Advanced Professional Diploma in Management Studies (APDMS)

Introduction

The Advanced Professional Diploma in Management Studies (APDMS) is an Edexcel BTEC Advanced Level 7 Qualification in Management Studies which can provide a management qualification in their own right or, following successful completion of the APDMS, a route to study management at Masters Level.

The purpose of the programme is to provide an intellectually stimulating and practically relevant educational experience. It is focused upon an applied skills-based approach, and some experience is assumed.

This programme is taught by management specialists within the Business School who have contributed extensively to post-experience courses.

Course Description

The programme is offered to help you increase your knowledge, understanding and management skills in ways that relate directly to your own environment and circumstances. You will develop your understanding of people in organizations and your own interpersonal skills.

The complete APDMS has two semesters. APDMS is a 270 hours qualification comprising nine (9) units of 30 hours each. To achieve the whole qualification, a learner must successfully complete three core unit and six specialist units. After finishing those units, students can join the Buckinghamshire New University for the final semester at university campus.

(On successful completion of APDMS students can then progress to the Buckinghamshire New University for MBA)

Outcome

Learners studying for the BTEC Advanced Professional Diploma Award in Management Studies will be expected to develop the following skills during the programme of study:

• Systematic understanding of knowledge and a critical awareness of current problems and new insights, much of which is at the forefront of the professional area of management

• Comprehensive understanding of management techniques and ability to apply originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the area of management

• Critical evaluation of current research and advanced scholarship in the area of management

• The ability to develop and apply novel approaches in handling complex and unpredictable situations

• The ability to operate effectively in highly critical situations by dealing effectively with problems and employing a high level of skill, judgment and insight

• The ability to respond to change and initiate change

• The ability to deal with complex issues creatively yet systematically, make sound judgments and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences

• The demonstration of self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems

• The ability to act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks.
  

Course Structure

THREE CORE UNITS and SIX SPECIALIST UNITS spread across two semesters

Core units

• Advanced Professional Development: This unit is designed to enable learners to take responsibility for their learning and development needs to meet personal, professional and organisational goals and objectives. This will be achieved through analysing current skills and preparing and implementing personal development plans. This unit highlights the importance of seeking feedback from others to improve performance continuously reviewing learning needs as these skills will equip the learner for future demanding responsibilities and career progression.

• Managing Change in Organisations: This unit will look at the reasons for change and alternative models for its management. It will not look at change at local operational level. Rather it will focus on the need to implement processes and systems for ongoing, continuous structural and cultural change in organisations, through such methods as organisational development, business process re-engineering and the learning organisation model. In effect, it will ask learners to look to developing organizational models that challenge the bureaucracy of the past age.

• Management Research - Project and Presentation: The purpose of this unit is to provide learners with an opportunity to integrate all the learning from the whole programme. This unit recognises the importance of effective project management in today’s economy. The fact that there are two units on the subject recognises the scale of work that is required to develop and implement a sound project.

  Specialist units

• Strategic Planning and Implementation: This unit recognises the importance of effective forecasting and planning in the current global economy. Organisations need to be proactive, with their direction determined by logical analysis. It is not always possible to calculate accurately future events but without any sense of progression it is easy to lose competitiveness, market position and customer loyalty.

• Strategic Marketing Management : Develops the student's understanding of the tasks required to analyse, plan and control the organisation's marketing.

• Managing Financial Principles and Techniques : Introduces students to the financial environment in which business activity takes place, the tools for financial planning and the strategic dimensions of financial decision making.

• Human Resources Planning and Development : Develops the student's understanding of Human Resource Management against an analytical framework. It covers employee resourcing, development and employee relations.

• Supply Chain Management : Develops an understanding of the structure of operating systems and the responsibilities of operations managers in the productions of goods and services.

• Management Research Methods: This unit is designed to introduce learners to the techniques and methods required when carrying out formal research. The unit addresses a variety of research methodologies and offers the opportunity to carry out interventionist or action research. Learners will be required to produce a project proposal based on independent research into an area of professional business practice that interests them and will add to their professional development. Where appropriate learners can link the outcomes of this unit with those from units that deal with project implementation.
  
  Note: specialist units are subject to change without prior notice