available from Unistats, and should be regarded as estimates only. Figures are based on an anticipated pattern of module choices during students time on the course, and may be subject to changes which are outside the control of the course team. The assessment percentages are for the course as a whole and vary between modules some modules have up to 60% of the marks from exams and some have 100% coursework. (See section 3.2 for a summary for each module) 1.5 Your Responsibilities The course team and other University departments will always contact students via your student address. So please ensure that you check your University account regularly. Page 5

7 Attendance The College timetable runs from 0900 to Monday to Friday. However, most of the classes in your course will be offered during the day so that you could be finished by every day (some option modules may run in the evening or on Saturdays). You are required to attend all the classes on the BA (Hons) Business Studies. Frequent absences or lateness are reported to the Course Leader and will lead to discussion with you about how to remedy the situation. In case of absence, inform the Attendance Officer by ing Please state your full name, student ID Number (i.e. H ), date of absence, subject name, group, teacher`s name and reason for absence. To seek authorisation of your absence, complete an Absence Form explaining the reasons for absence (e.g. due to illness, for a doctor s or dentist s appointment etc.) and submit it at the Main Reception along with appropriate evidence (e.g. medical certificate, prescription etc). It is important to complete and submit an Absence Form ASAP (during your absence by ing attendance@lsst.ac scanned form along with evidence or on your first day back at School at the Main Reception) if you wish your absence to be authorised. Absence forms count towards your record of attendance and it is important that you know that your place in the course and your funding may be suspended if your absences are at an unacceptable level. International Students - Please note that if you need to extend your visa, UK Border Agency (UKBA)) will ask for detailed information about how many days you have attended the university. They normally require you to have 80% attendance. If your attendance has been poor, this may affect their decision to extend your visa. Page 6

8 If you are likely to be absent or have been absent from the College, you should inform your tutor, the Course Leader or the Administrative Officer. You will be required to present a medical certificate from your doctor for periods of extended absence. If you are absent from the College without advising the School Office, the College: 1. may assume that you have withdrawn from the course 2. must report your absence to the UK Borders Agency (UKBA) if you are an international student. Your Address You must give the Course Administrator your local and permanent/overseas address and telephone numbers at the start of the Course. If these change for any reason, it is essential that you let the Course Administrator have your new address or telephone number immediately. This is very important as we may need to get in touch with you urgently either in London during term time or in your home country during the holiday periods. You can update your personal information by speaking to the Course Administrator. Punctuality and Behaviour Timekeeping is highly valued. We think it is reasonable that you expect us to be on time and in return we expect the same from you. When it works, this is a very satisfactory arrangement! Naturally, exceptional circumstances will always be taken into consideration. If for any reason you cannot make a session then please the Module Leader and Administrative Officer to let us know in advance. Arriving late for classes is unacceptable, especially if it occurs on a regular basis. Walking into a class late or leaving early without asking the tutor is bad mannered, disrespectful to the tutor and to the other students, as well as being disruptive and WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. Page 7

9 Section 2 Meeting Deadlines Working to deadlines is as much part of the real world as it is part of the College. Ability to manage your time is therefore at a great premium. This is a significant aspect of the course; just as we would expect the professional manager to be able to plan and allocate the resources necessary to carry out a project, so we would expect you to do much the same thing. Illness It is important for you to keep the Administrative Officer or Module Leader informed of any illness or disability that results in your having to miss sessions or that might impede your learning. Structure and Content 2.1 Introduction Our Business degrees provide you with an education in business that will enable you to succeed in your future employment and careers. The degree requires you to pursue a variety of learning experiences to prepare you for employment and to lay firm foundations that will provide a sound basis for personal and professional development. Core modules will deliver the fundamentals of business and management theory, while course options will enable you to specialise in specific areas of interest, or to prepare for defined professional requirements. In addition, a practical element will enable you to develop IT, analytical and communication skills. This degree provides a good balance between academic achievement and the acquisition of skills/ graduate attributes required by modern employers 1. The course of study, 1 Harvey, L., Moon, S. and Geall, V., 1997, Graduates Work: Organisational Change and Students Attributes. Birmingham, Centre for Research into Quality (CRQ) and Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR). Page 8

10 together with the Contemporary Issues in Management (Graduate Project) module at Level 6, not only adds value that is will be recognised by employers in an increasingly competitive environment, it also offers another dimension to the experience from which to benefit upon graduation and facilitates graduates to fit into the work culture, do the job, develop ideas, take initiative and responsibility and ultimately help organisations deal with change Award title, Exit Points and Progression On successful completion of the course, you will be awarded a BA (Honours) degree. The award is made up of the following academic credits: Level 4: 120 Credits Level 5: 120 Credits Level 6: 120 Credits If, on completion of Level 4, you decide, for whatever reason, not to continue to Level 5, you can be awarded with a Certificate of Higher Education (unnamed). If on completion of level 5, you decide not to continue to level 6, you can be awarded with a Diploma in Higher Education (unnamed). Postgraduate Study There are progression opportunities such as: MBA (with appropriate work experience) MA/ MSc International Business Management MSc Finance MA Human Resource Management Please visit our website for further information on other post graduate courses at: 2 Harvey, L. (1999) Employability: Developing The Relationship Between Higher Education And Employment,Opening presentation at the Fifth Quality in Higher Education 24-Hour Seminar, Scarman House, WarwickUniversity, Page 9

11 2.3 Course Philosophy, Aims and Outcomes The main aims of the course are to: Prepare and provide support for the students in obtaining internship. Provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills so as to prepare them world of work. Develop a full understanding of the theory and practice of business. Meet the national need for adaptive, adaptable and transformative graduates. Empower students from a variety of educational backgrounds to fulfil their academic potential Enable students to devise and implement creative solutions to business problems. Allow students to build upon their existing work experience to broaden and extend their knowledge and understanding of the range of issues that impact upon the organisations ability to deliver improved products/services. Develop the skills required to offer informed contributions to decision making and to manage relatively complex operations. Provide students with a learning environment that will develop interpersonal skills, raise self-awareness, and encourage personal and career growth as well as the ability to gain from lifelong learning. Equip students for a range of career opportunities and increase their earning potential. Develop throughout the course a critical understanding of ethical principles and practice, and an awareness of effective management practice. Provide employers with graduates who possess the specialist technical knowledge and skills needed in their sector. Encourage the development of entrepreneurial spirit. Page 10

12 Course Learning Outcomes Course Learning Outcomes for Level 6 A Knowledge and understanding B Intellectual skills Level 6 At the end of level 6 students will be able to: A1. Demonstrate a wide knowledge and understanding of the broad range of areas of business and management (including but not limited to at least 3 of the following: marketing, customer behaviour, finance, people, operations, communication and information technology, business policy and strategy) and the detailed relationships between these, their application and their importance in an integrated framework A2. Demonstrate knowledge of the internal aspects, functions and processes of organisations with reference to any of the following: their diverse nature, purposes, structures, governance, operations and management, together with the individual and corporate behaviours and cultures which exist within and between organisations and their influence upon the external environment. A3. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of pervasive issues in a business context for example: sustainability, globalisation, corporate social responsibility, diversity, business innovation, creativity, enterprise development, knowledge management and risk management. At the end of level 6 students will be able to: Relevant modules All modules International Business Enterprise & Social Responsibility Project Management Human Resource Management Issues All modules B1 Employ the cognitive skills of critical thinking, analysis and synthesis including the capability to identify assumptions, evaluate statements in terms of evidence, to identify implicit values, to define terms adequately and to generalise appropriately All modules Page 11

13 B2 Create, evaluate and assess a range of options together with the capacity to apply ideas and knowledge to a given task B3. Evidence self-reflection and criticality including self-awareness, openness and sensitivity to diversity in terms of people, cultures, business and management issues. All modules Project Management Contemporary Issues in Management (Graduate Project) Global Marketing Employee Relations C Subject practical skills At the end of level 6 students will be able to: C1 C2 Communicate effectively orally and in writing, using a range of media which are widely used in business such as the preparation and presentation of business reports Evidence effective problem solving and decision making using appropriate quantitative and qualitative skills including identifying, formulating and solving business problems. All modules Contemporary Issues in Management (Graduate Project) International Business Finance Managing Small &Medium Enterprises Financial Management C3 Demonstrate numeracy and quantitative skills including data analysis, interpretation and extrapolation International Business Project Management Financial Management International Business Finance Strategic Management D Key / Transferable At the end of level 6 students will be able to: Page 12

14 skills D1. Critically evaluate and integrate theory and practice in a wide range of situations. D2. Present a view of business and management which is influenced by a variety of learning sources including guided learning, team work and independent study D3. Demonstrate lifelong learning skills including the development and enhancement of a range of general transferable intellectual and study skills, which, while being highly appropriate to a career in business and management, are not restricted to this. All modules All modules All modules Skills profile on exit On completing the course, students will be: Confident and independent learners well versed in the underpinning disciplines contributing to business behaviour Decision makers able to incorporate a wide technical knowledge and appropriate theories to enable themselves and colleagues to reach solutions to complex business situations Capable of benefiting from post graduate, professional study including the ability to participate in individual and group research Capable of employment at junior, and with appropriate experience, middle management positions Able to initiate effective team working at all levels and with others, and work independently and effectively. Able to reflect on how their employment enables them to develop skills for Continuous Professional Development and Lifelong Learning. 2.4 Course Outline The course modules have been selected and designed to both meet the needs identified above and to help you to develop the skills, processes and habits of lifelong learning. Level 4 modules provide foundations in the business disciplines and their significance in business operations and decision- making. Level 5 modules give increased emphasis on the use of the Page 13

15 BABS ```` various business disciplines in decision making and in evaluating the effectiveness of policies and procedures. The level 6 modules enable you to reflect on integrated business situations with a view to assessing and predicting courses of action available to managers to maximise efficiency and effectiveness as a whole. The Contemporary Issues in Management (Graduate Project) module at Level 6 will provide you with opportunities to incorporate learning from all modules into the investigation of a real work place problem or opportunity. The course is structured so that you study three modules per semester (two semesters per year). Your option choices are to a certain extent constrained by the course you are taking e.g. if you are studying BABS with Marketing then you must take the Marketing modules. The course structure is summarized below. Look in the relevant column. Module code: Module Title Level Semester MS60005E Strategic Management 6 1 C MS60021E Enterprise, Ethics & Social Responsibility 6 1 C BA60017E Project Management 6 1 C MS60014E International Business 6 2 C BA60002E Contemporary Issues in Management (Project) Dissertation code 6 2 C MS60022E Managing Small and Medium Enterprises 6 2 C Page 14

16 2.5 Module Leaders and Module Summaries Level 6 Module Leaders Module Leader Strategic Management Module Leader International Business Module Leader Contemporary Issues in Management - Project Module Leader Enterprise & Social Responsibility Module Leader Managing Small & Medium Enterprises Module Leader Project Management Urmila (Priya) Chooramun Dr Alex Pietrus Gidraph Michuki Susan Simei- Cunningham Dhan Chooramun Dr Raaj Dogra Alperton Campus Tel: urmila.chooramun@lsst.ac Alperton Campus Tel: alex.pietrus@lsst.ac Alperton Campus Tel: gidraph.michuki@lsst.ac Alperton Campus Tel: susan.simei@lsst.ac Alperton Campus Tel: e- mail: dhan.chooramun@lsst.ac Alperton Campus Tel: raaj.dogra@lsst.ac You will receive full information for each of the modules within the detailed Module Study Guides. However, we have produced below the summaries for the modules to help you to see how each fits together to form the complete course. Level 6 Strategic Management The purpose of the module is to build on the concepts and approaches to business policy developed at Level 5. The integrated nature of strategic management decisions will be emphasised and case studies will be used to show how strategic management applies to a range of business and not-forprofit organisations. The emphasis will be on strategic options, evaluation and choice and on the implementation issues in strategy. Students will be encouraged to develop analytical skills, creative thinking and ability to present conclusions based on critical evaluation of information. Page 15

17 Enterprise and Social Responsibility The module critically examines current debates addressing the nature of the enterprise and its role in society. The implications of creating and sustaining an 'enterprise culture' are identified and examined, and diverse approaches to entrepreneurship appraised. Society relies on entrepreneurship for wealth creation but at the same time increasingly expects the entrepreneurial venture to be accountable for its actions- the implications of this trend are examined for both the individual and the different forms of organisation. Contemporary concerns relating to the need for effective corporate citizenship and governance structures are addressed and discussed, together with the causes of emerging calls for improved corporate accountability. These issues are examined in the specific context of the nature and purpose of wealth creation, and the contemporary environment created by an enterprise culture and the enterprise economy. International Business This module critically examines the major issues faced by companies engaged in identifying and developing their overseas operations. The study of international business straddles a variety of different disciplines, and this module deals with the problems of international operations from the perspective of economics and politics as well as the functional disciplines of finance, marketing, human resource management and operations management. Most importantly, it seeks to show how the international economic and political environment serves to act as a very powerful influence over how company policies are set. Contemporary Issues in Management - Dissertation (Graduate Project) The Contemporary Issues in Management (Graduate Project) module at level 6 is designed to further prepare students for the working environment they will be entering on completion of their courses (or are currently in), where they will be expected to apply the academic knowledge they have gained to practical situations/problem solving in the workplace. This module, whist challenging, will give students the opportunity to investigate and work on an issue/problem in a way that might be expected of them in the workplace. This Page 16

18 will necessitate the application of knowledge and a variety of skills they have learnt throughout the courses, applying theory to practice within a business context, thus offering another dimension to their learning experience with the expectation that they do the job, develop ideas, take initiative and responsibility and ultimately help organisations deal with change 3 as, according to research experience underpins most of the development of know how 4 and Practice involves a richer set of phenomena: a body of knowledge, a capacity to make judgments, sensitivity to intuition, and an awareness of the purposes of the actions are all involved in some way 5 Initially, this will take place within the institution however, it is envisaged that further links with industry (through employer engagement) will allow for this to become a graduate project involving employers other than UWL. The Contemporary Issues in Management (Graduate Project) module is designed to enhance and expand the students knowledge and introduce them to the more recently advanced concept of practice theory 6.through the implementation of "pedagogical content knowledge" 7,. It will promote the bringing together of the theories, concepts and models learnt by exposing students to experiential learning, where they will have an opportunity to identify, experiment and further develop synergies between academic theory and practice whilst demonstrating criticality in their knowledge of business and management. The Contemporary Issues in Management (Graduate Project) module builds upon theoretical understanding gained throughout the course and enables us to account for embodied learning, through attention to the actual doing of the work 8 facilitating the students learning experience by creating an opportunity "in the 'here and now' of 3 Harvey, L. (1999) Employability: Developing The Relationship Between Higher Education And Employment, Opening presentation at the Fifth Quality in Higher Education 24-Hour Seminar, Scarman House, WarwickUniversity 4 Beckett, D. & Hager, P. (2002). Life, work and learning: Practice in postmodernity.london: Routledge. 5 Beckett, D. & Hager, P. (2002). Life, work and learning: Practice in postmodernity.london: Routledge. 6 Gherardi, S. (2006). Organizational knowledge: The texture of workplace learning.oxford: Blackwell Publishing. 7 Shulman, L. (1994). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching..london: Routledge 8 Nicolini, D., Gherardi, S. & Yanow, D. (2003). Knowing in organizations: A practice-based approach.new York: M.E. Sharpe Page 17

19 real time practices 9 given that research affirms that knowing and doing are difficult to conceive of as separate..." 10 Project Management The project management module provides grounding in the key skills used by project managers in order to manage projects successfully. There are many examples of projects ranging from large projects such as Heathrow Terminal 5 and the Channel Tunnel through to medium sized projects such as reorganising a factory or developing new computer software down to small projects such as a new marketing campaign or putting on a rock concert. The module is not specific to any one industry but covers the basic principles of project management that apply in all industries and to projects of all sizes. The teaching sessions combine lectures with group discussions to enable the concepts to be fully explored and understood. Individual practical exercises help consolidate the learning of specific project management skills. All sessions involve tutor led class discussions. Students will be required to produce a plan for a project of their choice that is assessed. There will also be an examination at the end of the module. Managing Small & Medium-Sized Enterprises Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) constitute the fastest growing sector of both the UK and European economies, a trend which is reflected globally. These organisations also now employ the majority of the UK workforce. SMEs however present a series of unique and specific management challenges which are addressed and critically evaluated in this module. The approach taken encompasses a range of business disciplines, and particularly examines the issues facing SMEs wishing to attract fresh investment capital. 9 Nicolini, D., Gherardi, S. & Yanow, D. (2003). Knowing in organizations: A practice-based approach.new York: M.E. Sharpe 10 Nicolini, D., Gherardi, S. & Yanow, D. (2003). Knowing in organizations: A practice-based approach.new York: M.E. Sharpe Page 18

20 The module investigates business development routes and methods for the entrepreneurial firm, and for organisations with an entrepreneurial culture. Paths to growth and methods of development are identified and appraised. The module also examines how a firm's structure, processes and values affect its capability to build sustainable growth and generate new business. Page 19