Skip to content Accessibility statement

Leading & Managing Change - SPY00149M

«Back to module search

  • Department: Social Policy and Social Work
  • Credit value: 15 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

This module explores the theory and practice of managing change in organisational contexts. The overall aim is to develop the students’ capacity and confidence not only in initiating and responding to change, but in taking control of change situations, thus helping students to deal more effectively with change within their own organisation.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Online Teaching Period 6 2024-25

Module aims

The module recognises the complexity of change and the limitations of prescriptions for managing change, which are based on the use of various tools and techniques. At the same time, it seeks to develop an understanding of the role that tools and techniques can play in managing change, as well as in an individual’s capacity to influence change.

It begins by introducing some established theories, frameworks and techniques for diagnosing, developing and evaluating approaches to managing change processes. The focus then shifts to a more practical application of these ideas. Throughout the module, there is a dual emphasis on both the organisation and the individual: how organisational contexts affect and shape change and the individual, and how the individual responds to change.

There is also a strong link between theory and practice, drawing on case studies and examples from your own experiences.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

  • reflect critically on change theory, identifying a range of factors that influence choice when managing change.

  • demonstrate an understanding of how behaviour and actions might influence change at the individual, group and organisational levels.

  • choose between different tools and techniques that can help to diagnose change requirements, develop effective change and evaluate it.

  • analyse an example of change and make recommendations based on the module content in order to solve the problems that the example highlights.

Module content

Week 1

Understanding organisations: culture

Week 2

Theoretical foundations of change management

Week 3

Managing Planned change

Week 4

Managing Emergent change

Week 5

Managerial choice and decision-making

Week 6

Change and the individual

Week 7

Change agent: roles, skills and application

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100.0

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

None

Module feedback

Feedback on summative assessments will be provided within 20 working days, consisting of written comments and a marking matrix.

Indicative reading

Burnes, B. (2017). Managing Change. Pearson.



The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.