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Professional Diploma in Management - Learning Outcomes

Educational aims

  • to equip you with the tools and techniques to implement performance improvements at a team, departmental, project or small organisation level
  • to enable you to understand how different functional perspectives work together to approach the real and complex problems of management
  • to give you an opportunity to apply a range of management concepts to an in-depth analysis of a management problem in your own organisation.

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes of this programme are described in four areas:

Knowledge and understanding

On completion of this programme you will have knowledge and understanding of:

  • the main managerial issues associated with key business functional areas of managing people and organisations; finance; marketing; operations management; change and project management
  • the leading and alternative theories, concepts and models in business and management
  • the critiques of and key debates within the study of business and management
  • the complex and interrelated nature of organisations and management practice; and the global context in which business and management is practised.

Cognitive skills

On completion of this programme, you will be able to:

  • analyse and synthesise key concepts and frameworks with clarity and critical reflection
  • draw appropriately as a manager on both academic and practitioner knowledge
  • evaluate and compare possible courses of action and make appropriate decisions in the light of the context in which you are managing
  • appraise and accommodate constraints, opportunities and threats present in your management contexts.

Practical and/or professional skills

On completion of this programme, you will be able to:

  • identify learning needs and design development plans to address them
  • communicate effectively as a manager with staff and colleagues at all levels and areas of an organisation
  • work effectively with others with openness and sensitivity to diversity
  • plan and manage your work and study time
  • develop an awareness of the impact of your own thinking and behaviour and a use this as the basis for developing your professional and personal competences.

Key skills

On completion of this programme, you will be able to:

  • apply numeracy skills and quantitative analysis to business and management
  • find, record and use information, data and evidence effectively – drawing competently on relevant professional and academic literatures
  • conduct independent inquiry, investigation and on-going reflection on your own learning in context
  • use a variety of communication media effectively
  • work both independently and as a member of a team.

Teaching, learning and assessment methods

As well as the individual tuition provision you have access to regular opportunities for engagement with other students, university library access, an extensive variety of specially written resources presented in different media (print and online) and designed exclusively for this diploma, audio-visual material, published articles, case-studies and a set of interactive tools to help you develop your management thinking abilities.

You will learn by working with your group and individually online in structured activities supported by a wide range of resources including specially designed books, a world-class online library and face-to-face opportunities including a residential school.

Assessment will be via a number of tutor-marked assignments and an exam.

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