MBA in Operations and Project Management (CE) - UCAM, Spain

The one-year online Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a comprehensive program designed for business professionals who are looking forward to managerial or senior administration roles. Post completion of the program, the learners will be awarded a Master of Business Administration from Universidad Católica de Murcia, UCAM.  

The program provides transferable skills, knowledge and understanding that can be applied in the highly competitive and evolving business setting of the present day. The units are aligned to National Occupational Standards for business and represent the core attributes required by employers in a range of business settings. 

This qualification aims to provide learners with:

• an understanding of the essential skills required to work successfully in the Business management sector.
• the tools to prepare learners intellectually and practically for effective performance in their place of work / employment.
• the skills required to solve problems in a business environment.
• the readiness to manage the various organisations on a scientific basis and to hold leading managerial positions.
• an understanding of business culture and responsibilities in the various domains of business management.
• the ability to successfully communicate and work with others in a business environment.
• The opportunity to develop the skills required to manage and improve their own performance in a business environment.
• a comprehensive understanding of the Business and Management domains.

Course Structure 

PART A

1. Strategic Management and Leadership (GM705)

Module Description 

This module is designed to help students understand and evaluate various aspects of Strategic Management in a global context. The module explores theories, models and frameworks to provide insight on how an organization’s life cycle evolves through various stages to achieve excellence. The module helps students to evaluate the relationship between organisational strategies, performance and stakeholder expectations.

Learning Outcomes 

LO1. Analyse the concepts and theories of strategic management and critically evaluate the relationship between strategy, stakeholder expectations and organisational performance.

LO2. Evaluate the impact of current and emerging Economic, Political and Cultural factors on strategic management in an international context.

LO3. Formulate business strategies under challenging circumstances of Innovation and Change and evaluate those that contribute to the success of a particular organization.

LO4. Develop plans for the implementation of business strategies and enhance Stakeholder Expectations.

2. Strategic Change Management (GM703) 

Module Description 

Change dynamics challenges managers due to the inherent uncertainty and need for adaptability. Strategic change impacts the human resources structure of the organisation, and this often means a restructuring of the workforce or changes in working practices. This course defines sequential process, role, and dynamics to organisational change, which imparts the skills and knowledge to support active engagement in the process of strategic change management and further highlights ways of dealing with it. It focuses on the need, phases, and conditions for successful organisational change. The knowledge developed as part of the module assists in real-world decision making. Different organisational interventions are also incorporated. The SCM module is designed to help students understand the dynamics of Strategic Change Management.

Learning Outcomes 

LO1. Identify and analyse the implications for managing strategic change in supporting organisational transformation.

LO2. Analyse the organisational management challenges faced during the transformation and changes experienced by the organisation.

LO3. Analyse and evaluate the significance of strategy employed in trying to bring about an effective change management in an organisation. How does this impact leadership and human behaviour in an organisation.

LO4. Evaluate different change management theories propounded on management and leadership attributes which leads to enhanced contribution by managers and the employees.

3. International Human Resource Management (GM701)

Module Description 

The objective of this module is to make students understand the human resource management, and equip them with knowledge, skill and competencies to manage people along with material, information, capital and knowledge asset in the organization, to equip the students in formulating their own managerial and leadership, style, their assumptions and belief about ‘people’ and their behaviours in an organization. Given the state of competition and globalization, business environments are getting volatile and managing Human Resources is a challenge faced by present day organisations in both domestic and global scenarios. This module helps students relate HRM practices in globalized context, its significance, scope, and practices in relation to International Human Resource Management.

Learning Outcomes 

LO1. Critically review and analyse the importance of HRM and its practices in an organisation, and how it can be linked with organisational behaviour activities in overcoming business issues and challenges for a better performance of the organisation.

LO2. Critically review and analyse the framework of leadership and consider the nature, strengths and weaknesses of the various approaches: traits; functional; behavioural; style; contingency. The continuum of leadership behaviour should be explored in some depth with consideration of the factors determining the chosen leadership style.

LO3. Discuss the concept of organisational behaviour and its interface with management. Review and critically synthesize the various influences on behaviour in organisations and the interface with management in integrating and balancing these.

LO4. Assess the role of IHRM and its impact on global organisation. Identify some of the keyHRM challenges facing organisations working internationally. Discuss the prevalent HRM practices and integrating the best practices in global organisation.

4. Operations Management (GM702)

Module Description 

The module is designed to help students understand the strategic role of operations management and its competitive advantage for organisational survival. It brings out the relationships between the operations function and other functional areas of a business such as marketing, finance, and information systems and how they can work together to achieve the business strategy.

Learning Outcomes 

LO1. Know the various tools, techniques and apply suitable tools and techniques in different alternative scenarios of Operations Management.

LO2. Apply information management techniques and evaluate them in context of operational functions to achieve competitive advantage and make the organisations globally competitive.

LO3. Apply and critically evaluate the importance of project management to given business situations (Using PERT / CPM).

LO4. Demonstrate operations strategy in domestic and global context and evaluate how the use of technology has impacted the operational functions.

5. International Marketing Management (GM704)

Module Description 

This module is designed to expose and help the students gain an awareness of the various aspects of marketing in a global context. Understanding of contemporary theories and their applications in the research field of international marketing and management provides the students with an opportunity to understand the global marketing environment and its application for originality in developing, applying and implementing ideas in the areas of international management and international marketing. It also helps the students to evaluate and identify the factors that help develop appropriate market entry strategy combined with product development and promotion internationally

Learning Outcomes 

LO1. Analyse the changing business environment(s) globally and how they pose challenges to marketing management functions in organisations.

LO2. Develop marketing plans with application of appropriate marketing models, tools and techniques

LO3. Evaluate the processes involved in brand management and how they influence consumer behaviour

LO4 . Evaluate the skills set needed as a creative marketer to launch new products/services in a dynamic global marketplace.

6. Management Accounting and Finance (GM707)

Module Description 

This module is designed to inform and help the students gain adequate awareness of the various aspects of financial statement evaluations through conduct of ratio analysis as a quantitative tool and its application for introspecting, comparing existing business strategies whilst considering the impact of macro-economic and macro business factors on the functioning and operations of business in a global context. Understanding of contemporary theories and their applications of International Accounting Standards, Principles, Investment Strategies and Budgeting Concepts that shall provide students with an opportunity to appreciate the global financial markets and the changing business climate for originality in analysing, interpreting and exposing them to the complexities of managing bottom line expectations and shareholder value creation aspects as part of the overall accounting and financial management concepts. It also helps the students to evaluate and identify the factors that help develop appropriate budgetary planning and strategy combined with forecasting techniques and benchmarking performances internationally.

Learning Outcomes 

LO1. Critically analyse the use of the key functional areas of marketing, strategy, finance, accounting and operations management in support of wider organisational activity.

LO2. Analyse strategic perspectives regionally, nationally and internationally at organisation and sector levels.

LO3. Critically evaluate the relationship between the organization and its business environment and the importance and nature of organisational change and transformation.

LO4. Critically analyse contemporary issues, challenges and problems relating to business and management that impact business and management at functional, strategic and sector levels.

LO5. Evaluate the role and contribution of integrative strategic and leadership approaches.

LO6 . Synthesize relevant critical thinking through organisational research completing an independent Accounting & Finance Assignment.

7. Socio-Economic and Legal Environment (MBAUC700)

Module Description 

This module has been designed to provide the learners with the adequate understanding of the economic, social, political and legal context which affects the environments in which businesses and organisations operate. An analysis and understanding of critical factors such as globalisation, growth in the economy and legal regulations which affect the ability of businesses to operate is deemed highly important for management professionals.

Learning Outcomes 

LO1. Critically analyse the knowledge economy and the various drivers of economic changes which impact business activities.

LO2. Understand the legal framework and its implications in the wider context of business Management.

LO3. Analyse case scenarios and case studies on the various economic drivers and legal frameworks practised in business management.

LO4 . Critically evaluate the political factors which influence company management and dynamics.

PART B

Research Methods

Module Description 

The Management Project is supported through 8 structured Research Methods sessions designed to guide learners through their dissertation journey. This is an individual research effort where learners investigate a topic of their choice over an extended period, with ongoing guidance from an assigned supervisor. The sessions focus on building a clear understanding of the research process and expectations, while supporting learners in developing their literature review, exploring different research methodologies and philosophical approaches, and applying quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques. Learners are expected to attend all scheduled sessions, as these are essential for effectively planning, executing, and completing the dissertation.

Learning Outcomes 

LO1. Identify and critically justify postgraduate research/enquiry techniques appropriate to the chosen business and management context.

LO2. Critically evaluate relevant ethical and operational issues relating to the chosen project.

LO3. Demonstrate the capability to undertake a systematic, analytical and evidence- based approach to a strategic management project.