Reasons to study MBA for Engineers at De Montfort University:

The MBA for Engineers is designed for individuals who have gained professional credentials and work experience in any engineering field. Its primary aim is to build on the technical knowledge of its participants to prepare them for progression toward management and leadership roles in their organisations. Participants on the programme will gain practical knowledge in core business areas and specialist areas of their choosing.

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is involved in the curriculum to produce a distinctive programme. The course will be delivered by a team of academic experts with extensive experience within the field such as Professor Paul Hughes (Strategic Management), Professor Peter Stokes (Leadership Practicum), Professor Kevin Brampton (Managing Commercial Contracts), Professors Adel Hatamimarbini and Khalid Hafeez (Operations and Service Quality Management), and Dr Gregory James and Dr Frederick Ahiabor (Project Finance).

• Leicester Castle Business School is an official higher education partner of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). In addition, the course is endorsed by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
• The course will deliver a balance of theory and praxis by developing an in-depth critical appreciation of conceptual underpinnings in business management and contextual application.
• You will learn the science and art of management through the study and application of theory and through case study and experiential learning in core business areas: leadership, strategy, finance and corporate social responsibility, and specialist knowledge in areas of business such as project management, risk management, data management and cyber security, operations management, client management and contract management.
• Throughout the programme, a coaching approach to leadership training is utilised to help participants discover and hone an effective personal leadership style.
• You may opt to participate in a DMUglobal programme to enhance the development of their final dissertation or project.
• You will have an opportunity to apply your knowledge and explore key challenges faced by the 21st century organisation in a final dissertation or project.
• The programme will provide an extensive, detailed and critical understanding of the difference between project finance and other corporate finance alternatives, including the main motivations and rationale for the use of project finance.
• The programme will critically apply core analytical techniques in undertaking a strategic audit and in supporting specific elements of the strategy process.
• The programme will evaluate possible actions of a corporation in response to environmental, social and economic impacts.
• You will understand and critically apply new knowledge to the engineering and management contexts.

Structure and assessment

Core modules

Leadership Practicum

This module introduces students to the principal issues facing organizations in the twenty first century in respect of leading, managing and shaping organizations to create value for a range of stakeholders. It aims to develop the vital people management skills and knowledge considered to be necessary for existing and aspiring managers to work with the complexities presented in modern contexts and respond to these in a reflective, agile, creative, flexible and adaptable manner.

The content includes exploration of theories on what are the potential elements of effective leadership and the provision of insights and tools with which to understand and shape organizational culture and behaviour. The module will have a strong global and international perspective recognising the interconnected and fast-paced technologically informed world in which this has to be conducted. In particular, leadership which is sensitive to cross-cultural management will be considered and explored.

Project Finance

The module will cover the key motivations and rationale for the use of project finance; key parties (sponsors and lenders) risk analysis; infrastructure and project risk analysis and management (both qualitative and quantitative risk assessment and mitigation); the project finance process; advisory and project due diligence; project valuation and cash flow analysis; financing the project (debt finance and other financing sources available to project finance sponsors); sustainable lending and the equator principles; credit risk and project finance transactions; power project finance; oil and gas projects; infrastructure project finance, including traditional project finance and public-private partnerships (PPP)/public finance initiatives (PFI).

Strategic Management

This module is developed to provide insight and through engagement in a blend of contemporary theoretical thinking and application in the field of strategic management. The central underpinning of the module is the exploration of the strategic management process, with participants proactively encouraged to apply and rethink the utility of strategic concepts and frameworks in strategy-making and decision-making, in both planned and emergent contexts. The syllabus, learning materials and teaching/learning methods are therefore specifically designed to expose participants to key theoretical approaches and at the same time to critically challenge existing norms in the field.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Blowfield and Murray (2011:12) describe Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as an „umbrella term”, covering the definition, management and acting upon of business’ relationship to society. Many views of CSR also have either an explicit or implicit ethical dimension to them. Much current discussion of the relationship and role that business plays in society is characterized by expectations of how firms manage the responsibilities beyond the financial; that businesses must address their broader impact on the environment and society. There are a number of debates about what the scope of such responsibility should encompass, and a burgeoning academic literature that attempts to address such debates. This directs, in many ways, the applied or managerial responses to CSR issues. The module addresses both the academic literature on CSR and explores its application – a managerial impact – through case studies and contemporary examples of specific firms, industries or issues.

Consulting Project

Students will be supported to complete a 4 month consultancy project on a live business case. This project offers students the opportunity to critical apply knowledge gained over the period of their study and have a real impact on a local client company. Several students will visit the same organisation, but work independently on their analysis and devising of recommendations. Throughout the course of the project students will be supervised by an academic as takes place for any other final semester project.

Optional modules

Data Management and Cyber Security

This module develops knowledge of and skills in management of information security, risk assessment and security policy formulation, certification processes and required procedures, and state of the art risk management models and strategies. Students learn the principles and processes involved in undertaking a security management assessment and risk analysis that is in line with ISO 27001.

Project Management

This module considers the scope and definition of a project, its significance as an instrument of change and the roles and responsibilities of people within it.  Organisational issues are explored and the application of a range of project management tools are critically evaluated for the execution, management and control of project management throughout all its phases.

Operations and Service Quality Management

Operations and service quality management is a vital field in today’s complex global economy and highly competitive business world. Therefore, 21st century students and future leaders are in need of understanding operations and quality as the indispensable elements of every business. This module will provide students with a comprehensive appreciation in making decisions about the operation functions, develop students’ analytical skills and decision-making abilities related to issues in operations and service quality, and furnish students with state-of-the-art case studies to reinforce students’ understanding of basic principles and formulation skills.

Risk Management

This elective module has been designed in order to provide a thematic study of ‚Risk Management’ within an interdisciplinary context. The rationale for the elective is driven by the extremely topical nature of the subject matter and the increased recognition that it is essential to manage corporate risks in order to enhance stakeholder value. It is now recognised that the business agenda has moved away from risk avoidance towards the recognition that risk, if correctly managed, may provide opportunities leading to competitive advantage.

Managing Commercial Contracts

This module provides a law and risk contextualisation for leaders in the field of engineering. It encourages participants to understand decision-making from design, production, commissioning, consulting, inspecting through to commercials in a context of risk and liability context. Engineers are used to considering thresholds of acceptability, based on probabilities and acceptable tolerances. This module re-examines technical decision-making from the experience of law and how law manages risk. It introduces the complexities of inter-jurisdictional issues and the functions of reporting and governance. It highlights the importance of professional decision-making and responsibility beyond the use of process and technical specification. It introduces concepts in leadership around how management and organisation can increase or decrease risk and liability and therefore make differences in the commercial dimensions and sustainability of engineering projects.

Managing the client Experience and Expectations

The module will help to develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between organisations, their customers and clients. In particular, students will critically assess organisational competence in client management and identify weaknesses in Client Relation Management (CRM) performance. Students will be encouraged to investigate the Client Life-cycle, as well as exploring techniques for effective segmentation of the customer base in line with client expectations, satisfaction and profitability.

Facilities and features