2006
LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY
Programme Specification
Postgraduate Programmes in Security Management
(by Distance Learning)
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the
programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be
expected to achieve and demonstrate if full advantage is taken of the learning
opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes,
content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each module can be found in
Module Specifications and other programme documentation and online at
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/
The accuracy of the information in this document is reviewed by the University and may be
checked by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
Awarding body/institution;
Loughborough University
Teaching institution (if
different);
Not applicable
Details of accreditation by a
professional/statutory body;
Not applicable
Name of the final award;
Programme title;
MSc in Security Management; Postgraduate Diploma in
Security Management; Postgraduate Certificate in
Security Management
Postgraduate Programmes in Security Management
UCAS code;
Not applicable
Date at which the programme
specification was written or
revised.
June 2006
1. Aims of the programme:
. To promote knowledge and understanding in the subject of Security Management.
. To provide advanced training where an opportunity is afforded for the security
professional to bring together professional expertise and growing academic abilities.
. To promote security management as a serious subject for academic study within the
security industry.
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. To enhance the self-esteem of the participating students and to establish security
management as a relevant discipline within the corporate environment in order that it might
rank alongside the other disciplines.
. To assist individuals with career development, advancement of their professional
competence and standing, and their lifelong learning.
. To provide an opportunity for security professionals from uniformed backgrounds to
migrate into the corporate and private sector security domains.
. To provide a unique academic qualification in security management, that brings
together professional expertise and academic disciplines relevant to this interdisciplinary
field.
2. Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external and internal reference
points used to inform programme outcomes:
The Programme conforms to the benchmarks published by the Quality Assurance Agency
for Higher Education in respect of Masters awards in business and management in 2002.
Specifically the programme meets the requirements of a specialist Masters degree (Type 1
B).
3. Intended Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to
demonstrate knowledge and understanding of; organisational behaviour, managing
organisational change, and how such concepts interact with the role of the security
manager. Students should also understand the due legal process and the key
elements associated with a crime and various criminological perspectives.
Additionally, an awareness of how the legal systems; criminal, civil and industrial
tribunals impact on the work undertaken by the security professional. The concept
of pure risk, risk assessments, business continuity and contingency planning must
be clearly understood. Students will also gain knowledge of fraudulent activity, key
principles of physical security (including closed circuit television) and of fraud
prevention strategies. Data and Information Technology Security must also be
understood including the relevant legal framework and countermeasures.
However the levels of knowledge and understanding are linked to the study
programme undertaken i.e. Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or
MSc. The course being modular in design means that Certificate students are
afforded a choice of Modules.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated:
Teaching is by means of distance learning and involves the student studying each
of the chosen modules. It is anticipated that each module should be completed in
150 hours of private study.
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Assessment is by means of an essay not exceeding 5,000 words (100% weighting).
However, students on each of the programmes are also expected to complete a
work-based project (4,000 words for the Certificate and 8,000 words for the
Diploma).
Skills and other attributes:
a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to
understand security management as both a practically and academically based
profession that adds real value to an organisation’s effectiveness, including financial
performance as opposed to being regarded as a general overhead cost. Students
should also view security management not only in problem solving mode but
conceptually. They should be able to conceptualise various security problems and
appreciate the ramifications of various courses of action. But most important of all,
the solutions on offer must be based upon credible evidence and graduates must
be willing to challenge conventional wisdom.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated:
Teaching is by means of distance learning and involves the student studying each
of the chosen modules. It is anticipated that each module should be completed in
150 hours of private study. Assessment is by means of an essay not exceeding
5,000 words (100% weighting). The assignment questions are devised in such a
manner that the students must clearly demonstrate not only a practical
understanding of the core module material, but also an in-depth intellectual analysis
of the material and be able to demonstrate a research capability. In addition to the
assignments students are expected to complete a work based project not
exceeding 4,000 words for those on the certificate programme and not exceeding
8,000 words for those on the diploma programme. To be awarded the MSc students
must complete a dissertation not exceeding 20,000 words.
b. Subject-specific practical skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to
understand and debate the changing nature of organisations and critically analyse
the nature of management and motivators within a security management context.
They should also be placed in a position to understand and to apply financial
appraisal systems. In addition to this they should appreciate the evolving nature of
legislation, offender behaviour and be able to construct coping/preventative
strategies for dealing with nefarious activity. They should appreciate the rudiments
of pure risk, be able to analyse problems and offer up practical cost effective
solutions. Students should be able to apply the various crime prevention theories in
a practical setting and analyse logically crime statistics. They must be capable of
devising policies and procedures to deal with physical, data protection and
information technology security issues, these to include risk assessment, business
continuity and contingency planning.
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Student should gain an appreciation of computer related crime and the application
of various security countermeasures. All students should be able to conduct and
evaluate primary and secondary research in the field of security.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated:
Teaching is by means of distance learning and involves the student studying each
of the chosen modules. It is anticipated that each module should be completed in
150 hours of private study. Assessment is by means of an essay not exceeding
5,000 words (100% weighting). However students on each of the programmes are
also expected to complete a work based project (4,000 words for the Certificate and
8,000 words for the Diploma). The assignment questions are designed in such a
way that scope exists for the students to make use of their extensive life skills and
professional expertise.
b. Key/transferable skills:
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to write a
good quality academic essay in both a logical and coherent fashion in a variety of
security related settings by making use of a variety of information sources. This
skillset should prove invaluable when the security manager is detailing a business
case to acquire additional resources.
The student will also be capable of critical analysis of source material and have the
ability to work to a pre-set timescale, and independently of others, in an organised
fashion.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be
achieved and demonstrated:
Teaching is by means of distance learning and involves the student studying each
of the chosen modules. It is anticipated that each taught module should be
completed in 150 hours of private study. Assessment is by means of an essay not
exceeding 5,000 words (100% weighting). However students on each of the
programmes are also expected to complete a work based project (4,000 words for
the Certificate and 8,000 words for the Diploma and a 20,000 word dissertation for
the MSc.). These projects deal with practical problems, where the student must
conduct some basic research, analyse the findings, offer up some practical solution
and then write a properly referenced project report. All pieces of course work have
to be submitted within a pre-set timescale, unless there are well-explained
extenuating circumstances.
4. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards:
This particular programme consists of the Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma and Master of
Science in Security Management. Students however can only gain one award. Hence, a
student might begin with the Certificate and then decide to move onto the Diploma phase
and beyond. The University will not award three certificates, but only one (highest award
attained). This is dependent upon the student fulfilling the programme
requirements/general regulations for modular postgraduate awards (GRMPA).
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The various programmes are delivered by means of distance learning and are modular in
design. There is one compulsory module (Business Management Skills) across all three
programmes and all taught modules have a credit weighting of 15 credits. The certificate
work based project has a credit weighting of 15 credits and the diploma project has a
weighting of 45 credits, with the Masters dissertation attracting a weighting of 60 credits.
Loughborough Postgraduate Certificate students are allowed a choice of modules once
they successfully pass the compulsory module.
Compulsory module:
Table 1
Modular Weight
BSP551*
Business Management Skills
15
Or one from BSP561, P571, P581, P591, P610
The following modules are available;
Table 2
BSP552*
Law and Criminology
15
Or one from BSP562, P568, P572, P582, P592, P611
BSP553*
Physical Security and Fraud and Information Security
15
Or one from BSP563, P573, P583, P593, P612
BSP554*
Information Technology Security
15
Or one from BSP564, P574, P584, P594, P613
BSP555*
Security Risk Management
15
Or one from BSP565, P575, P585, P595, P614
BSP556*
Certificate Work-Based Assignment
15
Or one from BSP566, P576, P586, P596, P615
BSP557*
Diploma Project
45
Or one from BSP567, P577, P587, P597, P616
BSP558*
Masters Project
60
Or one from BSP578, P588, P598
*
by Distance Learning
Candidates for the Postgraduate Certificate must study the compulsory module in Table 1
and two further, chosen from Table 2, plus the Certificate Work-Based Assignment. This
gives an overall credit weighting of 60.
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Candidates for the Postgraduate Diploma must study the compulsory module in Table 1
and four modules from Table 2, plus the Diploma Project. This gives an overall credit
weighting of 120.
Candidates for the MSc must study the compulsory modules in and Table 1, four modules
from Table 2, the Diploma Project and the Masters Project. This gives an overall
maximum credit weighting of 180.
Two classes of award are possible - pass or pass with distinction. To achieve the pass
with distinction candidates must achieve a Programme Mark of no less than 70%.
For those students holding a first degree and who register at the beginning for the MSc
programme the time taken for completion is three years.
5.
Criteria for admission to the programme:
This series of programmes is delivered by means of Distance Learning and is
directed towards members of the ‘security community’ many of whom do not have a
first degree. Hence there is a flexible and non-discriminatory recruitment policy with
the intended aim of matching the student up with the most appropriate study
programme for his/her needs.
The selection process takes into account the following issues;
a. the potential of the student and here an assessment is made relating to the
student’s realistic prospect of success.
b. the nature and relevance of any formal academic qualifications and professional
qualifications, and the grades.
c. relevant security work experience and expertise.
d. applicant’s reason for wanting to join the programme and his/her personnel
development plans.
e. references, both academic and work related.
f. english language skills as considered appropriate.
Prospective students whose first language is not English must possess GCSE (or O
level) English Language, or University Test in English (JMB) or Proficiency in
English (Cambridge) or a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOELF) score of
213 (or 550 under the old scheme) or an IELTS score of 6.5, or other qualifications
acceptable to the University.
No applicant is considered for a place on the Postgraduate Masters programme
unless they are in possession of a first degree from a recognised institution of
higher education. All other applicants may be considered for admittance to either
the Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma programmes (criteria detailed above).
However an opportunity exists for the student to begin with the Certificate
programme and if successful proceed to the Diploma programme. A successful
Diplomate may then progress to the Masters level of study and ultimately achieve
the MSc award.
All applications are scrutinised by the Director of the Security Management
Programmes and by the Faculty’s Associate Dean of Teaching, prior to the offer of
a place.
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6.
Information about assessment regulations
Full information about the assessment regulations is contained in the programme
regulations for each programme.
The current regulations for all the Business School programmes can be accessed
via the University web site which lists all at:
https://internal.lboro.ac.uk/admin/registry/uniwide/2005-06%20Prog%20Regs/
The current regulations for each of the Business School programmes can also be
directly accessed from section 6 of our comprehensive statement to supplement
this programme specification which is available on our web site at:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/bs/ug/progspec-6to9-05.html
7.
Indicators of quality:
Upon completion of the various programmes students may apply for membership of
a number of prestigious security representative bodies and these include; ASIS
International (formerly known as the American Society for Industrial Security),
International Institute of Security Management (IISM), International Private Security
Association (IPSA), Guild of Security Professionals, and The Security Institute,
without having to successfully complete the various associations entrance
examinations. The grade of membership of the various associations is dependent
upon the Postgraduate award attained (Certificate, Diploma or Masters).
In addition to this students on the security programmes have won the Ted Legge
essay competition run by ASIS International (the leading association for security
practitioners world-wide) and have been invited to compete for the Imbert Prize by
the Association of Security Consultants.
Comments have also been forthcoming from students who have attributed career
advancement and or employment directly as a result of achieving their various
awards in Security Management.
8.
Particular support for learning
Information about the support offered by the Business School for this programme
and the general support offered by the University for all programmes can be found
in section 8 of our comprehensive statement to supplement this programme
specification which is available on our web site at:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/bs/ug/progspec-6to9-05.html
9.
Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standards of learning
The official University statement about improving quality for all programmes can be
found in section 9 of our comprehensive statement to supplement this programme
specification which is available on our web site at:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/bs/ug/progspec-6to9-05.html
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