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PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION: MODULAR MBA
1 Awarding Institution: University of Exeter
2 School(s)/Teaching Institution: School of Business and Economics
3 Programme to be Association of MBAs
accredited/validated by:
4 Final Award(s): MBA
5 Programme Title: Modular MBA
6 UCAS Code (if relevant): Not relevant
7 FHEQ Level of Final Award(s): M
8 QAA Subject Benchmarking Group: General Business and Management, PG
9 Date of Production/Revision: Revision: March 2007
February 2007
10 Programme Structures and Requirements, Levels, Modules, Credits and Awards
The Exeter Modular MBA is offered as a general management programme with a flexible structure.
Students can complete the programme in a minimum of two and a half years and up to a maximum
of five years. The programme is delivered in Exeter except for the possibility that BEMM710 Round
Tables on Managing may be delivered outside the UK.
The programme is divided into self-contained units called ‘modules’. Each module has the same
credit value of 12.
In order to graduate 15 modules, each four days in length, have to be completed. (One module is
exceptional in its delivery – Personal Effectiveness. This module will be delivered on occasions
throughout the programme with support from staff members.)
The programme will be sited at the Streatham Campus in Exeter.
Modules are divided into three stages.
Stage 1: all students will take all of the following 12-credit modules (core modules BEMM700-707):
BEMM700 Human Resource Management
BEMM701 The Marketing Imagination
BEMM702 Managing Strategic Resources and Operations
BEMM703 Understanding the Global Economy
BEMM704 Accounting for Management Control
BEMM705 Finance for Managers
BEMM706 Behaviour in Organizations
BEMM707 Strategy for Managers
Stage 2: all students will take all of the following 12-credit modules:
BEMM 708 The Global Environment
st
BEMM 709 Management Knowledge in the 21 Century
BEMM 711 Personal Effectiveness *
Stage 3: students will choose four 12 credit modules from the following list:
BEMM 710 Roundtables for Practising Managers
BEMM 712 Mergers and Acquisitions
BEMM 713 The Customer focused organization
BEMM 714 Management Consultancy
BEMM 715 Entrepreneurship: Genesis, Growth and the Managerial Challenge of New Enterprise
BEMM 716 Public Service Organization
BEMM 717 Governance and Ethics
*BEMM 711 Personal Effectiveness will run through the whole programme alongside other
modules. Specialist coaches will deliver the programme. The module will be assessed.
Students on this programme who do not obtain 180 credits may be entitled to the award of
Certificate or Diploma Business Administration
11 Educational Aims of the Programme
The aim of the Exeter Modular MBA programme is to provide a distinctive, inter-disciplinary and
integrative educational programme for individuals seeking to consolidate their managerial
achievements to date and prepare for a career in senior management, ultimately at the highest
strategic levels. The programme is designed to expose programme participants to the latest thinking
and practice across a wide range of management disciplines. Teaching materials are derived from
leading-edge academic research in order to develop critical powers of analysis and reflection, and
practical and inter-personal skills in preparation for key positions in industry, commerce and the
public sector.
The modular MBA will equip students with an understanding of organizations, their management,
and the changing global environment in which they operate. Students will build on their existing
understanding of management and organization within a framework that enables them to relate their
business experience to contemporary management ideas and practice. This is achieved through
critical thinking, teamwork, creativity and personal development in a highly interactive and
stimulating environment that encourages rigorous, relevant and innovative learning and research.
It should be emphasised that the programme is an innovative three stage process in professional
development with a strong international unique component, Roundtables for Practising Managers,
and Personal Effectiveness Coaching, which aim to support learning and the development of new
skills. It should also be high-lighted again that all modules are cross functional and therefore
replacing the dissertation element which is a feature of conventional MBA programmes.
12 & Programme Outcomes and Teaching, Learning & Assessment Methods
13
On successfully completing the programme, a graduate should be able to demonstrate:
A Subject knowledge and Skills A. Teaching/learning methods and strategies
A.1. Engagement with extant theoretical Each of the 15 modules provides students with an
and practical management understanding of key theoretical and practical
literatures and ideas that underpin management issues, debates and literatures within
management thought and practice. each subject being taught. With one exception,
A.2. A critical understanding of debates each module is delivered over a 4 day period, with
within key areas of research in several weeks between modules when students will
management and business consolidate their learning in class and prepare
studies. assignments to be assessed. The exception
A.3. An ability to understand how global Personal Effectiveness, is delivered throughout the
economic and technological programme by personal development experts.
influences shape the modern
business world. Teaching/learning methods are specific to each
A.4. An understanding of the module as specified in the module descriptors, and
importance of key personal skills in will include, variously, lectures and discussions,
management and their application exercises/case studies, group discussions,
in areas such as leadership, presentations from management practitioners, video
communication, presentation, and materials, student presentations, field visits, and
decision making. Roundtables for Practising Managers..
It should be noted that the Roundtables for
Practising Managers and Personal Effectiveness
Coaching are unique modules and are added value
to the programme.
A.1 and A.2 are addressed in all modules.
A.3 is addressed in each module but more
specifically in BEMM 703 Understanding the Global
Economy, BEMM 708 the Global Environment and
st
BEMM 709 Management Knowledge in the 21
Century. Examples and international comparisons
are also addressed in other modules, e.g. BEMM
700, BEMM 706 and BEMM 710.
A.4 is specifically addressed in BEMM 711
(Personal Effectiveness) where students will be
coached in personal skills
A. Assessment
• A1 is assessed in all modules with the
exception of Personal Effectiveness .
• A2 is assessed in all modules with the
exception of Personal Effectiveness .
• A3 is partially be assessed in several modules
where international exemplars are used. A3 will
specifically be assessed in BEMM703
(‘Understanding the Global Economy’) and
BEMM708 (‘The Global Environment’).
• A4 is assessed in B711 (‘Personal
Effectiveness ’)
Assessments vary by subject but most are
assessed by an individual piece of coursework or an
examination or both. There is one exception:
BEMM711 (Personal Effectiveness), which will be
assessed by how successful the students have
been in identifying personal issues to be resolved
and how well they understand and act on those
issues.
Summative assessment methods are published for
each module in the module handbook.
All summative written and non-written work attracts
verbal or written, structured feedback from tutors
that is intended to enable the students to plan future
improvements. This is undertaken at the end of
each semester.
Students receive formative feedback from tutors on
their assessed work. Students may also discuss
their progress further with academic or personal
tutors during scheduled office hours.
B Core Academic Skills B. Teaching/learning methods and strategies
B.1. The ability to use theories and B.1 is fostered through the teaching of the range of
concepts from the management managerial disciplines.
literature and related disciplines to
address managerial issues and B.2 is achieved through the use of case studies
problems. and other forms of interactive materials.
B.2. The ability to analyze and diagnose
managerial problems and issues. B.3 is also achieved through use of case materials.
B.3. The ability to offer considered It is additionally expected that students will draw
opinion on the solutions to specific from their own experiences from their own
managerial problems. organizations for discussion in class.
B.4. The ability to engage intelligently in
arguments over what constitutes B.4 may be considered to be achieved when
‘best management practice’. students can put together a coherent and
convincing argument as to what constitutes best
practice in Marketing, HRM, Accounting, etc., and in
management generally.
B. Assessment
• B1 is assessed in coursework and/or
examinations in all modules.
• B2 is assessed through coursework and/or
examinations in all modules
• B.3 is assessed through coursework and/or
examinations in all modules
• B.4 is assessed through coursework and/or
examinations in all modules
C Personal and Key Skills C. Teaching/learning methods and strategies
C.1. The ability to communicate C.1 is achieved through sharing ideas and opinions
management ideas, principles, with colleagues and academic staff, and by making
theories and research findings presentations (in particular of case studies and
effectively to academic and experiences in the student’s employing
practitioner audiences. organization).
C.2. The ability to analyse, present
and communicate information C.2 is achieved in class through case
effectively. presentations. It is also an important part of the
C.3. The ability to locate, digest and Personal Effectiveness module.
critically analyse management
concepts and management issues. C.3 is achieved through appropriate use of the
C.4. The ability to manage time library and the internet, and through discussion of
effectively throughout the duration materials with classmates and tutors
of the programme.
C.5. The capacity to work C.4 is achieved the student’s own time
effectively and efficiently as a management.
member or leader of a group
towards the achievement of C.5 is achieved through extensive in-class
specific objectives. participation in exercises and case studies, and in
C.6. A reflexive approach to leading presentations.
learning and the self-evaluation of
personal strengths and C.6 is achieved through identification of personal
weaknesses. strengths and weaknesses and ‘learning styles’.
Students should be able to ‘learn from each other’ in
order to become more self-critical in a non-
threatening environment.
D Relevant subject benchmark
statement.
The programme conforms to the QAA
Benchmark Statement for general
business and management at Master’s
level.
The success of the Exeter Modular MBA relies on close and effectiveness interaction between
staff and students, and also between student and student. MBA modules are taught in a
variety of ways with an emphasis on the development of personal and learning skills as well
as subject knowledge. Tutorials and discussion sessions allow students to develop knowledge
and skills through small group learning with the Exeter MBA team of lecturers. Academic
support will be provided during the delivery of the modules to help students deal with any
study difficulties. If required, the student will be referred to the Student Skills Learning Service.
14 Support for Students and Students’ Learning
At Exeter, the University Library maintains its principal collections in the main library buildings on the
Streatham and St Luke’s campuses, together with a number of specialist collections in certain
Schools. The total Library collection comprises over a million volumes and 3000 current periodical
subscriptions. Information Technology (IT) Services provide a wide range of services throughout
the Exeter campuses including open access computer rooms, some of which are available 24
hours, 7 days a week. Additionally, some Schools have their own dedicated facilities. Helpdesks
are maintained on the Streatham and St Luke’s campuses, while most study bedrooms in halls and
flats are linked to the University’s campus network.
On the Cornwall campus, the Learning Resource Centre contains a library of 70,000 volumes and
some specialist collections. IT Services provide a range of central services, including open and
training clusters of PCs (available on a 24/7 basis) within the Centre, while some Schools have
additional dedicated facilities. Network access is available from all rooms in the hall of residence on
site.
It is University policy that all schools should have in place a system of academic and personal tutors
for their students. A University-wide statement on such provision is included in the University’s TQA
Manual.
Additionally, the following units at Exeter between them provide a wide range of student support
services:
- Student Counselling Service - Student Health Centre
- Study Skills Service - Family Centre (Streatham campus)
- Student Advice Centre (Guild of Students) - Chaplaincy
- International Office - English and Foreign Language Centres
- International Student Exchange and Support Office
- Disability Resource Centre
On the Cornwall campus, student services are provided by the Combined Services for the University
and for Falmouth College of Arts (with which the University shares the campus).
The University Careers Advisory service provides expert advice to all students to enable them to
plan their futures, through guidance interviews, psychometric testing, employer presentations, skills
events, practice job interviews and CV preparation. The School also provides this service through
an Employability Officer.
All Schools are required to possess Student/Staff Liaison Committees, which allow students to
contribute directly to the enhancement of educational and other provision at discipline level.
The School also supports the MBA Programme by subscribing to TopMBA which provides
information weekly, on global positions available. Head-hunter agencies are invited to present to the
cohort on CV and interview techniques.
Personal tutors provide academic monitoring and advice. The MBA Manager provides advice and
pastoral care for non-academic problems such as accommodation, financial difficulties and
sickness, and issues that impede a student’s performance or learning experience. Each student is
allocated a personal tutor drawn from the MBA teaching team.
In addition, support for postgraduate MBA students in the School of Business and
Economics includes:
• A dedicated programme director
• A dedicated programme manager
• Personal tutor
• A programme-dedicated student handbook (c.50 pages) includes inter alia registration and
induction, general information on School and University facilities and services (e.g. library, IT,
fax, photocopying), health and safety, communicating with School staff, illness and absence,
special needs, details of the degree programme and its modules (module templates,
examinations, assessment methods etc.), School Code of Good Practice in Teaching and
Learning, University postgraduate assessment procedures (examination conventions),
complaints and appeals procedures, and guidance on examination preparation, groupwork,
essay writing, referencing, cheating and plagiarism.
• Two computing officers
• Two postgraduate and MBA exclusive computing suites with standard and specialised software
(e.g. RATS, PCGive, SPSS, Maple) and access to specialised databases (e.g. Datastream,
Thomson Analytics, Bloomberg, Business Insights, Datamonitor, London Share Price Database,
Center for Research Security Prices)
• Postgraduate study room
• School-dedicated English Language Centre classes
• Disability officer and referral service to the Disability Resource Centre
• Departmental staff-postgraduate seminar programme (visiting speakers)
• Postgraduate student representation on the School’s Postgraduate Student-Staff Liaison
Committee (one representative from each taught postgraduate programme)
• Postgraduate student representation on School Teaching Committee (one representative from
each taught postgraduate programme)
• Advice on preparation of CV
• Information on job vacancies, global and UK via TopMBA, Employment Agencies
15 Admission Criteria
The following admissions criteria apply:
A good first degree (second class honours or GPA 3.0 and above) or an equivalent level
professional qualification and a minimum of three years relevant work experience at supervisory or
management level
Alternative entry through extensive work experience (6 years or more in a middle to senior
management position) and/or professional qualifications
Overseas students:
Overseas students must show proficiency in the English language and have an appropriate
qualification:
Certificate of Proficiency in English of the Cambridge Local Examinations Grade B or above
IELTS 7.00
TOEFL 250
iTOEFL 105
Widening participation
The programme is committed to widening participation and welcomes applications from students
with non-standard qualifications who have relevant job experience.
16 Regulation of Assessment and Academic Standards
Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed School assessment marking
strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures. The security of assessment and
academic standards is further supported through the external examiners appointed for each
programme. Their responsibilities are described in the University’s code for external examiners and
include access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. Attendance at the Board of
Examiners and the provision of an annual report are both requited. Clear procedures are also in
place for the monitoring of these annual reports at both School and University level. See the
University’s TQA Manual for details of these processes
(http://www.ex.ac.uk/admin/academic/tls/tqa/)
17 Indicators of Quality and Standards
The University and its constituent Schools drawn on a range of date in their regular review of the
quality of provision. The annual produced Performance Indicator Dataset details admission,
progression, completion and first career destination data, including comparisons over a five-year
time span.
18 Methods for Evaluating and Improving Quality and Standards
The University has procedures in place for the regular review of its educational provision, including
the annual review of both modules and programmes which draw on feedback from such sources as
external examiners' reports, student evaluation, student achievement and progression data. In
addition, subject areas are reviewed every three years through a subject and programme quality
review scheme that includes external input. These procedures are recorded in codes of practice
contained in the TQA Manual. Certain programmes are also subject to review and/or accreditation
by professional and statutory bodies, while nearly all subject areas are reviewed from time to time by
the national Quality Assurance Agency for HE; see the QAA web site for review reports on subjects
at Exeter.
Revised 10.7.07/mc
