MN50692: Practicum
[Page last updated: 15 October 2020]
 Academic Year: | 2020/1 |
| Owning Department/School: | School of Management |
| Credits: | 30 [equivalent to 60 CATS credits] |
| Notional Study Hours: | 600 |
| Level: | Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7) |
| Period: |
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| Assessment Summary: | CW 100% |
| Assessment Detail: |
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| Supplementary Assessment: |
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| Requisites: | In taking this module you cannot take MN50178 OR take MN50457 OR take MN50512 OR take MN50425 OR take MN50327 |
| Description: | Aims: The unit is intended to allow students to conduct research based projects applying the skills, concepts, and techniques acquired in the taught programme to practice based business scenarios, including: (1) a case study involving an actual management problem and (2) a self-managed project. As such, the unit allows students to relate business issues to the available academic literature, to define a research question using a real business problem as a base, research and review the literature on the topic with the purpose of understanding and critiquing the current state of the research, and to develop a structured commentary leading to well-supported opinions and prescriptions. First, the students will be presented with a current business problem for which they will conduct appropriate research, analyse data and present a viable solution. Second, the students will be required to run a project with set targets of time and budget. Thus, the unit not only encourages students to conduct research to think about and address actual business problems through a cross-functional lens, the unit also encourages reflection on common managerial issues such as project management and group dynamics. The unit's objectives are designed for students to develop further their abilities to: * Analyse data * Review literature * Make informed methodological choices * Present findings of their investigation and analyses. * Present opinions and presecriptions. Learning Outcomes: At the end of the unit, students will be able to: * Plan and conduct a research project on practice based business issues * Understand and critically assess the particular challenges confronting actual businesses * Evaluate the need for and sources of relevant data * Support their arguments with relevant empirical evidence * Interpret the significance of findings from relevant sources of quantitative and/ or qualitative evidence to inform decision making. * Develop viable alternatives and how they would contribute to management solutions * Take initiative to act on perceived opportunities while considering various risk factors * Create a plan for an activity. * Carry out a plan, acting on any deviations from the intended outcomes. * Reflect on the outcomes of an activity and the processes that led to those outcomes * Present reflections in written and oral form. * Identify literature relevant to a chosen business issue, thereby appreciating the relationship between business practice and theory. * Systematically research and review relevant literature * Develop an argument with references to appropriate theory and/or linking together arguments from disparate literatures or disciplinary perspectives. Skills: * Ability to select, analyse and present numerical or non-numerical data (F; A). * Ability to synthesise multidisciplinary perspectives on the same problem (F; A). * Reflective practice (F; A) * Action research (F; A) * Project Management (F; A) * Management of teams/groups (F; A) * Decision making skills (F; A) * Presentation skills (F; A) * Writing skills (F; A) * Ability to formulate a research question (F; A). * Ability to produce work to agreed specifications and deadlines (F; A). * Ability to work independently, without close supervision or guidance (F; A). Content: All components are required, with Component 1 consisting of two alternatives for MSc in Accounting and Finance and MSc in Finance suite (MAF) students. Component 1: Option a: Case week (available to all students, in groups) Briefing on case: * The company presents business problem describing an actual management challenge. * Academic expectations of students are outlined; * Company expectations are outlined; * Groups are formalized and conduct of the project is established. Presentations: * students present their solutions/findings to the company. * students receive presentation and project management skills workshops in the interim. * aaided by supervisor. Option b: desk-based project (available to MAF students, in groups) * students consider data related to an Accounting and Finance problem * students, in groups, analyse the data and present findings. Component 2: Action project (groups) Students carry out fund-and/or awareness-raising activities for a charity. * charity presents their cause and the challenge in raising funds and/or awareness. * students apply learned knowledge and skills to task through design of activities. * students run events * students present findings to charities - what worked and why Component 3: Report (individual) * students will receive workshops on writing and content of report. * students will already have received extensive writing experience throughout the taught portion of the programme. |
| Programme availability: |
MN50692 is Optional on the following programmes:School of Management
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Notes:
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