PDF Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Open University

QUALIFICATION LEAFLET

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Distance learning degree qualification

GLOBAL STUDY GLOBAL RECOGNITION

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QUALIFICATION LEAFLET

Qualification details

With AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA recognition, The Open University Business School is the largest triple accredited MBA provider in the world. This guarantees our reputation as a global top-tier provider of management education and places the OUBS in the top 1% of global business schools.

Managers in over 75 countries are studying the Open University MBA because of its international relevance. The impact of cultural differences is a theme that runs through and unites all our MBA modules. By focusing on current work practice, local and organisational contexts are interwoven in all MBA study. This approach is fundamental to developing global leaders. MBA modules are challenging but will always direct you towards improving your management capabilities. You will need to have some experiential knowledge at a managerial level and/or of decision-making, so that you have a practical business base on which to build your MBA learning.

The programme concentrates on strategic analysis, interdisciplinary skills, intellectual stimulation and independent judgement and builds these upon a solid foundation of core disciplines, including human resource management, organisational behaviour, accounting and finance, marketing and operations.

Career relevance and employability

Employers value our MBA because it delivers consistent, high quality development and shared terminologies to high-potential executives wherever they are located. We

fast track your career because we let you study while you work and earn. Unlike MBAs which require attendance on campuses, our MBA links your daily work practice to management theory. Learning by your experience and that of other working managers on the course is more relevant and rewarding than any classroom activity. From day one, it makes you a more rounded and complete manager.

Entry requirements

All entrants to the MBA are required to have a minimum of three years' experience in a managerial, professional or technical role. Usually this means that you are at least 25 years old as it is unusual (but not impossible) to be able to satisfy the `experience' requirement under this age.

For direct entry onto the MBA you'll need a bachelors degree awarded with honours from a recognised UK university or the equivalent. You will need an appropriate facility in English language, sufficient to be able to work effectively at postgraduate level.

Credit for previous study elsewhere

If you have already completed some successful study at postgraduate level at another institution you may be able to transfer credit for this study and count it towards this Open University qualification. If you wish to apply to transfer credit you must do so as soon as possible as it may affect your choice of OU modules. If you are awarded credit for study completed elsewhere, you may find that you need to study fewer OU modules to complete your qualification with us.

Modules

For this 180-credit masters degree you require:

60 credits (600 study hours) from the following compulsory Stage 1 module:

Postgraduate compulsory module

MBA Stage 1: management: perspectives and practice (B716)

Credits 60

And 450 study hours from the following compulsory Stage 2 modules:

Postgraduate compulsory modules Corporate finance (BB831)

Credits 15

The dynamics of strategy (BB835)

30

And 45 credits from the following optional (or 'elective') Stage 2 modules:

Postgraduate optional modules

Business, human rights law and corporate social responsibility (W822)

Business operations: delivering value (T883)

Entrepreneurship: experience and perspective (BB846)

Leadership and management in intercultural contexts (BB848) NEW Management beyond the mainstream (BB847)

Managing financial risk (BB841)

Credits 30 30 15 15 15 15

Marketing in the 21st century (BB844)

15

Strategic human resource management

15

(BB845)

Sustainable creative management

15

(BB842) NEW

And 30 credits (300 study hours) from the following compulsory module:

Postgraduate compulsory modules

Making a difference: the management initiative (B839)

Credits 30

Masters of Business Administration (F61)

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For more information and to register go to openuniversity.edu, or call +44 845 241 6555

For more information and to register go to openuniversity.edu, or call +44 845 241 6555

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QUALIFICATION LEAFLET

Modules

For a full list of modules available, please refer to our website, openuniversity.edu.

Assessment key

EMA = End-of-module assessment iCMA = Interactive computer marked assessment TMA = Tutor-marked assignment

* Module may only be studied as part of a qualification and is therefore not available as a stand alone module.

MBA stage 1: management: perspectives and practice (B716)

Credits:

60 at Postgraduate

Assessment: 7 TMAs, 1 Examination

This MBA course will enable you to make a real difference within your management practice through active use of frameworks, theories and tools. It will help you to develop a good grounding in the theory and practice of managing and leading, covering the core functions and disciplines of management and helping you make the connections between them. The course provides a framework for a year-long process of professional development which challenges you to engage actively with a wide variety of ideas and to develop a repertoire of techniques and approaches best suited to your own situation and management context.

Corporate finance (BB831) *

Credits:

15 at Postgraduate

Assessment: 2 TMAs, 1 Examination

Middle and senior managers meet a multiplicity of financial problems in their organisations. This course will help you develop your knowledge of this area. It introduces finance problems that organisations face at board level, and equips you with the fundamentals of corporate financial theory enabling you to challenge finance experts. You will learn how to tackle the main financial problems you are likely to encounter, in particular, how best to finance a company, what dividend policy to choose, how to appraise both public and private sector projects, and how to value a company for takeover or flotation.

The dynamics of strategy (BB835) *

Credits:

30 at Postgraduate

Assessment: 3 TMAs, 1 Examination

If you're currently engaged in strategic decisionmaking, or will be in the future, this course will stimulate your imagination and inform your judgement.

An understanding of the frameworks of strategy and an ability to use them imaginatively will help your organisation survive in the longer-term and perform its role more effectively. You will not be expected merely to `learn' the frameworks, but to critically analyse and comment on them, sometimes in collaboration with fellow students.

Business, human rights, law and corporate social responsibility (W822)

Credits:

30 at Postgraduate

Assessment: 3 TMAs, 1 EMA

This interdisciplinary course considers how business increasingly conducts its operations with responsibility to its stakeholders and the wider society. It takes a socio-legal approach when examining how this expectation is being framed in terms of corporate social responsibility and human rights and the challenges of a globalised world. The course is diverse and wideranging, considering the development and application of these concepts in very different business contexts such as the development of international labour standards, criminal liability (corruption and corporate manslaughter), branding and marketing, charitable foundations and a range of specialist industries through the use of case studies.

Business operations: delivering value (T883)

Credits:

30 at Postgraduate

Assessment: 3 TMAs, 1 Examination

The core of any enterprise is the set of processes that must take place to deliver goods and services that provide value to customers and other stakeholders. To effectively design and manage business operations requires an appreciation of their strategic importance, an understanding of the human and technical factors that impact on their effectiveness, and mastery of appropriate analytical techniques. In this course, concepts and principles are taught using case studies spanning all sectors of the economy: public or private, large or small, manufacturing or service-based, and you'll have opportunities to apply your learning to your own context.

Entrepreneurship: experience and perspective (BB846) *

Credits:

15 at Postgraduate

Assessment: 1 TMAs, 1 EMA

Social and commercial enterprises play an important role in today's society, often in partnership with larger corporations and public sector organisations. This course provides rich, experience-based insights into the distinctive challenges of creating and developing entrepreneurial ventures. It helps you to gain relevant skills and underpinning knowledge. You will also

For more information and to register go to openuniversity.edu, or call +44 845 241 6555

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develop a deeper, and more critical, understanding of entrepreneurial practices by connecting your experiences to relevant concepts and research evidence.

Leadership and management in intercultural contexts (BB848) *

Credits:

15 at Postgraduate

Assessment: 1 TMAs, 1 EMA

Given the increasingly intercultural and globally connected nature of business, management and organisations, this course provides opportunities for you to question and reflect on your own practice and to develop ways of managing and leading which are appropriate in different national and regional settings. By offering new (cross-national) perspectives on leadership and management you are also challenged to rethink your own practices in your current setting.

Management beyond the mainstream (BB847)*

issues that emerge from marketing planning, such as marketing research, marketing segmentation, targeting and positioning. You will draw upon current theories and examples that illustrate how organisations of all sizes deal with environmental challenges and through this gain a strong appreciation of how marketing will not only benefit your organisation, but also how you can use marketing to improve your own job performance.

Strategic human resource management (BB845) *

Credits:

15 at Postgraduate

Assessment: 1 TMAs, 1 EMA

This course is designed to meet the needs of managers who wish to understand and be able to influence decisions regarding the management of human resources within organisations. BB845 considers the different aspects of human resource management at a strategic level in the organisation and how this differs from the more operationally-focused personnel management.

Credits:

15 at Postgraduate

Assessment: 1 TMAs, 1 EMA

Many managers work in situations, or face tasks, for which the established toolkit of mainstream, AngloAmerican management and leadership ? with its `command and control' assumptions, instrumentalism and strong financial focus - is inadequate. This course poses the question 'What do you do when management is inappropriate, not enough, doesn't work - or is simply not an option?'. You will explore a number of undercurrents in management thinking, and various alternatives to it ? some longstanding, some recently developed.

Managing financial risk (BB841) *

Credits:

15 at Postgraduate

Assessment: 1 TMAs, 1 EMA

Managing financial risk explores the various financial risks that confront all institutions ? credit risk, liquidity and refinancing risk, interest-rate risk, foreign exchange risk and operational risk. The course then examines how these risks can be both measured and managed. It uses many recent actual examples of risk management practices adopted in the public and private sectors ? some good, some bad and some very ugly.

Marketing in the 21st century (BB844) *

Credits:

15 at Postgraduate

Assessment: 1 TMAs, 1 EMA

The economic turmoil of the last few years has required organisations to undertake more creative marketing as well as be more responsive to the needs of the market. This online course explores a variety of marketing

Sustainable creative management (BB842) *

Credits:

15 at Postgraduate

Assessment: 1 TMAs, 1 EMA

This course deals with creative, innovative and sustainable ways of developing and managing people and organisations. You will look at the way cognition, values and style affect how we manage and relate to others. You will explore how to work more creatively and effectively with colleagues as well as understanding innovative and sustainable ways to develop organisations. You will also consider the culture, environment and context in which management operates.

Making a difference: the management initiative (B839) *

Credits:

30 at Postgraduate

Assessment: 2 TMAs, 1 EMA

This course consolidates your ability to make a genuine contribution to organisational effectiveness as a manager or leader. It is the final element of your MBA programme as it builds on the learning and assessment of earlier courses. You will embark on a self-directed yet rigorously constructed initiative, focusing on a real-time management initiative of your own choosing. We will support you with resources and guidance, including models and concepts for managing change and organisational learning.

For more information and to register go to openuniversity.edu, or call +44 845 241 6555

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QUALIFICATION LEAFLET

FAQs

Can I study in any country?

This MBA is approved for study in most countries. Please use the Course Finder menu at openuniversity.edu to see if it is available in your country.

Is an OU qualification recognised in my country?

An OU degree is equal in academic standard to a degree from any other British university. The University is subject to the same quality assurance procedures, through the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), as all other British universities, and uses external assessors and examiners to ensure comparability of standard and level in its courses.

A leaflet is available on how you can apply for formal recognition in your country. To download the leaflet, please go to openuniversity.edu/brochures/recognition. pdf.

What support will I receive?

The OU excels in its unrivalled support for students. You'll have email and online support from a tutor and you will be able to discuss your study in online tutor group discussions, using our customised learning environment. Our community websites Platform and OpenLearn offer a different perspective on your subject, and a huge range of OU resources on YouTube and iTunes U can expand your understanding. In addition, you can tap into a range of enthusiastic and welcoming OU social network groups on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

The Business School has representatives based throughout Europe who are available to provide advice and guidance on study plans and courses. For further details please go to openuniversity.edu.

Are there any entry requirements?

To be eligible to apply for the OU MBA, you need to have: a Bachelors degree awarded with honours from a recognised university; a minimum of three years' experience in a managerial, professional or technical role; a good knowledge of the English Language (to International English Language Test System (IELTS) score of 6.5). If you do not hold the required qualifications you can benefit from the Open Entry route. For details please go to openuniversity.edu.

Can I count previous study towards an OU qualification?

Any higher-education level studies you've successfully completed elsewhere may count towards your OU degree or other qualification. We enable you to do this by awarding you a certain amount of `transferred credit'. By transferring credit gained from previous study, you can reduce the amount you need from OU study to achieve your qualification. For more information please go to openuniversity.edu.

How do you work towards a qualification?

We measure the size of our qualifications in credits - you need 60 credits for the certificate, 120 credits for the diploma and 180 credits for the masters degree.

How much will it cost?

The total cost of The OU MBA depends on the modules studied. As a guide, the total fee for the 2012/13 academic year was approximiately ?19,315. For 2013/14 module fees please go to openuniversity.edu and view the details on the Courses pages.

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How long does it take?

Our qualifications are designed to be flexible. So if you want to vary the amount of time you spend studying, you can. The normal pattern of study is based on 12-15 hours/week of study. The table below is a guide on the time required, but call us today to discuss how you can vary the study intensity and therefore the time taken to complete your course.

Stage

Certificate Diploma Masters degree

Credits required 60 120 180

Time required to complete1

1 year part-time study 2 years part-time study 3 years part-time study

1For illustrative purposes only ? in most cases you can vary the number of credits taken per year and therefore the time taken to complete the course.

When can I start?

To give you more opportunities to start, we have two intakes a year ? November and May. To start in November 2013, for example, you need to register no later than 18th October 2013.

Can I meet and network with other students?

Definitely ? when you start with the OU you automatically become a member of the Open University Student Association (OUSA). OUSA also runs a popular student forum site. For more information, go to .uk.

Once you have gained your qualification, you can join the OU Alumni Association, our vibrant and active alumni community with 280,000 members worldwide. You will enjoy many membership benefits, including regular newsletters, good networking opportunities and access to the alumni website.

How is my privacy protected?

We record your personal information when you contact us and use this to manage registration, study, examination and other services. When you register, we'll tell you more about how we process and use your personal information.

When should I apply?

Apply as early as you can ? particularly if you wish to claim for credit for previous study. Registration open dates are shown in the Courses section on each qualification page at openuniversity.edu.

For more information and to register go to openuniversity.edu, or call +44 845 241 6555

For more information and to register go to openuniversity.edu, or call +44 845 241 6555

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QUALIFICATION LEAFLET

What do I need to do next?

It takes just 2 simple steps.

Begin the process to secure your place. Here's how easy it is.

1. Register now

Go to openuniversity.edu, select the Courses section and the degree you require. You will then be asked to select your first module to register. Alternatively call us on +44 845 241 6555. Don't worry, you don't need to pay anything at this stage. As soon as you have registered you'll get an email confirmation which contains your login details.

2. Choose your first module, make payment to enrol

Before you start studying you will need to choose and register on your first modules and arrange payment; instructions for this will be emailed to you. Once complete you will officially be an Open University student ? welcome!

For more information and to register go to openuniversity.edu, or call +44 845 241 6555

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