ObjectivesThis programme is designed to develop the knowledge, skills and competencies essential for managerial effectiveness. Considerable emphasis is placed on extending interpersonal skills, improving personal performance and developing the analytical abilities required in a senior decision-making role. You will have the opportunity to explore specialist management issues within the fields of human resource management, change management, strategic management, marketing, accounting and finance, and the management of public services. This course can be used as the first step towards an MBA or other master's programmes in management.
Entry requirementsEntry requirements A good honours degree, or equivalent, from a recognised university. A good command of the English language, both written and oral (IELTS score of 6.5 or equivalent forapplicants whose first langauge is not English). Students without first degrees, who have successfully completed the Birkbeck Certificate in Management with at least four modules at Merit grade (60–69 per cent), may also be considered. Managers with extensive experience in a wide range of public and private sector organisations, or owners of small to medium-sized businesses, may be able to benefit substantially from the course and their applications will be considered.
Academic titleManagement (Postgraduate Diploma)
Course descriptionTo gain the Postgraduate Diploma, you must complete six modules: four compulsory modules and two option modules (chosen from modules 3–8).
Compulsory modules:
-Module 1: Personal Development and Learning
-Module 2: Organisational Development and Learning
-Module 9: Management in Practice
-Module 10: The Leadership Challenge.
Option modules:
-Module 3: Human Resource Strategies
-Module 4: Managing Organisational Change
-Module 5: Strategic Management
-Module 6: Marketing in Action
-Module 7: Financial and Management Accounting
-Module 8: Managing Change in Public Services.
Teaching
The programme combines management knowledge, experiential forms of work-based learning, and critical self-awareness of the scope and limitations of management practice. Throughout the programme, the emphasis is on identifying core principles from relevant management research, theories and practices and applying these to cases drawn from students' personal experience in the workplace. To this end, many classes take the form of experiential learning workshops which acknowledge participants' current knowledge and past experience, and actively engage them in the process of learning, applying core management principles, while also understanding their limitations.
Students are also expected to undertake personal study to develop a critical awareness of a range of core management concepts and principles and to take part in a number of learning forums outside the classroom, such as peer review groups and learning sets.
Assessment
Assessment approach varies for each module, but includes a personal development plan, essay assignments, an examination and work-based projects.