mbs in advanced business practice - postgraduate steps

Master of Business Studies in Advanced Business Practice

A radical new approach to postgraduate education

Postgraduate Steps is a radical new approach to postgraduate education developed by Athlone Institute of Technology. Recognising that people’s higher education needs are diverse, Postgraduate Steps enables you to undertake modules that address your professional development needs in a fashion that suits your lifestyle and career.

When you sign up for Postgraduate Steps you choose the shape, content and duration of your postgrad. You can opt to undertake a single module, similar to the well-recognised CPD approach. Alternatively, you can continue your study, accumulating credits, until you have met the requirements for a postgraduate diploma or master’s degree

The choice is entirely yours.


Our commitment is to deliver relevant academic content that reflects the ever-changing environment faced by those in business. New modules are being developed on an ongoing basis, informed by the needs of employees and managers in industry, and by the views of industry and expert bodies.

Our faculty team are not only expert teachers and facilitators, they also have years of experience working and engaging with corporates of all sizes. That expertise, combined with an intimate class setting and a culture of inquiry, ensure that Postgraduate Steps is a higher education experience to remember.


“Having researched the part-time programmes on offer from other institutions, I am convinced that Postgraduate Steps from AIT stands out from the crowd for flexibility and cost. I selected the MBS/PgD in Advanced Business Practice as it provides me with an opportunity to continue with my career and gain a level 9 qualification at the same time.”

Gerry KellyBusiness Development Manager, Brinks Ireland


Why the Business School at AIT?

• EXPERT LECTURERS – who also have extensive experience working for and with business

• APPLIED FOCUS – our programmes are renowned for their practical and applied nature, which ensures that what you learn is relevant to your career

• PROXIMITY TO THE WORKPLACE – our new programme development process is directly informed by the needs of employers and graduates

• GLOBAL ORIENTATION – we’re a member of Businet, the global business education network

• NETWORKED – AIT business alumni are to be found managing and leading organisations around the world; studying at AIT grants you access to that network


The Master of Business Studies/Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Business Practice is designed to enable you enhance core competencies, develop an entrepreneurial spirit and employ critical thinking skills for the modern business environment.

Part of the Postgraduate Steps framework developed by AIT, it represents an approach to business education that is rooted in the real world and designed to bring genuine added value to your resumé.

What distinguishes this programme from other postgrads is that each module is developed in consultation with industry and reflects the views of employees, employers, industry bodies and state agencies. New modules are introduced in a dynamic fashion, with the range of options continually being added to.

The first two modules scheduled are: • Management of People, Culture and

Change (September 2014)• Managerial Finance (January 2015)

Any learner who enrols on a single module will have three potential avenues open to them as follows: 1. Completion of any four modules (10

ECTS credits each) plus the modules Research Methods (8 ECTS credits) and Dissertation (12 ECTS credits), leading to the award of Master of Business Studies in Advanced Business Practice.

2. Completion of any six modules (10 ECTS credits each) leading to the award of Postgraduate Diploma in Business in Advanced Business Practice.

3. Completion of one module (10 ECTS credits) leading to a minor award at Level 9.

MBS/PgD in Advanced Business Practice


Course Fee €750 per module

Duration

Each module will run over one semester. As a student on Postgraduate Steps you have the flexibility to decide the period of time you take to achieve an MBS or PgD award (up to a maximum of ten years).

Minimum Entry Requirements

Applicants must hold a Level 8 award in business or a cognate discipline at a minimum 2.2 level.

The above table and modules included are a sample of how the programme work*indicates that these modules are examples.

Career Opportunities

Graduates can reasonably expect to rise to more advanced positions, including senior executive level, and command salaries commensurate with their status.


Brendan P. Farrell Jr

Executive Vice-President, SunGardSunGard provides leading software and IT services to institutions in virtually every segment of the financial services industry. Its systems help automate the many detailed processes associated with trading, managing investment portfolios and accounting for investment assets.

AIT Business Alumni Network

Ken Murphy

Director, CareerWise Recruitment CareerWise Recruitment specialises in the senior management, operations, supply chain, finance, technical, engineering and HR recruitment needs of client companies. The company works with major multinational and indigenous clients throughout Ireland.

Susan Maloney

Owner, Support StarSupport Star offers a ‘one-stop shop’ of cost-effective and flexible business support including marketing and business support/virtual assistant services for law firms and SMEs.


Michael Brewster

Managing Director, Credit SuisseCredit Suisse is a global financial services company providing private banking and wealth management services, and investment banking services and expertise to companies, institutions and high-net-worth clients.

Ferdinand Roberts

Global Head of Sales and Strategic Partnerships, Sysnet Global SolutionsSysnet offers a range of payment card industry compliance services to a wide variety of businesses including acquirers, ISOs, international banks, payment service providers and merchants.

Dr James Cunningham

Director, Whitaker Institute, NUI Galway The Whitaker Institute is the largest scale critical mass business and social sciences research institute on island of Ireland. It aims to adopt an innovative, multidisciplinary and transformative approach to the challenges currently facing business and society.

AIT Business Alumni network


Developing skills in the management of people, culture and change will equip you with the skills and knowledge to work in a supervisory role, in a cross-functional capacity. Every aspiring leader needs to understand fundamental elements of supervisory management competencies in order to leverage their career success.

The aim of the module is to introduce the principles of managing people in a business context. The module will examine the role of management in creating and sustaining an efficient and effective organisation. You will develop the range of skills necessary to operate successfully in a business environment, including analytical, critical thinking, problem-solving, research, team working, presentation, report writing and communication skills.

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:• Critically evaluate the strategic

role of the manager in achieving organisational effectiveness

• Evaluate the role of culture and its implications for people management

• Identify and evaluate strategies for managing human resources within a company

• Evaluate and apply appropriate

team-working practices in a practical context

• Critically examine approaches to change management within an organisation

• Analyse a range of appropriate leadership practices within the workplace

This module will be delivered through a combination of lectures, group work, self-directed learning, and work-based learning. Students will engage in online class preparatory reading, discussions, presentations, case studies, group work, self-reflection and evaluation, mind/concept mapping, problem solving and learning logs. Students will also participate in work-based learning assignments.

Management of People, Culture and Change


Managerial Finance

Finance is the universal language of business. Knowledge of finance, however, is not limited to the role of the financial controller or accountant! Every business professional needs a fundamental understanding of finance in order to optimise their role in the organisation.

The aim of this module is to give you the opportunity to further appreciate and apply financial management and management accounting theory and practice at advanced business executive level.

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

• Analyse and interpret financial statements and data as a part of the appraisal of the performance and position of the business entity

• Prepare financial forecasts for both internal and external use, including finance applications for submission to finance providers

• Apply budgeting and decision-making techniques, and prepare management information reports

• Assess policies for the management of working capital

• Evaluate capital investment proposals and make optimal recommendations

• Determine a business entity’s financial requirements, appraise potentially suitable sources of finance, and devise appropriate financing strategies

This module will be delivered through a combination of lectures, group work, self-directed learning and work-based learning. A typical week would involve the following: lectures introducing the topics, cases studies and discussion led by the lecturer, and problem-based learning using cases and questions tackled by the students.


Further information:Eimear O’ConnorProgramme CoordinatorBusiness SchoolEmail [email protected] 090 648 3064

Applications to:Admissions OfficeEmail [email protected] 090 646 8130/8131

AIT: Educating for Career Success

Athlone Institute of TechnologyDublin Road, Athlone, Co Westmeath

www.ait.ie/pgstepsbusiness

mbs in advanced business practice - postgraduate steps

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