Who is the Course designed for?

This course is for those who intend ‘top-up’ this award to a business focused Work Based Learning Studies or other academic award. It is designed for those who want to take their knowledge and experience of business principles and practice to a higher level. It is equally appropriate for people looking for a career in the private and public sector and for those who are considering developing their own business ventures.

 

Programme Content:

This programme is designed to give you the opportunity to:

• Develop a clear understanding of future career options and demonstrate progress towards achieving them as either an employee or an owner manager or entrepreneur in either business or the non-profit sector or within further study within the academic community.

• Develop academically so that you have a detailed knowledge of business and management practices, can critically evaluate that knowledge and finally apply it in complex situations which may be characterised by contested and contradictory information.

• Developed relevant transferable and practical skills so that you can manage their own learning and are confident in applying these transferable and practical skills

THE SYLLABUS

Marketing Management                         10 credits

The basic aim of this module is to impart basic knowledge and analytical skills necessary to diagnose and understand important aspects relating to development and marketing of products successfully at the market place.

 

Human Resource Management               10 credits

Human resource strategy is an essential part of any credible understanding of business strategy and not some kind of dubious appendage to it. When effectively handled, HRM helps the firm to operate cost-effectively in the industries in which it competes and legitimately in the societies in which it is embedded. The course considers the potential of HRM to enhance organisational flexibility and help create competitive advantage. It examines HRM in dynamic and complex contexts and discusses practical ways of improving strategic HR planning in firms.

The purpose of this course is to help students acquire the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with human resource management so they are actually prepared to perform the essential functions that human resource professionals are expected to perform.

 

Business Strategy and Environment           10 credits

This module focuses on the external and internal environment in which companies operate, looking at the level of markets and industries.It aims at creating more understanding of the different types of responses that companies, profit seeking and not for profit have to their environments and to the types of competition they will be facing.

 

Managing Finance                                        10 credits

Managing the finances of any business is a vital function, which requires well-defined systems and regular reviews. Carefully managing the money in a childcare business can offer many benefits. Performing a business forecast at the start of the year enables business managers to plan their finances to ensure sustainability. Looking closely at past financial records tells a business what has happened, so that decisions about the future are informed. Finally, if a business looks regularly at its currentfinancial position it can ensure that everything runs smoothly and that the bank balance remains in ‘the black’.This module will set out the importance of financial management system and how it can be used to improve your business sustainability

 

Information System and Management        10 credits

This module provide a depth knowledge of the use of information systems to support and promote management decisions in the context of the modern work environment and the ability to apply such knowledge to address management related issues. It also provides an understanding and ability to apply appropriate techniques and tools within a given approach to information systems development, taking into account the historical context.

 

Entrepreneur                                                10 credits

The module explores a variety of issues surrounding new venture creation, including the business plan, the economics of the business, determining resource needs and acquiring resources, marketing requirements, deal structure, technology issues, harvesting issues, and ethical issues, among others.

 

Personal Development Plan                        10 credits

The module emphasis is on the needs of the individual but within the context of how the development of self-management corresponds with effective team management in meeting objectives.

 

Aims:-

This programme is designed to give you the opportunity to:

• Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the specialised areas
• Be able to critically analyse, evaluate and apply theories, models and frameworks of financial, operational, strategic and information systems to complex business situations.
• Study, analyse and critique complex theoretical debates, and apply to case studies.
• Develop originality of thought and skills in independent research.
• Gain a clear understanding of future career options and demonstrate progress towards achieving them as either an employee or an owner manager or entrepreneur, in either business or the non-profit sector, or within further study within the academic community
• Develop academically so that you have a detailed knowledge of business and management practices, can critically evaluate that knowledge and finally apply it in complex situations which may be characterised by contested and contradictory information.
• Enhance your transferable and practical skills so that you can manage your own learning and can be confident in applying these transferable and practical skills

Learning Outcomes:-

The learner will demonstrate the following learning objectives in an academic and/or work based setting:

1. Knowledge and Understanding

• You will have comprehensive knowledge of a major discipline(s), with areas of specialisation in depth, and an awareness of the provisional nature of knowledge
• You will have critical awareness of personal responsibility and professional codes of conduct and can incorporate a critical ethical dimension into a major piece of work

2. Cognitive and Intellectual Skills

• You will be able to analyse new and/or abstract information and situations without guidance, using a range of techniques appropriate to the subject
• With minimum guidance You will be able to transform abstract information and concepts towards a given purpose and design innovative solutions
• You will be able to critically evaluate evidence to support conclusions/recommendations and can assess contradictory information/identify reasons for contradictions.
• You will be able to identify and defining complex problems and can apply appropriate knowledge and skills to their solution

3. Key/Transferable Skills

• You will be able to work effectively both as a team player and as an individual meeting strict deadlines and targets.
• You will have confidence in explaining, defending and summarising your views to your peers on complex multidisciplinary issues and problems.
• You will have developed a high level of skills in identifying complex business problems and the application of appropriate knowledge, tools and methods to their solutions.
• With minimum guidance you can manage own learning using full range of resources.
• You can engage effectively in debate in a professional manner and produce detailed and coherent reports.
• You will be able to develop effective project management skills that will enable you to understand critical activities and enable you to prioritise and plan these activities

4. Practical Skills

• You will be able to apply quantitative, qualitative, project management and ICT skills to business problems.
• You will be able to operate in complex and unpredictable contexts, selecting from a wide range of innovative or standard techniques.
• You will be able to act autonomously, with minimal supervision or direction, within agreed guidelines
• You will be able to undertake a major self-managed activity, the project, and demonstrate the ability to write substantial reports using sustained argument

METHODOLOGY, TEACHING AND LEARNING

Methodology

Workshop attendance and active participation are very important to our programme, because participant opinions and discussion of the assigned study materials are an integral part of the learning experience. The reading of current news and relevant professional articles that focus on events and developments in the field of business and chosen specialisation are encouraged. Constructive contribution may include observations and questions about the course material as well as current events, and answers to questions raised by fellow participants. Case studies are an integral part of the programme. Additional opportunities for professional interaction and learning may be offered to you, including an orientation function at the beginning of the year, a social function in the course of the year and various guest speakers from industry and academia from time to time. In order to facilitate presentations, you are encouraged to use PowerPoint presentation or multimedia resources.

Workshops

Workshops define the content of the course and provide an essential overview of the subject. Assessments are based on the material covered in workshops, tutorials and participant own input. Final Grade will be based on individual assessment.

Tutorials

All participants are required to attend tutorial classes and to complete set work. Participants' contributions to workshop discussion, attendance and grade for work completed are recorded. Tutorials can vary greatly in character, according to the unit. There will always be an opportunity to raise questions arising from the lectures and from other aspects of the module.

Exercise Workshops

In a number of modules, exercise workshops are provided as well as, or in some cases, as alternatives to tutorials. In an exercise workshop the trainer will go through exercises (or sometimes an essay topic) explaining how the answers are arrived at. You will often be invited to participate. To get the most out of exercise workshops you should make sure you attempt to do the exercises before the workshop. You will then find that you are in a better position to participate, and you will understand and remember the answers much better.

ASSESSMENT

A range of assessments methods will be used on the programme, intended to establish whether the learning outcomes for each module have been achieved, and to promote self-managed and reflective learning. There is a blend of formative and summative assessments, which take a mixture of forms, such as essays, individual and group reports and presentations, self-assessment exercises, critical reviews and reflective exercises. Participants are thereby exposed to the variety of types and scenarios of decision-making confronted by international managers. In order to qualify for a degree awarded by the Middlesex University, the student must pass in all modules

Progression from the RisXcel Programme

Students may progress from the RisXceL programme to Middlesex University Work Based Learning awards at Undergraduate Level. A number of awards are possible:

• Cert HE (120 credits at level 4)
• Diploma (60 credits at level 5)
• Diploma HE (140 credits at level 4 or above and 100 credits at level 5 or above)
• Advanced diploma (60 credits at level 6)
• Foundation degree (140 credits at level 4 and 100 credits at level 5)
• BA/BSc (140 credits at level 4 or above, 100 credits at level 5 or above and 60 credits at level 6)
• BA (Hons)/BSc (Hons) (140 credits at level 4 or above, 100 credits at level 5 or above and 120 credits at level 6) .
  
  Students who have studied 70 credits with RisXcel and who wish to achieve further credits towards a Middlesex award may undertake a Middlesex University module which explores prior academic and work based learning through which credit may be awarded. Other modules are then available through which students can progress towards their chosen award >
  
  Note that other UK universities may also accept the credit gained from the RisXceL programme.