msc in systems thinking in practice - the open university

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MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice

Distance learning degree qualification

QUALIFICATION LEAFLET

MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice (F47) 2

ModulesThe MSc offers you the choice of a ‘research’ route or a ‘professional’ route to this qualification.

For this 180-credit masters degree you require:

60 credits from the following compulsory modules:

Postgraduate compulsory modules CreditsThinking strategically: systems tools for managing change (TU811)

30

Managing systemic change: inquiry, action and interaction (TU812)

30

And 60 credits from the following optional modules:

Postgraduate optional modules CreditsBusiness operations: delivering value (T883)

30

Capacities for managing development (TU870)

30

Continuing professional development in practice (U810)

30

Environmental decision making: a systems approach (T863)

30

Environmental responsibility: ethics, policy and action (TD866)

30

Forensic engineering (T839) 30

Institutional development (TU872) 30

Managing for sustainability (T867) 30

Managing technology innovation (T848) NEW

30

Problem solving and improvement: quality and other approaches (T889)

30

Technology strategy (T846) 30

War, intervention and development (TU875)

30

And 60 credits from either the Research route or the Professional route below:

Professional route30 credits from the following compulsory module:

Postgraduate compulsory module CreditsThe MSc professional project (T847) 30

And 30 credits from the optional modules listed above.

Research route

Postgraduate compulsory module CreditsResearch project (T802) 60

For more information and to register go to www.openuniversity.edu, or call +44 845 241 6555 For more information and to register go to www.openuniversity.edu, or call +44 845 241 6555

The discipline of systems thinking in practice will provide you with the tools to challenge your approach to complex situations; to consider the roles other people play; to assess how all the different components within that situation are related; and to provide you with the skills to think more holistically and to work more collaboratively to avoid systemic failures.

Career relevance and employabilityThose with technical interests and responsibilities will find this masters qualification useful to them in their work. It will also provide the opportunity for those wanting to progress to demonstrate their potential to develop new skills. The flexibility of the choice of module allows you to tailor the content to your needs and can be applicable in a wide range of industry sectors; in particular manufacturing, IT and science. The study of systems thinking and practice provides knowledge and understanding that is equally applicable in the public and private sectors. If you are self

employed you may also find the knowledge developed by studying this combination of modules provides the opportunity to take a more objective and innovative view of the systems they have already created and how to change these for the future.

Credit for previous study elsewhereIf you have already completed some successful study at postgraduate level at another institution you may be able to transfer credit for this study and count it towards this Open University qualification. If you wish to apply to transfer credit you must do so as soon as possible as it may affect your choice of OU modules. If you are awarded credit for study completed elsewhere, you may find that you need to study fewer OU modules to complete your qualification with us.

On completionOn successful completion of the required modules you can be awarded an MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice entitling you to use the letters MSc Sys Prac (Open) after your name. You will have the opportunity of being presented at a degree ceremony.

Qualification detailsThis MSc course looks at the way you think and naturally approach a task or situation. Every person brings with them their own perspective, which means that we all see things in different ways.

1 QUALIFICATION LEAFLET

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For further details please refer to our website, www.openuniversity.edu.

Assessment keyEMA = End-of-module assessment

iCMA = Interactive computer marked assessment

TMA = Tutor-marked assignment

Thinking strategically: systems tools for managing change (TU811)

Credits: 30 at Postgraduate

Assessment: 3 TMAs, 1 EMA

This course is about managing complex situations. Managing is ultimately about taking action in complex interconnected situations, where others involved may have contrasting understandings, motivations and interests, and where conflicts inevitably arise. You will develop your understanding of complex situations using robust tools from the traditions of systems practice to think strategically about change and uncertainty. The situations that you choose to work with in the course to develop your practice with systems tools can either derive from your existing, or aspiring, professional capacity or simply be of general interest to you.

Managing systemic change: inquiry, action and interaction (TU812)



This course views change as inescapable in everyday managing in situations ranging from personal to workplace to society in general. Rather than passively accepting change this course will equip you with skills to shape the nature and direction of change. It is about learning to use systems thinking and practice to help you engage with change and act accordingly to recognise the interconnected nature of organisations and environments.

Research project (T802)



This research course builds on your existing postgraduate diploma to enable you to complete your MSc. You’ll design a research proposal by identifying and developing a research problem relevant to your MSc. Your research will involve a literature review, original data collection, data analysis and the drawing

of conclusions. You will then communicate the outcome of your research by writing up and submitting your dissertation. Support is available to you at every stage from the study materials, your supervisor and online forums. You will need to complete preparatory work before the course start, therefore early registration is strongly recommended.

The MSc professional project (T847)



This research-based course is your opportunity to investigate a topic of your choice in what is likely to be a ‘professional’ employment-related setting. Acting as an ‘informed investigator’ you will design, conduct, analyse and report on your chosen research project, applying relevant conceptual, theoretical and methodological material at all stages of your work. You will be expected to carry out your research in a rigorous fashion and to an appropriate academic standard. Spanning only six months, T847 provides a challenging but valuable opportunity to engage in – and learn from – a research scenario of your choosing.

Business operations: delivering value (T883)


Assessment: 3 TMAs, 1 Examination

The core of any enterprise is the set of processes that must take place to deliver goods and services that provide value to customers and other stakeholders. To effectively design and manage business operations requires an appreciation of their strategic importance, an understanding of the human and technical factors that impact on their effectiveness, and mastery of appropriate analytical techniques. In this course, concepts and principles are taught using case studies spanning all sectors of the economy: public or private, large or small, manufacturing or service-based, and you’ll have opportunities to apply your learning to your own context.

Capacities for managing development (TU870)



Development management engages with the multiple challenges of ‘development’ - any development, anywhere - and this course sets out to build up the basic capacities for managing those challenges. It rests on the assumption that management is a political and ethical process, a matter of the use of power to bring about desired goals in contexts characterised by conflicts of interests, values and agendas. The course teaches a range of skills needed by any manager, skills to do in particular with strategic thinking, research, advocacy, planning, policy making, and evaluation. It is of relevance to managers in any sector, anywhere.

Modules

For more information and to register go to www.openuniversity.edu, or call +44 845 241 6555

3 QUALIFICATION LEAFLET

Continuing professional development in practice (U810)



This six-month course is aimed at people with a professional qualification (degree or professional equivalent) and who have undertaken at least 150 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) over the last three to four years. This may be courses from the OU or other providers or ‘non-course’ CPD completed for their organisation or professional bodies. Through two assignments and an end-of-module assessment you will audit and evaluate this CPD activity and the impact that it has had on your work. You will identify and progress appropriate development opportunities and the future direction of your learning through continuing professional development and evaluate ways in which you can share your learning in your organisation.

Environmental decision making: a systems approach (T863)



Many of our decisions and actions affect our environment, yet economic and political considerations often dominate. Defining environment to include biophysical, social, political, economic and other factors, T863 uses a systems framework to integrate ‘environment’ with other elements in environmental decision-making situations. You will learn techniques and skills in systems thinking including: modelling, evaluating, negotiating, formulating problems and opportunities, identifying feasible and desirable changes and taking action. The module features a case study on air travel and examples including water, energy, agriculture and climate change.

Environmental responsibility: ethics, policy and action (TD866)



Have you ever wondered how to be a responsible environmental citizen? What it means to be responsible, to make a 'right' decision, or to achieve a 'just' outcome for our natural world that we share? Such questions affect many of us both on personal and professional levels. This course provides a framework for analysis, and innovative tools promoting individual and collective responsibility for decisions and action. You will examine how cultural traditions influence attitudes towards the environment, and develop skills in advocacy, argumentation, debate, evaluating direct action, and constructing and making sense of environmentally related documentation such as briefing papers and viewpoint articles.

Forensic engineering (T839)



Why do products fail? Inadequate materials, poor manufacturing or assembly methods, bad design – failure can arise at any stage, giving designers clues as to what failed, why, and how to avoid future failures. Using real case studies, this course examines the principles of good product design and assesses the significance of poor design on the development process. You will work with techniques for analysing product failure, including scientific and engineering tests and observation. You will investigate real catastrophic failures – the Challenger space shuttle, the Hindenburg and the Tay Bridge – and consider the role of design, manufacturing, materials and communications in these fatal disasters.

Institutional development (TU872)



Institutions are part of everyday life and are critical for the success of development processes and social change. Development managers, in public and private sectors, need the capacity to analyse the institutional landscape, and to use and adapt appropriate institutions – or create new ones – to promote development. They also need the capacity to build good relationships between the many organisations working for social change. This newly revised and fully online course explores theories and concepts policy and practice in a variety of fields. It examines the strategic importance of inter-organisational relationships and provides tools for promoting institutional development.

Managing for sustainability (T867)



This course will increase your understanding of delivering and supporting sustainability management. You will develop a multi-disciplinary perspective on resources, sustainability and health and safety management which will incorporate strategy, policy, data collection and knowledge management. It will introduce you to a systemic approach for studying organisational operations and methods for quantifying and optimising resource use and energy use while using tools to reduce environmental, societal and financial risk. You will also learn how to improve the efficiency and effectiveness with which your organisation can incorporate sustainability issues and to identify future trends and drivers for change in this area.


MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice (F47) 4





Can I study in any country?This course is approved for study in most countries. Please use the Course Finder menu at www.openuniversity.edu to see if it is available in your country.

Is an OU qualification recognised in my country?An OU degree is equal in academic standard to a degree from any other British university. The University is subject to the same quality assurance procedures, through the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), as all other British universities, and uses external assessors and examiners to ensure comparability of standard and level in its courses.A leaflet is available on how you can apply for formal recognition in your country. To download the leaflet, please go to www.openuniversity.edu/brochures/recognition.pdf.

What tutor support will I receive?The OU excels in its unrivalled support for students. You’ll have email and online support from a tutor and you will be able to discuss your study in online tutor group discussions, using our customised learning environment. Our community websites Platform and OpenLearn offer a different perspective on your subject, and a huge range of OU resources on YouTube and iTunes U can expand your understanding. In addition, you can tap into a range of enthusiastic and welcoming OU social network groups on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Are there any entry requirements?To gain entry to our postgraduate programmes you’ll normally need an undergraduate degree or equivalent. However, your previous work experience and study, or qualifications from other higher-education institutions, may all count towards programme entry.

As part of the registration process, however, you will be asked to confirm your proficiency in English (if you are unsure, you can take a short online test, please see our website www.openuniversity.edu for more information).

Can I count previous study towards an OU qualification?Any higher-education level studies you’ve successfully completed elsewhere may count towards your OU degree or other qualification. We enable you to do this by awarding you a certain amount of ‘transferred credit’. By transferring credit gained from previous study, you can reduce the amount you need from OU study to achieve your qualification. For more information please go to www.openuniversity.edu.

How do you work towards a qualification? We measure the size of our qualifications in credits - you need 60 credits for the certificate, 120 credits for the diploma and 180 credits for the masters degree.

How long does it take? Our qualifications are designed to be flexible. So if you want to vary the amount of time you spend studying, you can. The table below is a guide on the time required, but call us today to discuss how you can vary the study intensity and therefore the time taken to complete your course.

Postgraduate qualifications

Credits required

Time required to complete1

Certificate 60 1 year part-time studyDiploma 120 2 years part-time studyMasters degree 180 3-4 years part-time study

1For illustrative purposes only – in most cases you can vary the number of credits taken per year and therefore the time taken to complete the course.

FAQs


Managing technological innovation (T848)



The history of technological innovation has been nothing short of remarkable, affecting our lives, the effectiveness of organisations, the profitability of industries, the well-being of societies and the prosperity of nations. Understanding the processes that underpin technological innovation is therefore crucial, whether you are a user or producer of technological innovation. And if you are involved in managing innovation processes, an understanding of the overall process of innovation and its variations is a core professional competence. This course examines innovation from a management perspective, enabling you to improve how you contribute to the process and management of technological innovation.

Problem solving improvement: quality and other approaches (T889)



Problem solving is a necessary activity for all organisations. However, it is frequently ineffective: chronic problems that were supposedly solved re-emerge, and opportunities remain unrealised. Although many organisations have had early successes with mechanisms for problem solving and improvement, these have often foundered over time. This course provides a wide range of problem solving approaches, methods and techniques and examines their underpinning concepts, principles and theoretical backgrounds. It will enable you to investigate problems properly; and generate robust, effective solutions that are sustainable. The course also explores the nature of problems and solutions, and the management of problem solving and improvement.

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Technology strategy (T846)



This course is for anyone interested in technology strategy in public, private sector or third-sector organisations. It’s relevant to people who have to work within strategic frameworks set by their organisations as well as to those with direct responsibility for developing strategy. The course recognises the unique challenges of technology, resulting in both the planned and emergent formation of technology strategy. To capture this ‘uniqueness’ the course takes an overview of theoretical perspectives on strategic management, places these in a technological context, and then relates these to a range of practical techniques and approaches relevant to strategy making.

War, intervention and development (TU875)



All development management interventions must deal with complexity. TU875 examines the complexity of civil wars, exploring ways in which interventions can be developed that at worst ‘do no harm’, at best make for a just and lasting peace. A fundamental premise is that the first step is to understand the roots of the war and the goals of the various actors. Another is the need for a vision of what is a desirable society. On this basis, the course sets out the theory and illustrates the practice of the diverse skills that contribute to the making of a good intervention.skills to do in particular with strategic thinking, research, advocacy, planning, policy making, and evaluation. It is of relevance to managers in any sector, anywhere.


www.OpenUniversity.edu/brochures/recognition.pdf

www.OpenUniversity.edu/brochures/recognition.pdf






Go to www.openuniversity.edu, select the Courses section and the degree you require. You will then be asked to select your first module to register.

Alternatively call us on +44 845 241 6555.

Don’t worry, you don’t need to pay anything at this stage.

As soon as you have registered you’ll get an email confirmation which contains your login details.

What do I need to do next?

It takes just 2 simple steps.Begin the process to secure your place. Here's how easy it is.

Before you start studying you will need to choose and register on your first modules and arrange payment; instructions for this will be emailed to you. Once complete you will officially be an Open University student – welcome!


2. Choose your first module, make payment to enrol

1. Register now

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How much will it cost?You pay for your postgraduate studies module by module, rather than for an entire programme up front. Therefore, the total cost of a qualification may vary according to which modules you choose and how long you take to complete your degree. The EU fee for this qualification in 2012/13 is:

£9,790 - £11,550

Please note: prices are approximate and subject to change. Please check our website or call us for latest details.

For information please go to www.openuniversity.edu and view the details on the Courses pages.

When can I start?To give you more opportunities to start, this qualification has three intakes a year – February, May and November.

Can I meet and network with other students?Definitely – when you start with the OU you automatically become a member of the Open University Student Association (OUSA). OUSA also runs a popular student forum site. For more information, go to www.ousa.org.uk. Once you have gained your qualification, you can join the OU Alumni Association, our vibrant and active alumni community with 280,000 members worldwide. You will enjoy many membership benefits, including regular newsletters, good networking opportunities and access to the alumni website.

How is my privacy protected?We record your personal information when you contact us and use this to manage registration, study, examination and other services. When you register, we’ll tell you more about how we process and use your personal information.

When should I apply?Apply as early as you can – particularly if you wish to claim for credit for previous study. Registration open dates are shown in the Courses section on each qualification page at www.openuniversity.edu.




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The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England and Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302).While we have done everything possible to make sure the information in this publication is accurate, it may change due to regulations or policy, or because of financial or other reasons.

Copyright © 2013 The Open University.

All details shown in this leaflet are correct as at February 2013, but are subject to change. Please call +44 845 241 6555 for the latest details.

msc in systems thinking in practice - the open university

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