Management
MSc
- Mode of study
- Full time
- Start date
- October 2020
- Duration of Study
- 1 Year / up to 20 months with entrepreneurship or placement pathway
- Contact
- Dr Helen Millward
- h.a.millward1@keele.ac.uk
- Subject Area
- Business and Management
- FEES (2020/21 academic year)
- UK/EU - £9,500
- International - £16,250
Course Overview
The MSc in Management equips you with wide-ranging knowledge and skills needed for becoming a successful manager. The course provides understanding of how business is conducted and the various challenges facing managers from a strategic and operational perspective. The MSc in Management seeks to develop well-rounded, thoughtful, active, reflective and practical professionals with excellent skills. Our corporate links provide opportunities for a variety of business engagement activities, including study trips, factory visits, undertaking company consultancy projects or choosing a work placement* or entrepreneurship pathway.
Bethany Edge MA Management
"The opportunity to work in industry on an applied company research project was the highlight of the course"
Read more about Bethany Edge MA ManagementAbout the course
Overview
‘Poor management is estimated to cost the UK £84bn in lost productivity per year, with a need for better trained and informed managers' (Chartered Management Institute Manifesto, 2017). This MSc aims to equip you with the necessary knowledge, skills and techniques to be able to understand how business is conducted and the various challenges facing managers from a strategic and operational perspective. The MSc Management seeks to develop well-rounded, thoughtful, active, reflective and practical professionals with excellent skills.
A distinctive feature of this programme is the opportunity to select a particular pathway for the final 60 credits which best suits your ambitions and development needs. You will get the opportunity to select from a research dissertation; consultancy project within an organisation; 6-12 month work placement or 6-12 month entrepreneurship activity.*
Management skills are needed in all types of jobs and industries, from sport & leisure, the arts and entertainment, to social work, engineering and the natural sciences. Because of this, we welcome applicants from a wide range of undergraduate disciplines. Past MSc Management students have studied subjects as different as music, engineering, law or business at undergraduate level. We welcome applications from both home and overseas students. We have a range of support services available for all students and further information specifically for international students can be found by clicking on the International Applications Information link above.
*Students who require a Visa to study in the UK may be able to add in a work placement of up to 1 year depending upon the programme. The ability to add a work placement is dependent upon the UK Immigration rules at the time of the request. It may be that for some programmes students will not have the option to request a placement period to be added to their programme before they arrive in the UK and would need to apply for a new Visa. There is no guarantee that a placement will be provided and that students who have a Visa are subject to a number of restrictions on the type of work, including placements they can undertake.
Keele Business School
The MSc in Management is renowned for exceptional student satisfaction across our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Through our research led curriculum and passion for teaching we produce graduates that are intellectually curious about the application of knowledge. This enables our graduates to be highly employable and have successful careers within their chosen professions.
Keele Business School has now moved in to a new multi-million pound facility that will houses both the School and state-of-the-art facilities for business collaboration and incubation in a Smart Innovation Hub.
Course structure
How the course is taught
A wide range of teaching methods are used including traditional lectures, workshops and small group tutorials.
We have provided trips to different types of organisations including Jaguar Land Rover, Michelin Tyres and the New Vic Theatre to enable students to experience different contexts for what they have been taught.
Assessment
The rich and varied assessment strategy adopted by this programme ensure student development of employability and academic skills, providing an opportunity to demonstrate both professional and academic attainment. Assessment design is largely driven by a number of key principles which include: promotion of independent learning, student autonomy, responsibility for personal learning and development of innovation and originality within one’s chosen area of interest. Note that not all modules culminate in a final examination.
Module structure
MSc Management Taught Course Modules
Compulsory modules
- Leadership
- International Operations and Supply
- International Business Context
- Accounting for Decision Making
- Introduction to Research
- Opportunities and Challenges in Contemporary Management
- Research methods (compulsory for those wishing to take the disseration pathway)
- Creativity and Personal Development (compulsory for those wishing to take the Consultancy Project, Placement pathway or Entrepreneurship pathway)
Elective modules (choose two)
- Entrepreneurship
- Strategic HRM
- International Human Resources
- Strategy and Information Management
Final Assessment
- Dissertation or
- Applied Company Research or
- Entrepreneurship pathway - UK/EU students only or
- Placement pathway*
*Students who require a Visa to study in the UK may be able to add in a work placement of up to 1 year depending upon the programme. The ability to add a work placement is dependent upon the UK Immigration rules at the time of the request. It may be that for some programmes students will not have the option to request a placement period to be added to their programme before they arrive in the UK and would need to apply for a new Visa. There is no guarantee that a placement will be provided and that students who have a Visa are subject to a number of restrictions on the type of work, including placements they can undertake
Independent Project
After you have completed the taught modules you will undertake a large independent and original project.
Dissertation
The dissertation is a formal written academic project of between 15,000 and 20,000 words.
You will agree your dissertation topic with your supervisor who will guide and support you through the project. It will be based on your own research interests that you develop during taught modules. Supervisors will be assigned to you by the programme director who will match your interests with the academic expertise of staff in Keele Management School .
The Consultancy Project
The Consultancy Project* is currently offered to students on our full time postgraduate programmes. The project provides students the opportunity to complete a ‘real project’ within a host organisation or company. By completing a project students will enhance their CVs and future employability whilst gaining exposure to the practicalities of working in a commercial environment. Students are supervised by a Keele Business School academic and the project is assessed and counts towards their degree. Projects take place for 8 to 10 weeks usually from late June.
Previous students have worked on projects including;
- Putting together a business plan to enable the organisation to enter into a new market place.
- Carrying out a feasibility study looking at market assessment, key risks and opportunities and required resources for a new venture.
- Conducting market research and putting together a marketing strategy for the company to increase its market share and then to devise and distribute the resulting marketing materials.
- Reviewing the company’s use of existing IT systems and recommending improvements in the management of work flow, management reporting and effective use of existing software.
- Working on a procurement strategy and helping the company to make decisions regarding supply processes and infrastructure investment.
*previously known as the Applied Company Research Project
Entrepreneurship pathway (UK/EU students only)
The aim of this pathway is to allow you time and space to develop your own business idea. You will have access to facilities and expertise for a period of 6-12 months. During this time, you will be required to complete a portfolio of evidence, presentation to an external stakeholder and a reflective piece which will constitute the module’s summative assessment.
Placement pathway
With the support of the School’s Placement Officer, you will find and secure a placement which can last between 6-12 months. The placement should be a paid work placement at a suitable level for Master’s study. During your time on the placement you will be required to complete an extended project on behalf of the organisation. The project report, presentation and a reflective piece and an organisation assessment will constitute the module’s summative assessment*.
*Students who require a Visa to study in the UK may be able to add in a work placement of up to 1 year depending upon the programme. The ability to add a work placement is dependent upon the UK Immigration rules at the time of the request. It may be that for some programmes students will not have the option to request a placement period to be added to their programme before they arrive in the UK and would need to apply for a new Visa. There is no guarantee that a placement will be provided and that students who have a Visa are subject to a number of restrictions on the type of work, including placements they can undertake
Entry Requirements
Academic entry requirements
You will need at least a second class honours degree or overseas equivalent qualification in order to apply to study the programmes. If you have appropriate professional qualifications or relevant work experience you may also be considered.
English Language Entry Requirement for International Students
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 with a minimum of 5.5 in each subtest.
Pre-Master's Programme for International Students
International students who do not meet all direct entry requirements for this course have the opportunity to study a Pre-Master's programme at the Keele University International Study Centre.
Upon successful completion of the course, students are able to progress onto this postgradaute course at Keele University.
Fees and scholarships
Fees (2020/21 academic year)
UK/EU students £9,500 per year
International students £16,250 per year
Some travel costs may be incurred if an external project or placement is undertaken; any such costs will be discussed with the student before the project is confirmed. It will be possible for the student to select an internal project and that would not incur any additional travel costs. There may be additional costs for textbooks and inter-library loans.
Living costs
Keele University is located on a beautiful campus and has all the facilities of a small town. Student accommodation, shops, restaurants and cafes are all within walking distance of the teaching buildings. This is a very cost effective way to live and to reduce your living costs.
Scholarships and Funding
The University is committed to rewarding excellence and potential. Each year we offer a range of prestigious scholarships;
UK/EU students - more information on scholarships and funding
International students - more information on scholarships and funding
Our expertise
Academic staff in Keele Business School include:
- Dr Xiaoying Li - Senior Lecturer in International Business
- Dr Paul Forrester - Senior Teaching Fellow in Enterprise and Management
- Mrs Tracy Clewlow - Senior Teaching Fellow in Accounting
- Dr Akrum Helfaya - Lecturer in Accounting
- Dr Deborah Kerfoot - Lecturer in Management
- Dr Carola Weissmeyer - Lecturer in HRM
- Dr Colin Rigby - Senior Lecturer and School Enterprise and CPD Lead
Careers
MSc Management covers various aspects of management and prepares you for a range of different careers. Graduates from this programme have gone to pursue a range of managerial and professional careers such as HR consultant, marketing director, sales manager and operations manager. Recent employers include companies in various manufacturing and services sectors and also organisations in public sector.