Management and Organisational Dynamics

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Academic Year of Entry: 2015/16 - 2016/17 - 2017/18 - 2018/19 - 2019/20 - 2020/21 - 2021/22 - 2022/23 - 2023/24
Course overview
(Postgraduate Diploma) Postgraduate Diploma
Management and Organisational Dynamics
Current
University of Essex
University of Essex
Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Colchester Campus
Postgraduate Diploma
Full-time
None
None
None
DIP C8N209
26/04/2010

Details

Professional accreditation

None

Admission criteria

A degree with an overall 2:1.

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) code

IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum component score of 5.5

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

Staff photo
Prof Caroline Bainbridge

Professor

Roehampton University

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.

Key

Core You must take this module.
You must pass this module. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options You can choose which module to study.
You must pass this module. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory You must take this module.
There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the degree if you fail.
Compulsory with Options You can choose which module to study.
There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the degree if you fail.
Optional You can choose which module to study.
There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the degree if you fail.

Year 1 - 2015/16

Exit Award Status
Component Number Module Code Module Title Status Credits PG Diploma PG Certificate
01 BE450-7-AU-CO Management and Organisational Behaviour Compulsory 20 Compulsory
02 BE455-7-SP-CO Management Psychology Compulsory 20 Compulsory
03 PA901-7-FY-CO Psychoanalytic Theory Compulsory 30 Compulsory
04 PA910-7-AP-CO Joint Seminar in Psychoanalysis and Management Compulsory 20 Compulsory
05 PA927-7-FY-CO Psychoanalysis of Groups and Organisations Compulsory 30 Compulsory

Exit awards

A module is given one of the following statuses: 'core' – meaning it must be taken and passed; 'compulsory' – meaning it must be taken; or 'optional' – meaning that students can choose the module from a designated list. The rules of assessment may allow for limited condonement of fails in 'compulsory' or 'optional' modules, but 'core' modules cannot be failed. The status of the module may be different in any exit awards which are available for the course. Exam Boards will consider students' eligibility for an exit award if they fail the main award or do not complete their studies.

Programme aims

This is a joint scheme delivered by the Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies and the Department of Accounting, Finance and Management (administered by CPS).

Aims:

To provide an understanding of psychoanalytic theory in the British Object Relations Tradition

To provide an understanding of management practice in the UK

To provide an understanding of the theory and psychology of business management, from the standpoint of management studies, including organizational styles, alternative discourses of organization, conceptual frameworks for the analysis of management

To apply psychoanalytic group theory and methods to understanding and observing the dynamics of social situations and structures, and including institutions, the unconscious domain of institutional life, the common anxieties and the common psychological defences which characterise the culture of the organization

To apply a critical understanding of management theory and practice using psychoanalytic thinking and observational practice

To critique the psychoanalytic notion of ‘‘unconscious' aspects of culture, especially feelings in working environments, and the role of management practice in that culture

To facilitate a dual discourse

- psychoanalytic group theory and management

- for understanding organizations and as a basis for entering the field of organisational consultancy

To encourage the conceptualisation of feedback to organisations and institutions in terms of deeper understanding and useful possibilities for change

To provide an educational element for students who may wish to enter the field of organisational consultancy, and to encourage students to take on such projects if they wish

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: The basic principles of psychoanalytic theory, including the issues involved at points of development of divergent concepts.

A2: The theory of unconscious psychodynamic processes in individuals, and its extension into their working in groups and institutions, and the legitimacy of applying psychoanalytic ideas to understanding the range of human relationships from the earliest between mother and infant, to those in working organizations and other social settings.

A3: The importance and legitimacy of psychoanalytic observation of organisations in the study of the human relations and management of working institutions and society and in practice of consulting to organisations.

A4: The general principles of business management as practiced in the UK, and their psychological aspects, and the critical examination of the main topics in management and organization theory.

A5: An understanding, and ability critically to explore theories, of the relationships between behaviour and experience in organizations.

A6: The comparison and debate of issues relevant to organisations and management from both a psychoanalytic and management angle and a critical analysis of the limits of management and psychoanalytic models and practices in understanding organizations and management.

Learning methods

A1 will be taught in discussion seminars with target and recommended readings, on basic psychoanalytic theory.

A2 will be taught in formal lecture/seminars.

A3 will be taught in theory and small practice
seminars that support the setting up of observations for the critical understanding of organisational cultures.

A4 will be taught in lectures and seminars.

A5 will be taught in lectures and seminars, using a variety of media, including film, video, novels art and theatre.

A6 will be taught in joint seminars, including case studies and learning journal seminars.

Assessment methods

5000 word essay for each of PA901 and PA927; two 3000 word essays for AC913; one 3000 word essay and one two-hour exam for AC950; one 4000 word essay for PA910.
Essay guidelines make clear the areas of assessment.
More specifically, A1 is assessed in PA901(Psychoanalytic Theory) A2 is assessed in PA901 and PA927 (Psychoanalysis of Groups and Organizations) A3 is assessed in PA927 A4 is assessed in AC913 (Management in Organisations) A5 is assessed in AC950 (Management Psychology) A6 is assessed in PA910 (Joint Seminar)

B: Intellectual and cognitive skills

B1: The basic principles of psychoanalytic theory, including the issues involved at points of development of divergent concepts.

B2: Understand and critique management practices and their emotional correlations in working organisations.

B3: Translate observations into feedback that explains these observations to members of an organization.

B4: To apply a specifically psychoanalytic method of observing social situations, based on observing transferences (institutional dynamics), demonstrated in the writing of observation reports.

B5: Recognise the subjective aspects of objective observation outside the psychoanalytic setting and understand their relevance to relational and cultural phenomena in working observations.

B6: To compare and debate issues relevant to organisations and management from both a psychoanalytic and management angle; and to explore critically the limits of management and psychoanalytic models and practices in understanding organizations and management

Learning methods

B1 skills will come from reading and seminar discussion, using the course reading lists and other guided reading.

B2 skills come from formal lectures and seminars, including a wide range of media, including film, video, novels art and theatre.

B3, B4, B5 skills will come from the practice of a 3 month observation of a social organisation, in conjunction with seminars on the psychoanalytic theory of organizations and observation seminars.

B6 skills will comes from debate and discussion hosted by both departments and by keeping, presenting and discussing a learning journal.

Assessment methods

5000 word essay for each of PA901 and PA927; two 3000 word essays for AC913; one 3000 word essay and one two-hour exam for AC950; one 4000 word essay for PA910.

B1 is assessed in PA901 (Psychoanalytic Theory); B2 is assessed in AC913 and AC950 B3, B4, B5 are assessed in PA927 (Groups and Organizations) B6 is assessed in PA910

C: Practical skills

C1: Ability to document and provide evidence for arguments, both orally and in writing.

C2: Ability to write structured and focused essays, with proper citations and references.

C3: Learn to set up an observation.

C4: Write process notes for presentation to a discussion seminar and as material for a report/essay/dissertation.

C5: Write notes on observations (or consultancy) in order to a seminar group of other students, and to learn from others' feedbacks in a joint reflective process.

Learning methods

Teaching/learning is done in seminars focused on clearly specified topics, supported by texts.
Although participation is not formally assessed, it is actively sought, and our teaching style emphasizes drawing students out, inviting coherent argument.

Dissertation preparation is supported by individual supervision and by the Research Forum, where students present their proposals and their progress.

C1, C2 skills will be learned in seminars and essay preparation.

C3-C5 skills will be learned in small discussion seminars which discuss and supervise the setting up and conducting of practice observations.

Assessment methods

Assessment is by essay.

C1 - C2 are assessed in course essays.

C3 - C5 are assessed in PA927 and AC 950.

D: Key skills

D1: Ability to write clearly, coherently, and concisely.

D2: Knowledge of the range of available research approaches and an understanding of how this knowledge relates to their chosen area of research

D3: Knowledge of the range of available research approaches and an understanding of how this knowledge relates to their chosen area of research

D4: Students set up psychodynamic observations, which involve negotiating with staff at their observation sites. Students formulate essay titles and arguments. Students carry out a piece of research.

D5: Knowledge of the range of available research approaches and an understanding of how this knowledge relates to their chosen area of research

D6: Autonomously work to deadlines and make use of coursework feedback to refine their thinking on a topic.

Learning methods

Teaching/learning is by lecture/seminars, in which students are encouraged to express and debate complex ideas clearly.

They must also prepare and verbally present research proposals to Research Forums.

D4. Support by observation seminars, supervision and research Forum.

D6. Teachers provide substantive feedback on essays; supervisors and the Research Forum support the refinement of research proposals their implementation.

At the end of the first term, students write a commentary on a paper, on which they commented as part of their application to the MA, and receive staff feedback in the same form as on a course essay.

Assessment methods

D1, D4, D6 - assessment by essays, which must be submitted on time.


Note

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements, industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.

Contact

If you are thinking of studying at Essex and have questions about the course, please contact Undergraduate Admissions by emailing admit@essex.ac.uk, or Postgraduate Admissions by emailing pgadmit@essex.ac.uk.

If you're a current student and have questions about your course or specific modules, please contact your department.

If you think there might be an error on this page, please contact the Course Records Team by emailing crt@essex.ac.uk.