BSc Management (Marketing) with Industrial/Professional Experience

The overall aim of the course unit is to enable students to acquire up-to-date advanced knowledge of psychology issues pertinent to success in leadership in the modern workplace.  

There are scores, if not hundreds, of theories about what makes good leadership. Most of these theories tell us what to do, but not how to do this. The specific aim of this course unit is to teach students the psychological skills necessary for success in leadership, in particular, skills relating to: (i) personal development; (ii) influencing (self and others); and (iii) leading others. 

Pre-requisite course units have to be passed by 40% or above at the first attempt unless a higher percentage is indicated within this course outline.

The unit aims to: The overall aim of the course unit is to enable students to acquire up-to-date advanced knowledge of the psychology issues pertinent to success in leadership in the modern workplace.

There are scores, if not hundreds, of theories about what makes good leadership. Most of these theories tell us what to do, but not how to do this. The specific aim of this course unit is to teach students the psychological skills necessary for leadership and work success. It covers three areas (a) personal development, (b) influencing others, and (c) leading others. 

Expected Outcomes

Students will learn a variety of skills relevant to employability during this course unit. The course unit focuses on learning skills for success in leadership and in general work settings. As such, students will gain skills concerning influencing their own and others’ emotions, attitudes and behaviours; skills concerning personal leadership development; and skills for leading others to success. More generally, students will also learn skills concerning critical thinking (e.g., being able to critically review theories and empirical studies in the area of psychology), and interpretation and analysis of case studies of real organisations.

Lecture Topics include:

• Work success  
• Leadership theories;
• Self-control;
• Emotional regulation;  
• Social influence;
• Persuasion, power and politics;
• Building personal reputation;
• Developing effective work relationships;
• Leader traits, skills and meta-competencies    
• Leader development;
• Revision.

In this course, students will acquire advanced knowledge of psychology issues pertinent to leadership success in the modern workplace. Students will learn the psychological skills necessary for success in leadership, focusing on personal development, influencing (self and others), and leading others.

Throughout the course, students will learn to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, manage their time effectively, and apply stress management techniques. They will analyse leadership theories, solve complex workplace problems, and make informed decisions using data from multiple sources. 

Lectures and seminars. In all teaching sessions basic theories are used to show how to improve leadership and success in organisations.

Applied Lectures are used for assessment. Applied Lectures contain activities to demonstrate how the theoretical knowledge gained from the course can be used in practical ways or applied to different situations. Each Applied Lecture covers different sections of the course. Activities might include such things as; self-completion of surveys related to course material and reflection of results, obtaining feedback from others on personal skills, applying course concepts to understand a case study.  

• Self-awareness – awareness of own strengths and weaknesses. Evaluate own strengths and weaknesses through self-assessment tools and feedback, with emphasis on personal development and building personal reputation.
• Develop and implement a personal time management plan, including setting goals and priorities, to enhance self-control and emotional regulation.
• Apply stress management techniques to effectively handle challenges and maintain productivity, focusing on work success and leader development. 

• Analyse and critique various leadership theories and their application in workplace scenarios, considering persuasion, power, and politics.
• Formulate and implement solutions to complex workplace problems using structured approaches, incorporating social influence and effective work relationships.
• Integrate and interpret data from multiple sources to make informed decisions, supporting the development of leader traits, skills, and meta-competencies.

• Locate and utilise relevant resources to support research and learning activities, including library, electronic, and online resources.
• Create comprehensive reports that effectively communicate findings and recommendations, demonstrating advanced knowledge of psychology issues pertinent to leadership.
• Design and conduct research projects following ethical guidelines and safety protocols, focusing on independent research and experiments.

• Independently gather, sift, synthesise, and organise material from various sources to support arguments and conclusions.
• Apply discipline-specific knowledge to solve real-world problems and make decisions in everyday situations.
• Plan and implement an effective research project, including defining objectives, methodology, and analysis, with a focus on leading others and leader development.

Write report of 3 Applied lectures, 4,000 words (100%)

Specific readings given for each lecture.

Programme Restrictions: BSc International Management; BSc Management and Management (Specialisms).

For Academic Year 2025/26

Updated: March 2025

Approved by: