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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2013/2014
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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Business School : Common Courses (Management School)

Postgraduate Course: Problem Solving and Spreadsheet Modelling Skills (CMSE11117)

Course Outline
SchoolBusiness School CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Course typeStandard AvailabilityAvailable to all students
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) Credits15
Home subject areaCommon Courses (Management School) Other subject areaNone
Course website None Taught in Gaelic?No
Course descriptionThis 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.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Marketing Decision Analysis (CMSE11120)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements For Business School PG students only, or by special permission of the School. Please contact the course secretary.
Additional Costs None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus?No
Course Delivery Information
Delivery period: 2013/14 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1) Learn enabled:  Yes Quota:  None
Web Timetable Web Timetable
Course Start Date 13/01/2014
Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 150 ( Lecture Hours 20, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 24, Summative Assessment Hours 2, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 3, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 101 )
Additional Notes
Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) Written Exam 70 %, Coursework 30 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)Problem Solving and Spreadsheet Modelling Skills2:00
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%).
Special Arrangements
None
Additional Information
Academic description Not entered
Syllabus Not entered
Transferable skills Not entered
Reading list Not entered
Study Abroad Not entered
Study Pattern Not entered
KeywordsPSSMS
Contacts
Course organiserDr Daniel Black
Tel: (0131 6)51 1491
Email: Dan.Black@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Malgorzata Litwinska
Tel: (0131 6)51 3028
Email: Maggie.Litwinska@ed.ac.uk
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