Dip Business Studies

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Diploma in Business Studies

Companies of today are facing constant economic, political and social upheaval. The collapse of the Eastern Socialist economies and growing, stiff, competition from China and India has made managers in the advanced countries of Europe reconsider their marketing strategies. The dramatic political changes in the Middle-East, Easter Europe and African zones, combined with an escalating inflation and coupled with rising unemployment in Europe and U.S., paint a pessimistic picture for business managers. Yet, business potential always exists. To keep ahead of continuing shifts in environmental trends and maintain company policies and priorities appropriate to the world market places, managers must be able to formulate and implement successful competitive strategies.

The course emphasises strategy formulation and implementation as it occurs in each of the functional areas and in the organisation as a whole. Strategy formulation is concerned with an analysis of the interaction of external (outside the firm) environmental factors, with internal (inter-firm) strengths and weaknesses, and with the goals and values of the organisation’s key managers. It focuses on: (a) economic, social, political and technological trends; (b) the state of the industry; and (c) the determination of strategic areas that offer an opportunity for aggressive competition.

Learning Outcomes

The aims of this course are to increase and refine the strategic management skills of the students, most of whom are already in management posts. Superior management is the product of certain attitudes, knowledge, and skills that combine in unique persons to secure an organisation’s survival, growth financial returns, and continuous adaptation to changing circumstances. Identifying and helping produce such attitudes is what this course is about.

We pursue this aim through the experience, intelligence, and wisdom of our carefully selected Members of Staff, all of who are in high managerial positions in Industry, Banking and Business. Lecturers and Tutors are encouraged to be venturesome, authoritative and contentious so as to keep challenging all students involved. The aim of the course is to help turn managers into generalists, a requirement for any successful manager operating in global competition.

More specifically the following goals are in mind:

- to develop Strategic thinking and planning so as to defend market share locally and seek competitive advantages in world markets;

- to define clear approaches to strategic management with regard to specific overseas markets’ environmental conditions i.e. social, cultural, political, technological and economic trends;

- to understand the importance of the “old world” role in the world markets;

- and to enhance the effectiveness of managers from different organisations and nations through cross-fertilisation, achieved by the sharing of experience and viewpoints.

Course Modules

Marketing Management

Economics

Business Organisation

Statistics

Commercial Law

Business English

Teaching Methods

We primarily encourage you to learn through discovery and active practice, rather than being reliant on teachers and textbooks. Tasks are designed to respond to individual learning styles and needs, and we offer constructive feedback acknowledging that making mistakes is a crucial part of effective learning. Resources are available on moodle.

Assessment

The course is formatively assessed to monitor your progress and help you identify those areas that need extra attention. There is also a summative assessment in the form of an exam at the end of each module.

Transferrable Skills

You will develop a degree of self-reflection and begin to recognise your own strengths and weaknesses. Key skills such as problem-solving, working with others, and functional skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT are embedded in the course. All of these are skills that allow you to progress in education, training and employment and make a positive contribution to your community.

Progression

On successful completion of the programme, the Diploma in Marketing Management (DMM) is awarded and you can progress on to the interim Advanced Diploma in Business Studies (ADBS).

Awarding Body

Cyprus Institute of Marketing

Entry Requirements

To study with Atkins Academy, you must be at least 18 years old. You must also have:

[] A Secondary School Leaving Certificate; or

[] 5 O'Levels and 2 A'Levels (or equivalent), including one in English langiage with a minimum grade C.

Students may be exempted from the first year of our Bachelors Degree and enter directly into Year 2, the Advanced Diploma, provided that they possess one of the following qualifications:

(a) a Diploma in Marketing Management from CIM (BVI);

(b) OND/BTEC;

(c) Certificate of the Chartered Institute of Marketing in Marketing;
(d) 40 transfer credits from an accredited U.S. University in relevant fields;

(e) equivalent qualifications in the respective fields of the study programs.

A student may be admitted into the final year (3rd year of a Bachelor's Degree), provided that he/she possesses:

(a) an Advanced Diploma from this Institute;

(b) HND BTEC from a relative discipline;

(d) professional qualifications, such as the Advanced Certificate in Marketing of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK), American Institute of Bankers or Chartered Institute of Bankers;

(e) membership of the UK Institute of Certified Chartered Accountants, the Chartered Institute of Bankers, the Chartered Insurance Institute or any other Award from relevant Professional Bodies in the disciplines in which the student wishes to study;

(f) Degree in a relevant field.

Course Mode, Duration & Fees

The Diploma in Business Studies is a distance learning course that can be completed in 1 year or longer should you prefer a slower pace.