Postgraduate Course: Problem Solving and Spreadsheet Modelling Skills (CMSE11117)
Course Outline
| School |
Business School |
College |
College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type |
Standard |
Availability |
Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) |
SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits |
15 |
| Home subject area |
Common Courses (Management School) |
Other subject area |
None |
| Course website |
None |
|
|
| Course description |
This course aims to equip students with a range of tools and frameworks for decision making and solving problems to common business and marketing problems. Students will be introduced to the basics of constructing decision support models, the basics of linear programming and simulation modelling, and decision-making under uncertainty using case studies and real life examples. The course further develops students&© modelling skills using Microsoft Excel and through the application of the techniques to a range of practical problems.
This course builds on students&© knowledge gained in the core courses of the MSc Marketing and Business Analysis programme, therefore complementing the other courses and minimising overlap of materials. |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2010/11 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1)
|
WebCT enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| No Classes have been defined for this Course |
| First Class |
First class information not currently available |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
A. Knowledge and understanding of
* the nature of problem solving and decision making in business and marketing management;
* the modelling of decisions using decision trees;
* various methods for structuring management decision problems;
* techniques for modelling as an aid to decision making;
* the techniques and relative merits of using linear programming in decision making;
* the techniques and relative merits of using simulation in decision making;
* methods for solving certain types of business models.
B. Intellectual skills
Students will develop skills such as:
* the ability to build models to assist management decision making;
* the ability to critically assess models for management decision making;
* the ability to interpret decision-making models in light of possible courses of action for a given business/marketing problem or situation;
* the ability to understand methods of model solution.
C. Professional/subject specific/practical skills
Students will gain:
* an appreciation of methods involved in problem solving and construction of decision trees;
* an appreciation of methods involved in business modelling;
* experience in identifying problems in which model building methods can be applied;
* experience in using commercial software to tackle management decision problems.
D. Transferable skills
By the end of the course students will be expected to:
* be able to plan and carry out analyses based on construction and solution of appropriate models;
* be able to employ analytical and problem-solving skills;
* show that they can report results in a concise way;
* have enhanced their skills in using commercial software products. |
Assessment Information
| Assessment of this course is through an exam (weighted 70%) and assignment (problem formulation and solution, weighted 30%). The degree exam will be in the April/May diet of examinations. |
| Please see Visiting Student Prospectus website for Visiting Student Assessment information |
Special Arrangements
| Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser |
Dr Tom Archibald
Tel: (0131 6)50 4604
Email: T.Archibald@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary |
Ms Samantha Rice
Tel: (0131 6)51 5332
Email: Samantha.Rice@ed.ac.uk |
|
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1 September 2010 5:45 am
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