MBA

University of Roehampton

Mastering project management is crucial to organisations in the 21st century. Recognising the importance of both tools and techniques as well as human and organisational factors in achieving project success, the module enables students to learn the hard science essential for project managers today, but with the crucial emphasis on the soft skills involved in people- and change-management to help achieve delivery of successful projects. Through extensive case study analysis, and with insight from current research, you will evaluate the role of the project manager in today's workplace and critically review the rise of the project-centric organisation in a global context. Relating theory to practical reality in the light of the current research, you will understand new best practice in project management and how it impacts organisations seeking to run effective projects, both locally and across international borders.

This module provides you with a critical understanding of the sources and uses of finance for organisations operating in a domestic or international context and focuses on the management of financial and other resources to optimise organisational performance. You will explore the use of accounting, budgetary and other information systems in managerial planning, decision-making and control. You will learn to apply appropriate analytical tools and techniques, such as the balanced scorecard, key performance indicators, cost-volume-profit analysis and budget variance analysis.

In order to thrive in an increasing competitive and global environment an organization must pay attention to its continual effectiveness and development. An underlying feature of the successful organization is its ability to adapt to change. Change can be driven by a number of different forces, including customers, markets and technology. Yet research shows that most change initiatives fail to accomplish their intended outcomes and may even limit the potential of an organization and its people. The consequences of not managing change effectively can be devastating and long lasting, so it's important that managers ensure they have the skills, knowledge and credibility within their organization to be champions of change. Managers have a clear role and responsibility to ensure that issues like employee voice, individual and cultural differences as well as skills development are appropriately and effectively addressed as part of change management.

This module will enable students to gain knowledge and understanding of methodologies in problem solving and researching that will support the student in their current studies and in their future careers as managers. The module is designed to provide a strong framework that will enable the student to develop problem solving capabilities and to also develop a research proposal for the Applied Research or Consultancy Project. The orientation of the module is towards building confidence in the students to face the uncertainties of modern business life by providing a means of managing problems: analysing and critiquing problems, using critical thinking, researching and presenting recommendations to an executive audience.

This module provides you with an in-depth, critical understanding of how international companies design and implement marketing strategies to create customer value and competitive advantage in the context of increasingly sophisticated and demanding consumers, the digital revolution and globalisation. There will be a particular focus on product innovation and services marketing. This is an enabling module that through a combination of lectures, seminar activities, group work and group discussions will encourage you to apply key marketing concepts and techniques including market orientation, segmentation, targeting and positioning and the marketing mix to real-life situations of international companies operating in the global arena and to put forward and test your own individual, innovative, strategic marketing solutions.

This module provides students with a key set of strategy and business improvement tools. The module is aimed at providing you with a thorough understanding of the practical application of these tools. Many of the classic business tools such as PESTLE and Boston Box are included. Additionally, key tools related to business improvement such as benchmarking and the Balanced Scorecard are evaluated. Throughout the course, we shall critically evaluate the different tools to ensure that students are aware of their relative strengths and weaknesses.

This module provides students with an opportunity to work on an identified business problem, to critique the problem and to provide a theory-driven solution. The purpose of this module is to provide a means for applying knowledge and theory to real-world problems. The focus of the project could be directed at a specific organisation that will be carried out on a consultancy basis. In other cases, the student will be carried out as applied research focused on addressing specific business problems facing businesses.

The Consultancy Project module gives you the opportunity to apply the knowledge, analytical, and conceptual tools, as well as the personal skills gained from the taught courses to an in-depth study of a specific organizational issue or problem in the fields of global financial management, marketing management, business management, and human resource management. It consolidates the learning that has already taken place, and develops your capability to undertake and complete an individual project and address a given problem. This module may be taken with or without a business internship, so long as there is an identified business client. This module provides students with an opportunity to work on an identified business problem, to critique the problem and to provide a theory-driven solution. The purpose of this module is to provide a means for applying knowledge and theory to real-world problems. The focus of the project could be directed at a specific organisation that will be carried out on a consultancy basis. In other cases, the student will be carried out as applied research focused on addressing specific business problems facing businesses.

Students who have not previously studied business will be offered additional support in the form of an on-line preparatory, pre-induction programme of study that they will be encouraged to complete before the start of their programme. This on-line pre-induction programme will however be voluntary and not compulsory. Students will not be required to pass an assessment at the end of the pre-induction programme to gain admission onto the Master?s programme assuming they fulfil the other prescribed entry qualifications.

This programme is for students who hold an Honours degree in a non- business and management discipline and wish to gain some business knowledge and skills before they join their chosen postgraduate programme. The Pre-Induction programme is not compulsory and not assessed. If you hold an offer for a place on one of the Roehampton Business Schools Postgraduate programmes but do not have a business and management background knowledge, you are strongly encouraged to follow the Pre-Induction programme.

The Professional Development Programme is an additional co-curricular non-credit bearing module. It is designed specifically to enhance your professional skills and build your confidence using advanced presentation skills, critical writing and research skills. During the course of the module, you will get the opportunity to practice your negotiation skills, enhance the credibility of your arguments and ensure academic integrity.