Master of Science

MSc Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence

Become an expert in business analytics through this specialist master’s programme.

  • Year of entry: 2027
  • Duration: 1 year
MSc Full-time: In person

Due to high demand for this course, we operate a staged admissions process with multiple selection deadlines throughout the year, to maintain a fair and transparent approach.

Full entry requirementsHow to apply

Fees and funding

Fees

Fees for entry in 2027 have not yet been set. For reference, the fees for the academic year beginning September 2026 were as follows:

  • MSc (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £20,000
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £35,700

The fees quoted above are fully inclusive of tuition, administration and computational costs.

Fees for entry are subject to yearly review. The University reserves the right to increase your tuition fee by up to 7% each year for courses lasting more than one year, including to reflect rising costs associated with delivering our educational and wider student experience. Postgraduate fees information .

Always contact the admissions team if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

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

We know that student finance can be complicated. The links below provide further information to help guide you.

Learn more about - student finance options for UK students.

Learn more about - fees and finance for international students.

Graduates of The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University can receive a 10% discount on their master's degree tuition fees as part of our Manchester Alumni Loyalty Discount scheme.

Course unit details:
Decision Behaviour, Analysis and Support

Course unit fact file
Unit code BMAN73271
Credit rating 15
Unit level FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree
Teaching period(s) Semester 1
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

Taking decisions and enhancing decision making ability are important skills to have. Operational, tactical and strategic decisions however, are often complex in organisational and policy making contexts. This course provides a better understanding of soundly-based approaches for structuring and analysing decisions in the face of uncertainty and conflicting objectives (Decision Analysis). It explains how decisions are taken (Decision Behaviour) and how we can improve decision making capabilities at individual, group, organisational and societal levels (Decision Support).
 

Pre/co-requisites

BMAN73271 Programme Req: BMAN73271 is only available as an elective to students on MSc Business Analytics, MSc Data Science (Business & Management pathway) and MEng (Hons) Computer Science

Aims

The aim of this module is to provide a state-of-the-art overview on decision making in a variety of organisational settings (e.g. private, public and not-for-profit sectors). It explores how decision analysis and decision aiding technologies can help individuals, groups and organisations make better decisions. Drawing from decision theory, behavioural and psychological studies, information systems, artificial intelligence, operational research and organisational studies, the course highlights the multi-faceted challenges of decision making. The main emphasis is on prescriptive theories of decision making.

In summary, you will gain an understanding of the capabilities and types of decision frameworks and decision aiding technologies used in businesses and their impact on business performance and competiveness. You will develop analytical skills for structuring decisions and developing decision models by incorporating data from multiple sources and judgments from experts and stakeholders. You will use decision analytics tools to support your decision analysis and communicate the results.
 

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course you will:

• Become aware of behavioural, normative and prescriptive models of decision making
• Develop content and process skills for modelling and analysing critical decisions in prescriptive decision support
• Understand a range of modelling frameworks, methods and tools for designing prescriptive decision processes and facilitating business decisions
• Become aware of emerging trends in decision support technology
 

Teaching and learning methods

Formal Contact Methods

Minimum Contact hours: 20 

Delivery format: Lecture and Workshops 

Assessment methods

100% Individual coursework

Feedback methods

• Informal advice and discussion during a lecture, seminar, workshop or lab.
• Specific course related feedback sessions.
• Written and/or verbal comments on assessed or non-assessed coursework.
• Written and/or verbal comments after students have given a group or individual presentation.
• Generic feedback posted on Blackboard regarding overall examination performance.
 

Recommended reading

The main course text is:

 

Simon French, Nadia Papamichail, John Maule. 'Decision Making: Behaviour, Analysis and Support' Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009

Another suitable text is:

R. Sharda, D. Delen. and E. Turban. 'Business Intelligence, Analytics and Data Science- A Managerial Perspective' Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2017.