Higher National Diploma in Business
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1 Higher National Diploma in Business COURSE HANDBOOK 2018/19 Updated: SEPTEMBER 2018 Awarded by Pearson, UK Delivered in collaboration with Rushmore Business School
Transcript of Higher National Diploma in Business
1
Higher National Diploma in
Business COURSE HANDBOOK
2018/19
Updated: SEPTEMBER 2018
Awarded by
Pearson, UK
Delivered in collaboration with
Rushmore Business School
Our Student Charter
Our Student Charter outlines what you can expect from Rushmore Business School during
your time as a student as well as what you should do to get the most out of your studies.
Our commitments to you
To help you get the most out of your RBS experience we aim to:
• Provide high standards of learning and teaching
• Offer a flexible and relevant curriculum
• Provide a supportive, inclusive and welcoming environment
• Prepare you for employment and lifelong learning
• Deliver responsive customer service
Your commitments to us
To get the most out of your RBS experience you should:
• Take an active part in your learning
• Give us feedback and information
• Seek support and advice when you need it
• Act responsibly
See section 6 of this handbook for further information.
Our Student Entitlements
As a student registered on a Pearson programme you are entitled to:
1. Opportunities for on-going feedback on your work and progress towards your
assessments in every year of your course.
2. Participate in a course induction, which will be provided at the beginning of each year
of your course.
3. A meeting with your personal tutor once per semester. [All new and first year students
will be invited to a meeting with their personal tutor within four weeks of the start of
their studies].
4. A course that has been informed in its development by external stakeholders (e.g.
employers, professional bodies).
5. Participate in Personal Development Planning within the context of your course.
6. Have the opportunity to engage in embedded activities within your course which
develop and enhance your graduate employability and lifelong learning.
7. Receive clear dates at the beginning of each module about your assessment,
submission dates, when and how you receive formative feedback on assessment
during every module, and how you will receive feedback on marked assessments
within the 4-week feedback period.
8. Receive clear and easy to understand information about your course and the services
available to you.
9. Be engaged, via your course student representative, in your course review, evaluation
and development processes.
10. Normally be given your course timetable no later than four weeks before the
beginning of each semester.
Table of Contents
1 Welcome to the Course ...................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Message from the Director .......................................................................................... 1
1.2 Message from your Course Coordinator ..................................................................... 2
1.3 Key Contacts ............................................................................................................... 2
2 Rushmore Business School ................................................................................................ 3
2.1 The School Office ....................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Aims of the HND Business Award ............................................................................. 5
2.3 Course Structure .......................................................................................................... 5
2.4 Course Resources ........................................................................................................ 6
2.5 Enrolment .................................................................................................................... 6
2.6 Programme Timetables ............................................................................................... 6
2.7 Who will I be in contact with?..................................................................................... 6
2.8 Keeping in Touch ........................................................................................................ 8
2.9 Quality and standards .................................................................................................. 9
3 Studying on this Course ................................................................................................... 10
3.1 Attendance Requirements and Attendance Monitoring ............................................ 11
3.2 What resources are available to me? ......................................................................... 12
4 Assessment and Feedback................................................................................................ 12
4.1 How do I submit my assignments? ........................................................................... 12
4.2 What is the referencing policy and how do I use it? ................................................. 13
4.3 What are Extenuating Circumstances? ...................................................................... 14
4.4 How do I Get my Results? ........................................................................................ 16
4.5 Re-assessment ........................................................................................................... 17
4.6 Giving your Feedback about this Course .................................................................. 17
4.7 Cheating, Plagiarism and Unfair Practice ................................................................. 19
5 Student support ................................................................................................................ 20
5.1 Help and Information Points ..................................................................................... 20
5.2 Employability and Student Support .......................................................................... 20
5.3 Counselling Service................................................................................................... 21
5.4 What to do if you… ................................................................................................... 21
6 Relevant Policies .............................................................................................................. 23
6.1 Student Charter .......................................................................................................... 23
6.2 Student Entitlements ................................................................................................. 23
6.3 Equality and Diversity ............................................................................................... 23
6.4 Safety, Health and Wellbeing.................................................................................... 23
6.5 Regulations ................................................................................................................ 24
6.6 Disability Support ..................................................................................................... 25
6.7 Health & Safety Policy .............................................................................................. 25
Appendix A – Glossary of Terms ............................................................................................ 27
Appendix B - Learning Outcomes of the Award ..................................................................... 29
Appendix C - Curriculum Maps .............................................................................................. 30
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1 Welcome to the Course
1.1 Message from the Director
Rushmore Business School has played a major role in providing
continuing education and training in the field of management studies to
ambitious individuals seeking quality tertiary education in Mauritius.
In 2007, the Business school obtained accreditation from the British
accreditation council and is now a global player providing quality tertiary
education to students from all over the world. Graduates from the Business
School occupy middle to top management positions in companies and
government departments in various sectors of the economy worldwide.
In our quest for excellence, we have formed partnerships with a number of European, including
British Universities to bring our students a range of world class programmes. Through our
academic and professional courses, we seek to enable school leavers, professionals and
managers from both the public and private sectors to upgrade and specialise themselves in
specific areas of Business, Hospitality and Tourism, Engineering and Information and
Communication Technologies and Health Sciences.
Our collaboration with Universities in the United Kingdom has enabled us to combine and
complement expertise in various areas of business and allowed us to maintain the high quality
and standards of our programmes. The business School has come a long way in building its
international reputation for excellent teaching and research.
We would like to welcome you to Rushmore Business School and hope you find your learning
experience here stimulating and intellectually satisfying.
Very best wishes
Dr Nittin Essoo
MBA (Miami), PHD (Warwick).
Director of Rushmore Business School.
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1.2 Message from your Course Coordinator
This handbook provides you with information that you will need on your course. You should
find it helpful when you first start, when you are preparing for assessment and at any time
that you need help or advice in connection with your studies here. You will also receive a
Module Handbook for each module you study on your course.
The course team is looking forward to working with you this year and we hope that your time
studying with Pearson is both enjoyable and successful.
On behalf of Rushmore Business School and the whole course team I would like to wish you
well in your studies.
1.3 Key Contacts
The Business School’s support staff provides significant assistance and they ensure that
everything runs smoothly. They are able to provide first level administrative support
throughout your studies and are experienced in assisting students and identifying the most
appropriate academic or other student support service teams who may be able to advise or
support you.
Contact Person Position Email Address Number
Dr Nittin Essoo
Director
[email protected] 6962671
(Ext. 22)
Mr Youdish Sawon Course Coordinator [email protected] 696 2671
(Ext 41)
Dr Sanjiv Gungadeen
Head of Department,
Business and Law [email protected]
6962671
(Ext. 52)
Ms Kajal Purlackee Head of Administration
and Quality Assurance [email protected]
6962671
(Ext. 26)
Mr Meveen Appadu Senior IT Network
Administrator
6962671
(Ext. 50)
Mrs Sanita Terumalai Accounts Officer
(Receivable) [email protected]
6962671
(Ext. 28)
Ms Nandita Reedoy Lecturer/ Library Officer [email protected]
6962671
(Ext. 24)
Ms Vilasha Pusun
Administrative
Assistant/Registry/
International Coordinator
6962671
(Ext. 27)
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Mr Juteen Sungkur Students’ Internship
Coordinator
6962671
(Ext. 32)
Once you have enrolled, you will have a student login. You can then find confirmation of
your personal timetable by selecting the appropriate link after logging on Moodle
(http://moodle.rbs.ac.mu).
2 Rushmore Business School
2.1 The School Office
The School’s reception is on the ground floor of the Rushmore Complex and should be
your first port of call if you have any queries or problems relating to the Business School
or if you are unsure of how to deal with other queries. The contact details of the Business
School’s Services for students are listed in Section 1. The Administrative Office is on the
ground floor and is the School’s main hub and the team of staff are there to support
students and academic staff. You'll get to know some of the staff quite well as it is here
you'll hand in your module registration forms and assignments.
All enquiries should be made via the Reception desk in the first instance. The
Receptionist will assess whether they are able to help you immediately or whether you
need to talk to another member of the team. Hence, they may call on colleagues who can
advise on queries concerning:
• Modules
• Pearson regulations
• Your credit and progression status
• Referral opportunities
• Claims for extenuating circumstances you may have made in relation to
assessment
• Information about your study here: award and module records, local and home
address information, etc.
• Any changes to your award or programme of study
It is important that you get to know staff in the Business School Office as they are
responsible for keeping all the information on your period of study accurate and up-to-date.
In particular, make sure that you:
• Always let the Office know of any changes in your contact details. This includes
contact numbers (Residential, mobile), home and term addresses. This will ensure we
can always contact you in an emergency and that you receive any important
communication that we may need to send you.
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Opening Times
Monday – Friday 09:00am – 17:30 (Lunch 12:00 – 12:30)
Saturday 09:00a.m – 12:00
Please feel free to call into the Reception Office/Registry Office between these times. All
queries, no matter how small or large, are most welcome.
Rushmore Business School’s Management Team
The Director
Dr Nittin Essoo, Rushmore Business School; [email protected]
The Director determines the strategic development, operation and management of
Rushmore Business School.
Should you need to speak with him, you should normally make an appointment with his
personal assistant, Mrs Vanessa Appadoo, by phone on 696-2671; or email:
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Course Administrator
Mr Youdish Sawon; [email protected]
The Course Coordinator oversees the day-to-day running of the course to ensure that course
members and supporting staff work within the rules and procedures of the Business School.
Studying on this Course
2.2 Aims of the HND Business Award
• To provide an educational foundation for a range of administrative and management
careers in business
• To enable students to make an immediate contribution in employment
• To provide flexibility, knowledge, skills and motivation as a basis for future studies
and career development
• To develop a range of skills and techniques, personal qualities and attitudes essential
for successful performance in working life.
2.3 Course Structure
Each unit will have its own aims and objectives and each unit will include a range of topics to
illustrate and support the broader aims of the ward.
UNIT
Year 1
1 Business and the Business Environment
2 Marketing Essentials
3 Human Resource Management
4 Management and Operations
5 Management Accounting
6 Managing a Successful Business Project
7 Business Law
8 Financial Accounting
Year 2
1 Organizational Behaviour
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2 Operations & Project Management
3 Business Strategy
4 Business IT Systems
5 Human Resources- Value & Contribution to Organizational Success
6 Sales Management
7 Research Project
2.4 Course Resources
In addition to the physical and online resources provided by the library at Rushmore
Business School, you will also have access to a range of resources via the online library.
You will be provided with a personal login for the online library and can access it here:
http://moodle.rbs.ac.mu/
Further details on the types of resources which are available to you via the School’s online
library are available on the web page above and from the Rushmore library.
2.5 Enrolment
All students must complete the enrolment process with Rushmore Business School for each
year of study. To make the process as quick and easy as possible, you should ensure you have
made funding arrangement for payment of your tuition fees on time.
For any fees arrangement / issue, you may contact the Accounts Department:
Cashier’s Office, 1st Floor.
Please contact Mrs Sanita Terumalai – [email protected]
Telephone: 696 2671
2.6 Programme Timetables
Programme timetables are provided to students at the start of each semester during induction
session and also posted on Moodle.
2.7 Who will I be in contact with?
As part of your award you will have the support of Rushmore’s administrative staff,
module tutors, the course coordinator and a personal tutor. The members of academic staff
will be available to provide academic and/or pastoral advice. Whilst you are on your
course it is important that you are able to get the advice you need to help you choose the
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most appropriate modules to study to suit your particular skills or if you have a particular
career in mind. There may also be times when you will need help with study skills or to
talk through problems that are affecting your studies.
The staff you are most likely come into contact with are:
• Course Leader (for other -related issues and general guidance)
• Module Tutor (for all module-specific support and guidance)
• Personal Tutor (for most of your personal and pastoral support and guidance)
Rushmore Business School offers an extensive range of support facilities for students
like you, details of which, including the library and computing resources.
Personal Tutors/Academic Advisor - Who are they?
You will be allocated an academic member of staff who will act as your personal tutor.
They will normally be allocated a tutorial group. It is expected that tutors will meet
formally with tutees at least once a semester. The one-to-one meeting will be at the
request of the student or tutor (if the tutor notes problems) and will take place at a
mutually agreed time. The group meetings will be scheduled for a time either just before or
after a normal attendance by the student group. Your personal tutor will be notified to you
by the course co-ordinator and will make sure that you are given the name and contact
details at the beginning of your semester
Besides the above points of formal contacts, you will also have access to your personal
tutor who will be there to support and look after you throughout your study at Rushmore.
The support will include:
• Meeting you for the first time within 2-4 weeks of registration
• Holding any additional meetings at the instigation of yourself, or where otherwise
necessary.
• Providing you with general academic guidance on your progress through the award
for which you are registered.
• Taking appropriate action in respect of absenteeism.
• Indicating their availability though appropriate means
• Taking any necessary initiatives to refer matters to student counsellors /awards
directors/module leaders, etc., completing referral forms and forwarding to
appropriate personnel where appropriate, plus placing a copy on file.
- Please note that all documents that are private and confidential in nature, within
your student files, will be treated with utmost confidentiality and no information
shall be disclosed without your permission.
• Providing support, if appropriate, for extenuating circumstances claims
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• Providing careers advice where appropriate or directing you to people with
appropriate expertise.
Course Representatives
Course Representatives are student volunteers who represent your views at course-level, in
course forums and in meetings with academic and support staff. Details about being a Course
Representative are available on Moodle.
You have the opportunity of becoming an elected Course Representative working in a
voluntary capacity with students, the Course Leader and members of the course team.
Rushmore Business School enables the process for election and appointment of Course
Representatives, their training, development and engagement in enhancement activities.
Being a Course Representative provides an opportunity for you to enhance your own learning
and the development of relevant professional and employability skills in parallel with your
studies.
As a Course Representative you would play an important role in:
• acting as a point of contact and advocate for students on your course and in
supporting their active engagement;
• gathering feedback from students on your course to inform further enhancements to
the quality of your course and the student experience;
• enabling dialogue and good communication between students and staff on the course;
• working with the Course Leader, members of the course team and other students to
enhance your course;
• facilitating and engaging in meetings about your course; and
• being an ambassador for your course.
Further details about Course Representatives are available on Moodle and in our Academic
Regulations.
2.8 Keeping in Touch
Academic and administrative staff at Rushmore Business School may need to contact
you about your course or in an emergency. As such you must inform Rushmore Business
School you change your address, email address or phone number.
Academic and administrative staff at our Business School will use your student email address
to contact you. It is an important responsibility for you to check this account regularly. You
can forward email from your student email address to a preferred personal email address;
however, quarantine and spam filters needed by RBS mean that email sent from external
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email addresses may be delayed, blocked or deleted. It is therefore important that you also
only use your student email address to contact RBS staff.
You can contact members of staff within RBS via emails and/or telephone.
A further important responsibility is that you inform the registry whenever you change your
address and contact details.
This will ensure we can always contact you in an emergency, and that you receive any
important communications which we may need to send you.
For each module, the module handbook will include the preferred method of
communicating general information about that module to you. We will inform you of
cancelled classes/activities/ course notices as soon as possible through your email and via
the telephone (depending on the urgency).
RBS and our partner institutions are committed to providing you with a timely response to
any queries you may submit.
2.9 Quality and standards
RBS is responsible for the standard of all awards and academic credit granted in its name.
Before a course begins we undertake thorough checks with our partner institutions to ensure
that:
• All members of staff are qualified to teach on the course and carry out assessment
• There are suitable resources to support delivery of the course in a supportive,
inclusive and welcoming environment
• Where equivalent courses are offered, courses are comparable in aims and objectives
and have a flexible and relevant curriculum
• Any professional requirements are met and you are prepared for employment and
lifelong learning
• Appropriate systems are in place to manage the course, support students and deliver a
responsive customer service
We therefore work closely with all our partner institutions to ensure that courses are provided
with the same high standards of learning and teaching. We do this via the following:
• Validation
• External examiner
• Annual monitoring and review
• Periodic review
• Professional body accreditation, where relevant
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3 Studying on this Course
How will I learn?
Teaching and Learning
We recognise that different people learn in different ways and people tend to have preferences
as to how they learn. Your preference or style may reflect your personality or temperament.
You may be a person who prefers to be given well-organised lectures, time to explore and
opportunities to question. Alternatively, you may be a person who prefers a more active way
of learning, for example, through discussions debates or having a problem to solve either on
your own or through group work. Whatever your preferred learning style, it is important to be
able to adopt aspects of both styles. As with learning style, there are also different approaches
to study.
The lecturers at Rushmore will use teaching methods such as lectures, tutorials, seminars,
workshops (skills-based), visits and case-studies, project work, role-plays to help you gain
more knowledge about business organisations, how they are managed and the changing
environment in which they operate.
There may be times when you will be given directed study to support and build upon the
knowledge and skills learnt in class. The aim is to give you an opportunity to gain a fuller
understanding of the subject.
Some of these teaching methods will also be used to help you develop the range of skills that
are necessary for a career in business and management.
As we have indicated before, your personal tutor and unit tutors will be there to provide you
with help and support and advise you on your initial plans or draft assignments.
Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle)
Moodle provides online, 24/7 access to course information, materials and assessments. All
course materials will be posted to our Virtual Learning Platform – Moodle.
You will be provided with a Rushmore Moodle username and password during your induction
session.
To login, go to http://moodle.rbs.ac.mu/ and enter your Rushmore username and password.
Students are introduced to Moodle and how to use it by the IT support team. A student guide
to Moodle is also available at http://moodle.rbs.ac.mu/.
What happens when I first start the course?
You will be required to attend the Induction Programme which introduces you to RBS; informs
you about Pearson, the specific details of the procedures, regulations and all further support
facilities and services within RBS. You will also be assigned to a learning team in which you
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will appraise how to work in a team. Expectations from you, as a graduate will also be
discussed.
The following written support materials will be provided:
• RBS Regulations
• Course Handbook
• Module Guides
How many hours per week should I expect to spend in class?
Each module will be allocated 36 contact hours over a 12-week period. These contact hours
are divided between tutor-led activities, that is, lectures, and student centred activities, e.g.
group discussions.
How much independent study should I expect to do?
In addition to these, for each hour of class contact you are expected to spend at least an hour
and half reading around the subject and engaging in discussions with other students on issues
of shared concern. The Business School places great emphasis on the importance of
independent learning for Postgraduates and you should see your own study time having just as
much significance for your course as the taught components.
Our experience suggests that as students’ progress through the course, their approach to
learning evolves from one that is more tutor driven at the beginning to one that is more self-
determined and self-managed towards the end. In line with this, we have adopted learning and
teaching strategy which is more tutor-led at the beginning and more student-centred towards
the end. This is clearly illustrated in the modules descriptors.
3.1 Attendance Requirements and Attendance Monitoring
All students are required to engage with their studies which include attending all timetabled
sessions and register their attendance through Touchpoint card readers. You must meet ALL
attendance requirements as specified for individual modules, or as specified for your course.
Monitoring of attendance may take place at any point during the year. The use of academic
facilities (e.g. the Library, Moodle) may be checked for this purpose, as well as any mode of
attendance (e.g. performance, tutorials, lectures, workshops, phase tests, oral exams).
All students are made aware of the serious consequences of failing to adhere to the RBS’s
attendance requirements and ultimately poor attendance and engagement may lead to
withdrawal from the course.
Authorised Absence
Students may be allowed a period of Authorised Interruption of Study, approved by the
Director of School.
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3.2 What resources are available to me?
A wide range of resources are available including IT and library services.
Library Opening Times
Monday – Friday 09:00 – 18:30
Saturday 09:00 – 12:00
4 Assessment and Feedback
Assessment
The units on the HND Business are assessed through coursework only.
The purpose of assessment is to ensure that effective learning has taken place to give learners
the opportunity to:
• Meet the standard determined by the assessment criteria and
• Achieve the learning outcomes.
All the assignments should be reliable and fit for purpose, and should be built on the Module
assessment criteria. Assessment tasks and activities should enable learners to produce valid,
sufficient and reliable evidence that relates directly to the specified criteria. Learners should
produce evidence in a variety of different forms, including performance observation,
presentations and posters, along with projects, or time-constrained assessments.
Learners are encouraged to emphasise the practical application of the assessment criteria,
providing a realistic scenario for learners to adopt, and making maximum use of practical
activities. The creation of assignments that are fit for purpose is vital to achievement and their
importance cannot be over-emphasised.
The assessment criteria will be clearly indicated in the assignments briefs.
This gives learners focus and helps with internal verification and standardisation processes. It
will also help to ensure that learner feedback is specific to the assessment criteria.
4.1 How do I submit my assignments?
Submitting Assignments
Assignments are to be submitted on Moodle (http://www.moodle.rbs.ac.mu/). The students
should fill in the assignment hand- in form, available on Moodle, and attach it to their
assignment stating clearly their students’ ID number, name, course and module.
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Assignments should be typed in Arial font size 11 or Times New Roman font size 12 with
1.5-line spacing and the text should be justified.
It is important that you keep copies of all work submitted until after you have graduated.
You should also keep any receipts confirming the submission of assignments. In the event of
your submitted work being lost you may be required to produce a copy of the work and
submission receipt. If you are unable to do so, your work will not be marked.
You will always be required to upload your assignments on Moodle
http://www.moodle.rbs.ac.mu/. You will be provided with your student login and password
at the start of your course. If required you will be asked to hand in written assignments to the
Registry, on the ground floor of the Rushmore Complex. Written assignments to be submitted
to the Registry should have an assignment hand-in form (available at the Registry) attached.
You are expected to hand in your work in person.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit assignments on time and at the appropriate
place.
The Registry is open to take your assignments at the following times:
Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:30 (Lunch 12.00-12.30)
Saturday 09:00 to 12:00
ASSIGNMENTS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED DURING THESE HOURS
YOU SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT NO WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED WHICH
HAS BEEN SENT BY FAX OR E-MAIL
4.2 What is the referencing policy and how do I use it?
Referencing is an important academic and business skill and is a system used in the academic
and business to indicate where ideas, theories, quotes, facts and any other evidence and
information used to support your reports or assignments, can be found.
Referencing is important in the Academic Community for a number of reasons:
• To avoid plagiarism, a form of Academic Theft
• Referencing your work correctly ensures that you give appropriate credit to the
sources and authors that you have used to support your research.
• Referencing the sources that you have used for your assignment demonstrates the
evidence and research that you have undertaken to complete and support your ideas.
• Referenced work enables the reader to independently consult the same materials that
you have used.
Turnitin/Feedback Studio
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All text-based coursework assignments should be submitted via Turnitin to detect possible
plagiarism. Students will be given further information on coursework briefs and instructions
on how to access Turnitin/Feedback Studio.
What do I need to reference?
All information that you have used in your assignment need to be acknowledged.
Harvard referencing system is the most common style of referencing used at the Rushmore
Business School.
A copy of the Harvard Referencing system will be given to you on induction.
4.3 What are Extenuating Circumstances?
An extenuating circumstances form is available at the Registry for those who are unable to
submit their assignments due to professional commitment or illness on the submission date.
This form should be submitted together with evidence.
Extenuating Circumstances and Mitigation
Examples of extenuating circumstances include personal or family illness, bereavement,
family problems or being a victim of crime. You will need to provide evidence to prove your
situation.
Please contact your Course Co-Ordinator regarding mitigation requests. Mitigation form is
also uploaded on our VLE, Moodle where you can download the form. To request for an
extension, you should send an email to your coordinator explaining the issue and at
Rushmore Business School, we will advise you of the outcome.
Student will be allowed to submit an extenuating/mitigating circumstances form together with
evidence of the circumstance should they not be able to submit their assignments on time.
However, forms will have to be submitted to the Course Coordinator prior to the submission
deadline and approved by the Course Coordinator. If approved, the student will be allowed a
maximum of 10 days to submit the assignment.
Examples of acceptable evidence to support a claim for extenuating circumstances:
• Medical Appointment Letter
• Doctors Note
• E-mail from tutor
• Death Certificate
• Funeral Order of Service
• Crime report and number (this should also be accompanied by evidence of the work
you had been preparing such as notes, work plan, draft assignment)
The following will not be accepted as evidence:
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• Note from a friend
• Wedding invitation
• Corrupt USB stick
• Bank Statements
Examples of acceptable extenuating circumstances include:
• Bereavement
• Illness
• Hospitalisation
• Victim of crime
• Transport cancellation, where this may be evidenced
• Court attendance
• Traumatic incident
• Serious family illness where the impact on the students’ ability to undertake
assessment may be demonstrated
• Accident
The following are not acceptable extenuating circumstances:
• Holidays
• Weddings
• Family celebrations
• Printing problems
• Computer failure, corrupt USB sticks
• Financial problems
• Work related problems
• Pressure or anxiety associated with assessment preparation or exams
• Accommodation issues
• Mild illness less than 7 days would not normally warrant mitigation. The Faculty
Mitigation Co-ordinator will determine whether a mild illness warrants an extension
to the assessment deadline should an extension be requested
• Mis-reading assessment arrangements
Late Submission
a) All students who do not meet deadline for submission of assignments will be allowed
to resubmit the same assignment within 10 days.
No submission by end of this period will automatically be considered as having that
particular unit ‘Referred’
b) Student who submits within 10 days (after the deadline) will only be able to achieve a
‘Pass’ grade in that unit.
If the student fails this unit, s/he will be ‘Referred’ and will be allowed a ‘Resit’ – that
is resubmission of the same assignment within 4 weeks
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c) Students will only be allowed 1 ‘Resit’ per assignment per unit. Any student having
more than 4 resits within their 2nd attempt will be asked to repeat the modules (Resits
Modules only).
4.4 How do I Get my Results?
We aim to enable you to receive feedback on your summative assessments or assignments
within FIVE WORKING WEEKS from the date of submission. The form of feedback will
depend upon the nature of the assessment and it may be provided in a variety of oral, written
and electronic format to individuals or groups. The grade points awarded to specific
assessments will be communicated to you on the returned work.
You will receive written, developmental feedback on the assignment front coversheet and
annotated comments on the script itself. Class tests and examinations scripts are not returned
to students but a feedback sheet is normally used to convey general information about the
cohort performance.
If you are unsure about when you might receive your results or have queries relating to your
results, you should contact your Course Administrator at Rushmore Business School.
Results will not be given over the phone or by e-mail. Your Course tutor will be able to
give advice regarding your module performance and progression to the next level.
Please note: If you are classed as a debtor by Rushmore Business School, your results
will not be considered by the Award Board and will be withheld until we are informed to
release them by the Finance Department. This may mean that you will not receive details of
referral work which may impact on your progression to the next level of your course or
graduation.
If you are unsure about when you might receive your results or have queries relating to your
results, you should contact your Course Coordinator.
How can I improve my performance?
By looking carefully at your feedback and reflecting on its contents you will get an idea of
where you need to improve. So read the feedback in conjunction with your essay/assignment
and the module learning outcomes to see how your tutor’s comments relate to your work,
then:
• Highlight any strong points. Discuss with your tutor any elements of feedback you
would like to clarify.
• Having read the feedback, you might find it useful to ask yourself the following
question:
- What did I do well in this assignment that I should continue to do in my next piece
of work?
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- What one thing do I need to do to improve my future work? In particular, it is
important to examine the extent to which you have used academic principles in
your work.
• Have these been properly referenced? Have you developed an argument from
evidence rather than simple assertion?
• Have you been excessively descriptive rather than evaluative or critical?
The next step is to think about and plan how you will improve. You could do this by talking
to your lecturer or personal tutor, or perhaps by doing some background reading on the
subject/topic or by attending a study skills workshop that focuses on the skills that you need
to improve, such as essay writing or referencing.
4.5 Re-assessment
If you have failed to satisfy the assessment criteria of the unit, you will be awarded a fail grade.
If you have failed to submit any assessment for the unit, you will be given a (Fail due to non-
submission) for the element(s) of that unit and you will only be allowed a further attempt at
that element(s) of the unit at the discretion of the appropriate Board.
If I fail a unit, can I re-sit it?
(i) If you made an attempt at your assessments at the first attempt:
You will only be guaranteed an opportunity to attempt referrals once IF, and only if, you have
made an attempt at the assessment(s) on the first occasion unless a claim for Extenuating
Circumstances has been successful.
(ii) If you did not make an attempt at your assessments at the first attempt:
If you do not submit work or attend assessments at the first attempt, that guarantee of a referral
is lost and the appropriate Board will decide whether or not to allow you a referral. In making
its decision, the Board may take account of your engagement with that unit.
If the Board does allow you a referral(s) and you do not take the referral(s) at the time notified
to you by the School, no further referral opportunity will be given to you and you may fail
the award.
When can I take my re-sit(s)?
In all cases, if you are allowed a referral(s), the referral(s) must be taken at the next re-sit
opportunity.
It is your responsibility to make sure that you know when you are required to re-sit.. You will
be advised via Rushmore Business School of your options for re-assessment. You are advised
to contact your Course Coordinator for any further information.
4.6 Giving your Feedback about this Course
The Department welcomes your constructive comments on course and module evaluations
conducted during the year. These are used to review and plan for future delivery of the course
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or modules and form an important part of our annual quality monitoring cycle. We would ask
that you give appropriate attention and engagement to these when asked to provide them.
Remember that you are being asked to evaluate the course or module as a whole, and we would
ask you to think carefully about whether or not your comments are constructive, objective and
fair to the course or module across the whole period that you are assessing. Evaluations should
also be respectful as well as constructive: personal attacks or abusive language are neither
respectful nor useful in future planning to improve your learning experience.
Seven principles of good feedback
Good feedback should:
1. Be an interactive process involving student-tutor and student-student dialogue;
2. Facilitate the development of self-assessment and reflection;
3. Clarify for students and staff, through dialogue, what good or bad performance actually
is in the assignment or task;
4. Be developmental, progressive and transferable to new learning contexts;
5. Be ongoing and embedded in the learning process;
6. Motivate, build esteem and confidence to support sustainable lifelong learning;
7. Support the development of learning groups and communities.
All avenues of feedback are integrated within the Enhancement & Development meetings
and Annual Review meetings, reports and action plans, all of which underpin
enhancement modifications to the course.
What Happens with your Feedback about this Course?
We are particularly keen to engage with students in working to continually enhance this
course. You can find out what actions have been taken in response to your feedback through
your Course Coordinator and your tutors.
Course Feedback to students is given in a variety of ways;
• The Course Leader periodically attends core lectures at each level and communicates
with students via email, where appropriate, to report back on action taken as a result
of issues raised by the student body. Feedback given in Semester 2 regarding how
Semester 1 issues were resolved.
• Where an issue arises that needs to be addressed quickly the Course Leader will try to
resolve the issue and then go into the appropriate lecture or seminar to update students
on the outcome.
• Course reps are invited to attend and raise issues in the course Enhancement and
Development Reviews and Annual Review meeting and addressed via the resulting
action plans.
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4.7 Cheating, Plagiarism and Unfair Practice
Rushmore Business School takes the issues of academic dishonesty, plagiarism or cheating
very seriously. If you are caught breaking the Business School’s rules (see Policy and
Procedure), you can expect to be punished – this might mean failing an assignment, failing a
unit or even failing your award and being asked to leave the Business School.
It is vitally important that you understand the rules regarding plagiarism. If you are unsure on
how to reference your work correctly, please seek advice from your tutors or access the Skills
for Learning resources online.
External Verifier
As with all universities and awarding bodies in the UK, they employ external examiners who
are specialist in the area you are studying. The External Verifier is sent by Pearson twice
yearly. The External Verifier looks at the assignments that are set for you and the work you
produce. S/he is asked to confirm that the standards are appropriate for the level at which you
are studying. S/he attends assessment and award boards and write an annual report for
Pearson which is used as part of the process, of monitoring the quality and standards of your
award.
NB: It is not appropriate for you to make direct contact with external verifiers, in particular
regarding your individual performance in assessments. There are other mechanisms you can
use if you are unhappy with your results or other aspects of your award, such as the appeal
and complaints procedures.
External Verifiers have been informed that if they are contacted directly by students they
should decline to comment and refer the student back to RBS.
Personal Development Planning and Personal Tutoring
How PDP and personal tutoring work for your award
This will be implemented by:
• Meeting you for the first time within 3 weeks of registration
• Holding any additional meetings at your request, or where otherwise necessary.
• Providing you with general academic guidance on your progress through the award
for which you are registered.
• Taking appropriate action in respect of absenteeism.
• Indicating their availability though appropriate means
• Taking any necessary initiatives to refer matters to student counsellors /awards
directors/module leaders, etc., completing referral forms and forwarding to
appropriate personnel where appropriate, plus placing a copy on file.
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- Please note that all documents that are private and confidential in nature, within
your student files, will be treated with utmost confidentiality and no information
shall be disclosed without your permission.
• Providing support, if appropriate, for extenuating circumstances claims
• Providing careers advice where appropriate or directing you to people with
appropriate expertise.
5 Student support
Whilst we expect you to be independent learners, we also want to provide you with the
support you need to successfully complete your studies. In short, we want you to enjoy your
time here and understand that at certain times you will need information and advice from
within RBS in order to support you with your studies and, in some cases, your future careers.
Business School Administrative Office
The Business School’s support staff provides significant assistance and they ensure that
everything runs smoothly. They are able to provide first level administrative support
throughout your studies and are experienced in assisting students and identifying the most
appropriate academic or other student support service teams who may be able to advise or
support you.
Academic Librarian
Your academic librarian (see Contacts in Section 1) liaises with your lecturers to ensure
physical and electronic information resources for your subject are available. They are
available to support you personally and will work with you throughout your time here to
help you develop information and digital literacy skills. The updated list of books available is
uploaded on Moodle for information.
5.1 Help and Information Points
If you have any questions about using the library or concerns about IT, such as logging-in,
or using our various software packages you can get help:
• From the Registry Point on the ground floor
• By phone – 696 2671
• Emailing the registry at [email protected]
5.2 Employability and Student Support
Careers & Employability Service
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The administration holds information from employers offering job opportunities, work
experience and vacation work at home and abroad information from professional bodies,
etc…
You may liaise with our Internship Coordinator for any related issues.
5.3 Counselling Service
Rushmore Business School employs a part-time counsellor who you can meet on
appointment.
• We offer one to one counselling in a supportive and confidential setting.
• You can talk about anything affecting your academic or personal life.
• We can refer you to other sources of support where appropriate.
Please contact our Student Liaison Officer at the Registry for any related issues. To make an
appointment, please call on 6962671 or in person.
Financial Services
To pay your tuition fees:
Cashier’s Office, 1st Floor Rushmore Complex, Telephone: 696-2671
5.4 What to do if you…
… have a problem?
Your first point of contact should be the Registry, where our friendly staff will be more than
happy to help you or get you into contact with the right person(s) both within and/or outside
RBS. The contact details are available in Section 1 of this handbook.
Whilst every effort will be made to ensure that your time with us is as productive and enjoyable
as possible, there may be times when things do not go according to plan due to factors beyond
our control. If at any time you feel that there is a problem with the Award in general, no matter
how trivial it is, do let us know about it. There are several things that you can do when this
happens:
• First, you can speak to the students representing your Award and get them to voice your
concern at the next course committee meeting.
• Secondly, if the matter needs urgent attention please meet your Course Coordinator as
soon as you can.
• We also have a part-time counselor with whom you can meet by taking an appointment
through the registry officer.
If your query is specifically related to immigration or visa advice, please contact our
International Student Coordinator as per details in Section 1.
…are absent for more than one day
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You must notify your personal tutor if you are absent for more than one day (for example
for an interview, emergency unforeseen circumstances, or for compassionate leave). If
you are going to apply for mitigation you will need to provide written evidence of the
reason for your absence (see section 5).
International Students
Please be aware that our School fully complies with the Immigration policy at all
times. There are legal reporting requirements relating to immigration procedures studying in
Mauritius with a student visa. Full attendance is mandatory for all students. For up to date
information about visas, immigration issues and other related information, contact our
International Coordinator (Section 1 Key Contacts) for advice and guidance.
…are ill
If you are absent because of illness for more than seven consecutive days (including
weekends), you must provide us with a Fitness to Study note.
If you are absent through illness on the day of an examination or assignment deadline and
you intend to apply for mitigation, you must also provide us with details and any available
evidence as soon as possible.
You can hand in or send a Medical Certificate to your Course Leader or attach same to
your EC form.
…have a comment, compliment or complaint
Rushmore Business School is committed to providing the highest quality of education
possible within the limits imposed by the resources available to it, and it strives to ensure
that its students gain maximum benefit from the academic, social and cultural experiences it
offers. We are committed to providing a high quality experience for all our students. We
welcome comments and compliments from students, and find them valuable for on-going
improvements to our provision. Comments and compliments about your course can be raised
with your course representative or directly with your personal tutor / academic advisor.
Where students feel that their legitimate expectations are not being met, or where
misunderstandings about the nature of the School's provision occur, the School expects the
student to report the problem/s to their personal tutor which will be speedily and effectively
dealt with. Students are also encouraged to raise matters of concern promptly with their
Course Coordinator as many matters can be resolved at their level.
Complaints must be made in a professional and appropriate manner according to the rules
and regulations of the School. If a matter cannot be resolved informally, a student, that is the
complainant, may submit a formal complaint in writing to the Director
.…are considering withdrawing from the course
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If you are considering withdrawal from your course you should speak to your personal tutor /
academic advisor, a member of staff at Rushmore Business School to discuss your reasons.
If there is a problem, Rushmore Business School staff may be able to help. It may be
possible to arrange suspension of studies from your course.
6 Relevant Policies
6.1 Student Charter
The Student Charter which outlines what is expected of students what students can expect
from our Rushmore Business School is handed to you on induction in your pack.
6.2 Student Entitlements
Our student entitlements, listed at the front of this handbook, will help to ensure the student
charter is embedded as part of our approach to providing a good quality, consistent learning
experience for all our full-time and part-time undergraduate students.
6.3 Equality and Diversity
The Business School is committed to building and supporting a diverse and inclusive
community. We value the widest possible range of cultural inputs from students, staff and
partners alike as we recognise that this will improve and strengthen the Business School.
6.4 Safety, Health and Wellbeing
Policy Statement
RBS is committed to providing a vibrant, ethical and sustainable working environment that
values wellbeing and diversity. This commitment exists alongside our wider legal and
moral obligations to provide a safe and healthy working environment for our staff, students
and members of the public who may be affected by our activities.
Smoking
No smoking is permitted in within the premises of the building.
Use of Laptops
If you need to charge your laptop battery, please make sure that the battery charger/lead
are undamaged, and only plug it into a designated power socket – if you are unsure of
where these are, please ask a member of staff. Please make sure your battery charger cables
do not create a trip hazard.
Fire Safety Procedures
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Fire information is present on Fire Action Notices displayed in all our building. These are
normally present in corridors. Please read and follow the instructions.
All fire exit routes are clearly identified. You should familiarise yourself with the location
of fire exit routes and fire assembly points for the buildings that you may use in the course
of your studies.
If you discover a fire, you should sound the alarm by operating the Fire Alarm Call
Point. Do not tackle the fire unless you have been trained to do so. Evacuate the building to the
fire assembly point indicated on the Fire Action Notice.
Do not re-enter the building until officially authorised to do so. On hearing the Fire Alarm, everyone should proceed calmly to the nearest available safe fire
exit, as indicated by the green and white fire exit signage. Take appropriate action to assist
visitors and mobility-impaired persons or wheelchair users to a safe refuge.
Upon exiting the building, continue on to the fire assembly point so as not to impede the
remaining evacuees exiting the building. Evacuation is practiced through fire drills.
However, you should regard any continuous sounding of the alarm as a fire incident and act
accordingly.
6.5 Regulations
As a student registered on an award of Pearson, delivered at Rushmore Business School, you
are bound by the Rushmore Business School Regulations.
Rushmore Business School Regulations
The Rules & Regulations of Rushmore Business School are available on Moodle.
The Regulations contain reference to the following areas which you may wish to familiarise
yourself with:
• Admission and Registration
• Tuition Fees
• Facilities
• Student Obligations
• Assessments
• Quality Assurance
• Student Discipline
• Student Complaints
• IT Policy
• Declaration of undertaking
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6.6 Disability Support
You are expected to declare any disability that would affect your safety in the event of a fire,
e.g. hearing impairment or the use of a wheelchair. We can work together to ensure we meet
your individual support needs. This is a shared responsibility between you and RBS and reflects
our commitment to promoting equality for all disabled people.
To this end, module tutors share good practice concerning teaching, learning and assessment
issues which arise from working with disabled students. This is done via peer review of
teaching and subject meetings.
Information about your disability is circulated, with your consent, to relevant tutors so that they
are aware of any necessary adjustments which may need to be made to your learning
environment or programme.
6.7 Health & Safety Policy
Rushmore Business School recognizes and accepts its responsibilities and duties under the
Occupational Safety & Health Act of 2005. Rushmore Business School (RBS) is
committed to the provision of a safe and healthy working environment for all staff,
students, contractors and visitors on his premises. RBS view safety and health as a core
management function and is agreeable to its full implementation.
At Rushmore Business School our policy is to comply with all relevant statutory and
regulatory provisions and to also take such additional measures as it deems necessary to
achieve, as a minimum, for its safe operation. In so doing, RBS will establish safe
standards and practices as far as is reasonably practicable as listed below:
1. Manage all its activities through proper risk assessment in such a way as to ensure
that the safety, health, and welfare of all employees, students, contractors and
visitors on his premises, are not put at risk.
2. Provide and maintain premises and systems of work that are safe and without risk to
health.
3. Make arrangements for ensuring safety and absence of risks to health in connection
with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances.
4. Provide the necessary information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure the
safety and health of all employees, students and any other persons on RBS premises.
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5. Ensure that any place of work under Rushmore Business School’s control, are
properly maintained in safe and acceptable condition that is safe and without risk to
health.
6. Provide and maintain safe means of access and progress.
7. Provide and maintain a working environment that is safe, without risks to health and
is adequate with regard to facilities and arrangements for the welfare at work of all
employees, students, contractors and visitors on his premises.
8. Promote through consultation and any other means, the active involvement of all
staff and students in the development, promotion, implementation and monitoring of
measures provided for safety, health, and welfare.
9. Cooperate with other parties with whom RBS shares the building so as to ensure
that any co-ordinate on safety and health matters are dealt in a reasonably time.
10. Seek specialist advice on safety and health matters as and when required.
11. Investigate thoroughly all accidents and any unusual occurrences affecting safety
and health of all parties on his premises.
12. Monitor compliance on safety and health issues by regular inspection, monitoring
and auditing.
13. Provide adequate resources and facilities to enable the requirements of this policy to
be achieved.
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Appendix A – Glossary of Terms
Unit A unit of study with a defined learning outcomes, curriculum and assessment.
The unit definition is to found in the unit specification for the unit.
Each unit has a number of Credits, associated with it. A single unit is worth
15 Credits and notionally requires 150 hours of learning activity to complete.
This learning activity being divided between time for class contact hours with
staff, independent study and assessment. The number of allocated learning
hours rises in proportion to the number of Credits attributed to a unit at the
rate of 10 hour per credit. All units are multiples of the basic unit of 15 Credits.
So for example, a double unit will be worth 30 Credits and will have a learning
time of 300 hours.
Core unit This is a unit that you must take and pass to qualify for a given award title or
range of titles.
Award Option This is a unit chosen from a list of Award Option units. Award Option units
are studied in conjunction with the core units and from the prescribed set of
units for a particular named award
Co-requisites Co-requisites are those units that you must take as a package. All the Level 4
core units can be considered to be co-requisites. We have defined co-
requisites to make sure that there is sufficient shape and coherence in your
programme of study to make it a rewarding and interesting experience. A co-
quisite is therefore a unit which must be studied in addition to and normally
at the same time as a particular unit.
Pre-requisites A pre-requisite is defined as a specific requirement that you must meet before
you can take a unit. In a similar way as entry to an Award was dependent on
your achieving A-Level or BTEC passes for example, or having other prior
knowledge, for some units you will have to be ‘qualified’ to take them. This
will normally mean studying for a unit at an earlier level in the Award.
Pre-requisites are specified to make sure that you have the knowledge and
skills you will need to be successful in your chosen units. Please refer to the
Undergraduate Modular Framework Regulations for a more detailed
description of this term in particular the distinction between the terms pre-
requisites’ and ‘Special Admissions Requirements’.
Level This indicates the academic level at which study is to be undertaken –
Certificate level (unit level 4 year 1), Intermediate level (unit level 5 year 2)
and Honours level (unit level 6 year 3). Normally it corresponds to one year
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of study for full-time students. However, students may take units from
different levels at the same time, provided that they meet the requirements for
their award.
Teaching block A period of study into which the year is divided, that may include induction
learning, assessment and academic counselling. There are currently two
teaching blocks in each academic year.
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Appendix B - Learning Outcomes of the Award
PROGRAMME OUTCOMES
Knowledge and Understanding
Demonstrate a systematic understanding and critical evaluation of key aspects of business.
Learning
Analyse and critically evaluate the key theories and developing concepts that have a pervasive
influence on the practice of management at a strategic level. Engage with the application of
ethical reasoning to specific issues or areas of practical concern faced by management.
Enquiry
Justify appropriate research methods; deploy appropriate techniques of enquiry and conduct an
investigation into a management aspect of business, or alternatively, apply enterprise,
knowledge and techniques in the creation of a business.
Analysis
Critically evaluate strategic and risk management theories and concepts. Analyse and critically
evaluate aspects of business in the Project unit or critically assess business processes and the
level of business success.
Problem Solving
Demonstrate the ability to use, analyse and appraise different perspectives and approaches to
solving complex and interrelated business problems.
Communication
Communicate and analyse information, ideas, problems, and solutions using appropriate forms.
Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex issues coherently.
Application
Apply, with sound justification, a range of skills, problem solving techniques and business
knowledge learned appropriately to relevant business and decision-making scenarios
Reflection
Demonstrate a high level of competence in personal development, employability, independent
learning and study skills.
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Appendix C - Curriculum Maps
SEMESTER 1
• Business and the Business Environment
• Marketing Essentials
• Human Resource Management
• Management Accounting
SEMESTER 2
• Management and Operations
• Business Law
• Managing a Successful Business Project
• Financial Accounting
SEMESTER 3
• Organizational Behaviour
• Operations & Project Management
• Business Strategy
• Business IT Systems
SEMESTER 4
• Human Resources- Value & Contribution to
Organizational Success
• Sales Management
• Research Project
