Has anyone recently studied MBA / PostGrad Dip Marketing

[ParaKitamol]

I'm really struggling with reading my text books... I have a short attention span and find the heavy texts hard going. The best time that I can apply to reading is during my commute, however I am also easily distracted.

I am thinking that podcasts might be the answer - has anyone else studied recently and found any good podcasts concerned with Corporate Strategy/ Marketing Planning & Strategy?

Or any handy tips for studying at this level when days are already maxxed out with work & commute.

Thanks in advance
Anna

[edc]

I had lectures pre-recorded on CD when I studied previously. They are never going to be as thorough or in depth as reading but a half decent intro/refresher. Corporate strategy was one of the topics, can't remember the rest.

[ParaKitamol]

Cheers, I have purchased the CIM revision tapes for the Advanced PG Diploma before (yes about 4 years ago when they still did tapes) but they were nothing short of diabolical!

Just wondered if there were any podcast debates or shows that anyone might recommend that had good discussion around relevant topics..... anything really that will supplement my sporadic reading. It does not have to be specific to my course as lots of the material crosses over.

Thanks

[steviebee]

I did the CIM Dip about 10 years ago and had the same problem.

I was doing this as an evening course and got chummy with a group of others. We formed a sort of study group, which met at people's houses, pub, etc. Worked brilliantly (we all got As or Bs in the Case Study exam).

The books may have changed a bit but when I did it, each section had a list of about 15 questions at the end. I used to go through these, "reasearching the answer" in the section text.

I never found simply reading text much use anyway. Much more effective to actually "use" the text, drawing mind-maps and teh like.

Stick with it and good luck!

[ParaKitamol]

Thanks Stevie,

I studied the Diploma about 4 years ago now the Professional Post Grad Diploma as the next one on from that & they have changed it quite a lot since I last studied. The CIM books are still a nightmare to work with coupled with a useless tutor who last worked in commercial Marketing in the 80's - she has no relevant anecdotes or insight as hers are all second hand from books.

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement - I've found a stack of podcasts to listen to, even if they are just topical business debate it will all be useful stuff.

Sadly as I commute from Surrey to London, studying after work in London, I don't live near anyone else on my course to catch up with for sessions.

[muppetdave]

Good luck on this - I've now put my books down on the PGD for two years, and also the E-marketing award - even worse when I 'won' a scholarship to do it - really struggling to get the motivation to finish either off!

[parakitamol]

muppetdave said:

Good luck on this - I've now put my books down on the PGD for two years, and also the E-marketing award - even worse when I 'won' a scholarship to do it - really struggling to get the motivation to finish either off!

Thanks Dave,
I'm sponsored too, via my employer, so I have obligations to complete this, however I really struggle with the CIM as an organisation, their material, their resources and their course structure. I

have found one or two good podcasts now (See OP) which I find easier to absorb during my commute than heavy text books. They've also changed the course in the last couple of years so it's exam only now

[wanty1974]

I've just started the Postgrad Diploma at Newport. We get reading lists for the next week's session, all from the same four books. I find that reading for half an hour at night just before bed helps you remember more stuff.

Does your college have an online learning system? We have message boards and chat rooms where we can talk to each other during the week and can upload work to the Uni server from home. That's works really well.

[parakitamol]

Hi Wanty,

Are you doing the Professional PostGrad Diploma or the PostGrad Diploma? if its the PPGD then it's the same as me, which of the 4 modules are you starting with & which order are you taking them in.

I've tried using the CIM website - but to be honest it's utter cack, they do have message boards but they are so badly designed that I think it puts most people off using them, nobody replies to messages for ages!

Yeah, I try to read at least 1/2 hour per day - either on train or last thing at night - good tactic.

[muppetdave]

Yeah I'm exam only. I was sponsored by work, they paid for the Adv Cert too, but when I left in the July, they slipped up, having not got me to sign an indemnity! D'oh!!!!

[Parakitamol]

Hi Muppet, I'm presuming that you're doing the PPDip? what order are you doing the modules in? I'm taking A&E first, then MMD, then SMD and finally SMiP. I'm a bit concerned that it's not the order they recommend (can't avoid it due to what my Uni offers) two people I know have failed because they've taken things in the wrong order.



Anyway - YMH

[bluesea]

Currently doing a part time MBA with a full time job, just revising for the strategy module, I’ve found the best way to study is…

Have a strong cup of coffee, sit on a hardback chair, read the text and make rough notes but don’t get bogged down by detail. When you stand back at the course/modules (especially strategy) its almost always the bigger picture you need to get, not what some academic said in 2003 on XYZ subject.

From your notes you have a good basis to revise from that cuts out lots of waffle etc.

Also getting into work an hour early, makes your journey quicker and you can get studying done before you start work. Or staying at work an hour late. Or sat mornings, get up at your usual work time and get a few hours of study in.

The biggest challenge is time management, once you cracked that its much easier!

[parakitamol]

Thanks BlueSea.

I agree with the making notes thing - it's just about the only tactic that works for me when reading.

[RichUK]

Anna, as you know I'm also doing my MBA at the moment. I cut my reading down into small chunks. First of all I read and highlight the bits that I think are important, then I read again and make some notes afterwards.

I find a lot of small chunks is far easier than doing lots in one go.

[parakitamol]

Thanks Rich.

Did a hideous finance session on Wednesday night, I am very number dyslexic and struggle hideously, I really didn't understand anything whatsoever, it was made MUCH worse due to having a particularly difficult, bad day...

[ParaKitamol]

wanty1974 said:

I've just started the Postgrad Diploma at Newport..

If you're doing the PPGD then you'll have probably sat the same A&E exam as I did this afternoon - hopefully you won't have stuffed it up as monumentally as I think I just have!

[muppetdave]

Parakitamol said:

Hi Muppet, I'm presuming that you're doing the PPDip? what order are you doing the modules in? I'm taking A&E first, then MMD, then SMD and finally SMiP. I'm a bit concerned that it's not the order they recommend (can't avoid it due to what my Uni offers) two people I know have failed because they've taken things in the wrong order.



Anyway - YMH

Can't remember what order I was doing them in to be honest! Couldn't even name the modules now...

[ParaKitamol]

So you didn't sit the two exams last week then?

You can't be doing the PPGD or you'd be very sure of them - you'd have written on the paper! not sure how the PGD works - maybe it's diffrerent?

Never mind - it would have been good to compare notes that's all....

[parakitaMol]

YAY!
I just heard that, against all odds, I passed A&E module of the Professional Post Grad Diploma. WOOOO HOOOO

How did you get on Muppet?