Learning outcomes
The 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 diploma, you will have knowledge and understanding of:
- the structure and dynamics of business/organisational environments; how organisations analyse, and respond to their environments
- a wide variety of organisations and how they operate and develop; the nature, structure and functioning of organisations; different approaches, in a work context, to organisational analysis and change
- key organisational functions, their nature, interactions and contributions to organisational success and development
- an understanding of the principal theories, methods, models and approaches that can be deployed in your choice of core options or second subject area
- your own learning; its role and impact in the workplace.
Cognitive skills
On completion of this diploma, you will be able to:
- use established ideas, concepts and techniques drawn from the study of football and other business to analyse a wide range of work-related problems, and issues
- identify and assess different perspectives on and approaches to business, organisational and work-practice issues to inform decision making
- reflect on, evaluate and apply your learning in football and other work/practice contexts
- evaluate a range of ideas, arguments or theories relevant to your choice of core option.
Practical and/or professional skills
On completion of this diploma, 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 and your workplace
- 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 diploma, 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 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 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 or 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.
One compulsory OU level 2 module includes 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 each level 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.
The compulsory OU level 2 module and two of the level 2 optional modules have a strong practice-based learning element, focusing on different aspects of your practice. Several TMAs require you to reflect on your own practice as part of the assessment. This allows you to develop critical awareness of your own practice and allows tutors to comment and guide your practice.