Programme content
The MSc in Management introduces you to the full range of management and business disciplines, starting with foundation modules in Term 1 and progressing to more advanced modules in Terms 2 and 3.
The programme diagram shows the main modules taken by all students, but you can tailor the programme to your own interests by following one of four Programme Pathways, each of which has its own modules. You will select your pathway during Term 1.
Various types of assessment are used, depending on the nature of the module. For detailed information on particular modules, follow the links on the module titles below.
Support courses
To help with the development of academic work, the programme also offers support courses in the following areas:
- Information Technology
- Academic Writing and Study Skills, primarily intended for overseas students
- Accounting and Finance example classes
These are voluntary and not formally assessed, but are strongly recommended.
Languages for All courses
For those wanting to improve their foreign language skills, courses are available at beginners, intermediate and advanced levels in several languages (currently French, German, Italian, Spanish and Chinese).
Term 1: October to December
Induction week
The programme begins with an induction week during which you learn more about the various elements of the programme and the facilities available within the School and University. You also take part in teamwork exercises and other activities – academic and social – designed to help you get to know one another before the formal part of the programme.
In Term 1, you take six foundation modules:
Accounting and Finance – designed to develop your skills in analysing and using financial information, and your understanding of management accounting, this module will give you an overview of accounting and finance techniques and increase your confidence in reading company accounts and understanding financial statements.
Economics for Managers – aims to heighten your awareness of how the micro- and macro-economic environment can affect business behaviour. An applied module, it will help you to understand how markets operate, and equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to interpret the financial press and government economic reports and to analyse economic problems.
Marketing – requires you to work in groups to examine a range of cases relating to key issues, problems and solutions in marketing. It explores marketing in different contexts such as consumer marketing, services marketing, retail marketing and international marketing.
Operations Management – provides an introduction to the discipline of operations management and to some of the methods that can be used to plan, control and improve operations. These will include capacity planning, quality control, project control, inventory management, forecasting and material requirements planning (MRP).
Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource Management – introduces you to the key concepts, debates and issues in the fields of organisational behaviour and human resource management. It looks at current issues within these areas such as talent and performance management, diversity management, organisational culture and motivation. You will develop an informed, critical understanding of aspects of organisational behaviour and human resource management. New module - full details will follow shortly.
Quantitative Methods for Business – provides an introduction to commonly used statistical and quantitative methods. These include elementary algebra, probability and descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing and modelling techniques. The aim of the module is to equip you with the basic methods necessary for business analysis.
Term 2: January to March
You take three further core modules, and one Pathway module from your chosen route. You choose which pathway to follow during the previous term.
Strategic Management – is about making distinctive choices concerned with the direction and scope of the organisation over the long term. This module focuses primarily on issues related to ‘business-level’ strategy and how competitive advantage is created and developed in response to complex and turbulent environmental change.
Management in Practice – where you work in teams to tackle a client-based project which requires you to analyse a problem and propose possible solutions. The module is designed to give you access to a ‘real-life’ business issue and to increase your effectiveness when working in teams, as well as developing your understanding of the role of a consultant.
Learning to Manage – introduces you to management as a highly contested area of theory, involving competing perspectives, approaches, interests and stakeholders. Taught across Terms 2 and 3, this module aims to help you to make sense of both the theory and practice of management and develops your capacity to manage the ambiguity and complexity inherent in all managerial roles. There will be a strong emphasis on your personal development as a manager, and on the skills that you need to be successful.
Term 3: April to September
During this part of the programme, you take the second part of Learning to Manage, another two Pathway modules and a Research Methods module. You also complete a Research Project.
Research Methods – provides a bridge between the taught components of the programme and the independent research required for the research. It focuses on the philosophical and practical issues involved in conducting research.
Research Project – the most substantial individual piece of work that you undertake on the MSc programme, allowing you to draw on and demonstrate your understanding of principles and concepts introduced in earlier modules. It takes place over the final eight weeks of the programme and, depending on which Pathway you follow, it will take one of three forms: an in-company project, a business plan, or a desk-based research project.
