This programme is designed for Area Housing Managers in Tower Hamlets Housing Management Services who:

• wish to extend their managerial skills and to develop managerial expertise to complement their professionalism.

The main emphasis is on leadership through strategic management where students are expected to ground their new knowledge within the base of their previous professional experience. The integrating theme of the programme is one of leadership through strategic management. To this end the programme is based on ‘themes’ rather than the more traditional subject based approach. Students would be expected to reflect on and learn from prior experience and combine this with new knowledge to apply to new situations. In the light of this, the main aims of the programme are:

1. To facilitate the advanced study of organisations, their management and the changing external context in which they operate.
2. To develop knowledge and understanding of key areas of management.
3. To develop a career in business and management through the development of relevant skills at the appropriate level or to facilitate further research or study in the area.
4. To develop the ability to apply knowledge and understanding of business and management to complex issues through critical and analytical approaches to management theory, practice and research.
5. To develop the ability to evaluate management techniques, tools and models in a variety of contexts.
6. To recognise the relationship between ideas and practices.
7. To develop personal and interpersonal skills relevant to management and communicate the arising issues in written and oral form.
8. To equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to achieve the appropriate level of post graduate award and continue their lifelong learning development.

The programme has two modules:

• ‘Managing People and Organisations in a Public Service Context’;
• ‘Leadership, Strategy and Finance’;

The programme has been designed for a specific group: ie. Deputy Area Housing Managers and Local Housing Office Managers from Tower Hamlets Housing Management Services. We hope that this will mean that your studies with us will be particularly relevant to your work, with real outcomes for THHMS, as well as for you personally.

The programme is run at Duncan House, The Business School’s Centre for Postgraduate Studies, where we aim to provide a stimulating and supportive learning environment in which your management education may develop.

Applicants for the programme will be identified by THHMS. However, the admission of applicants to the programme is solely at the discretion of the University and the following principles will apply:

• There will be a reasonable expectation that the applicant will be able to fulfil the objectives of the course and to achieve the standard required for the award;
• There will be a reasonable expectation that the applicant will be able to fulfil the University's requirements in terms of knowledge and skills for the award;
• The University will apply the principle of equality of opportunity to its admission activities and will encourage the recruitment of local and regional students and those with special needs; and,
• In considering individual applicants for admission to a course of study the University will seek evidence of personal, professional and educational experiences that provide indications of ability to meet the demands of the course.
• The qualifications accepted for entry will be limited to those which ensure that the student may be reasonably expected to cope with the postgraduate nature of the subjects on the programme.

Candidates for entry will normally be expected to have a first degree or equivalent, at, as a minimum, a 2.2 level or the equivalent. Candidates are also expected to hold positions of management responsibility.

Where applicants do not possess a first degree, but have considerable experience of management, an APEL procedure may be used to admit the applicant. The APEL procedure will be integrated into the development of the portfolio for the Personal Development Plan. All candidates will be interviewed.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Management (THHMS) is a 60 Level M credit programme and is offered in a part time mode, where teaching is delivered in two day ‘blocks’over a period of approximately one year. The programme comprises 2 X 30 level M credit modules. To achieve the full award, students will be required to follow the programme of modules shown below.

• Managing People and Organisations in a Public Service Context
• Leadership, Strategy and Finance

However, students are able to enrol for one module. Those who are successful in one module, will receive a UEL Associate Certificate

Teaching and learning methods used are varied. They are designed to encourage students to accept responsibility for their own learning, collectively as a group and individually. The programme hopes to promote independent study and the development of self-management skills.

There is a requirement for students to undertake set reading on certain topics and explore relevant literature for assignments and seminar discussions. Students are expected to demonstrate knowledge and skills gained through participation in seminar discussion and oral presentation.

The programme aims to have a high degree of participation, encouraging sharing of information, ideas, experience and values. Tutors expect students to use their knowledge and expertise to relate theory to practice in the context of their own work experiences.

The programme aims to develop an approach to learning which encourages students to “transform” rather than simply to “reproduce” the theories and ideas which are introduced. Overall the intention is to enable a student to develop as someone who is proficient in the acquisition of relevant knowledge and skills in the various fields of management and someone who is committed to a critical understanding of their own learning and potential professionalism.

The course is assessed entirely by coursework, there are no examinations.

The assessment strategy devised for the Postgraduate Certificate in Management (THHMS) programme takes into account both the mode of assessment and its timing within the programme. At the beginning of each module, students will be given a schedule which clearly identifies deadlines for each type of assessment on each module. These deadlines will be phased throughout the module, the aim being to spread the assessment load wherever possible.

A variety of modes of assessment are used throughout the Postgraduate Certificate in Management programme. These fall into the following categories:

• Individual project
• Group project
• Group presentation
• Personal development plan

The mode of assessment used for each module is designed to match the learning outcomes and assessment criteria for that module. However, the total assessment package demonstrates the kind of variety outlined above. This variety is designed to reflect the different types of managerial situation as the following examples illustrate:

• Managers are often required to think on their feet and develop solutions to problems (portfolios).
• Managers are often required to assess a number of different proposals or develop proposals of their own based on research (assignments and projects).
• Managers are often required to work with others on a specific project (group assignments and projects).
• Managers are often required to present their findings or ideas to line managers, peers, customers etc (presentations).

More detailed assessment criteria will be made available for each piece of work, supported by guidance from the tutor. In general assignments should exhibit

• A high standard of written English and presentation
• Logical and well structured argument and organisation.
• Critical understanding of theory and concepts
• Application of this understanding to business practice
• Clear referencing and sourcing using the Harvard sytem
• Avoidance of plagiarism

To obtain an Postgraduate Certificate award a student needs to pass both modules. To obtain an Associate Certificate, a student needs to pass one module.

The overall pass mark for each module is 50%. The mark for each module is the aggregate of the various components of assessment. Students must complete each component. A mark of at least 40% (of the total available for each component) must be obtained for each component of assessment in each module.

A student who achieves an average mark of at least 70% may be recommended for an award with distinction. A student who achieves an average mark of 65% to 69% may be recommended for a merit.

This programme is designed for those working in the THHMS. The learning outcomes of this course are partly based on the student’s ability to reflect on what has been studied and put this into the context of their work experience. This reflective process is on going throughout the course. This is underlined by the action learning and continuing professional development diary undertaken as part of the assessment of the course.

The programme assessment includes individual projects. The main aim of these is to enable students to research and write up a problematic aspect of management practice. The objective is to enable students to critically survey and analyse relevant theories and models and then to conceptualise them in order to make recommendations for problem solution. There is also a group project culminating in a group presentation and report.

The main added value comes from the wide range of experience of the staff in both teaching and professional life. Most tutors have public service and /or industrial experience in terms of employment and consultancy work and work with organisations in the region and on a national level. A number are active researchers. Links with industry/ public services can be exploited. Successful students of the PG Certificate are also able to progress to PG diploma and MBA programmes.

The main added value comes from the wide range of experience of the staff in both teaching and professional life. Most tutors have public service and /or industrial experience in terms of employment and consultancy work and work with organisations in the region and on a national level. A number are active researchers. Links with industry/ public services can be exploited. Successful students of the PG Certificate are also able to progress to PG diploma and MBA programmes.

The programme aims to provide consistent and continuing support for students through staff involved in teaching, administration and programme management. The Postgraduate Certificate in Management (THHMS) Programme Director will act as overall personal tutor to all students on the programme.  

There will be a one day introduction to the course, this will cover the content of the programme, encourage the students to reflect on their careers to date, level of professional skills and level of skills related to the programme. These reflections will be within the context of the requirement to complete a Professional Development Plan.

A pivotal role is played by the Postgraduate Student Support Centre, which is located in Room 130, on the first floor at Duncan House. This Centre is staffed by a team of professional administrators, and offers a range of services, support and advice in key areas. Examples would include: enrolment queries; reference letters for work, and general assessment queries. Most student support needs can be met directly by Support Centre staff, who work closely with the academic tutors. They are also able to refer students for more specialist support and guidance on counselling, careers etc.

• Good communications with central London.
• Contacts with a wide variety of business, public sector and not for profit organisations via the UEL ‘Knowledge Dock’ database.
• Links with local public, private and professional organisations.