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Open University in Ireland

Technology Management

If technology, innovation and change are factors in your organisation or role, this certificate will extend your knowledge, skills and capability adding value to your career and your workplace. It provides a rounded view of the management of technology and technological innovation, investigating topics such as the nature and types of technological innovation, technology transfer, and eco-innovation which are relevant to all economic and organisational sectors and types of technology. The optional modules explore technology management within fields such as computing and ICT, business and management, development management and environmental management.

Key features of the course
• Focuses on the operational aspects of managing technological innovation and change

• Encourages you to apply your learning to your own particular technology context

• A wide choice of optional modules enabling you to tailor your studies to your own needs and interests.

This certificate is the first stage of a study programme that progresses to a postgraduate diploma and finally a masters degree. You can step off at any point, or study the whole programme.

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
• Knowledge and understanding
• Cognitive skills
• Practical and professional skills
• Key skills

Entry requirements

To start this programme, you should normally hold a UK bachelors degree (or equivalent) or have management experience in a field relevant to technology management.

If you do not hold a bachelors degree, irrespective of your management experience, you will need to study a module from the Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Management (C49) to demonstrate your ability to study successfully at postgraduate level. On successful completion, you will be able to link your studies to this qualification at a later date.

Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you will need a minimum overall score of 6 and minimum score of 5.5 in each of the four components: reading, writing, speaking and listening under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Please see the IELTS website for details.

Our badged open course, Succeeding in postgraduate study, will introduce you to the nature of Master's level study. It offers essential preparation for pursuing your learning at this level and is free.

Duration

Minimum - 1 year.

Most students study this qualification in one to one and a half years, by either studying one 30-credit module in November and another the following May or November. The minimum time to complete is one year. There is no maximum time to complete but we cannot guarantee that the same selection of modules will continue to be available. Modules can count towards the certificate for a maximum of eight years after we have stopped presenting them.

Number of credits

60 credits

Careers or further progression

Career relevance
The technology management programme develops analytical skills and provides practically relevant knowledge that will equip you well for a variety of management and leadership roles. The competent technology manager is a highly valued professional, capable of ensuring that the organisation reaps all the potential rewards from its investment in technology of whatever type. You will develop a range of job-related and transferable skills such as critical thinking, creative problem solving, and the ability to cope with rapid technological change. The capabilities in research and problem-solving developed can be exploited in all professional situations at all management levels. Employers are also impressed by the commitment and determination it takes to succeed with the OU while keeping up family and work commitments. These benefits, together with the opportunities to add value by applying your learning to the workplace as you study, make technology management programmes very attractive vehicles towards success in senior management roles.

Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.

Further enquiries

Tel: (01) 678 5399
Fax: (01) 678 5442
Email: ireland@open.ac.uk

Subjects taught

Modules
To gain this qualification, you need 60 credits as follows:
30 credits from the following compulsory module:
Title
Managing technological innovation (T848)

or the discontinued module T840
Plus 30 credits from the following option modules:
Title
Advanced routing CCNP 1 (T824)
Capacities for managing development (T878)
Conflict and development (T879)
Continuing professional development in practice (U810)
Data management (M816)
Digital forensics (M812)
Information security (M811)
Making environmental decisions (T891)
Managing for sustainability (T867)
Managing systemic change: inquiry, action and interaction (TU812)
Manufacture materials design (T805)
Multilayer switching CCNP 3 (T826)
Network security (T828)
Optimising networks CCNP 4 (T827)
Project management (M815)
Software development (M813)
Software engineering (M814)
Strategic capabilities for technological innovation (T849)
Thinking strategically: systems tools for managing change (TU811)

or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules B821, B822, B823, B824, B890, BZX821, BZX822, BZX823, BZX824, H807, M865, M873, M874, M876, M877, M878, M879, M880, M881, M882, M883, M885, M886, M887, M888, M889, M891, T821, T822, T823, T825, T833, T834, T835, T836, T837, T839, T846, T850, T851, T852, T853, T862, T881, T882, T883, T889, T890 and T894
The University's unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 20 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that we've previously awarded to you.

The modules quoted in this description are currently available for study. However, as we review the curriculum on a regular basis, the exact selection may change over time.

Comment

On completion
On successful completion of the required modules, you can be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Management entitling you to use the letters PGC (Tech Mgmt) (Open) after your name.

You can continue your studies to gain a Postgraduate Diploma in Technology Management (E08) (with 120 credits) and a MSc in Technology Management (F36) (with 180 credits).

Recognition in your country
If you intend to use your Open University qualifications to seek work or undertake further study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether your intended qualification will meet local requirements for your chosen career. Read recognition in my country.

Credit transfer
If you have already completed some successful study at postgraduate level at another institution you may be able to transfer credit for this study and count it towards this Open University qualification. If you wish to apply to transfer credit you must do so as soon as possible as it may affect your choice of OU modules. If you are awarded credit for study completed elsewhere, you may find that you need to study fewer OU modules to complete your qualification with us.

Visit our Credit Transfer site for more information and details of how to apply for credit transfer.