Last modified: 07 Nov 2025 15:16
This course introduces the theory and practice of change management, a key area in consultancy. You will explore how individuals and organisations navigate transformation, gaining practical skills through case studies, group work, and presentations. Designed to build your consultancy competencies, the course helps you understand how to diagnose problems, develop strategies, and support change in today’s fast-paced and evolving business environment.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | First Term | Credit Points | 30 credits (15 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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In today’s rapidly evolving global environment, the ability to understand, adapt to, and lead change has become a vital skill for individuals pursuing careers in management, consultancy, or leadership roles. This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the theory and practice of change management at the individual, team, and organisational levels. It is designed to support both personal development and professional capability by combining academic knowledge with practical application.
Throughout the course, you will engage with key themes such as psychology of change, team adaptation, organisational restructuring, cultural transformation, mergers and acquisitions, sustainability, and digital innovation. Emphasis is placed on the role of communication, leadership, and resilience in driving successful change, particularly in uncertain or complex environments. You will also reflect on your own experiences with change and explore the personal development needed to build your preferred future.
Learning takes place through interactive lectures, case-based discussions, group work, reflective activities, and consultancy-style challenges. These methods aim to build both your confidence and competence as a future change agent, whether you are working within an organisation or as an external consultant. You will also gain experience applying analytical tools and frameworks to real-world scenarios, while developing transferable skills such as research, critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork and communication. The overall course aims are:
• To provide you with theoretical and practical knowledge pertaining to managing change at individual, group, and organisational levels
• To prepare you with the knowledge to identify the need for personal change for future career development
• To equip you with the skills and tools needed to become an internal change agent in your future workplaces, or support a career in management consultancy as an external change agent
The intended learning outcomes of this course are:
• Provide a historical overview of relevant change management theories.
• Compare and contrast the dominant models and frameworks for understanding types of change.
• Discuss and debate organisational change programmes focusing on quality, re-engineering, culture, learning, knowledge and technology.
• Identify and assess issues pertaining to the 'practice' of managing change.
• Explain the linkage between theory and practice in making sense of organisational change.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Group Presentation submitted in powerpoint format (Max. 10 mins.- 25%) |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Apply | Use a wide range of intellectual ideas, tools, techniques and analytical thinking to enrich your arguments. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Knowledge and Understanding of theory and practice of organisational and individual change. |
| Procedural | Analyse | Conduct independent research using a range of information sources |
| Reflection | Apply | Develop and apply a number of key skills including written communication, critical thinking, problem analysis skills, and working with others |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 75 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
3,000-word Essay worth 75% of the overall grade. |
Word Count | 3000 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Knowledge and Understanding of personal change and preferred futures. |
| Factual | Understand | Knowledge and Understanding of the range of skills required to successfully engage in management consultancy. |
| Procedural | Analyse | Conduct independent research using a range of information sources |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Develop self-awareness through personal reflection and learning |
| Reflection | Evaluate | "Identify individual strengths/weaknesses, and the need for continuous learning and professional development in preparation for preferred future careers." |
| Reflection | Understand | Understand more about your own personal challenges of change and resilience. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | Word Count | 3000 | ||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Knowledge and Understanding of theory and practice of organisational and individual change. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Knowledge and Understanding of personal change and preferred futures. |
| Factual | Understand | Knowledge and Understanding of the range of skills required to successfully engage in management consultancy. |
| Reflection | Understand | Understand more about your own personal challenges of change and resilience. |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Develop self-awareness through personal reflection and learning |
| Reflection | Evaluate | "Identify individual strengths/weaknesses, and the need for continuous learning and professional development in preparation for preferred future careers." |
| Conceptual | Apply | Use a wide range of intellectual ideas, tools, techniques and analytical thinking to enrich your arguments. |
| Procedural | Analyse | Conduct independent research using a range of information sources |
| Reflection | Apply | Develop and apply a number of key skills including written communication, critical thinking, problem analysis skills, and working with others |
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