Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management
The Association of Business Executives (ABE) Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management is accredited by Ofqual and is equivalent to level 7 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). The qualification provides a route for students to gain advanced entry to a Masters degree at UK universities.
The ABE Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management has been developed by senior university professors, utilizing current academic learning and research, as well as employer knowledge and practice. It is therefore an ideal progression route for those who:
• are currently studying professional qualifications and wish to proceed to a Masters degree in business/management
• have a related Honors degree but wish to proceed to a Masters level business/management qualification
• are in employment, at managerial level, and wish to achieve a Masters level qualification
Students may take the programme independently (private self-study), or through a college which has been accredited by ABE to deliver the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management. If studying independently (private self-study), please pay particular note on assessment of the assignment, below:
About the programme
The Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management is comprised of five units:
1. Strategic Business Management and Planning
2. Organizational Resource Management
3. Management of Financial Resources and Performance
4. Leadership and Change Management
5. Corporate Management in Action (integrative Case Study assessment)
The units can be sat and the assignments submitted in any order, but it is STRONGLY recommended that the Corporate Management in Action (integrative Case Study assessment) be sat when all the other units have been passed, as subject knowledge of the other four units is required to pass Corporate Management in Action.
The Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management does not have Study Manuals as students at level 7 are expected to be capable of carrying out their own reading and research, which is the normal practice at Masters Level.
Assessment
Each unit requires two pieces of assessed work:
• an examination, which is externally marked by ABE: and
• an assignment, which is internally marked by the College or by Management Approaches and moderated by ABE.
Both pieces of assessed work are marked out of 100 and both pieces of assessed work carry equal weighting.
Students will be given a mark each time a piece of work is assessed. To pass the unit requires a pass mark of 40% or above in both pieces of assessed work.
For example, achieving a mark of 70% in one piece of work and 35% in the other will not qualify for a pass in the unit. When a student has passed both pieces of assessed work (i.e. examination and assignment), he or she will be issued with a final grade, which will be issued on the average of the two marks.
Please note:
The mark awarded by ABE on both the examination and assignment is the mark awarded to the student and will be used to calculate the final grade for that particular unit.
How to Register
Students should apply for the examination element on the Examination Entry Form (UK & EU or Non - EU), which can be found on the Members Area under Examination Forms. Failure to submit the correct form and payment could result in your entry being rejected.
Students should apply for the assignment element on the Postgraduate Diploma Assignment Entry and Submission Form, which can be found by the link below. On the form, students must indicate which assignments they are submitting. One form must be completed for each assignment.
There is no requirement to sit an examination and submit the corresponding assignment at the same time. There is also no limit as to how many times a candidate sits for an examination, nor is there a limit to the number of assignments submitted, or when they can be submitted. If either piece of assessed work is passed it will be carried forward to future sittings.
If a candidate should fail the examination element of the assessment they are permitted a re-sit at the next examination session, provided they pay the appropriate examination entry fee.
If a candidate should fail the assignment element of the assessment they can submit their reworked assignment at anytime, provided they pay the appropriate assignment entry fee and complete the Postgraduate Diploma Assignment Entry and Submission Form.
Examinations are conducted according to the ABE Examination Regulations (Conduct during Examinations), which are available from the Members Area. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that they read these regulations as ABE will assume that they have been read. Repeated or gross misconduct may lead to termination of membership of the Association.
Click here to download the Postgraduate Diploma Assignment Entry and Submission Form.
Assignments
The assignment is marked by the college or by Management Approaches.
All College students must submit their assignment to their college for marking. Only a college which has been accredited to deliver the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management can mark assignments. Therefore, all College students must check that their college is accredited to offer the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management and make all necessary arrangements prior to registering with ABE and embarking on the course.
All independent (private self-study) students must contact Management Approaches at least two months prior to the proposed submission date for advice on how to submit their assignment, the assignment marking fee, and support (if required). A separate fee is payable to Management Approaches for these services. For information on the services available and their charges, please email Management Approaches.
Assignments are accepted according to the ABE Assignment Regulations which are attached to the Postgraduate Diploma Assignment Entry and Submission Form. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that they have read these regulations before submitting their assignment(s) as ABE will assume that they have been read. Repeated or gross misconduct may lead to termination of membership of the Association.
Submission dates for Assignments
With effect from OCTOBER 2010:
Marked assignments can be submitted at any time as THERE IS NO CLOSING DATE FOR SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS.
However, candidates should still comply with any deadlines set by their College tutor or by Management Approaches to ensure that they get marked and submitted to ABE.
Candidates should retain a copy of their assignment and assignments received electronically will not be accepted by ABE.
Guidance on the content and marking of the assignments is available from the Resources section of the Members’ area of the ABE website. .
Colleges
To find out which colleges are accredited to offer the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management, click here.
Colleges wishing to be accredited for this programme should click here.
Entry Criteria
A student must fulfil at least ONE of the following criteria to be allowed entry onto the programme:
• Possession of ABE’s Advanced Diploma in Business Management or Business Administration*
• Possession of an Advanced Diploma in another subject*
• Possession of an honours degree in a related subject
• Possession of a level 6 qualification from another internationally recognised awarding organisation
• Five years senior management experience
For information about further study requirements, consideration of your previous management experience and previous qualifications, students MUST contact: registration@abeuk.com, prior to registering for the course.
*A student may progress to the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management if he/she has ONE unit of the Advanced Diploma yet to be passed, but cannot be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management until subsequently passing the remaining Advanced Diploma unit.
Registration/subscription/examination fees
• A student newly registered with ABE to enter this programme: £250
• Students with existing registration with ABE: no registration fee payable
• Annual subscription: £30 (if the programme takes more than 1 year to complete)
• Examination entry fee: £75 per subject (UK and EU); £50 per subject (rest of the world)
• Assignment entry fee: £75 per subject (UK and EU); £50 per assignment (rest of the world)
• Independent (private self-study) students must also pay a fee to Management Approaches for assessment of their assignment and support (if required).