
Overview
- Degree awarded
- Master of Science (MSc)
- Duration
- 1 year
- Entry requirements
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We require a First or Upper Second class honours degree (2:1, with 60% average) from a UK university or the overseas equivalent.
When assessing your academic record, we take into account your grade average, position in class and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.
- How to apply
Course options
Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSc | Y | N | N | N |
Course overview
Focus on international business issues and how to solve them. Put your learning into practice and gain work experience with the client-facing project.
Open days
Meet us at an event to find out more about our master's degree courses.
Fees
Fees for entry in 2024 have not yet been set. For reference, the fees for the academic year beginning September 2023 were as follows:
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MSc (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £18,500
International, including EU, students (per annum): £27,000
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.
Refund Policy
Due to the competition for places and limited availability, our courses require a deposit of £1000 to cover non-recoverable costs and secure your place. The deposit will be deducted from your tuition fees when you register on the course.
The deposit is non-refundable, except in the following situations:
- you fail to meet the conditions of your offer (see below for further information); and/or
- you are refused a visa or entry clearance to enter the UK (proof must be submitted)
If an offer has been made specifying an English Language condition which you do not meet, the Admissions Team will require the official certificate of an English Language test taken after the date of offer as evidence that you have attempted to meet your offer conditions for a refund to be approved. The English Language test certificate provided with your application documents will not be accepted as proof that you have attempted to meet your offer conditions as such a certificate will predate the offer.
If an offer has been made specifying an academic condition, the Admissions Team will require the official university documentation showing that you have not met this academic condition from the institution at which you have studied, as evidence for a refund to be approved.
The Admissions Team reserves the right to refuse to refund of any deposit that does not meet with the requirements outlined above.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
Read about available scholarships and funding.
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- Alliance Manchester Business School
- Contact name
- Master's Admissions Office
- pg.ambs@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.alliancembs.manchester.ac.uk/study/masters/msc-business-analysis-and-strategic-management/
- School/Faculty
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Alliance Manchester Business School was established in 1965 as one of the UK's first two business schools. Today, we are the UK's largest campus-based business and management school, and 'Original Thinking Applied' is at the heart of everything we do. Find out more .
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
We require a First or Upper Second class honours degree (2:1, with 60% average) from a UK university or the overseas equivalent.
When assessing your academic record, we take into account your grade average, position in class and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.
English language
English language test validity
Other international entry requirements
Application and selection
How to apply
Advice to applicants
Your statement of purpose should cover the areas outlined below:
- Tell us why you are interested in the MSc Business Analysis and Strategic Management course at Alliance MBS and how the course will impact on your future.
- Describe what makes you an outstanding applicant and describe your potential to contribute to all aspects of the course.
How your application is considered
We can only process applications with the following documents:
- valid English language qualification
- first and second year transcript (scanned copies are accepted at the time of application)
- statement of purpose (this is included as part of your application form, you do not need to email your statement of purpose directly to the Admissions Team)
Deferrals
Re-applications
Course details
Course description
Focus on international business issues and how to solve them. Put your learning into practice and gain work experience with the client-facing project.
- Explore how multinational enterprises operate and carry out comparative business analysis
- Work on the practical consultancy skills necessary to work efficiently in an international business environment
- Gain a thorough understanding of business analysis and development
- Learn the key skills for international business consulting, such as outlining international business problems, writing business reports and preparing for interviews
- The client-facing project with an external organisation allows you to apply your learning to a real business issue, giving you valuable work experience and generating excellent networking opportunities.
Special features
The client-facing project is a unique element of this course that provides an excellent opportunity to test, improve and enhance the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom. It is a great chance to build your networks.
This consultancy project, lasting up to three months over the summer, involves you in either supporting a start-up company, finding growth opportunities for a medium-sized firm, or improving the effectiveness and efficiency of a function within a large, blue chip company.
Projects are sourced from a range of industries and sectors based in Manchester and the North West region. These can be SME's to large corporations. You'll also receive additional application and interview support from the School's Careers Service.
Coursework and assessment
Assessment varies depending on the modules chosen. It may include a combination of coursework, group project assessment, presentations, assignments, report, individual essay and examinations.
The summer project is offered if you do not have any unit marks below 40%, and not more than one unit mark between 40-49% in semester 1. If you don't meet these criteria you will be offered a project related to an external client, with no direct contact with them. For those working on group projects, a group report and an individual report will be produced (both 6,000 words).
Alternatively, you may undertake an academic dissertation.
Course unit details
During the course you will take 180 credits in total.
- 8x taught units = 120 credits
- Client-facing project = 60 credits
The compulsory units are built around the problems of strategic management, the operation of multinational enterprises, comparative business analysis and the skills necessary to work efficiently in a international business environment. The optional courses allow you to specialise in particular aspects of strategic management and business analysis.
During the summer period, you will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills learnt during the first two semesters, enhance your skills while working with a major real life client and work as part of a team. The result of this project is presented as a research report/dissertation. This part of the course is closely related to the Manchester Method that enables you to experience experiential learning and helps you to become a reflective practitioner or manager.
Examples of recent projects include:
- Exploring the strategic expansion of the volunteer tourism industry into the academic market
- An in-depth analysis of the wholesale market and changing trends towards online shopping
- Strategic positioning in relation to the offshore wind turbine market in northern Europe
- Identification of venture capitalist acquisition targets in the UK software industry
Projects are sourced from a range of small, medium and large businesses, across a wide range of sectors in Manchester and the UK's North West region.
The project is offered if you gain a minimum of 50% in each first semester course unit. If not, you will be offered a project related to an external client, with no direct contact with the client. For those working on group projects, a group report and an individual report will be produced (both 6,000 words).
Alternatively, you may undertake an academic dissertation of 12,000 words. Your supervisor will help you to define the research and advise, guide and support you throughout.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
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Analysing Companies | BMAN72201 | 15 | Mandatory |
Organisational Design & Strategy: International Contexts | BMAN72231 | 15 | Mandatory |
Comparative and Global Management | BMAN72631 | 15 | Mandatory |
Business Models: Theory and Practice | BMAN72801 | 15 | Mandatory |
Professional Analytical Skills | BMAN73652 | 15 | Mandatory |
International Human Resource Management | BMAN60992 | 15 | Optional |
The Political Economy of Global Business | BMAN62012 | 15 | Optional |
The Management of International Organizational Change | BMAN62082 | 15 | Optional |
Innovation Management & Business Strategy | BMAN71942 | 15 | Optional |
Institutions and Firms Internationalization Strategies | BMAN73172 | 15 | Optional |
Displaying 10 of 14 course units | |||
Display all course units |
Scholarships and bursaries
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
The course is aimed at graduates who are interested in pursuing a career in the area of business analysis and development, including business consulting, as well as candidates who seek a pathway to a research degree in the field of international management and comparative studies.
Recent recruiters
Accenture, AlixPartners, Bank of China, Co-operative Bank, Deloitte, Electricity and Water Authority, EY, Fujitsu, IBM, LATAM Airlines,National Trust, Sony Music, Shell, Standard Chartered Bank and The Nielsen Company.
Read more about graduate career destinations >>
Read about our Postgraduate Careers Service >>
Alumni insight: How my Masters helped me get into a career in business consultancy >>