MSc Business & Management

Core Modules:

• Accounting for Non-Financial Managers
• Applied Research Methods
• Marketing Management
• Strategic Management
• People & World Organisations
• Operations Management
• Professional Development Programme
• Ethics in Academic Practice

Optional Modules (select two modules from one of the following groups):

Group A

• Economic Environment of Business
• Entrepreneurial Strategies
• International Business strategy
• Management of Innovation

Group B

• International Finance
• Business Finance

Group C

• Marketing Channels & Strategic Sales Force Management
• Digital Marketing
• International Marketing Management

Group D

• International Operations
• Managing Multi-Organisational Enterprises & Enterprise Systems
• Quality Management
• Strategic Global Outsourcing and Offshoring

Group E

• Employee Relations in Context
• Learning & Talent Development

Group F

• Global Ethics Human Rights Responsibilities in Business
• Strategic Business Sustainability
• CSR, Sustainable Development & Public Policy

Group G

• Corporate Governance Regulation & Compliance
• Intellectual Property Strategy & Management

The programme then concludes with a dissertation project.

Professional Development Programme Module

Business skills for life: the essential Aston Professional Development Programme

The Aston Professional Development Programme (PDP) is an integral module that forms part of your MSc taught course from day one.This compulsory module runs throughout the academic year. We have designed it around knowledge through practice - to enhance your employability as you customise the PDP experience to suit your own learning goals and skills development needs.

We take a multidimensional, qualitative and individually tailored approach. Using reflective models, we integrate a competency-based framework into our existing academic programmes. You will engage with different kinds of experiential learning, such as skills workshops, work-based experience, study abroad and develop your own unique skillset.

This pathway between theory and the world of work brings together Aston’s faculty, careers practitioners and business and academic partnerships teams to help you step into your future careers as culturally aware, global professionals.

You will be assessed through a mixture of examinations and coursework. The taught element of the programme is then complemented by a substantial piece of research leading to the completion of a dissertation. You should ensure that your choice of elective modules is consistent with your intended dissertation topic area.

Personal developmentYou will acquire skills in the following areas: giving presentations, team working, report writing, negotiation and IT skills.

Core modules taught on this MSc will enable you to develop a wide range of business and transferable skills and knowledge demanded by graduate employers. These include:

• Interpreting financial statements covering income, balances and cash flow
• Budgetary control and analysing business costs using Cost Volume Profit and contribution analysis
• Improving business performance and employee well-being through influencing organisational behaviour
• Developing marketing and pricing strategies, plans and marketing mix policies
• Operational planning and management including: product, service and process design; choice of layout and technology; statistical stock control and MRPI
• Knowledge of strategy processes and techniques including: value chain analysis; ‘make or buy’ decisions; diversification and corporate parenting
• Understanding innovation processes, innovation-based strategies and creating competitive advantage through innovation
• Assessing the macroeconomic business environment (including economic policy and forecasts) and the microeconomic environment (including demand, competition) and their implications for business performance
• Multi-cultural teamwork and presentation skills developed through group-work
• Analytical skills developed through research dissertation.

The wide range of elective modules available on this programme enables you to develop skills across a range of business functions including marketing, HR, Finance and Operations.

Course director

Uwe Napiersky

Uwe is a lecturer in work and organisational psychology at Aston Business School. Before joining Aston, he gained 20 years’ professional experience in the corporate world (German Steel Industry) and in different international consultancies. His roles in consultancies included country manager, senior consultant, learning architect and client director. He has worked for blue-chip companies across the globe in all sectors and at different management levels in Europe, South East Asia, China, USA and South America. His research specialisms include management diagnostics and development and self-leadership strategies for high performers.