Do you live in the North East of England? Are you interested in a degree course that will help you to extend your skills as a School Business Manager? MMU is responding to pressure from SBMs in the North East to run its ground-breaking BA SBM course from a base in Gateshead.

Up until now, students from the North East have had to travel to Crewe for 4 teaching days each term. Successful graduate Val Gray comments:

"The course was great - everything was based on what I was doing at work and it really helped me grow as an SBM. But the travel was exhausting. The distance didn't help with the local networking aspect either - I would have loved a group based in the North East."

Programme Leader, Elaine Spinks, was in Gateshead for the first North of England SBM conference at the end of 2008, and was overwhelmed by the level of enthusiasm for school business management:

“We had over 100 SBMs at the conference, sharing and networking, and the energy was amazing. Several people asked me to put a Gateshead group together – there is obviously a need for the course in this area. We are determined to respond, and we already have graduates in the area who have offered to mentor new candidates.”

Elaine is hoping to start the first Gateshead group this summer. Over a two year period, students on the BA (Hons) SBM would take units from the following areas: Research and Professional Development, School Content, Leadership and Management, and Independent Study. All written assignments can be based around your own priorities or projects at work. Applicants should have already completed the DSBM or its equivalent.

Surinder Kaur, a graduate of the course, has this to say about it:

“By understanding and applying the educational theory to practice, I feel I am more effective in my role within my school and in the wider development of the profession of School Business Managers.”

If you are interested in being part of this, please call Charlie O’Dell on 0161 2475716 or click here  for more details about the course.