ObjectivesThe course has been designed following discussion with practitioners and taking into account research undertaken on the needs of the sector. It will provide management development within the context of the social enterprise sector. The MA Social Enterprise Management is housed within the Liverpool Business School of Liverpool John Moores University. Liverpool Business School is part of the Faculty of Business and Law.
Entry requirementsThis course is designed for people working as managers within the third sector. The term 'social enterprise' is defined loosely for this purpose and includes all third sector organisations with social aims whether they are funded through donations, grants or commercial activity. What is important is that participants are in positions where they can apply their learning to the benefit of their organisation.
Academic titleMA Social Enterprise Management
Course descriptionThe MA Social Enterprise Management is designed to provide managers
within the sector with the skills to actively manage their organisation. It
will develop skills in key areas of business and management, such as
marketing, finance, human resource management and social accounting
and auditing. A key aim is to improve the sustainability of social
enterprises. To support this, the final project undertaken will be the
production of a dissertation that, whilst meeting programme assessment
requirements, will also facilitate development of the participant and be of
benefit to the employing organisation. The course will therefore develop
the individual, improve the management of the sponsoring organisation
and help develop the social enterprise sector.
Course structure
The MA Social Enterprise Management comprises a taught stage and a
dissertation. The taught stage comprises eight modules which have been
designed to provide core management learning and the necessary
support to complete the final part of the course. Participants must
complete the eight taught modules before starting on their final project.
The modules are:
-Social, Political and Legal Context of the Social Economy
-Managing the Human Resource in the Social Enterprise
-Marketing for Social Enterprises
-Managing Finance for Social Enterprises
-Strategic Management in the Social Economy
-Ethics for Social Enterprises
-Social Accounting and Auditing
-Research Methods
The first modules studied will focus on key business functions. An
understanding of finance, people and markets is vital to all managers and
development of skills in these areas underpins subsequent study and
leads directly into the strategic module. This study is complemented by
modules which look at the special role of the social enterprise and the
legal, economic and social context in which it operates. The ethics
module addresses ethical reasoning in the context of the values of the
sector and with respect to sustainable development. Finally, the research
methods module provides support required to undertake the academic
aspects of the final project.
The final project is the production of a dissertation. The key aim of this is
for participants to demonstrate that their organisation has the potential
for long term viability and how this might be achieved.
The taught stage will last approximately two years. The final project will
normally take five months.
Tutors
A team comprising full time members of staff at Liverpool John Moores
University and practitioners will deliver modules. This will ensure that
modules are grounded in the sector but that examples from other areas
of both the public and private sectors are brought in where relevant. The
Social Accounting and Auditing module will be delivered by practicing
social auditors based on a programme developed locally.
Assessment
The MA Social Enterprise Management is a Masters level course not
simply a training programme. There is therefore a requirement that
participants undertake assessment as they work through the course. The
aim is to provide opportunities for learning to be applied within the
workplace. The main type of assessment used therefore will be work
based coursework activities. These will be individually agreed between
the participants and tutor. Through this approach the sponsoring
organisation will immediately benefit from the learning undertaken.
The final project will be undertaken with the support of a full time
member of staff from the Liverpool Business School. The project will be
assessed both as a practical and an academic piece of work.
Admission criteria
To join the programme, applicants must be employed within the third
sector. They must normally be graduates though the Course Team
positively welcomes applications from non-graduates with appropriate
work experience.
Duration
3 years
Attendance
This part time programme is delivered one afternoon and one evening per
week. The final year is entirely work based.