NX0477 - NBS Masters Consultancy Project

This option is offered as an alternative to the NBS Masters’ Dissertation on all 1-year MSc programmes and in the second semester of year 2 on the 2-year programme variants with Study Abroad and with Advanced Practice (if the students select an Internship in semester 1), again as a Dissertation alternative. It is also offered as alternative to the Management Investigation on the MBA.

On this consultancy based module you will enhance your individual effectiveness and employability skills by locating the learning and development in an organisational context. In doing so, you will promote personal and group development, commercial awareness, and a range of inter-personal, intellectual and practical skills and knowledge centred on and demonstrated through a group negotiated real-time work-based project.

The content of the management report will be unique. The nature and scope of the area of your investigation will be defined and agreed in collaboration with the organisation and the University supervisor. The syllabus will include:

• Conducting research in organisations.
• Identifying researchable questions.
• Consultancy and project management skills.
• Research methods and doing a literature review
• Presentation, communication and report writing skills.
• Analysing findings.
• Writing recommendations and action plans.
• Reflecting on work based experiential learning.

In undertaking this project based module, you will critically reflect and evaluate upon organisational practices and their relation with academic theory, and in doing so, provide practical and actionable recommendations through an investigative management report.

The assessment for your module consists of a Group Consultancy Report (7,000 words) and Final Client Presentation, weighted at 60%, alongside an Individual Assignment comprising a Literature Review (4000 words) and a Reflective Learning Statement (2,000 words), weighted at 40%.

The module is supported by a teaching and learning plan which outlines the formal sessions, together with the tutor-directed study and independent reading. An interactive approach to lecture sessions will draw upon the directed learning undertaken and your own experiences. Throughout the Consultancy process, the emphasis will be on high levels of participation, both individually and within small groups or teams. You can therefore expect the reflective-practitioner approach to learning to be embedded in all workshop/seminar sessions through undertaking activities which facilitate them to apply theory to ‘real-life’ situations, critically analysing and making recommendations for appropriate ways forward for the organization/individual. This is essential both for the real-life working experience and also the development of the summative work that accompanies this module.

Directed learning will centre upon a range of activities including pre-reading, preparation for interactive activities and use of the discussion board on the e-learning platform.

Independent learning will centre upon the participants identifying and pursuing areas of interest in relation to the subject area or by providing deeper/broader knowledge and understanding of the subject through a range of learning activities that might include extended reading, reflection, research etc.

Critical reflection on knowledge, experience and practice underpins the learning and teaching philosophy along with the explicit development of competence.

The directed learning, independent learning and critical reflection will underpin both the group and individual elements of assessment on your module.

The module is supported by a teaching and learning plan which outlines the formal sessions, together with the tutor-directed study and independent reading. An interactive approach to lecture sessions will draw upon the directed learning undertaken and your own experiences. Throughout the Consultancy process, the emphasis will be on high levels of participation, both individually and within small groups or teams. You can therefore expect the reflective-practitioner approach to learning to be embedded in all workshop/seminar sessions through undertaking activities which facilitate them to apply theory to ‘real-life’ situations, critically analysing and making recommendations for appropriate ways forward for the organization/individual. This is essential both for the real-life working experience and also the development of the summative work that accompanies this module.

Directed learning will centre upon a range of activities including pre-reading, preparation for interactive activities and use of the discussion board on the e-learning platform.

Independent learning will centre upon the participants identifying and pursuing areas of interest in relation to the subject area or by providing deeper/broader knowledge and understanding of the subject through a range of learning activities that might include extended reading, reflection, research etc.

Critical reflection on knowledge, experience and practice underpins the learning and teaching philosophy along with the explicit development of competence.

The directed learning, independent learning and critical reflection will underpin both the group and individual elements of assessment on your module.

You will be supported by appropriate academic content and workshops with supervisory guidance from an NBS mentor during the work-based element of the second year of the programme which acts as a pre-cursor to the writing of this client report and individual literature review.

You, supported by your academic supervisor will produce a significant group and individual assessment, as indicated above and which is specific to this particular module and consultancy project.

Where appropriate, organisational representatives will further provide you with formative feedback on performance, particularly in regard to the content and presentation of the report and group presentation.

Whilst the module will represent your entire study for the relevant period on the programme and your team can work flexibly on this in terms of time and place, it is expected that you work in the Business Clinic itself on at least two days per week and therefore make yourself available to academic staff who can provide appropriate ad-hoc support.

You will be supported by appropriate academic content and workshops with supervisory guidance from an NBS mentor during the work-based element of the second year of the programme which acts as a pre-cursor to the writing of this client report and individual literature review.

You, supported by your academic supervisor will produce a significant group and individual assessment, as indicated above and which is specific to this particular module and consultancy project.

Where appropriate, organisational representatives will further provide you with formative feedback on performance, particularly in regard to the content and presentation of the report and group presentation.

Whilst the module will represent your entire study for the relevant period on the programme and your team can work flexibly on this in terms of time and place, it is expected that you work in the Business Clinic itself on at least two days per week and therefore make yourself available to academic staff who can provide appropriate ad-hoc support.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of innovative research on the business and management community. [MLO1]

• Acquire, interpret and critically apply specialist functional or generalist business knowledge in relation to the programme of study. [MLO2]

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:


Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• Reflect critically on their own ethical values. [MLO3]

• Plan and complete a major project on a contemporary business, financial, management or leadership topic for an external organisation. [MLO4]

• Demonstrate skills of critical analysis and synthesis in the application of research methods to the exploration of a contemporary business and management issue. [MLO5]

Knowledge & Understanding:
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of innovative research on the business and management community. [MLO1]

• Acquire, interpret and critically apply specialist functional or generalist business knowledge in relation to the programme of study. [MLO2]

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:


Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• Reflect critically on their own ethical values. [MLO3]

• Plan and complete a major project on a contemporary business, financial, management or leadership topic for an external organisation. [MLO4]

• Demonstrate skills of critical analysis and synthesis in the application of research methods to the exploration of a contemporary business and management issue. [MLO5]

Formative assessment will take place continuously due to the consultancy nature of the project and through the regular group meetings with the mentor.

Specifically you and your group will undertake an initial 'practice' project in order to develop consultancy skills, team working and presentation skills, and this will be formatively assessed by the mentor. You will also be encouraged to use peer and self-evaluation throughout the projects in order to develop this process before used in the summative assessment. Throughout the projects the teams will meet on a regular basis with their mentor who will be able to give continuous feedback on progress, the use of underpinning concepts and theories, and how effectively the team is working.

Criteria will be provided to enable you to understand what is expected and how they will be assessed on their performance. You are required to demonstrate self-reflection and reflective practice where appropriate.

The summative assessment for this module consists of a Group Consultancy Report (7,000 words) and Final Client Presentation, weighted at 60% and meeting MLO4 and MLO5, alongside an Individual Assignment comprising a Literature Review (4000 words) meeting MLO1 and MLO2 and a Reflective Learning Statement (2,000 words), weighted at 40% and meeting MLO3.

It has been approved by the University and/or Faculty Student Learning and Experience Committee(s) that this assessment is exempt from the anonymous marking process.