(Postgraduate Certificate) Postgraduate Certificate
New Venture Creation
Withdrawn
University of Essex
University of Essex
Essex Business School
Southend Campus
Postgraduate Certificate
Full-time
CER N21203
10/05/2023
Details
Professional accreditation
None
Admission criteria
A 1st, 2:1 or good 2:2 degree.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) code
IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum component score of 5.5
If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.
Additional Notes
The University uses academic selection criteria to determine an applicant’s ability to successfully complete a course at the University of Essex. Where appropriate, we may ask for specific information relating to previous modules studied or work experience.
Course qualifiers
A course qualifier is a bracketed addition to your course title to denote a specialisation or pathway that you have achieved via the completion of specific modules during your course. The
specific module requirements for each qualifier title are noted below. Eligibility for any selected qualifier will be determined by the department and confirmed by the final year Board of
Examiners. If the required modules are not successfully completed, your course title will remain as described above without any bracketed addition. Selection of a course qualifier is
optional and student can register preferences or opt-out via Online Module Enrolment (eNROL).
None
Rules of assessment
Rules of assessment are the rules, principles and frameworks which the University uses to calculate your course progression and final results.
Additional notes
None
External examiners
External Examiners provide an independent overview of our courses, offering their expertise and help towards our continual improvement of course content, teaching, learning, and assessment.
External Examiners are normally academics from other higher education institutions, but may be from the industry, business or the profession as appropriate for the course.
They comment on how well courses align with national standards, and on how well the teaching, learning and assessment methods allow students to develop and demonstrate the relevant knowledge and skills needed to achieve their awards.
External Examiners who are responsible for awards are key members of Boards of Examiners. These boards make decisions about student progression within their course and about whether students can receive their final award.
Programme aims
1. To help participants develop critical analytical, problem-solving, creative and learning skills associated with the preparation and start of new venture.
2. To help students develop a critical awareness of economic, social and technological context of entrepreneurship, small business development, social and community enterprise and self-employment.
3. To prepare students for careers as entrepreneurs, as owner-managers, social entrepreneurs and also as policy makers in support services, entrepreneurial management in different types of organisations.
4. To help students to develop an entrepreneurial approach to managing their own learning and personal development in the future.
5. To enable students to start developing business and personal plans with a view to starting their own business or social enterprise, and/or projects in existing organisations.
Learning outcomes and learning, teaching and assessment methods
On successful completion of the programme a graduate should demonstrate knowledge and skills as follows:
A: Knowledge and understanding
A1: Ideas, theory and practice of new venture creation and entrepreneurship processes and their application in various organisational scenarios (key focus on small and medium sized enterprises and social enterprises)
A2: The use value of concepts of opportunity development, new product development, organisational innovation and new venture creation and their application in different private, public and community contexts
A3: In-depth and critical understanding of the varied contexts of new venture creation; typologies of entrepreneurs, and enterprise management functions, including new venture finance and financial management, organisational learning and training, and innovation and technology management for new ventures
A4: Critical understanding of application of psychological, economic, sociological and managerial theories of entrepreneurship and innovation in different economic contexts and in different organisatonal settings that influnece the development of a business plan
A5: Critical understanding of business research methods necessary for use in the development of individual action and business plans.
Learning methods
Directed pre-reading and writing tasks on different aspects of entrepreneurship; lectures; Discussions with tutors and supervisors on the values, principles and applications of entrepreneurship theory and practice; Discussions with practitioner-based advisory panels; reference to private and public fora on entrepreneurship and innovation.
Directed self-study, observation and reflection of practice; comparative case work in workshops and the classroom; consultation with library materials, projects with small and medium sized enterprises and public agencies; presentations of findings related to models, strategies and good practice; Informal assessment will be made through group work and oral presentations Related feedback, coupled with peer group interaction, should enable students to explore and augment their understanding of the topics, and develop their presentation skills.
Assessment methods
Learning outcomes (1) - (3) and (5) are assessed by course work assignments (individual assignments and group work, including oral presentations and class tests) and the business plan.
B: Intellectual and cognitive skills
B1: Communicate ideas and arguments in a coherent and effective manner.
B2: Undertake independent research
B3: Identify, design, develop, create, codify, synthesise, and critically review/analyse theoretical and practical arguments on entrepreneurial opportunities, strategies, and tools for new ventures in particular contexts and for different purposes
B4: Assimilation and acquisition of particular learning skills for developing a practical business plan for new venture creation based on in-depth market-oriented research-based skills
B5: Construction and use of appropriate methodologies and applied action/experiential learning methods in the new venture contexts;.
B6: Identification, evaluation and use of critical theories of entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation and methodologies for the development of business plans concerned with growth of new ventures
Learning methods
Lectures; workshop exercises, preparation of individual and team-based assignments, presentations of assignments to academic and practitioner panels; peer group work; final examination.
Project-based work on new and growing small and medium enterprises, social enterprises and government agencies concerned with enterprise and innovation;
Recommended direct reading, networking with external communities of practice, peer groups, practitioners; reference to public and private fora.
Development of learning logs from the beginning of the course.
Lectures and directed self-study for the identification of different research paradigms, techniques and methods which can be used to inform and support practical business planning scenarios.
These methods and strategies will be built into each module and reinforced separately in the Individual Creative Action Plan.
Informal assessment will consist of group work and oral presentations.
Related feedback, coupled with peer group interaction, should enable students to explore and augment their understanding of the topics, and develop their presentation skills.
Re: Learning Outcome B1&B2.
Self directed study with dedicated supervision
Assessment methods
Formal assessment of outcomes will take the form of course work assignments providing a further opportunity to assess a range skills highlighted above.
The assessment of the course work will include evaluation of the student's knowledge of market-oriented research and methods in exploring a specific topic aligned to potetially viable business project.
The business plan will seek to examine a similar range of research skills as they apply to the development of a business proposition (e.g.
The development of a new product/service, a case study of a the creation of new organisation (as part of the individual essay and/or the Group Project).
C: Practical skills
C1: Compare and contrast different practical approaches (e.g. networking; self-assessment; ideas generation exercises; use of business planning tools) to new venture creation and enterprise management in different types of organisations; the development of a business plan
C2: Working through a 'Individual Creative Action Plan to establish a foundation for the further development of a business plan for use and application in a 'real world' context
C3: Working through the different stages of preparing a a business plan to develop a complete business plan for use and application in a 'real world' context
Working through the different stages of preparing a a business plan to develop a complete business plan for use and application in a 'real world' context
C4: Use of independent and formal research methods and techniques (including market research; market forecasting techniques, new venture financial and resource planning) towards the preparation of a business plan
Learning methods
Direct reading, lectures; review with practitioner advisory group; networking with peers; reference to public and private fora, the International Entrepreneurship Forum; on-line discussions; formation of teams linked to small and medium sized enterprises and other organisations; visits and workshops; discussions with tutors and supervisors; projects; maintenance of learning logs; Routine classwork, management of self-learning, group work and interactions with experts will provide an informal means for assessment of the practical skills acquired by the students
Assessment methods
Learning Outcomes (1), (2) and (3) will be formally assessed by written assignments; the presentations of individual and group work.
Learning outcome (4) is assessed by the completion of a business plan.
D: Key skills
D1: Oral and written communication to different audiences in a coherent, cogent and effective manner
D2: Use of information technologies including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, statistical and web-based packages to read, download, analyse and evaluate different types of data and information
D3: Use and manipulate different types of numerical data, solve quantittative problems, apply and interpret economic and statistical data
D4: Use and application of analytical, morphological and other creative problem skills
D5: Understanding and appreciation of different communities of interest, good spoken and written communication skills, empathy and resolution of conflict
D6: Work as individual and group project manager, including time management, critical task prioritisation, meeting deadlines, evaluating self- learning.
Learning methods
Direct reading, lectures; formation of teams linked to small and medium sized enterprises and other organisations; work individually and in groups in computer lab; group-based workshops; maintenance of learning logs; visits.
Assessment methods
Learning Outcomes (1), (2) and (3) will be formally assessed by written assignments; the presentations of individual and group work, and the business plan.
Learning outcome (4-6) is assessed by the completion of a business plan.