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MSc Business Analysis and Strategic Management / Course details
Year of entry: 2021
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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 of 12,000 words.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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