Business Improvement

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Business Improvement

Overview
Equips practising and aspiring managers to design and implement business improvement strategies to have a positive impact on their organisation

Summary
The part-time MSc Business Improvement course equips managers with the knowledge and skills required to better examine their processes and procedures in order to effect strategic improvements and change.

This results in organisations which are more efficient and effective. The programme has kept pace with new innovations and developments in the area of business improvement and has supported businesses with continuous improvement.

The concept of business improvement originated in the domain of manufacturing and tradable services. However, perhaps as a result of the intellectual force of new public management and the Review of Public Administration (2002) in Northern Ireland, the concept of business improvement now permeates all aspects of economic activity across the private, public and voluntary sectors. Indeed, job titles such as Director of Improvement and Business Improvement Manager are becoming more apparent across a range of public service departments.

The course is recognised and accredited by ICIPS - the Institute of Continuous Improvement in Public Services, although it is not limited to those in the public sector.

About
The course recognises a need for organisations and their managers to become focused on the integration of quality and continuous improvement and as such, the course has been shaped and designed by leading academics and business leaders using the European Foundation Quality Model (EFQM) Excellence Model as its inspiration.

The European Framework for Quality Management (EFQM, 2013) introduces fundamental concepts of excellence which are practitioner-focused. The framework encourages organisations to strive towards eight concepts of excellence, which can only be achieved by actually doing something about it. As such, it is a practical model which helps organisations to realise their potential. All modifications to these eight fundamental concepts of excellence, in addition to the new associated emphases, have been fully reflected in the module content for this course.

Students will study a diet of modules which will help them to gain a practical understanding of a variety of business improvement subject areas.

Over years 1 and 2, students work towards a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Improvement, taking a total of eight modules. Once these have been successfully completed students can then move on to complete the full Master's qualification by completing a Research Methods module and a Business Transformation Project.

The course provides a structure to business improvement which allows students to follow a logical journey. Year 1 of the course introduces students to the "enabler" aspects of business improvement, year 2 of the course focuses on the "results" of business improvement. In year 3, students are given the opportunity to research a complex business improvement problem in depth via a supervised project.

Teaching and learning
The teaching of this course is in 3 day blocks, which allows for discussion and exploring theory and practice in depth using examples from students' own experiences and organisations. The 3 day block model also allows us to bring in guest speakers from industry to further explore theory and practice.

Entry requirements

Entry conditions
We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University's General Entrance Requirements. For general entrance requirements go to:
https://www.ulster.ac.uk/apply/entrance-requirements

Entry Requirements
This course is designed for those who are working in areas where they can make improvements within the organisation; therefore all applicants should ideally be employed in a related role.

Applicants will normally be expected to have achieved a Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional qualification in any discipline. It is expected that applicants will normally be in a position within their organisation to effect change, or for those who aspire to such a position.

Applications from those who do not have a Bachelor's degree are welcome, many of our students have significant work and management experience but no formal degree qualification.

English Language Requirements
English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.

Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

Exemptions and transferability
Students are normally expected to have a degree. However we also encourage applications from candidates who have extensive work experience but no formal academic qualifications.

Duration

Attendance
Each module is taught on a three day block basis. This minimises the time required for students to be out of the workplace: students will typically be at the University 12 days per year. There are also follow up "learning sets" following each module.

The course has been designed to enable part-time students to complete the course over two years. In Year 1, students complete 40 credit points in semester 1, 20 credit points in semester 2 and 20 credit points in semester 3. In Year 2, students complete 20 credit points in semester 1, 40 credit points in semester 2 and 40 credit points in semester 3.

Students who successfully complete the two modules in semester 1 and the module in semester 2 (to a value of 60 credit points) may exit with a Postgraduate Certificate. Students who successfully complete the module in semester 3 of Year 1 and two modules across semesters 1 and 2 of Year 2 (to a value of 120 credit points) may exit with a Postgraduate Diploma.

Careers or further progression

Career options
This course is primarily aimed at equipping students with skills to allow them to improve the operational performance of their organisation. The MSc Business Improvement course can lead individuals into more strategic or senior positions within their organisation or into more focused business improvement positions.

Those who join the course are usually in positions where they are effecting change in a variety of organisations. Students are able to make an immediate impact as the assessment for the course is based on the organisation that the individual works for - this helps them to make a positive impact on the organisation's results.

Students who have studied on the course over the last few years have included representatives from organisations such as Bombardier, BE Aerospace, FG Wilson, HSC, NI Water and other public sector organisations.

Further enquiries

Contact Details
For further details on this programme please contact the Department Office on:
T: +44 (0)28 9036 8880
E: n.read@ulster.ac.uk 

Course Director: Alan McKittrick
T: +44 (0) 28 9036 6359
E: a.mckittrick@ulster.ac.uk

Subjects taught

Taught Modules
Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.
Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.

Year one
Innovation Management
Year: 1
Innovation Management is a fast moving area of Business Improvement studies where technology and market development require managers and employees to be at the forefront of knowledge in this area. The module covers contemporary developments in the field in relation to theory and organisational practice. Learning in this area has the potential to lead to improvements such as shorter cycle times and lower costs in knowledge transfer and new product development.

Strategy
Year: 1
Strategy consists of the analysis and decisions an organisation undertakes in order to create and sustain competitive advantage. Understanding these interrelated processes is crucial for creating and developing organisations. This module explores these decisions areas from a range of contemporary perspectives and contexts.

Quality and Process Management
Year: 1
Excellent organisations are managed through structured and strategically aligned processes using fact-based decision making to create balanced and sustained results. To achieve excellence, organisations must focus on how their processes are designed to deliver a strategy, using end-to-end management beyond the "classic" boundaries of the organisation. Excellent organisations design, manage and improve processes to generate increasing value for customers and other stakeholders.

Operational Excellence
Year: 1
Operations and process management is about how organisations produce goods and services. This module aims to enable students to acquire knowledge and a critical understanding of Operations Management, an understanding of the tasks, issues and decisions that are necessary to manage processes effectively and the tools to analyse process performance. This knowledge and understanding is essential for effective and efficient business improvement. Learning will be by teaching, discussion and independent study.

Year two
Financial Decision Making
Year: 2
The module will introduce students to both financial and management accounting information and equip them with a greater understanding of the reasons behind some of the figures they will increasingly encounter as they progress through their organisations.

Leadership and Change Management
Year: 2
The module considers theoretical perspectives in managing organisational change and using them asks participants to analyse situations within their organisations to make recommendations on the management of change their organisation.

People Development and Involvement
Year: 2
Excellent organisations value their people to ensure a mutually beneficial alignment of organisational and personal goals. This module aims to enable students to acquire knowledge and an understanding of the core areas of Human Resource Management (HRM) and the factors which influence behaviour within organisations. This knowledge and understanding is essential for effective and efficient business improvement through effectively managing, empowering and developing people. Learning will be by teaching, discussion and independent study.

Business Transformation Project
Year: 2
The Management Project enables students to apply the theoretical concepts encountered on the MSc Business Improvement to a "live" management issue. In doing so they choose appropriate research methodologies, gather data and make conclusions and recommendations to the host organisation.

Comment

Academic profile
Those who lecture on the course have experience of working in or with organisations and are experienced in delivering proactical lectures and insight that make the modules relevant to the workplace.

We also invite guest speakers to class who are experts in their field to share their experience.

Assessment method

Assessment is via written assignments for each module which are largely set within each participant's own organisation. Students are therefore able to make a direct impact within their own organisations and make a difference to the bottom line.