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BZR640 Professional Certificate in Management

Credit – 60 points The Programme is intended for:

• managers of any level and any practical background who have no special management education or who want to improve their qualification;
• technical and research staff and other specialists as well who want to broaden their knowledge and improve career perspectives.

The Programme is aimed to consequent developing professional and educational level of managers.

General information

Manager – Professional Programme is offered by the British Open University Business School (OU Business School) and is aimed to up-date your managerial skills and knowledge. It includes four three-month Modules which cover foundation management areas essential for managerial activity:

• Module BZR641 Managing covers your role as manager, how to develop your managerial effectiveness, what are implications of organisational culture and structure on your job.
  
  
• Module BZR642 People helps you to work more effectively with staff; it includes motivation, recruitment, working across boundaries and team-working; it introduces managing conflict and change.
  
  
• Module BZR643 Finance and Information enables you to interpret and use information, especially financial information, for proper decision-making.
  
  
• Module BZR644 Customer and Quality introduces new marketing (marketing relationship) and quality management concepts, enables you to add value for your customers and other stakeholders.
  
  

This Programme is an integral part of the Programmes of higher level:

1. Corporate Manager Programme (Professional Diploma in Management of the British Open University Business School);
2. OU Business School MBA Programme.

Planning your studies

It will take you a year to complete the Programme which includes two residential schools. If your circumstances require, you may take one study break of up to 6 months giving you a maximum of 18 months to complete the Programme. Choosing to register for a Module is a more expensive option towards Certificate but there is no time limit for completion. You may take Modules in any order although we advise to start with BZR641 Managing.

Competence to be achieved

You will:
• Be introduced to theoretical approaches to management.
• Understand better your own managerial experience and how it relates to theory.
• Be more effective in time management.
• Learn up-to-date people management techniques.
• Improve your skills in collecting information, analysing problems, decision-making, planning and implementing projects.
• Be more aware of marketing and financial approaches to management.
• Broaden significantly your own pool of managerial concepts and terms.
• Learn effective team working techniques (in-group discussions, business games, reflection, training, brain storming, etc.)
• Gain skills in self- and organisational development.
• Increase your own managerial qualification, will be able to solve complex practical problems and anticipate far consequences of your decisions.

Computing

You will have access to a web-site where you will find further materials on the Manager-Professional Programme; and also to special Module web-sites for students.

Each Module has specially developed CD-ROM that you can use to check your understanding of key concepts and to aid your revision.

When you register you will receive Manager’s Help File which describes key concepts and team-working techniques.

What is included in Module

Each Module has its own Study Guide, four course books, interactive CD-ROM, audio cassette/CD and web-pages.

You will need

CD player and computer with Internet access.

Residential School

Two three-day Residential (Week-end) Schools which run on week-ends from Friday afternoon till lunch-time on Sunday form an integral part of the Programme. Schools will provide you an opportunity to meet with other managers and tutors, to work intensively in small groups on solving certain problems, your negotiation skills, self-development. You will be able to assess and develop your strengths and tackle your weaknesses in working in teams. Both Schools are compulsory if you want to be awarded the Professional Certificate in Management.

Support from your tutor

You will have a tutor with whom you can communicate by e-mail, telephone and who will help you with your study, mark and comment your written assignments, conduct Internet conferences on course topics, offer advice and guidance in your learning.

Tutor will also run face-to-face tutorials which will provide you with useful experience in applying course concepts to case study analysis and in team- working.

Your Regional Centre will be able to tell you where the tutorials are to be held if you need this information before you register. Each Module involves about six hours of such tuition which normally comprise two three-hour tutorials.

Assessment

Each Module has two written assignments and a one-hour examination.

Qualification

If you successfully complete the Programme, you will be awarded Professional Certificate in Management of the British Open University.

Entry

There are no entry requirements: the Professional Certificate is accessible for managers from a wide range of educational and training backgrounds. Everyone is expected to bring some personal managerial experience but you need not to be currently employed as a manager during your study.

The Programme comprises four three-month Modules. You may register for any of the Modules on its own and study them one by one; but if you want to be awarded the Professional Certificate, you will benefit greatly by registration for the full Programme.

If your circumstances require, you may take a break of up to six months: you will keep any credit you have already gained, so that you can complete your Professional Certificate by taking the rest of the Modules.