MBA Leadership and Sustainability

Programme Aims

Through the study of management the overall aims of the programme are to provide a higher educational experience of intrinsic worth to individual participants and to achieve outcomes at a level appropriate for the award of a Post Graduate Qualification of the University. The detailed objectives envisioned by the programme are to enable students to:

• Develop relevant management and organisation knowledge, both academic and professional, in line with postgraduate standards/benchmarks.
• Develop critical reflection skills and engagement with organisation and professional theory to understand, and where appropriate, challenge existing individual and organisational perspectives and practices.
• Develop, and where appropriate, apply new knowledge to add value by enhancing organisational capability.
• Develop understanding of the organisation’s strategic focus and environment and the impact of the inter-relationship between resources, customers, clients in a changing context.
• Develop commitment to continuous personal and professional development, independence and reflective learning.
• Develop particular expertise and understanding in the fields of leadership and sustainability.
• Engage in individual research and demonstrate the ability to understand and apply management theory.
• Develop your independent research and time management skills by undertaking a substantial research project which is self managed, involves application of a variety of management and research practices, and demonstrates expertise and understanding of issues in leadership and/or sustainability.
• Enhance interpersonal and team working skills.
• Learn from the experience of other participants on the programme.
• Develop into modern, well-rounded and outward looking managers with a high concern for customers and colleagues, capable of taking responsibility for themselves, their people, their areas of responsibility and their organisation.

Learning Outcomes

This programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate:

Knowledge and Understanding

• The context and nature of management within various organisational contexts and at different organisational levels.
• The context and nature of leadership within various organisations and at different organisational levels.
• Various environmental influences which affect organisations and management in a range of complex situations, particularly those pertaining to sustainability, taking account of the inter-relationship and interaction with other areas of the business or organisation.
• Current issues in business, management and leadership, which is informed by leading edge research and practice in the field.
• Appropriate techniques sufficient to allow detailed investigation into relevant business and management issues.

Qualities, Skills and Other Attributes

• Ability to acquire and analyse data and information, to evaluate their relevance and validity, and to synthesise a range of information in the context of new situations.
• Creatively apply knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to develop and interpret knowledge in business and management.
• Evaluate the rigour and validity of published research and assess its relevance in new situations.
• Extrapolate from existing research and scholarship to identify new or revised approaches to practice.
• Conduct research into business leadership and management issues that requires familiarity with a range of business data, research sources and appropriate methodologies, and for such to inform the overall learning process.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing, using a range of media.
• Operate effectively in a variety of team roles and take leadership roles where appropriate.
• Consistently apply knowledge and subject-specific intellectual skills.
• Deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively.
• Be proactive in recognising the need for change and have the ability to manage change.
• Be adaptable and show originality, insight and critical and reflective leadership and management abilities which can be brought to bear upon problem situations.
• Evaluate and integrate theory and practice in a wide range of situations.
• Be self-directed and able to act autonomously in leading planning and implementing projects at professional levels.
• Take responsibility for continuing to develop knowledge and skills.

The Online MBA in Leadership and Sustainability programme fits within the overall mission of Robert Kennedy College: to provide academic excellence in online distance education for students worldwide, through appropriate application of leading edge technologies.