Credits Needed to Earn the Degree

ECTS Credits: 90 ECTS
UK Credits: 180 Credits

Course Modules

This course includes or offers the following modules:

1.Marketing Management

The purpose of this module is to provide an understanding of the importance of the marketing concept within any organisation. The module outlines both the philosophical underpinning supporting contemporary marketing theory and its application in different organisational contexts. Key marketing tools (segmentation and the marketing mix) are analysed and applied through the context of the management of the marketing process.

The nature of contemporary marketing theory and practice is developed alongside the concept of market orientation. The importance of marketing research, strategic analysis, and alignment with organisational strategy through branding is developed.

The module focuses upon the identification and application of key marketing management tools (segmentation, targeting, positioning,) and their impact on the delineation of markets and key stakeholder groups. Tactical marketing concepts are analysed and evaluated within a relational, services and social marketing conceptualisation.

The discipline of marketing planning is developed around the creation of an integrated strategic framework.

2. Financial and Management Accounting

The main aim of this module is to equip students with the knowledge and skills that would be expected from a finance manager responsible for the finance function of a business, in relation to investment, financing, and dividend policy decisions. Management Accounting builds on the insights about costs and their drivers to provide the competencies needed to analyse, plan and manage costs to support the implementation of the organisation’s strategy in a variety of business contexts.

3. Entrepreneurship

This module explores the contribution of entrepreneurship and of individual entrepreneurs to future organisational growth and sustainability. It defines the different roles of the entrepreneur in different organisational contexts – small, medium, and international entrepreneurs – and identifies the necessary requirements associated with the creation and management of an entrepreneurial culture.

4. Sustainability

This module allows students to develop an understanding of sustainability-related challenges facing society, organisations, and the economy to explore the implications of these for contemporary practices. Students will engage in debates concerning the relationship between business and issues such as climate change; the environment; humankind’s relationship to nature; inequality; social problems; and the challenge of sustainability in capitalist economies that privilege economic growth.

5. Managing People

Whatever their specialism, managers increasingly need to be managers of people and lead teams. It is also increasingly being recognised that organisational performance can be enhanced, and competitive advantage gained through strategic management and the development of people.

In this module students will explore the importance of specific HR practices to enhance employee engagement as well as explore how people learn to gain a better understanding of what makes a good leader. They will be applying theoretical concepts and frameworks to a variety of organisational contexts that interest them.

6. Governance, Ethics and Risk Management

The main aim of this module is to help the student to apply relevant knowledge, and skills, and exercise professional judgement in carrying out the role of the accountant relating to governance, internal control, compliance and the management of risk within an organization, in the context of an overall ethical framework. This module will allow students to acquire essential and core technical skills and knowledge through the introduction of ethics, corporate governance and risk will have been introduced in a subject-specific context such as identification and evaluation of risk, responses to strategic risk and internal controls.

7. Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is an increasingly powerful tool for growing businesses and increasing revenue and market presence. We assume that Millennials and Generation Z have social media and digital marketing channels/apps/etc. woven through their lives. But this does not automatically correlate to organisations and businesses understanding how to successfully navigate and make the most of the rapidly expanding and complex opportunities for digital marketing.

8. Research Methods

This module provides students with an introduction to the principles and practices of research in the social sciences, offering them a solid foundation upon which to design, propose and implement a research project. It introduces a range of practical, qualitative and quantitative methodologies and methods from which they can select the most appropriate for your 60-credit ‘capstone’ module (dissertation, consultancy project, extended project, etc.).

9. Dissertation / Consultancy Project

The dissertation/consultancy project is an essential requirement of the MA in Business and Management. It offers students the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have gained across their taught modules in an extended scholarly research project that justifies the ‘Master’s’ award.

All our programmes are offered in English language and all module credits are UK.

You’ll be assessed by a variety of methods that may include:

• Reports on work-based assignments
• Research project reports
• Portfolios
• Reflective learning and work-experience journals
• Reviews
• Proposal papers for projects
• Funding or events
• Business plans or strategy documents
• Project progress reports
• Project evaluations
• Presentations
• Essays
• Exams

You’ll be required to work in their own time to complete research, homework tasks or group work. Self-study is vital to their success on this course and lecturers will provide guidance on how best to approach this throughout the study period.

Assessment methods at GBS are reviewed annually and may be updated based on student feedback, to suit content or based upon feedback from an External Examiner. An External Examiner is an independent academic expert from an external Higher Education Institution that acts as a safeguard to academic assessment standards.

Subject-specific Skills and Knowledge

• An extensive understanding of the role of marketing, and within this, the role of brand management in relation to a range of organisational environments and business practices
• An ability to analyse the theories and practices in marketing and brand management, and place these in broader conceptual, social, economic and political contexts
• A critical awareness of the relevant knowledge in the areas of marketing and brand management, and the ability to synthesise and apply this knowledge to a range of complex marketing and branding problems
• A comprehensive understanding of current key global issues such as ethics, sustainability, and social responsibility in relation to their intersection with evolving marketing and brand management theories and practices
• An ability to conduct research and enquiry into business, management, and marketing issues, either individually or as part of a team, through research design, the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, synthesis, reporting and evaluation

Cognitive and Intellectual Skills

• To present coherent, concise, engaging and audience appropriate reports, case studies, evaluations, etc., based on evidence from work-based experience and practice, and on scholarly and sector reading and research.
• To research across a range of academic disciplines and professional practical areas and use a variety of sources and appropriate methodologies to investigate broad areas and more specific topics.
• To operate effectively in the planning, executing and evaluation of a range of tasks and projects in a logical, knowledgeable, and professional manner
• To plan, complete and evaluate a range of work-based activities, relating these to appropriate research, critical thinking, theoretical and practical contexts, and current professional practice.
• To deal creatively and systematically with complex issues
• To analyse and solve problems, and make evidence-based, well-founded decisions in unpredictable or challenging situations
• To understand the crucial need for ongoing Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and the importance of establishing, maintaining, and expanding professional networks

Skills for Life and Work

• Autonomous learning (including time management) that demonstrates the exercise of initiative, personal responsibility and decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations and the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development
• Team working skills necessary to succeed in the global workplace, with an ability both to work in and lead teams effectively, as well as the ability to act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level
• Communication skills that show the ability to communicate clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences’ knowledge at, or informed by, the forefront of the academic discipline, field of study or area of professional practice, and the conclusions drawn from dealing with complex issues systematically.
• IT skills and digital literacy that demonstrate the ability to develop new skills to a high level and to approach complex issues systematically and creatively

Education
You’ll normally have a good honours degree in business, marketing or a related subject.

Please find the right country from our list of accepted international qualifications for each course level — allowing you to clearly check your qualifications against our requirements.

English Language requirements

An accepted English language test must be taken within 2 years of your start date.

Below are the scores required for our programmes for each of the tests that we accept:

*all test components taken within 3 years of start date

Other requirements

All students are required to complete a Personal Statement