Newsletter

Business School

Summer 2011

The University of Glamorgan’s Business School prides itself on maintaining strong links with professional bodies. For further details visit our pages on accreditations and associations.

How can I afford the time or expense to do a masters degree?

There has never been a better time to consider up-skilling and gaining qualifications that will distinguish you from the pack, not only in today’s competitive job market, but also to prepare you for success when the economy becomes more buoyant.

Decisions between earning and learning are also made easier when considering that many universities offer their postgraduate programmes on a part-time basis or online. Many universities are now incorporating online and work-based learning into masters courses, so you could gain credit towards your course for the learning you do in your job, rather than having to learn in a classroom.

Why postgraduate study makes sense?

In times of job uncertainty and financial strife, postgraduate study can offer a ray of hope, says Dr Heather Skinner, principal lecturer in marketing and leader of postgraduate programmes at Glamorgan Business School.While the credit crunch is biting hard, many people are faced with a difficult choice – whether to persist in pursuing their dream job when unemployment levels are rising, or whether to pursue masters level education. The choice is not always as complicated as it may seem.

A masters degree, often combined with a higher level professional qualification and membership of a professional body, is increasingly becoming an essential criteria for either appointment or promotion in certain industry sectors. It is therefore worth exploring postgraduate courses from universities that offer masters degrees which are accredited by relevant professional bodies.

If you prefer to undertake a part-time masters degree, this will usually take around three years to complete. Some part-time courses are delivered in intensive blocks taking place on weekends, so there could be little impact on a person’s current employment while studying.

You may not realise that some professional qualifications or other training you have undertaken as part of your job, can count towards a masters degree. This means you may not have to study the entire programme and can also help reduce the cost of your postgraduate degree. You usually only pay for the credits you need to top-up your other qualifications to a masters. There are also sources of funding such as scholarships and bursaries that can help with the cost of your studies.

For more information on the flexible routes of study available at the University of Glamorgan, click here to visit our pages on postgraduate study options.

Glamorgan Business School

Postgraduate study at the University of Glamorgan

The University of Glamorgan offers a wide range of full-time and part-time postgraduate degrees. We are also leading the way in offering a formalised framework for work-based learning right up to masters level study, and offer many ‘top-up’ courses that allow you to benefit from accrediting your previously gained qualifications.

Where work-based learning is offered on your course, there is always support for your learning from a dedicated tutor at the University and support is often offered in the workplace.

Whether you think a full-time, weekend, work-based, or more traditional part-time masters course is right for you, we are confident we will be able to find the right course to help you achieve your dream job, or to further your career aspirations in your chosen profession.

Find out more at our pages on postgraduate study in Business, or call 08455 194 787 to book your place at our next postgraduate Open Evening and find out about our generous scholarships.

Additional info

Glamorgan Business School has a proven record of providing high-quality postgraduate and professional programmes covering each business discipline. With leading experts in a number of fields and an ‘open door’ policy operating throughout the School, you can take advantage of academic rigour as well as substantial industrial experience.

Our reputation is further enhanced by programme accreditations with some of the world’s leading professional bodies. For example, the University of Glamorgan is in the top six UK universities in the field of purchasing and supply chain management. The University is a designated Centre of Excellence for the provision of the CIPS Graduate Diploma. We are also one of only

seven universities with approved Executive Diploma Centre Status for the new CIPS Level 7. Our purchasing and logistics masters are also designed with professional content in mind and students obtaining the CIPS Graduate Diploma gain maximum exemptions.

Similarly, the University’s MSc Human Resource Management programme has been accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), the leading professional body in the sector, and successful students gain Graduate Membership of CIPD.

For more information on the full range of business courses on offer at Glamorgan visit our postgraduate study pages.

university’s involvement with “Unite with Business” a project involving a consortium of northwest regional universities providing assistance to over 1,200 SME’s; the largest project of its type in the UK, Salford Business School is now able to offer its postgraduate business management students a 12 month placement option after the successful completion of the taught part of their programme.

This option is also available to international students, who can extend their visa to cover the extra year of the programme. The students are employed on a salaried basis with a variety of local, national and international organisations across a broad range of industry. We have students working in banking and finance, retail, vehicle manufacture, pharmaceuticals, oil and energy and Information Technology. Companies that participate include: Barclays Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland; Asda, Marks and Spencer, Tesco’s; Ford, Jaguar, Vauxhall; Eli Lily, GlaxoSmithKline Astra Zeneca; Shell, BP; IBM, and Intel.

Employment and on the job training such as Placements and

Internships in the current economic climate is very attractive to students undertaking university courses and Salford Business School alongside many other universities have been running placement options as part of the undergraduate business suite of programmes for many years. The placement option lasts up to 12 months and consists of the student working for an employer on a planned programme of degree related work, supervised by an academic tutor. The main benefits to the student of undertaking a placement as an integral part of a degree is that on average students graduate with higher marks and obtain more First classifications. The main consideration is that the student enters the job market with much better employment prospects. An added benefit is that the student is paid a salary during the placement which helps towards reducing their student loans.

Due to the popularity of placements with both employers and students alike and owing to Salford

Salford Business School employs a dedicated placement team to support students in the application process. This includes regular workshops, personal guidance, practice tests and interview sessions. The School also employs ex-placement students to provide mentor support, however all placements are a contract of employment and thus the employer has the final say.

Placements are paid appointments and the average salary in 2008-9 was £14,000. For Masters student’s the placement commences after the first two taught semesters. The programme then consists of 2 semesters of taught study, a 12 month placement followed by a 3 month writing up period. Thus the MSc is made up in total of 12 months in the University and 12 months on placement. There is a thorough assessment process and the placement mark counts towards the degree. The quality of Salford’s placement programme is also externally recognised by the City and Guilds Licentiateship award (LCGI) which is available to all the students completing a placement.

Salford Business School

Professional Placement Year Case Study

High flying Conor Rocks and Liam Brown are MSc Project Management students having just finished their 12 months placement with passenger-jet manufacturer Airbus Industries in Filton, Bristol.

The students won their prestigious placements against stiff opposition from students across Europe. Liam worked in a role focused on helping with a major Lean Manufacturing programme and Conor worked on a Quality Improvement programme. Both jobs were heavily involved with developing ‘state-of-the-art’ visual management techniques which allow senior executive to see the progress of a project or programme at a glance.

Liam and Conor’s experiences on the MSc Project Management degree have helped them understand these diagrammatic techniques so that they could get involved and contribute

Course Information

Enhance and broaden your job prospects, supplement your first degree with a Masters Management qualification. Programmes are initially of 12 month duration.

Why not take up the 12 month paid placement option as part of your MSc programme. The placement replaces the traditional dissertation and allows you to gain practical skills and invaluable exposure to UK business practice.

We have a variety of postgraduate masters programmes that are suitable for non business graduates. These programmes do not require previous business knowledge. If you hold a first or upper second class degree then we consider that you are capable of completing any of these Masters courses.

For those students who hold a lower second class non business degree we are able to offer suitable masters programmes in Management, Financial services and Information Technology. Again a placement option is available.

The School is located 3km from the city centre of Manchester. You will be studying on a green riverside campus with access to a 24 hour learning environment. We offer generous bursaries and scholarships to suitably qualified applicants. The Manchester area provides a wide range of inexpensive student accommodation and a low cost of living.

to the work of the largest jet manufacturer in the world from day one.

Both students were delighted to be at Airbus – an exciting place to work producing a world renowned and easily recognised product. Liam says that his placement was ‘an ideal opportunity to improve his project management skills in a complex and highly successful business’; Conor remarks that his placement was ‘an excellent way of developing his understanding of project management whilst giving his CV an impressive edge in an extremely competitive environment for graduates’. The Salford Business School students are now in the process of writing up their dissertation based on their experiences during their professional placement year at Airbus.

Conor Rocks (left) and Liam Brown (right) outside their office at Airbus

Choose from:

MSc Management• MSc Business and Finance• MSc Business and Enterprise • ManagementMSc International Business• MSc International Financial • MarketsMSc Human Resource • Management (CIPD approved)MSc Human Resource • Development (CIPD approved)MA Leadership Coaching• MSc Marketing• MSc Marketing and Advertising• MBA•

Find out more. See full course information and module descriptions at www.derby.ac.uk/aiesec

What does it cost?

Our fees for UK and EU students are

Full time:All MSc and MA degrees£6,120

MBA£7,200

Develop your business and strategic knowledge and

become the professional you want to be

A masters degree in business from Derby will prepare you for a successful career in management.

We’ve produced an exciting range of postgraduate courses – all designed with your learning experience and professional development as key objectives. You can study all of our degrees full time, and some are available part time too.

As well as providing you with subject knowledge, we work closely with employers and professional bodies to ensure that our courses focus on equipping you to apply and engage with your subject in your chosen professional environment, helping you to achieve your own career aspirations.

At Derby you will enjoy inspiring higher education with the highest quality teaching. Our courses reflect our enthusiasm and passion for the quality of your experience as a student.

Part time:

MSc HRM and MA Leadership CoachingPostgraduate Certificate - £2,640 Postgraduate Diploma - £2,820 Masters - £3,660

MBAPostgraduate Certificate - £3,500 Postgraduate Diploma - £3,500Masters - £4,140

Why choose Derby?

We’ve been rated in the top • 10% of UK universities for management and quality procedures by Government quality inspectors, so you can be sure that you will be studying a high quality, relevant and up to date course.

We’ll help you to get where you • want to be. All our postgraduate courses are vocationally focused and regularly updated to make sure that you learn the latest industry thinking.

Derby Business School

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Justyna Zgodka is studying the MSc Management.

She says “studying at masters level is different to what I expected. The lecturers put a great emphasis on the practical aspect of the subjects that we study. We are encouraged to challenge theories and literature, and express our own opinions.

Throughout my course I’ve met a lot of fantastic people from all over the world. These other students have interesting points of view and a broad spectrum of opinions on various aspects of business, which is shaped by their experiences.

We never undertake research • just for its own sake. Our research directly supports businesses and organisations in solving real world challenges, and plays a major role in informing and enriching what we teach to our students.

Our academics are scholars • engaged with real world issues. They’ve worked in their subjects, have extensive industry experience, and continue to investigate and discover more about their subjects to keep their teaching fresh and provide real solutions to business.

We’ll help and support you • all the way. From your initial enquiry right through to your graduation, we will give you the advice, guidance and direction you need to reach your full potential.

Ready for business

You’ll be ready for the business world when you graduate from Derby. Our masters students get involved in real life consultancy projects that help our local community.

Recent projects have focused on a marketing project to boost business and the interest of visitors and schools in the National Stone Centre, and providing expert help to the Austin Community Centre to promote three new projects to local residents.

You’ll also benefit from masterclasses with leading industry professionals, which take place on a regular basis throughout the year. From the annual CMI lecture, presented this year by award winning entrepreneur Dawn Gibbins, to subject focused events featuring guest speakers from local SMEs and blue chip companies.

This was especially inspiring during our residential. By taking up different tasks we discovered the value of team work and the importance of good cooperation and leadership. For me, the residential was an excellent experience as I have never been in a situation that would resemble a real business situation before. I really enjoyed working with other students on the tasks and that was a fantastic opportunity to learn from them and see the world from a different perspective.”

What’s next?

Find out more about postgraduate study

www.derby.ac.uk/aiesec

Come and see what Derby’s like for yourself. Join us at our postgraduate open morning on Saturday 16 July. Drop in any time between 10am and 1pm. Talk to lecturers and current students.

University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby DE22 1GB

Applywww.derby.ac.uk/applyonline