Management Development Programme
The Management Development Programme runs in each of the first three years of the BA degree at Strathclyde University. The entire class is driven by real business problems and is delivered by a team of lecturers from different departments who are supported by invited practitioners.
Why is the Management Development Programme important?
The Management Development Programme (MDP) has been introduced to develop business, management and personal skills. In consultation with employers, the programme focuses on those skills which are recognised as important for personal development in preparation for a future career in a professional or management role working in the public, private or voluntary sector.
Increasingly, organisations are seeking flexible employees who can adapt to change, are effective in operating in interdisciplinary teams, have confidence in presenting and have well-developed interpersonal skills. The MDP develops these skills across three years, enhances employability and integrates with the knowledge of business acquired through other selected academic subjects.
The MDP is an integral part of the BA degree in the Strathclyde Business School. It is a compulsory class, which runs in Years 1-3, and students must successfully complete all three years in order to graduate with a BA degree or to progress to study at Honours degree level.
A 2009 Strathclyde University graduate who just taken up a place on the Ernst & Young 2009 graduate programme has said the following about MDP.
Why is MDP important?
MDP offers you the chance to experience and learn the necessary skills which employers value, the range of skills learned through the three years of MDP are crucial on applying for Graduate placements. MDP experiences are unique, they offer you the chance to stand out above other candidates at assessment centres and on application forms!
Skill I obtained?
To apply for graduate positions, most application forms and assessment centres come down to mostly competency based questions. MDP offered me the chance to improve my presentation skills, work as part of a team and improve time management. The very fact that you work within teams for most aspects of MDP, provides a variety of experiences which helped me on applying to EY.
Advice to 3rd year students?
I would say the most vital aspect of MDP 3 is to keep up with the workload and not under- estimate time, especially with the Business Research Proposal. By actively taking part in all areas of the class this will provide you with a good foundation not only for Honours year but also for applying for summer placements or graduate positions.
The Management Development Programme covers the following topics.
| 1st Year | 2nd Year | 3rd Year |
| Team Working | Leadership | Business Ethics |
| Communication | Entrepreneurship | Research Methodology |
| Numeracy | Decision Making | Ethics |
| Use of IT | Negotiation | |
| Inter-personal skills | ||
| Aims to develop the breadth of business knowledge and to provide the key skills demanded by employers, i.e. communication, IT, numeracy and learning how to learn. | Aims to develop knowledge and skills in key areas of management by focusing on decision-making, leadership, negotiation and entreprenuership. | Aims to give an understanding of business ethics, to enable the development of a researchable question and an ability to identify ethical dilemmas. |
Management Development Programme Prizes
Three companies sponsor prizes for MDP students.
- Deloitte: award prizes to the three best MDP 1 teams for their Holiday Project report and presentation.
- Procter & Gamble: award prizes to the three best MDP 2 teams for their Decision Making project report and presentation.
- Ernst & Young: award prizes to the three best MDP 3 teams for their Business Ethics project and presentation.
The most recent prizes awarded were:
- Ernst & Young's prize for the best MDP 3 Business Ethics project(February 2010). Congratulations to team 7E who were awarded 1st prize (£300) and the two runners up were teams 3G (£200) and 1B (£200) . Photographs from the event can be seen on the Ernst & Young prize webpage.
- Deloitte's prize for the best Holiday Project Report and Presentation in MDP 1 (May 2009). Congratulations to team 9E who were awarded 1st prize and to the runners up teams 4B and 5A. Photographs from the event can be seen on the Deloitte's Prize webpage.
- Procter & Gamble's Global Business Services prize for the best MDP 2 Decision Making project report and presentation (March 2009). Congratulations go to Team 12H who win 1st prize of £300. The two runners up were teams 1A and 11G, who each received £200. All three presentations were excellent. Photographs from the event can be seen on the Procter & Gamble prize webpage.
Procter & Gamble's prize for MDP 2 in March 2009
P&G staff attended the MDP 2 decision making project presentations on 25th March 2009. This feedback was received from Michelle Crossan, UK Fine Fragrances Brand Manager.
Today I was humbled by the great work that I witnessed as part of the MDP 2 programme. I was asked to evaluate the business propositions by three teams on how to develop a win-win platform for the Glasgow City Council and the Commonwealth games. We heard three great ideas, all of which were unique in their positioning and value added. My immediate reaction was that these 2nd year students are presenting and thinking at a level beyond their years. The presentations were engaging, insightful and convincing.
Ernst & Young's prize for MDP 3 in February 2009
Ernst & Young made the following statement in relation to the 2009 presentations by MDP 3 students.
This year's MDP3 presentations were of an outstanding quality. The students took time to consider not only the ethical, social and sustainable issues as requested, but truly thought about these issues from a business context; and delivered their ideas and recommendations with clarity, style and substance. It is these core skills and abilities which Ernst & Young recognise as being vital to the development of students preparing themselves for the job market. We were delighted as ever to have played a role in the development of this year's MDP3 students.
