Anyone with 'exemption' experience in UK?

I have been trying to gain exemption from some courses at Queen Margaret University College. At every turn I am given advice regarding this from staff members which when submitted; is turned down by faculty. Of course, these staff members giving the direction are no longer there! So, to keep a very long story (10 months) short; I have only completed one module when I should be about 4-6 courses completed.

I have a certification in the field, years of upper-management experience, a (now!) BS Degree in Management and loads of industry education. I am confident that I know 75% or more of the coursework and demonstrate this on a daily basis as the COO of my company.

Looking a Le Cordon Bleu/UniSA again, but are there any recommendations about what I might do at QMUC to accomplish my exemptions or should I just move on?

thanks, John

 

so your experience hasnt been good at QMUC ?. Most UK Universities that I came across are good and their distance program worked well. Were you doing MBA E-Commerce ?

 

I am doing the MBA in Golf & Country Club Management. My problem has been the revolving of personnel; each providing different direction. The course leader is seldom there as he has been ill and it seems that they are short-staffed. Hopefully, they can get it together before I decide to just bail out.

 

John

Have you looked at Southern New Hampshire University Masters of Science in Hospitality Administration?

 

I can't comment particularly about QMUC, but I'd be very surprised if any UK university allowed exemption from more than one or two courses, and only the core courses at that, on an MBA. Furthermore, exemptions based on life experience that is not identified by professional memberships or qualifications would be very unlikely to pass muster.

This is also the first year of a new MBA, they're bound to be feeling their way in establishing the course, and at the faculty level they'll be doing everything very strictly by the book.

Angela

 

Angela, I have professional qualifications; that is my problem. In my industry, the certification I hold entails at least 6 years of experience, the passing of many courses (held at large, US Universities and delivered by tenured professors), totalling over 300 hours. It is considered the hallmark of the industry.

As an update, I received my next module (with two assessments supposedly forthcoming) but was told that I cannot access WebCT until I am matriculated and that I would be contacted. Of course, it still hasn't happened (two weeks) and no one will answer emails. I have started studying in the hopes that I will someday be a 'student' again!

 

See Middlesex University's Work Based Learning Studies.

http://www.mdx.ac.uk/wbl/index.htm

 

Raymond,
I looked at this program and thought that it might work, but I had already enrolled at QMUC. Now, if they don't answer my latest email (yesterday), begging for some assistance; I may go back to Middlesex or enroll at UniSA/Le Cordon Bleu. More than likely LCB. thanks for your input.

 

Hi John

Not wishing to comment on your experiences with QMUC, I can comment generally.

Exemptions in MBA courses do not usually go above one, sometimes two. These are judged on their merits. A first degree or professional designation in accountancy usually qualifies for an exemption in Accounting, etc.

Mainly, they are confined to the core MBA subjects. For many applications the decision is speedy because the list of approved subject qualifications is on hand. New qualifications (to the University) and from foreign jurisdications can take longer. Usually, a senior member of faculty is in charge of applications for exemptions.

There are also 'credit transfers', usually from MBA subject programmes of other Business Schools, not one-off certificates from organisations. In all cases, most universities require that more than half of the courses required for the award of the MBA are taken from the awarding university, but again there may be exceptions in rare circumstances. A compromise may be used where the person asking for the exemption - or credit transfer - is excused the course (and paying for it) but is required to take the exam.

On the problems of communication (also a feaure of some South African universities) the main reason is that their courses are under resourced for the number of students they have admitted, including in those DL programmes where their model requires close support (plus the usual 'continuous assessment' schemes), made worse when there are changes of staff.

Hope this gets sorted out soon for you.

 

Greetings Professor Kennedy,
Thank you for your comments; they are always welcome.
I had given up on the idea of exemptions after some explanation (similar to yours) about how it is done and what is required. At the time, I agreed to an offered compromise of taking the assessments for a maximum of four modules. Then, from the MBA Administrator, I was told to only submit letters from past employers, our club's auditor, etc. attesting to my experience and qualifications. I did that, and about that time the person who suggested this, left. Regretfully, I stopped working on my Accounting assessment, thinking I would gain exemption which of course did not happen.

Now, another person has taken over and she has been helpful with advice-back to square one; no exemptions, but can take the assessments which I am told are forthcoming. I am to be matriculated before I can start however, but no one will answer my emails requesting the form as I remember it had to be a hard copy. Still no answer and I am very unclear as to how I should proceed.

Sorry for the lengthy explanation. Hopefully, as I still believe it to be the best program for my needs, I can feel like a student there again.

Thanks again for your help and time.