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University of Bedfordshire
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
UK, LU1 3JU
The exciting Executive MBA takes an international focus and provides the 'big picture' on business life. It is designed to accelerate the career progression of practising managers, signalling your commitment to an existing or future employer to taking charge of your career and building strategic skills in readiness for increased management responsibility. Alternatively, it will provide you with the skills to start your own business.
You will learn contemporary theory relating to core MBA disciplines such as marketing, operations, management and strategy, entrepreneurship and innovation. You will always apply your theoretical lessons to practical scenarios, including two projects that will enable you to practice leadership and integrate your previous learning into a project case study. These projects can be completed within the contexts of your choice, allowing you to tailor the course to your individual interests and career ambitions. Group sessions will take the form of critical discussions, application of business and management models to real-life business problems, and even live online classrooms.
As we require all students to have a minimum of two years' management experience, enrolment on the course automatically allows you to network with, and learn from, other experienced managers. Out of class, you will be able to attend presentations and other events held at the University's Knowledge Hub, where business people meet to share their knowledge and experience. You will also be offered membership to further networking groups upon graduation, including the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and our active Alumni Association.
Course participants come from a range of sectors and organisational backgrounds including manufacturing, retail and services, commercial and public sectors, and small to large enterprises. Career progression in all of the above, and in new business development, is enhanced by the strategic management knowledge and skills that the Executive MBA develops.
During the course you will:
Areas of study you may cover on this course include:
The assessment strategy is as follows:
1. The underpinning philosophy of all the assessments is developmental, building on your knowledge, expertise and capabilities to ensure that you are an able and confident leader and manager. This emphasis will enable you to explore, experience and develop your understanding of leadership, management and innovation within the context of your business and personal needs.
2. This is exemplified by the two projects running through the MBA - the Leadership Project and the Integrated Management Project final project. The two projects will allow considerable autonomy for participants to reflect upon their personal models of leadership in terms of their individual competence areas. Critical evaluation and reflective observation skills are developed in the context of personal effectiveness which will facilitate critique across a range of leadership issues in business environments. The two projects are inter-linked in that Leadership provides an essential theoretical and personal conceptual foundation which is then applied in the Company Strategic Analysis project which integrates all other aspects of the course within the case study of an individual organization.
3. The overall aim of the assessment strategy is that you will receive constructive feedback from your course tutors, and student peers within the group. The team will support you to help you to use this feedback as part of your continuing professional and self development and to ensure you are enabled to do this you will be provided with group and individual tutorial support from the team. This, in turn, links to your personal and professional development unit offered on the course. Your tutor will give you the active guidance to plan the next stages of your learning. This opportunity for supported self-reflection will enable you to take charge of your learning through developing critical evaluation and planning skills.
4. To facilitate and maximise learning for all students a range of assessment methods are used throughout the course and you will be required to undertake a variety of group and individual based assessments throughout the duration of the course. These assessments include individual and group written feedback assignments and projects, action learning reports as well as presentations They are all rooted in authentic and practical workplace scenarios to enable learning to be transferred to the workplace. The assessments are designed to test knowledge and understanding of the appropriate underpinning theoretical input and research, but also to demonstrate your skills. An appropriate sample of all assessed work will be subject to multiple marking and external moderation to ensure appropriate quality standards and intended learning outcomes are achieved as well as consistency and fairness to all. The course will maintain a balance between examinations and assignments (group and individual) and may employ other formats including online tests and presentations. The final project the Integrated Management Project, pulls together all aspects of the course through a detailed review of a specific organization.
5. Apart from the formal assessments there will be an emphasis on self, peer and group assessment. However all formal assessments will be marked graded and moderated by professional tutors only. The aim is for you to become an independent and self-directed lifelong learner and you will not only gain the skills and advantages of using self-reflection but you will gain more feedback from the conventional tutor-student written feedback. This will be used primarily as part of a formative assessment process within the units, rather than in the summative part, where moderation by others may be used.
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:
1. Critically assess and demonstrate a systematic understanding of relevant knowledge about the economic, environmental, social and technological change issues relating to organisations, their external context and how they are managed, including international developments and corporate governance.
2. Assess and apply relevant knowledge to a range of complex situations taking account of the development and progression of the relationship and expectations between markets and customers and other stakeholders.
3. Demonstrate a critical awareness of current issues in business and management which is informed by leading edge research and practice in the field, including the concepts, processes and institutions in the production, marketing and management of goods and / or services.
4. Understand and synthesise the financing of the business enterprise, the sources, uses and management of finance and the use of accounting for managerial and financial reporting applications.
5. Synthesise and apply practically the range of theory and practice relating to the management and development of people within organisations.
6. Demonstrate and critically reflect on an understanding of appropriate research techniques sufficient to allow detailed investigation into relevant business and management issues and to show expertise in the interpretation of such material.
7. 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.
8. Effectively develop and manage relevant communication and information technologies for application in business and management in a global knowledge-based economy.
The educational aims of the course are grounded in the Universitys mission to provide challenging and innovative learning and teaching that empowers the active and professional learner. The aims are also rooted in the mission and practice of the Business School to provide enterprising and fit for purpose courses that are necessary for businesses to expand and diversify. The Schools Learning and Teaching strategy supports these aims through the development of an engaging and stimulating learning environment that, particularly at postgraduate level, engages actively with research and scholarly activity. In particular the course aims:
The course recruits in October in the UK and by agreement with our partners overseas. The course will normally be completed in 2 years.
September Start
The start of each cohort of MBA studies will be preceded by an induction period. This will include team building and orientation and Business Communications. It is essential that you complete this before coming on the main learning platform of the MBA.
Year 1: September to July
Year 2: September to July
The Business School has extensive experience of working with students who are studying. The MBA is paced and structured to enable you to manage your time over the period of the course. The course team will be your first point of contact while you are studying and you will also be allocated to a student self study support group, which will also act as both a learning and motivational help to you. You can meet up face to face apart from the times you are at the University or can contact via email.
The University also has a number of formalized and specialised support structures and departments.
Many of you may be concerned about returning to study. Be aware that while at work your experience is a valuable aid to helping you cope with academic study and your general life skills will have developed since leaving formal education after graduating. However assistance with study skills and IT support is available and you can access the Professional an Academic Development (PAD) department.
One of the key purposes is to improve your personal and organisational performance and quality through the continuous application of the skills required to work in successful teams in a business context. The synergy provided by the use and development of team working skills is essential for this to occur both in your workplace and within your learning experience at the University. You will be working with other students in groups and the course team to assess complex situation, solve business problems and issues, make decisions and anticipate future challenges. The advantages of team working are well understood and self-evident but in the context of this degree course they are essential for creativity and results focused thinking. You will need to develop and apply your critical thinking and process skills and the team working environment endemic within the degree will foster and deepen these abilities. Group activity will be accessed throughout the course via tutorial groups, group work within the workshop sessions, project work related to workshop scenarios and assignments. All team working will be organised so that the experience is constructive and you will gain feedback, both explicit and implicit that will enable you to develop your critical thinking skills and also reflect on your personal strengths and perceived areas for development. Team working will therefore be essential for the enquiry process needed for academic study as well as your own continuous professional development. Student self supported learning groups will be organised to work within the University and these ideally should be used for self help and study outside the formal study periods. You will also, if available, be encouraged to attend networking groups and more formal lecture / seminar sessions organised by the Knowledge Network within the University.
Links Careers
Over the duration of the course you will network with other students, the course team as well as have opportunities to go to presentations and lectures provided by the Knowledge Network which is a vibrant and lively meeting point for business people to share their knowledge and opportunities. More information can be obtained on http://www.theknowledgenetwork.co.uk/
The Business School offers courses on behalf of the Chartered Management Institute and the Institute of Leadership and Management as well as the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. The nationally recognised professional organisations all provide career management information and networks.
It is important that we stress that we plan to integrate personal, academic and career development within the course and you as a professional learner will feel better equipped to make relevant decisions and moves in line with your personal and career goals.
Career:
We anticipate that when you complete your degree you will possess the ability to become a positive change agent in any organisation and an obvious champion for the added value of a dynamic and innovative organisational culture. You will also have had extensive and continuous opportunity for reflective and critical evaluation of your capability as a team worker and leader. The course may also equip you to start your own business or expand the business you are in.
The course includes a professional and personal development strand that will be assessed. This will enable you to enhance your employability skills, reflect on the skills and knowledge you may need to accelerate your career and bring value to your current and future employment. This relates to a key theme in the Education Strategy that offers you the opportunity to participate in a curriculum that is focused on employability and that enables all students to maximize their opportunities.
During the course you will have extensive networking opportunities within the wider course team as well as the University. You can talk through career and further development opportunities with your tutor as well as your peers and wider circle. Whatever you decide to do you will have a toolkit of knowledge and capabilities developed from the course that will support and enable you.
Further study:
Decisions relating to further study can be made during or after the course and you would be encouraged to keep in touch particularly by attendance at Creativity Clubs and the opportunities provided by the Knowledge Network. We will be running a series of Alumni events and you will be invited to these which will offer the opportunity for further study and contact with the University.
The tutors will always be there as a source of advice and help should you want to progress your development further. The course is aimed at self-directed and motivated individuals and it is unlikely you will sit still. Alumni will be particularly welcome to input into subsequent deliveries of the MBA. Students may wish to continue to the DBA after some time.
The unique, robust and specialist Masters level qualification is delivered within the Business School of the University and at partner institutions overseas. It is aimed at any person, with a suitable management background, who would like to develop their capabilities and apply such learning to release such talents in others. In order to benefit from the degree you will need to have an educational, experiential or professional base that involves working with others in a management capacity. In order to cope with the demands of the course you should have:
Successful completion of this degree will enable you to have the necessary knowledge and research transfer that will underpin your abilities to release enterprise and imagination into your team and company. You will be a strong role model so you will need to be a person who is willing to critically reflect and engage with personal and organisational change. As the degree is rooted in workplace practice and experience it is also essential that you have the support of your line manager and your colleagues, or others with the necessary power and influence. Your success as a student will be dependent on you taking your learning into your organization and experimenting, challenging and actively reflecting.
Some of these criteria will be a challenge to you. You are probably aware that the degree will be hard work but it will also be fun and will enable you to develop your management and creative ability practically. You may discuss with the Course Director before acceptance for the degree and he will explain more fully to you the implications and intended outcomes of the course and explore with you your ability to engage in the learning requirements of the qualification.
A foundation degree will be of particular interest if you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship, vocational A levels, BTEC National or equivalent.
Foundation degrees are also particularly suitable if you want to qualify while working.
Many students studying for foundation degrees come to us through work-based routes so you can apply for a foundation degree even if you don’t have traditional academic qualifications.
We welcome applicants with relevant work experience.
We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for both breadth and depth in your current studies as well as enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.
The general requirement is one of the following:
Postgraduate applications (MA/MSc) should be made direct to the University using the standard University application form. There are some exceptions, please see individual course descriptions for details.
As a general guide, to apply for a place on an undergraduate course (BA/BSc) at the University you need to have completed your high school education and have the required English qualification.
We have students from all the European Union member countries so we are quick to make decisions on most qualifications.
(Please note that applicants on a full student visa are not eligible for part-time study)
We recommend that you apply directly to the University where possible, as this allows us to offer the quickest turnaround time for your application.
Please read the Direct application instructions before completing the course application form.
Application forms for accommodation in the student halls at Bedford campus and Luton campus are available in the Student life section
APL is available for international students applying for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) study. Please do not use this APL form to apply for postgraduate courses.
Use the APL form to tell us about any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience you have that you think should be taken into consideration with your application. `
The APL form should be submitted at the same time as the course application form.
We regret we are unable to process APL forms from students who have not submitted a formal course application form.
Return your completed application to:
University of Bedfordshire
International Admissions
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1582 489326 (non-EU Students)
F: +44 (0)1582 743469
E: international-admissions@beds.ac.uk
The course is varied, both in curriculum content and delivery methods. The Teaching strategy for the MBA follows the guidelines in the Universitys Education Strategy. This course adheres to the principles of CRE8 and emphasises a learning experience which is meaningful, active, reflective, collaborative and creative. These principles are practised through working methods and outcomes reflected in the range of assessments and subject matter requiring critical analysis and reflective activities.
Lectures, seminars and tutorials will be used extensively, but, in addition, a great deal of participants time will be spent in small groups, involving, for example, discussion of case studies, simulation exercises, preparation for assessments, and work on presentations.
Although lectures are held monthly in term time it is clear that the private study demands on this type of course are considerable.
1. The teaching and learning approach of the course is through blended learning. This means a combination of pedagogic approaches, including using the latest approaches to learning technology, action learning, and independent learning. You will acquire a toolkit of diverse and complex skills and knowledge necessary for your development as a creative organizational change agent. Student centred self support groups, both face-to-face and / or via virtual contact, will be used throughout the course. There are thus a variety of pedagogic approaches in which the focus of the learning is experiential to enable you to practise, experiment and evaluate in the workshops and other face to face opportunities, and to use the online technology and related facilities for knowledge acquisition and research.
2. The course offers a opportunities for collaborative learning both in face to face groups and online where there is increased use of collaborative learning tools such as discussion boards, blogs and wikis. Some may be facilitated by lecturers or other staff. Others may be initiated and run by students. These tools offer you considerable opportunities to learn from others in the group and extend your learning experience.
3. The teaching strategy will be eclectic enabling you to gain the necessary underpinning theoretical knowledge and research that will enable you to actively explore, reflect and critically evaluate your own perceptions and knowledge. This approach will also help you to become an autonomous and self-directed learner. This means you will be confident of your capabilities as an independent learner and researcher and able to manage your own learning in line with your busy work schedule, using your learning skills to develop a compendium of knowledge, reflecting and analysing the implications of this for your understanding of innovation and organizational change and applying this new understanding in practical situations at work.
4. In line with the Education Strategy the course will include research informed teaching where the research from this and other Universities will be brought forward into the curriculum. The University has a number of Research Centres that focus on business issues that will be relevant to your study on the course. You will also be encouraged to bring your own research and experience in to the course.
5. There will be an initial induction at the start of the course and this will be held at Putteridge Bury, the University conference and postgraduate management centre or for overseas students at their local centre. The aim of the induction is to familiarize you with your student colleagues and the course team and to give you a practical insight into the MBA learning experience. Attendance at this induction is required before continuing on the course and will include team building and Business Communications. The induction will be facilitated by members of the course team and will focus on learning through critical reflection, peer and lecturer feedback, and self analysis. You will also be introduced to the different facilities and resources at your disposal. It is an essential element of the course and will ensure you approach the learning on the course effectively from the start of the semester.
6. Each study unit will have dedicated integrated materials, which can be accessed via the University virtual learning environment. These give you the necessary underpinning knowledge and research directives and they are written specifically for this course by the relevant academics within the team. You will receive information to help you with time management to ensure that you complete each unit of study within a specified timescale. In addition podcasts, wikis, and voice-to-voice seminar tutorials may be used, but please be assured technical training and support will be provided where necessary.
7. Action learning involving the use of real-life problems and scenarios will be integrated into the workshop and other face to face sessions. This flexible process allows action, improvement and change together with relevant research to be achieved at the same time. You will gain knowledge and understanding which will allow change to be processed in an informed way and similarly your understanding will be further informed by the change. This process of learning can be replicated in the workplace to help and enable transference of learning and is also very self development related and reflective.
8. The teaching strategy is designed to support you through the process of becoming an agent for change and innovation. Your learning experience while studying will give you the opportunity to explore, experience and develop your management abilities according to your personal and business needs and your leadership style. In this way you can construct and interpret new meanings for the way you conduct your business life. Partnership independent learning thinking performer /practitioner.
Below is set out how we as the course team plan to help you to cope with skills development during the degree course.
Communication:
In order to be a successful innovator it is essential that your communication skills are of a very high standard. Throughout the qualification you will be involved in expressing and reflecting on your ideas as well as influencing and shaping decisions. You will be communicating with a wide network of diverse people and groups and your oral communication skills will be effective and persuasive. Your written report writing skills similarly will be the standard expected of M level students, and the course offers a rich forum for further elaboration and development of this important capability.
Information Literacy:
This will be introduced to you help to access journals and info and making judgements and to critically engage with, and to make reflections on, increasingly extensive amounts of information now available trough a range of technologies. In order to engage in academic research you will need to find, understand, evaluate and use information. Also important are the regulations and laws as well as institutional policies related to the access and use of information. Tutors will provide study skills practice to help you to understand how to approach abstracting relevant information from an academic article and hence to cope wit the demands of academic practice. These academic practice skills are probably new to you and there will support from the course team to help you, particularly in the initial stages of the course. There will also be online guides to take you through accessing basic principles and procedures of the learning regime. In addition you will receive help from specialist staff to help you navigate your ways through Learning Resources (the Library), as well as giving your encouragement to produce new information through empirical research and use of digital media.
Research and Evaluation:
These skills are central to the learning strategy within the course to enable you to work through and resolve blockages to creativity and other related problems and concerns, probably from your workplace. You will need to demonstrate original, independent and critical thinking, and to further develop relevant theories relating to how you will translate these into action. The action learning process will support your development where peers and tutors will evaluate and give you feedback and share in your learning. So the research process will allow you time for data collection, reflection on current practice, enable you to work through problems that are not resolved by the traditional lecturer / seminar route, and to take action. In this way you are committed to innovation.
Creativity and Critical Thinking:
The course focus is on leadership, innovation and change and is structured around developing your capabilities as a critical and evaluative thinker to enable you to make reasoned arguments, based on research findings. Creativity is an essential part of these elements. You will be given the opportunity to think reflectively about learning materials and activities you are presented with, you can take time to pause an reflect, and then perhaps question what is said. You will use other sources of evidence to question as well as your own knowledge and experience. In this way you can establish the worth of the arguments and develop your independent learning skills. The evaluation and synthesis process will enable you to present your own interpretation of the information, logically and coherently. This is creativity in action and such learning will enable you to transfer these reflective skills to the workplace and mentor and support your colleagues to do the same, but in a productive and supportive learning culture. Testing out your critical and creative thinking skills will be done with other students, and tutors, in tutorials, self-help groups and other course forums. Tools such as discussion boards and blogs are available to assist in an increased demand for collaborative learning on the MBA.
The course aims to enable you to become an autonomous learner and a reflective and creative change agent who is able and willing to reflect on experience and explore and anticipate future opportunities, and then applying your learning to ensure innovation. Most people have some internal blocks that will inhibit development and the workshop and other face to face sessions in particular, will be organised to inspire you and give you space to release inhibitions, keep you motivated and engaged and facilitate risk taking, experimenting with new problem solving techniques that you can transfer to your workplace. In order to ensure this happens the course has the following continuous development design features.
There are no dedicated professional standards for related specifically to this qualification. However the University has links and partnerships with both the Chartered Management Institute and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and actively networks with both these organisations to ensure professionalism and excellence. We would expect you to demonstrate this professionalism in your future career by:
