Executive MBA

Aims and Objectives:

• You are an experience professional with career ambitions focused on promotion or a new career direction
• You are an experienced professional who recognises the importance of continuous learning and exposure to new knowledge
• You are an experienced professional who recognises that success in today's volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment requires individual and organisational competence in adaptability and the ability to make decisions in the face of complex data and pressure
• You want to build networks to open doors to new knowledge, career and business opportunities
• You have entrepreneurial ambition, but need the business know-how to bring your idea to life
• As a leader and people manager, you want to develop your awareness of your leadership style and expand your leadership toolset
• You want exposure to the world of new and emerging technologies and digital communication platforms

Programme Structure:

The programme is a two year part-time programme. It begins in mid-September and finishes at the end of August, two years later. Each year is divided into two semesters. The programme requires attendance on one day per week (currently Thursday) from 2.00pm to 9.00pm during each semester.

The programme begins with an intensive two day induction event. The first two semesters of the MBA programme develop an understanding of the range of foundation disciplines and their potential contribution to business leadership and organisational effectiveness.

The second year of the programme will be characterised by an integrated approach, which focuses more specifically on the key strategic drivers of sustainable growth, operational excellence, entrepreneurship and innovation, technology management and international enterprise engagement. In the second semester of Year 2, students will take the Strategy, Leadership and Transformation module. This module focuses on the unique roles, tasks and responsibilities of corporate leadership and governance in the overall strategic development, performance and transformation of the enterprise.

The modules on the programme are:

Year 1

• Organisation Behaviour and Change
• Marketing
• Accounting for Decision Making
• Business Economics
• Managing People & Organisations
• Business Strategy
• Enterprise Engagement I
• Personal Leadership and Management Skills I

Year 2

• Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Enterprise Engagement II
• Strategic Operations
• Business Finance
• Technology Management
• Strategy, Leadership & Transformation
• Strategic Consultancy Project
• Personal Leadership and Management Skills II

Key Programme Modules

Enterprise Engagement (Domestic) This module will focus on organisations operating in Ireland who are developing their business both at home and internationally. The module allows participants to engage with expert-orientated domestic companies. Participants will undertake a residency weekend visit, which involves visits to Irish companies, guest speakers and class workshops. The module also introduces participants to research method skills in preparation for the strategic consultancy project in year two.

Enterprise Engagement (International) This module focuses on business operations in a global environment and international models of best practice. The centrepiece of the Enterprise Engagement (International) module will be a study visit abroad during the first semester of second year. In 2014 we will visit global companies in San Francisco. The module provides participants with direct experience to global organisations and their respective leaders.

Capstone ModuleThe capstone module for the programme is the Strategic Consultancy Project. Working in teams, students will undertake a consulting assignment on behalf of an Irish-based organisation. While allowing students to deepen their knowledge of a specific industry or sector, it offers an opportunity to apply their learnings in a real-life situation while adding value to the organisation. The project will be presented to a panel of industry representatives and Business School Faculty in the summer semester of year two.

Personal Leadership and Management SkillsThis module will run throughout both years of the programme. It will include topics such as trust, conflict management, coaching and mentoring, ethics and communications. Students will also conduct a substantial personal development process facilitated and delivered by an Organisational Psychologist.

Strategy, Leadership and Transformation This module is delivered in Semester 2 of Year 2. The module focuses on the unique roles, tasks and responsibilities of corporate leadership and governance in the overall strategic development, performance and transformation of the enterprise.

Innovation and EntrepreneurshipThis module introduces new venture creation process and business planning in the context of business start-up's. It explores innovations as they occur through new venture creation. It examines modules of new venture creation process and the growth of new ventures. This requires an understanding of how entrepreneurs identify or discover opportunities; how they amass the resources needed to start a new business; and how they manage in the context of a new or growing business. Participants will be required to identify a new business opportunity and to prepare a comprehensive business plan and a business pitch" for the new venture opportunity.

Why DCU:

• DCU is Ireland's University of Enterprise, which influences and drives our industry engagement strategy and MBA programme design
• Learn from academic experts with a high level of industry relevant experience and translational research. This ensures graduates have the most up-to-date knowledge of theory and practice
• Exposure to top-performing experienced professionals from international and national business who share their insights on such themes as strategy, leadership, digital technology, entrepreneurship and innovation
• Exposure to leading international academics and thought leaders
• Working on real-world industry projects, connecting theory, research and practice
• Strong focus on applied learning delivering return-on-investment for employers and clients
• Enhance leadership competence through participation in 2-year Leadership Development Programme
• Opportunities to enhance knowledge of new and emerging technologies through workshops and optional activities and events
• A participatory and action-learning teaching approach consisting of case studies, problem-solving, participant experience and discussion. It is an approach which connects scientific research industry problems and develops participants into Evidence-Based Manager.

Career Prospects:

At DCU Business School, we believe that the MBA should be about much more than just acquiring some useful extra tools for the management tool kit. It should also be a transformative experience at the personal level. Our value proposition is that our MBA is an educational experience that is both professionally and personally transformative, aimed at developing business leaders with the ambition and enterprise to help create a better, more sustainable world and featuring leading edge thinking with tangible application.

Graduates of our programme talk about how they have grown in confidence, how their own self-awareness as leaders has deepened, and how their perspective on business management has been raised to a more strategic level.

Our graduates tell us that these 'personal growth' effects of the MBA become very apparent back in their workplaces, in terms of the issues to which they are invited to contribute, the roles they are asked to take on, and in how they are perceived as future leaders.

The following are some testimonials from our Graduates and Current Students:
The real differentiator for me on this programme has been the leadership skills development modules. The classes were hugely stimulating and a great combination of academic principle and practical reality, especially during international week. Unlike so many other programmes we were pushed to try out newly learned skills in our own day to day working lives, which has been truly rewarding.

Geraldine Freeman, Pharmacy Channel Manager, Johnson & Johnson.

I embarked on the Executive MBA Programme with high expectations. The learning from academics, business leaders and the interaction with fellow students has provided me with essential skills and business insights to develop personally and professionally. Undertaking the MBA has been central to my professional progression within a growing organisation and I now have an enhanced, balanced prospective in business, enabling me to successfully achieve my goals and exceed my MBA expectations and career aspirations.

Declan Wynne, Commercial Director & Head of UK Business. Gaeltec Utilities Ltd

Completing the DCU MBA not only provided me with the functional tool kit necessary to lead and grow a business but it has also been a transformative experience both from a personal and professional perspective. Along the way I have had the opportunity to work with some incredibly talented people and apply the learning directly to my business, bringing immediate benefits for my organisation. I am also currently Chairperson of the MBA Society and our aims are to create networking and career opportunities for graduates and students, to work with the school to promote the program and grow its brand internationally. Each year we adopt a charity to support and this year we raised almost €4000 on behalf of St. Ciaran's special needs youth group in Finglas.

Stephen McNulty, Business Unit Manager, ALS / Chairman DCU MBA Society