Learning outcomes
This qualification provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, practical and professional skills in the following areas:
Knowledge and understanding
On completion of this degree, you will have knowledge and understanding of:
- the nature and purpose of business functions and business strategy within a variety of organisations; including football and sports related industries; the nature and importance of cross-functional integration in organisations; the relationship between business organisations and policy institutions, and their impacts on strategy
- the structure, culture and role of a wide variety of organisations; the complex dynamics of organisational environments; how organisations understand and interact with their environments
- the nature and development of functions within a wide range of organisations; functional perspectives on business problems and issues; the nature and importance of cross-functional integration in businesses
- a broad critical understanding of the fundamental principles, concepts and techniques underlying your choice of core options or second subject area
- an understanding of the principal theories, methods, models and approaches that can be deployed in your choice of core option or second subject area
- your own learning; its development in the context of your studies; its role and impacts on your work/practice.
Cognitive skills
On completion of this degree, you will be able to:
- critique established ideas, concepts and techniques drawn from your studies and use your knowledge to examine a wide range of football and other business problems and issues
- identify and critically assess different perspectives on and approaches to business, organisational and work-practice issues
- critically reflect on, evaluate and apply your learning in football and other work/practice contexts
- select and apply appropriate techniques and tools relevant to your choice of core options
- critically analyse and evaluate a range of ideas, arguments or theories relevant to your choice of core option.
Practical and/or professional skills
On completion of this degree, you will be able to:
- use and adapt relevant business knowledge and skills to practically engage with a range of problems and issues in the football arena
- use specific business knowledge, cognitive and key skills, as a basis for significantly enhancing your work/practice and your future working life.
Key skills
On completion of this degree, you will be able to:
- communicate information, ideas and arguments effectively using appropriate styles and language, to specialist and non-specialist audiences
- read and interpret information presented in a variety of forms and perform relevant tasks of analysis and evaluation
- apply ICT skills at an appropriate level to search for, identify and present information appropriate to a variety of business/organisational activities
- plan and manage your learning towards the achievement of established aims and objectives, including the recognition of knowledge limitations
- engage in appropriate levels of reflective, adaptive and collaborative learning.
Teaching, learning and assessment methods
The key teaching vehicles are distance learning materials which comprise a range of compulsory readings as well as other materials such as audio/visual materials, and specially prepared study guides directing your reading and illustrating key teaching points. These vehicles are presented partly in paper format and partly electronically (web).The programme has a significant practice-based learning focus, which allows you to deepen your knowledge and understanding through application to your own practice. Your learning is supported by a tutor who maintains contact with you individually, conducts periodic group tutorials and facilitates online learning for his/her group of around 20 students. This tutor is your first and main point of contact, answering your queries, grading and commenting on your work and facilitating group learning.
To support the development of your group-working and ICT skills, you are required to participate in tutor group forums. This also provides you with an additional environment in which to share learning and resolve module-related problems.
Assessment of the knowledge and understanding of the components of the programme is achieved through a combination of continuous assessment and exams. The continuous assessment element consists of a series of tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) – usually 5 to 7 for each 60-credit module, with each assignment of around 2000-2500 words. These are also central to the teaching of the module since they enable tutors to identify and comment on your knowledge and understanding. Assessment of practice-based learning in several TMAs allows you to relate module concepts to your own experience and reflect on your learning and practice.
Some compulsory OU level 2 and 3 modules include a written examination.
In the compulsory modules you are encouraged to develop the skills specified. First, in each module the specified skills – or specific components of the skills – are identified, mapping out where each skill will be developed and practised. Then as the module progresses you are offered an opportunity to practise them in association with your work on the study materials. As you progress through each module and through from OU level 1 to Level 3 the extent of the guidance decreases in order to encourage independent learning.
TMAs require you to reflect on your learning and demonstrate progress in skills development as well as your knowledge and understanding. TMAs assess different combinations of skills and knowledge and understanding, so that all skills are assessed at some point. This process encourages you to be systematic and self-conscious about your skill development and it also allows the tutor to provide supportive interventions in your skills development.