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Keele Management School offers two distinct MA programmes in Management, and in International Business. Both programmes aim to extend management skills preparing students for the world of work so that they can achieve their potential. Modern managers need to take into account the fast-paced nature of change and internationalisation in the world of business. The MA International Business offers a robust grounding in distinct aspects of management and global business. The MA Management allows students to choose a more generic programme across the management disciplines, with a particular emphasis on leadership and entrepreneurship.
Alongside lectures and seminars, students are offered a portfolio of leading edge opportunities to enhance their career prospects, which, depending on electives registered for, may include a study trip, explorations of personal and team-building skills, and the undertaking of a consultancy study, and some competitively allocated domestic and international student consultancy projects where students will learn ‘on the job’ in real life businesses (while the School is keen to offer the full range of those opportunities in any given year, availability cannot be guaranteed.
Both the MA Management and the MA International Business seek to develop well-rounded, thoughtful, active, reflective and practical professionals with excellent skills that will enhance career prospects. In order to achieve this goal, our teaching and learning strategy is wide-ranging and innovative, seeking to give you a rich learning environment that draws actively upon both academic research and business practice. In the first semester, students on both MA programmes follow a common set of modules introducing them to a consolidated perspective on management and international business at Masters Level. In the second semester, students select one of two pathways and specialise in either Management or International Business. Here students will be able to move to a deeper knowledge and understanding of business and management, either concentrating on the strategic and operational aspects of business management or specialising in the study of business behaviour in the global economy. Each pathway has its core offering but subject to capacity, students may choose most options from either subject area, allowing them to focus on particular areas of interest. Students will also start preparatory work towards their dissertation or student consultancy project.
Applicants will need at least a second-class honours degree or overseas equivalent qualification in order to apply to study the programmes. Exceptionally, students who have appropriate professional qualifications or relevant work experience may also be considered with a weaker qualification. Anyone applying from a country where English is not the first language is required to take an official test of English Language obtaining at least IELTS 6.5/TOEFL 79.
For overseas students who do not meet these entry requirements, we offer a Business and Management Pre-Masters programme.
For overseas students who do not meet all direct entry requirements, we offer the opportunity to take an intensive Business Pre-Masters programme leading to the MA.
Both MA programmes last for 12 months. During the first semester (September to January) students will take the following four core modules:
- Critical Management Studies
- Globalisation and International Management
- Accounting Principles
- Marketing and Operations Management
In the second semester (January to May) students take the following modules:
MA in Management
- Entrepreneurship
- Leadership
- Creativity and Personal Development
Students must choose two of the following options (subject to availability):
- Branding
- Strategic Human Resource Management
- Commerce and Information Technology
The Project Phase of the programmes will include a dissertation or an internship. Each taught module is worth 15 credits and the dissertation or internship is worth 60 credits. To obtain the MA qualification students will need to obtain 180 credits in total.
Dissertation/Student Consultancy Project (60 credits)
From May to September students are required to write a research-based dissertation in an area of choice on an approved topic related to the pathway they have chosen, or write a report based on a student consultancy project. Aspiring applicants for the consultancy project must meet the required selection criteria demanded by both School and facilitating organisation.
The consultancy project will be available for Masters students during the period June-September. The student will be able to apply to take on a real commercially relevant, University agreed project, for a local organisation. This is a remarkable opportunity to learn to manage a discrete project from start to finish or to work as part of a wider group on larger strategically important projects.
