HENLEY BUSINESS SCHOOL MASTERS PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION MSc IN BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT RESEARCH 1 1
CONTENTS Page 1. Award Infrmatin and Prgramme Descriptin 3 2. Educatinal Aims f the Prgramme 4 Prgramme Structure (Diagram) 5 Three Majr Categries f Learning Outcmes (Diagram) 6 3. Prgramme Learning Outcmes and Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategies 7 4. Prgramme Cverage 11 5. Types f Learning Activity Used n the MSc 12 6. Supprt fr Students and their Learning n the MSc 13 7. Prgramme Registratin and Cmmitments 14 a) Registratin and Extensin f Registratin Perids 14 b) Study Hurs n the MSc 14 8. Assessment a) Assessment Breakdwn 15 b) Resits and Resubmissins 16 9. Admissin Requirements 17 2 2
1. Masters in Business and Management Research 1.A. Awarding Institutin Henley Business Schl 1.B. Teaching Institutin Henley Business Schl 1.C. Prgramme accredited by 1.D. Final Award Master f Science (MSc) 1.E. UCAS Cde 1.F. QAAHE Benchmark Grup 1.G Prgramme Descriptin The Henley MSc in Business and Management Research is a pstgraduate qualificatin fr experienced and practicing managers seeking t develp their knwledge and ability t undertake rigrus and relevant research in management and rganisatinal cntexts and t enhance their perfrmance as reflective practitiners at senir level in rganisatins. In additin t prviding a bradly based understanding f the principles and practice f business and management research it recgnises that the researcher in business and management must apply that understanding in practical research prjects and in an ethical manner. The MSc in Business and Management Research als prvides participants with pprtunities fr the develpment f persnal and research cmpetencies. The prgramme is internatinal in scpe and participatin and it is delivered in a part-time mdular frmat, emplying a range f learning appraches, at Henley Business Schl ver an 18-mnth perid. Suitably qualified graduates may be able t prgress t the Henley Dctr f Business Administratin prgramme. 3 3
2. Educatinal Aims f the Prgramme The aim f the Henley Masters in Business and Management Research is t enable individuals, wh will already have management experience but wh may have a wide range f prir academic backgrunds, t enhance their capability t undertake research either as a means f entering dctral-level study, r t undertake research r cnsultancy in an rganisatinal cntext. It prvides a bradly-based understanding f the principles and practice f business and management research, its main appraches and methds, as well as f the cntext f that research. The MSc prgramme will build n prir experience and qualificatin thrugh a structured prgramme f study that seeks t enable Prgramme Members t: i. Prvide a fundatin fr rigrus and relevant research in business and management ii. iii. iv. Develp a deep understanding f the basic principles f research design and strategy that will include f the frmulatin f research prblems and the evaluatin f alternative appraches t research Develp an understanding f the alternative philsphical and epistemlgical psitins that prvide the cntext fr thery cnstructin, research design and the selectin f apprpriate analytical techniques Develp an understanding f existing research in the field f business and management v. Develp cmpetence in the applicatin f a wide range f techniques and methds fr research in business and management vi. vii. viii. ix. Enable Prgramme Members t understand and t analyse management research data using apprpriate techniques Develp capabilities fr managing and rganising a research prject, including writing up and disseminating research, in a way cnsistent with prfessinal practice and ethical principles Develp enhanced self-awareness, critical self-reflectin, a cmmitment and capability fr cntinuus learning, bth cllabrative and independent, and prvide relevant persnal develpment Study in depth f an academic discipline r subject area that is relevant t the intended field f research 4 4
The educatinal aims are achieved thrugh the fllwing structure: Duratin: 18 Mnths Research and Persnal Develpment Mdule Research Methdlgy Mdule 2 x Research Techniques Mdule(s) Dissertatin Prtfli and Cmpetence Develpment Prtfli submissin E-learning Mentring and Cllquia 5 5
The prgramme delivers the three majr categries f learning utcmes By fllwing the prgramme structure utlined abve, participants have the pprtunity t develp a variety f skills and expertise, which fall int three majr categries. The detail f these categries is utlined in Sectin 3. The cntributin f each subject t this is utlined in sectin 4. A. Knwledge and understanding A cmprehensin f the bdy f thery, expertise and experience in a specific tpic area B. Cgnitive and Intellectual Skills Prficient use f the mental skills required t interpret knwledge and understanding in different cntexts thrugh a sundly reasned and justifiable apprach t actin D. Integratin The ability t effectively integrate all three aspects f management activity t handle cmplex issues bth systematically and creativ ely, and t use these skills t imprve their wn management practice and that f their business C. Behaviural skills The means thrugh which individuals practically apply transferable skills, knwledge and understanding t realise and imprve the apprach t actin they justified thrugh cgnitive and intellectual skills. 6 6
3. The prgramme/ mdule prvides pprtunities fr students t achieve the fllwing utcmes: A. Knwledge and understanding: 1.Graduates will have a deep and systematic understanding and critical awareness f current and pervasive issues relating t research in business and management. In particular, graduates will demnstrate their knwledge and understanding in the fllwing areas: I. The range f knwledge, thery, specialisms and philsphical paradigms that underpin research in the field f business and management II. III. IV. Qualitative and quantitative appraches t research and their related epistemlgical perspectives The main research methdlgies used by researchers in business and management research, including experimental design, actin research, survey methds and ethngraphic appraches A wide range f research methds including questinnaires, interviews, bservatin, textual and discurse techniques simulatin and secndary data prcessing V. Techniques fr analysing qualitative and quantitative data using infrmatin technlgy and apprpriate sftware VI. The ethical dimensin f research in business and management VII. The research prcess and research prject planning 3.i The fllwing general teaching, learning and assessment strategies are used t enable students t achieve and demnstrate these utcmes: Teaching and Learning Strategy Knwledge and understanding utcmes will be develped thrughut the Prgramme, by means f residential wrkshps, assciated e-learning and guided and self-directed study. The Research and Persnal Develpment Wrkshp and assciated e- learning mdules will develp utcmes A.l, A.Vl, AVll, and A.Vlll in particular The Research Methdlgy Wrkshp and assciated e-learning mdules will develp utcmes A.l, A.ll, A.lll, A.Vl and A.Vll in particular The Qualitative Research Techniques Wrkshp and assciated e-learning mdules will develp utcmes A.lV and A.V in particular The Quantitative Research Techniques Wrkshp and assciated e-learning mdules will develp utcmes A.lV and A.V in particular Prgramme Members will be expected t develp an increasingly self-directed apprach t learning. Assessment strategy Summative assessment f knwledge and understanding will be achieved thrugh the Research Cncept Paper, Research Methds assignments, Cmpetence Develpment Prtfli and the Dissertatin Prtfli. Written feedback will be prvided and assessment criteria are published. Frmative feedback will als be prvided by tutrs and mentrs, fr example fllwing presentatins at residential wrkshps including the cmpulsry presentatin n research prgress at the Research Methdlgy Wrkshp. 7 7
3. The prgramme/ mdule prvides pprtunities fr students t achieve the fllwing utcmes: B Cgnitive and intellectual skills: i. Critical thinking and creativity: managing creative prcesses in self and thers; rganising thughts, identifying assumptins, evaluating statements in terms f evidence, detecting false lgic r reasning, identifying implicit values, defining terms adequately, and generalising apprpriately ii. Analysis: with critical awareness can undertake analysis f cmplex, incmplete r cntradictry areas f knwledge cmmunicating the utcme effectively iii. Synthesis: with critical awareness, can synthesise infrmatin in a manner that may be innvative, utilising knwledge r prcesses frm the frefrnt f the discipline f management iv. Evaluatin: has a level f cnceptual understanding and awareness f ways f addressing dilemmas and chices that will allw him/her critically t evaluate research-based schlarship and practice and t argue alternative appraches v. Applicatin: can demnstrate initiative and riginality in prblem slving. Can act autnmusly in planning and implementing tasks at a prfessinal r equivalent level, making decisins in cmplex and unpredictable situatins vi. Prblem slving and decisin-making: establishing criteria, using apprpriate decisin techniques including identifying, frmulating and slving business prblems; the ability t create, identify, and evaluate ptins; the ability t implement, review and critically reflect n decisins vii. Managing infrmatin and knwledge: scanning and rganising data, abstracting meaning frm infrmatin and sharing knwledge viii. Specific research-relates skills: including perfrming a literature search and cmpleting a literature review, and techniques f quantitative and qualitative analysis, using apprpriate infrmatin technlgy and cmputer sftware C Behaviural skills 3. The fllwing general teaching, learning and assessment strategies are used t enable students t achieve and demnstrate these utcmes: Teaching and Learning Strategy Cgnitive and intellectual skills, which relate t the prficient use f the mental skills required t interpret knwledge and understanding, will typically be develped in cnjunctin with the develpment f knwledge and understanding, and als thrugh the frmative and summative and assessment f knwledge and understanding utcmes. Assessment strategy Assessment f cgnitive and intellectual skills will typically be assessed in cnjunctin with the summative and frmative assessment f knwledge and understanding utcmes. Teaching and Learning Strategy 8 8
3. The prgramme/ mdule prvides pprtunities fr 3. The fllwing general teaching, learning and assessment strategies students t achieve the fllwing utcmes: are used t enable students t achieve and demnstrate these utcmes: i. Cllabrative wrking: can wrk effectively and sensitively within a grup, clarifying tasks, recgnising and making best use f the capabilities and cntributins f thers, t gain maximum grup perfrmance ii. Self awareness and evaluatin: is aware f impact n thers and is reflective n wn and thers functining in rder t imprve practice iii. Tw-way cmmunicatin: listening, negtiating and persuading r influencing thers; ral and written cmmunicatin, using a range f media, including the preparatin f business reprts, in academic and prfessinal envirnments with a range f specialists and peple at different levels f the rganisatins iv. Prblem slving: uses self-awareness and awareness f thers, with leadership and cmmunicatin skills t slve prblems bth autnmusly and cllabratively v. Numeracy and business research skills: including the use f mdels f business situatins; quantitative and qualitative research skills; ability t cnduct research int business and management issues with the minimum f guidance vi. Persnal effectiveness: self-awareness and selfmanagement; time management, delegating where apprpriate and rganising pririties efficiently; sensitivity t diversity in peple and different situatins; the ability t cntinue learning vii. Learning: is able t use full range f learning resurces and learns thrugh reflectin n practice and experience viii. Ethics and value management: recgnising ethical situatins, applying persnal and rganisatinal ethical values t situatins and chices, managing the implicatins f dilemmas and wrking practively with thers t frmulate slutins. ix. Autnmy: is independent and self-critical learner, guiding the learning f thers and managing wn requirements fr Behaviural skills are the means thrugh which individuals practically apply their knwledge and understanding and cgnitive and intellectual skills. They will be develped thrugh the cre subject mdules Assessment strategy Assessment f behaviural skills will be achieved in cnjunctin with the summative and frmative assessment f knwledge and understanding utcmes, and additinally, thrugh the cmpetence develpment prcess that accmpanies the academic learning jurney. The assessment f persnal develpment is bth frmative and summative in nature, and the Cmpetence Develpment Prtfli is a key cmpnent f Prgramme assessment. Mentrs prvide develpment assistance and feedback t Prgramme Members thrughut the Prgramme and als mark the Cmpetence Develpment Prtfli. 9 9
3. The prgramme/ mdule prvides pprtunities fr students t achieve the fllwing utcmes: cntinuing prfessinal develpment x. Technical expertise: has technical expertise, perfrms smthly with precisin and effectiveness; can adapt skills and design r develp new skills r prcedures fr new situatins xi. CIT: effective use f cmmunicatin and infrmatin technlgy 3. The fllwing general teaching, learning and assessment strategies are used t enable students t achieve and demnstrate these utcmes: 10 10
4 Prgramme Cverage The prgramme ffers a planned series f inputs fr Prgramme Members that prvides a thrugh grunding in research techniques and methdlgy. The teaching inputs are structured arund 4 wrkshps plus e-learning supprt. The wrkshps, tgether with their utline cntent are as fllws, and attendance at each is cmpulsry: Research and Persnal Develpment: intrductin t the Prgramme and assessment, key research issues in management, intrductin t research (research design and practice), using sftware in research, evaluating research, cllabrative grup wrking, develping an initial Cmpetence Develpment Plan Research Methdlgy: research and philsphy, research dilemmas, research design, qualitative and quantitative methdlgies, research prpsals Qualitative Research Techniques: qualitative research design, appraches t qualitative enquiry, data cllectin and methds, data analysis and sftware, writing a qualitative study, validatin and evaluatin Quantitative Research Techniques: the rle f thery and thery building, quantitative research design, measurement and scaling, questinnaire design, intrductin t statistics and statistical sftware, descriptive statistics and examining data, multivariate statistics, crrelatin, multiple regressin analysis, and factr analysis, structural equatin mdelling In additin e-learning supprt will be prvided t cver the fllwing subjects: Research Methdlgy Qualitative Research Techniques Quantitative Research techniques Each will prvide a series f activities t develp particular aspects f subject knwledge r skills relating t each f the subject area, and will prvide the pprtunity fr bth cllabrative wrking and cntact with subject experts 11 11
5. Types f learning activity used t enable utcmes t be achieved Face t face wrkshps Facilitated n-line discussins activities Guided self-study Independent self-study e-learning Prblem-based learning Research 12 12
6. Supprt fr students and their learning Wrkshps Additinal Tutr supprt fr learning and develpment prcess E-Learning Resurces Materials Assessment Tutr supprt fr learning and develpment prcess Library resurces Curse handbks Masters in Business and Management Research Fur cmpulsry wrkshps: A 6-day intrductry blck Research and Persnal Develpment A 5-day residential wrkshp cvering Research Methdlgy A 5-day Qualitative Research Techniques wrkshp A 5-day Quantitative Research Techniques Wrkshp In ttal there are 21 days f wrkshps Ntes: 1. There will be a 1-hur interview fr each Research Assciate t prvide feedback n the Cmpetence Develpment Plan and Research Cncept Paper fllwing the RPD wrkshp. All Panel Interviews will be scheduled apprximately 6-8 weeks after the RPD Wrkshp 2. Research Assciates will be expected t make a presentatin n their research prgress at the Research Methdlgy Wrkshp 3. Research Assciates will be expected t attend Cllquia at Henley Business Schl and t make at least 1 presentatin per year, in persn r virtually, n their research. 4. Additinal ptinal events are prvided including Research Clinics and skills develpment wrkshps Each Prgramme Member will have a Mentr fr the duratin f the prgramme wh will prvide supprt fr the develpment f the Dissertatin Prtfli and fr the Cmpetence Develpment Plan and Prtfli in particular In additin Prgramme Members will be expected t attend Cllquia at Henley Business Schl Each chrt n the MSc will have access t an e-learning resurce within which each self-guided and tutr-supprted e-learning activities and additinal resurces will be available Each wrkshp has cre and additinal readings delivered by a cmbinatin f textbks and e-learning resurces There are fur cmpnents t the summative assessment n the Prgramme: Cmpetence Develpment Plan and Research Cncept Paper, Research Methds Assignments, Cmpetence Develpment Prtfli and Dissertatin Prtfli (see Sectin 9 fr mre details) Tutrs deliver Wrkshps, prvide e-learning supprt and undertake assessment Mentrs prvide supprt fr Cmpetence Develpment Plan and Prtfli and fr Dissertatin Prtfli Virtual and physical Including: Prgramme Guide, Curse Organiser, Guide t Studying 13 13
7. Prgramme Registratin and Cmmitments a) Registratin and Extensin f Registratin Perids Numbers f mnths t cmpletin Curse members registered fr Re-registratin b) Study Hurs 1800 hurs 18 mnths NB the wrkshps will be scheduled ver a 15-mnth perid 36 mnths 9 mnths with justificatin (t a ttal f 45 mnths) Learning Activity Apprximate Study hurs Wrkshps ther direct tutr cntact 280 Self-study: guided and e-learning 700 Persnal reflectin and self-directed 820 study Ttal 1800 14 14
8. Assessment a) Assessment breakdwn There are fur cmpnents t the summative assessment n the Prgramme, several with a number f elements: 1) Cmpetence Develpment Plan t achieve 2 targets (1500 wrds) and Research Cncept Paper (1500 wrds) 2) Tw individual assignments n Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methds (3,000 wrds each) 3) Cmpetence Develpment Prtfli 4) Dissertatin Prtfli, cmprising: Wrking Paper (relating t literature review (4000 wrds) Thesis Critique (3000 wrds) Research prpsal (14,000 wrds) Reprt n an empirical pilt study (4000 wrds) The pass mark fr the individual assignments in Stage 1 is 50%. All ther wrk will be ungraded, but assessed as acceptable, meets basic requirements, fail - minr amendments required, fail - majr amendments required, r unacceptable. The assessment weighting by cmpnent will be as fllws: Assessment Credits Weighting in Prgramme % Cmpetence Develpment Plan Research Cncept Paper Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methds Assignments (x2) 10 6 20 11 Cmpetence Develpment Prtfli 40 22 Dissertatin Prtfli: Wrking Paper (relating t literature review) Thesis Critique Research prpsal Reprt n an empirical pilt study 20 20 50 20 11 11 28 11 Ttal 180 100 15 15
b) Resits and Resubmissins Data Analysis Assignments: nly 1 element may be resubmitted within 2 mnths Cmpetence Develpment Plan and Research utline: ne resubmissin allwed within 2 mnths Cmpetence Develpment and Dissertatin Prtflis: Each element f the Prtfli may be resubmitted n ne ccasin, subject t the amendments required. Elements that d nt meet the assessment criteria will be assessed either as minr amendments required r as majr amendments required. Minr amendments may be resubmitted within 2 mnths and majr amendments within 6 mnths. Hwever, the Research prpsal may nly be re-submitted where minr amendments are required. A Research Prpsal that requires majr amendments will be deemed a curse fail. 16 16
9. Admissin requirements Applicants fr the MSc in Business and Management Research shuld: i. Hld a first degree frm a British University, r its equivalent ii. Have at least three years relevant management experience Under the categry f equivalent qualificatins are degrees frm recgnised freign universities and a number f prfessinal/vcatinal qualificatins. Candidates whse first language is nt English must nrmally pass ne f a number f prescribed English Language tests. Applicatins frm candidates wh d nt meet the nrmal entry qualificatins g befre an Admissins Panel cmprising the Academic Registrar and Admissin Officers. In such cases the Admissins Panel will cnsider all f the relevant evidence, including the applicant s age, senirity, respnsibilities, qualificatins, career prgressin, references and the verall quality f the applicatin. The Admissins Panel may als require a GMAT test t be taken (minimum scre t be at least 550). All such 'nn-standard' applicants, whm the Admissin Panel permits t be registered n the prgramme, are s identified as t enable their academic prgress t be specifically mnitred. 17 17