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Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Business Administration
By University of Portsmouth
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About the University

One of the top new universities in the UK's - The Times Good University Guide 2000

University of Portdmouth has been a provider of higher education for 125 years. Since its foundation in 1869, the institution has grown considerably and has built its reputation as a centre of academic excellence. Since the award of the first degree, the University has maintained its commitment to promoting excellence in teaching and learning and research across a wide range of disciplines.

For more information about the university, log on to http://www.port.ac.uk

About the Programme

The programme aims to:
- To provide an integrated education in Business and Management that will meet current organisational needs
- To provide a framework for understanding organisations and interpreting their diverse relationships in a dynamic and international environment
- To view change and enterprise as constants in business and society and their positive handling as an integral part of business learning
- To encourage ongoing critical, evaluative and strategic ways of thinking in all areas
- To provide links and or a platform for the eventual professional development of a career in business and management

Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to:
- Understand the key aspects of business administration
- Apply appropriate techniques of analysis to the subject areas
- Research relevant topics and devise and sustain arguments
- Discuss current research and scholarship related to subject areas
- Show awareness of current limits of knowledge in subject specific areas
- Take responsibility for their own learning
- Carry out an extended piece of independent enquiry
- Communicate information in a manner appropriate to subject and the intended audience
- Show initiative and be able to make and justify decisions.

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Progression Pathway

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Programme Structure

Unit Description

Strategic Management

The aims of this unit are:
1 To provide an understanding of the main factors which influence the strategic decision-making process in organizations
2 To develop an integrated understanding of how strategic options may be identified, chosen and implemented
3 To recognize the complex and holistic nature of strategic management within organizations
4 To develop a critical awareness of extant strategic management theory

Syllabus Outline
" The nature and language of strategic management
" Examination of the origins and concepts of strategic management. Exploration of contemporary patterns and processes of strategic management
" Strategic analysis and strategy formulation
" Consideration (and critique) of theories and frameworks for analysing organisation's environments, resources, purpose; (analyzing stakeholders' expectations, inc. Shareholder value); generating strategic options in the light of these analyses, and making choices
" The role of Corporation
" Implementation of strategic decisions
" Examination of implementation approaches (inc. strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions) and managing strategic change. Considering key theories and frameworks, and their usefulness in practice.

Assessment Structure

Coursework -%
Examination 100%

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Management Futures

The aims of this unit are:
1 To explore some of the key issues exercising contemporary management theory and practice
2 To examine critically the robustness of knowledge in these areas
3 To encourage critical evaluation of claims to predict future trends in management and business

Syllabus Outline
The topics covered in the unit will include:
" Because of the need to keep the syllabus contemporary, topic will change year-on-year, however, they will fall within three main areas; society, technology and innovation. Topics may include consumerism; work and family; life-styles; environmentalism; chaos; globalization; cyber business.

Assessment Structure

Coursework 50%
Examination 50%

Cross Cultural Awareness for the International Manager

The aims of this unit are:
1 To acknowledge the increasing involvement of companies in cross-cultural relations.
2 To examine the theoretical and practical contributions to the area of cross-cultural management.
3 To enable students opportunities to research and reflect on the cultural dimension of business practice in diverse countries.

Syllabus Outline
" Cross Cultural Relations: concepts of culture; similarities and differences in behaviour across cultures; identifying national cultures; ethnocentrism.
" Intercultural Communication: processes of attribution of behaviour; language and non-verbal communication; stereotype formation; sources of communication difficulty; training for effective intercultural communication; the priority of language for business.
" Dimensions of Cultural Differences in the Workplace: cross-national typology of organizational structures; convergence and divergence debates; difference in managerial behaviour; work values and motive across cultures; attitudes towards the work environment.
" Cultures in Contact: types and purposes of contact; outcomes of cultures in contact; the international organization; HRM implications; multicultural team working; understanding regional differences; a comparative focus on Europe, Asia and the Americas.
" Intercultural Competence: development of a personal framework; definition of the cross-border mind set; coping with unfamiliar cultures; cultures shock; sensitivity to different cultures; ability to work in international teams.

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Assessment Structure

Coursework 40%
Examination 60%

Entrepreneurship & Enterprise
The aims of this unit are:
1 To explore the key elements within which business start-ups and entrepreneurship are said to take place
2 To enable critical engagement with competing "theories" of business startups and entrepreneurship as reflected in practice.
3 To explore the utility of current theory for the analysis of entrepreneurship discourse and practice.

Syllabus Outline
" Entrepreneurship and Entreprise (Origins, assumptions, interpretations, current developments, men and women as entrepreneurs).
" The nature of Entrepreneurship and Entreprise (within large and small orgnisations, socio-psychological aspects of Entrepreneurship, public and private sectors.)
" Business start-up processes (identification and evaluation of business opportunities, determining capital requirement, preparing financial statements, identification and evaluation of sources of capital, networking, coping with regulations.)
" Managing organisational growth and developing new business opportunities.

Assessment Structure
Coursework -%
Examination 100%

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Dissertation
The aims of this unit are:
To provide students with an opportunity to study an area of special interest in greater depths than the general curriculum will allow and to give the student experience of coordinating independent investigation and research.

Syllabus Outline
" Although short courses in research methods may be offered by staff, this unit is primarily student led, and the responsibility of the project is that of the individual student.

Assessment Structure
Coursework 100%
Examination -%

Marketing Communications Strategy
This unit explores the conceptual and managerial issues associated with marketing communications. The unit is oriented towards promotional strategy and is undertaken from an integrated perspective.

Syllabus Outline
" Communication theory, Personal influences on marketing communications, Promotional Strategies and Planning frameworks, Message formats and Positioning, Corporate Identity and Brand reputation, Internet marketing communications, Integrated Marketing Communications (issues and concepts), Crisis management communications, Trust, Loyalty and Retention, International Marketing Communications.

Assessment Structure
Coursework -%
Examination 100%

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HRM: Development and Debates
The aims of this unit are:
1 To enable critical engagement with competing "theories" in contemporary and contentious areas of HRM.
2 To understand and engage with debates in areas of development in HRM at a deep level.
3 To explore linkages between contentious topics in order to appreciate the effects of changes in one area of HRM to other areas of HRM.

Syllabus Outline
" This unit will be taught by a team. Each member of the team will opt for a specific area of contention and debate within HRM, allowing for a sufficient balance of topics overall. After a broad introductory session, subsequent sessions will then examine each of the chosen areas. Typically each topic will use to weeks, with lecture and a tutorial in each week. Larger topic areas might require three weeks. One member of staff will do all sessions (lectures and tutorials) within their chosen topic(s) of the Unit. As such this will allow staff to work to a high level of specialise and expertise in their chosen area, and allow for consistency within topic deliveries.
" Specific areas of study would depend upon the currency or topicality of issues and/or specific expertise or research interests within the unit team giving significant opportunities to link teaching with research; illustrate topics would include workplace conflict, equality and diversity management, bullying and harassment in the workplace, organizational flexibility, the management of organizational culture, performance management, the role and influence of professional bodies such as the CIPD, HRM and business ethics, etc.

Assessment Structure:
Coursework 100%
Examination -%


International Marketing Analysis
In this unit, students will learn to research and assess prospective export markets.

Syllabus Outline
The topics covered in the unit will include:
" World trade patterns, trade blocs, trade issues
" Research key indicators of potential, databases, statistics, Rostow's theory
" International impacts: cultures, credit worthiness, types of risk
" International segmentation, pro-activity
" International product research/best practices in USA, Japan, rapid prototyping
" Quality and cost issues
" Trademarks

Assessment Structure
Coursework -%
Examination 100%

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Programme Duration
The programme is conducted over a period of 12 months for Full-time students and 16 months for Part-time students.
" 18 x 3) 54 contact hours given to each of 20 Credits Points modules
" 12 x 3) 36 contact hours given to each of 10 Credit Points modules
A qualified lecturer will be appointed for each module to conduct the 54 or 36 contact hours.
Apart form the above contact hours for each module; each module will be required to put in an additional 5 hours per week (minimum) for self- study.

Mode of Learning
This programme is delivered through face-to-face taught class; learners can choose to attend either Full time or Part time classes.

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Entry Requirements

This programme is designed for business graduates from the local polytechnics as well as graduates from International Advanced Diploma in Business Administration and those with equivalent qualification*.

Applicants must be aged 20 years and above

Informatics Academy
International Advanced Diploma in Business Administration

Nanyang Polytechnic
Diploma in Accountancy & Taxation
Diploma in Banking & Financial Management
Diploma in Business Management
Diploma in Marketing
Diploma in Risk & Insurance Management

Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Diploma in Accountancy
Diploma in Business Studies
Diploma in Banking and Financial Services

Singapore Polytechnic
Diploma in Accountancy (Full-time)
Diploma in Banking and Financial Services (Banking)
Diploma in Banking and Financial Services (Financial Trading)
Diploma in Business Administration (Communications & Travel Management)
Diploma in Business Administration (Public Relations & Advertising)
Diploma in Business Administration (Retail Management)
Diploma in Marketing

Temasek Polytechnic
Diploma in Accounting and Finance
Diploma in Business
Diploma in Hospitality Management
Diploma in Legal Studies
Diploma in Logistics & Operations Management
Diploma in Marketing
Diploma in Tourism Management


*Other Diploma or Advanced Diploma from business related fields are subjected to acceptance by Informatics.*

To find out if your existing qualification meet the entry requirement, email us

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