Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This is a compulsory module designed to allow the students to demonstrate their understanding of a wide range of materials covered on the programme through the production of a comprehensive Individual Project report.

The Individual Project can take the form of either an Individual Research Project on an approved topic of interest to the student, a Corporate Consultancy Project based on a corporate project sourced by NUBS, or an Entrepreneurial Business Plan for an idea identified by the student.

In the case of Individual Research Projects the identification of the topic and the development of the research question is by the student, subject to approval by the academic tutor.

For Corporate Consultancy Projects the topic is usually established by the external organisation but the precise scope and research questions will be developed by the student, in consultation with the external organisation and subject to approval by the academic tutor. A limited number of corporate projects may be available for MBA students and acceptance of any student to undertake a Corporate Consultancy Project will be at the discretion of the MBA Director.

For an Entrepreneurial Business Plan, the idea will have been identified by the student (typically during earlier modules on entrepreneurship) but its suitability for development as a Business Plan of sufficient complexity to justify it as the focus of the Individual Project will be subject to approval by the academic tutor or module leader.

The module aims to:

• Provide the opportunity for students to undertake independent research in which they apply appropriate tools of analysis.

• Enable students to sharpen critical and analytical skills in gathering and interpreting information and identifying significant issues/themes themselves.

• Enable students to further enhance and develop subject-specific knowledge through conducting desk research and/or empirical work.

• Enable students to relate academic issues and concepts to real-world problems.

• Further enhance interpersonal and transferable skills through oral/written communication, negotiation, problem solving, time management, and self-motivation and creativity.

Outline Of Syllabus

The Individual Project requires students to apply the knowledge and skills acquired across the MBA programme to the production of an individual research project report.

Guidance on the requirements and expectations is provided in the pre-requisite module NBS8489 Business Analysis for Decision Making.
     
Students will be allocated an academic tutor and receive academic supervision to support independent study and to complete their Individual Project report.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

On completion of this module the students will be able to:

• Demonstrate systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at or informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study or area of professional practice.

• Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to research and decision-making for business practice.

• Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the significance of current research and advanced scholarship and its application within business practice

Intended Skill Outcomes

On completion of this module the students will be able to:

• Practically apply established techniques of research and enquiry to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline and make appropriate recommendations for business practice;


• Deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences;

• Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level;

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The Individual Project is an independent piece of work supported through the academic tutorial system. The academic supervision provides relevant guidance and appropriate support throughout the research, analysis and reporting process.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

An in-depth Project Report allows the student to demonstrate their ability to undertake self-directed independent research and to integrate their learning from across the programme.

All students will produce a final written Project Report on the independent research conducted, grounded in relevant academic literature and, if appropriate, practice-based literature in order to define the business-related issue that the research and analysis in the report aims to address.

Unless agreed otherwise in advance by the academic tutor or module leader, all final reports will include an Executive Summary and Recommendations. These two sections will be clearly derived from the research conducted and written for a non-academic audience.

General Notes

N/A