SBE - BSA FAQ's

Leadership and Management FAQs 3 Year Masters Programme

Loughborough University

Leadership and Management 3 Year MSc Programme - FAQ Programme scope Will the programme be available only to BSA members or is the intention to extend availability to other organisations?

The initial plan is to keep it simple, so for the first cohort the programme will be available only to BSA members.

Longer term the aim is to broaden availability to other financial mutuals.

Must candidates sign up for all three years?

This is a three year Masters programme. The intention is that students who register for the first year will progress to complete the full programme. Registration, however, is undertaken each academic year and the programme fee is payable separately for each year. Should personal or work circumstances change, students may suspend their studies subject to University regulations.

What do students graduate with?

Programme structure How is the programme structured?

It is a three year Masters programme comprising Induction and four accredited modules in Year One (Certificate); four accredited modules in Year Two (Diploma) and a business consultancy project within the student’s own organisation in Year Three (MSc). The final Year Three project should be of direct value both to the organisation and the student.

In addition, guest lectures and evening masterclasses (during residential periods) will serve to expand and enhance the topics covered in the taught modules.

The objective in each module is for the student to gain practical as well as academic knowledge which is immediately transferable to the workplace.

The programme is accredited by Loughborough University. A candidate who only completes Year One could graduate with a Certificate or continue on to do the Diploma. The same applies when moving from Diploma to MSc. The intention is that the majority of students complete the full three years, the BSA’s contingent liability to the University will be £11,500 per student.

Society/student commitment What is the financial commitment?

The fee for the Three Year MSc programme is £11,500.

Whilst we hope that a student will go through the whole programme, the financial commitment is made separately for each element:

Must students start at Certificate level or can they join the programme at a later level?

Certificate - £4,000

Students must enter the programme at the start of the Certificate. Loughborough has experience which shows that this approach maximises the value that students gain by learning from each other.

In addition to the programme tuition costs above, each module requires a three-day residential stay at Loughborough University. The on-campus hotel accommodation is currently £99/night for dinner, bed and breakfast. Lunch is included in the course fee.

Diploma

- £3,700

MSc

- £3,800

What is the ‘out of office; time commitment for the society?

Year One:

14 days (2 days Induction + 4 modules x 3 days each)

Year Two:

12 days (4 modules x 3 days each)

Year Three: 4 days (at University plus in-business project work)

What additional time commitments does the student have?

In addition to the residential elements of the programme, students are expected to undertake a further circa 100 hours of personal study for each module. As modules are scheduled at 6/10 week intervals, this equates to between 10 & 16 hours per week. The consultancy research project in Year Three will require in-business project work.

What support services are available to students?

The two-day Induction session, which is an integral part of the programme (attendance is compulsory), will equip delegates with the range of tools and skills required for successful study. This will be particularly relevant for those participants who are returning to study or who do not have a first degree.

In addition: The Programme Director, Module Leaders and the Programme Administrator will all be available to students outside the residential part of a module, the recommendation is that students also have access to a nominated programme mentor within their own organisation. y Students will have access to the Loughborough University virtual learning environment – ‘Learn’. y Students will receive a student card with normal student discounts available and will have use of both Loughborough library facilities and those at their local university via the inter-library lending facility.

Candidate requirements What qualifications must a candidate have to be accepted onto the programme?

Normally, the University would expect Masters candidates to have an undergraduate degree or a relevant professional qualification.

However, candidates who do not have a degree but who are deemed by their CEO to meet the requirements of the programme will be asked to an interview meeting with the Programme Director to discuss their suitability for the programme – this may be via Skype.

The hope is to have a diverse cohort with different backgrounds, qualifications and levels of seniority.

Experience has shown that working in such a group generates benefit for all. Organisations and candidates should be aware that material covered on the programme is at postgraduate degree level.

Cohort numbers How many students do we anticipate in each cohort?

The optimum number of students is 24 per cohort.

The minimum number acceptable to run the programme is 18.

A cohort is a group of students that join and progress through a programme together.

Open Day at Loughborough University Tuesday 16 June 2015 Come and visit us on campus, find out more about the programme and see our outstanding facilities firsthand. This is an opportunity for both organisations and prospective candidates to meet the Programme Director, tutors and support staff.

What is the process for registering interest in the programme How does my organisation register an interest for a prospective student in the programme?

To register your organisation’s interest in the programme please contact Vicki Unwin, Business Development Manager, either by email at V.E.Unwin@lboro.ac.uk or by phone 01509 222160. We will then send full details on how to apply.

Application process for individual candidates?

Application submission deadline 1 August 2015 All candidates must apply through the University’s website. This is a simple online process via www.lboro.ac.uk/sbe/bsa To complete the process you will need evidence/copies of qualification certificates held and an up-to-date CV. All applications will need to be authorised by the relevant person in the candidate’s organisation.