| Unit name | International Business Management and Modern Languages Independent Project |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MODL30028 |
| Credit points | 40 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Fricker |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Modern Languages |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
This unit invites you to research a topic you are interested in, using your preferred methodology, and to develop an innovation case. Asking incisive questions is often the springboard to innovation, because it shows that you are not simply accepting the status quo at face value. A great question is like a great idea: it needs space and time to develop, which, in a hectic business environment often comes at a premium. Universities are places where resources, including space and time, are available to you to craft a project of your own and explore its potential practical implications. Being able to pose, pursue and – at least begin to – answer your own research question is a skill that matters in academia and transfers seamlessly to industry.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
The purpose of the project overall is to encourage you to bring together competencies and skills you have developed in the study of a Modern Language on the one hand and International Business Management on the other. It is an opportunity for you to draw extensively on previous work and to stake out a claim as an expert in an area of your choosing.
An overview of content
Content related to any aspect of your studies in International Business Management and Modern Languages can be used as a springboard into your project.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
Completing a significant piece of research can be a moment of real pride: You will have carved out a niche for yourself – an area of expertise that you know better than most. Having identified the stakeholders and processes needed to make a real difference in the world should give you a boost of confidence as well. Setting yourself up as a change-maker based on the knowledge you have gained can be a truly transformative experience.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
You will take part in the research skills lecture which discusses what makes a great project, how to develop your research question, how best to access relevant materials, and how to structure and present your work. Dedicated opportunities to discuss your plans with the unit director will be available at regular intervals, and you will agree a schedule of meetings with your supervisor once they have been assigned. For the innovation case, you will have the opportunity to take part in a series of seminar sessions in which the various possible formats will be discussed.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Half-way through TB-1 you will submit a topic proposal, indicating your preferred area of research. Your unit director will discuss your idea with you, provide initial feedback, and assign a supervisor. At the end of TB1, you will submit a more detailed proposal, on which, again, you will receive feedback supporting you in advancing your methods and thoughts on evidence and advising you on potential practical implications.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
There are two summative assessments, and dedicated support is available at each stage. It is expected that you will conceive of the two parts as an integrated project with two separate deliverables. In other words, think of it as one two-part project.
You will plan, carry out and write up a significant piece of individual research on an organisation, institution or thematic area in which innovation is needed. This will entail considering the specific cultural, social, economic, or political factors necessitating or enabling innovation, and collecting and analysing the data or evidence that shows that innovation is possible.
Based on your findings, you will develop an innovation case, which may be a business plan, strategic development plan, policy proposal or similar type of document, as appropriate to your case. It will translate your analysis into an implementation proposal, showing how change could be achieved. This will be four pages in length, following a defined format for which you will receive dedicated training.
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. MODL30028).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
