Course Title: Professional Development 1

Part A: Course Overview

Course ID: 040061

Course Title: Professional Development 1

Credit Points: 12

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
BUSM3934	City Campus	Research	660H Grad School of Business	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2007
BUSM3935	Singapore Manufacturer's Fed	Research	660H Grad School of Business	Face-to-Face	Offsh 1 07

Course Coordinator: Dr. Paul Gibson

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 5945

Course Coordinator Email: paul.gibson@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 108.11.06

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

This course is available to part-time Research Candidates enrolled in the Doctor of Business Administration. The pre-requisites for the DBA include successful completion of a MBA or equivalent.

Course Description

This course aims to provide Candidates with:
•an overview of the issues associated with professional development as an organisational leader, as a practitioner, and as a researcher.
•an overview of processes that enable them to manage themselves in relation to external effectiveness and internal experience.
•an opportunity to pursue areas of personal development which they believe will assist them in their professional development
•an opportunity to review some of the emerging concepts and theories relating to action learning, self-management, career and identity, which influence how people personally operate as leaders and managers.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course will enhance your capabilities as a leader and as a researcher. By the completion of this course candidates should be able to:

• Understand and take account of the intrapersonal factors that influence their decisions, actions, and emotions.

• Understand the impact of their behaviour in interpersonal situations and relationships, which are integral to their effectiveness as leaders, change agents, and consultants.

• Enhance the effectiveness of their contributions in those situations.

• Use reflective learning approaches that enable them to constructively and critically review and improve their own behaviour and practice.

• Articulate the central issues and processes that have to be addressed in writing a doctoral thesis.

Knowledge: Material covered and provided in classes will cover both ‘classic’ and current theoretical and practice issues. Written work will require demonstration of knowledge of relevant theory.

Creative: Readings, class discussions and assessment tasks will aim to develop candidates’ ability to creatively apply theories to practical situations.

Critical: Debate and discussion as well as written work will emphasize the need for critical thinking and the ability to demonstrate a critical perspective.

Responsible: The importance of business ethics and personal integrity will be integrated into class material and discussion.

Employable: This course involves substantial self-directed learning and candidates will be required to be self-motivated and adaptable, with good communication skills. Successful completion of the assessment will require an appreciation of practical factors and complex issues commonly faced in business.

Life-long learners: The importance of refinement & development of the skills through practical, critical experience will be stressed. Amongst other objectives assessment will require students to think broadly, take in new concepts and explore possible effects of competing influences as part of their professional development.

Potential leaders: This course integrates aspects of theory with practice, and contributes to the development of leadership traits such as vision, communication and strategic thinking.

As in capability development

Overview of Learning Activities

This course involves both seminar and application activities. Seminars will include reflection and discussion of issues that impact on the professional development of participants. The content and process of teaching and learning will be reviewed through ongoing feedback. Students are expected to take responsibility for their own learning and manage their time accordingly.

Overview of Learning Resources

References/resources/articles will be provided in class. Candidates will also need to engage in literature searches for relevant material for class exercises and assessment tasks.

Overview of Assessment

Assessment is available as a Pass or Fail grade only in this course. Candidates must complete each assessment task to pass this course. The assessment in this course will take two forms, Presentations and a Written Paper.
1. Contribution to the peer mentoring processes of professional development and a presentation on the insights gained. In addition you will also be asked to give a verbal presentation related to what you propose to include in your final written report on professional development.
2. Submission of a written report on your professional development. The report should make primary use of action learning, or theoretically informed critical reflection, or a leadership model of your own design.