Pharmaceutical Management MBA

Course content

What will you study on MBA Pharmaceutical Management?

The programme will equip both established and future industry leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to manage themselves as well as their operation successfully. The course consists of six modules plus a Business Transformation Project of 60 credits, delivered over two years. Topics covered include:

• Pharmaceutical sales and marketing
• Commercial development
• Strategy in the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry
• Pharmaceuticals in the wider healthcare market
• Risk management
• Formulating business strategy
• Human resource management
• Financial investment and analysis

What will you gain?

Upon successful completion of this programme, you will have enhanced and extended your previous experience in business and management and be able to apply existing and newly-acquired knowledge and experience to complex business issues. You will be prepared for leadership and transformational roles in business and have improved your strategic thinking and innovation skills. You will have developed an advanced knowledge of your organisation, its management and the environment in which it operates and apply this to the global pharmaceutical industry and related fields. You will have also gained higher levels of self-confidence and
awareness of your unique strengths and abilities.

Modules

This module will examine the current structure of the pharmaceutical and broader life sciences industry by looking at the factors that are shaping the industry. You will also consider new and emerging business models.

This highly topical module looks at the critical issues of finance and risk. It is designed to help you develop an enhanced knowledge of sector financing and the management of the major risks in the pharma sector. In particular, you will understand the full range of different sources and methods for financing and raising funds for investment within the pharmaceutical industry. You will also explore key concepts in investment appraisal, funding in the life sciences industry and risk management theory.

This module aims to equip you with a detailed understanding of the key developments in, and thinking derived from, the study of strategy. You will explore models and theories of strategy and their application in the business environment as well as critically appraise where and when such models are useful and how to utilise them. You will explore fascinating and relevant examples and exercises that illustrate these concepts with the intent of building your strategic thinking capability.

This module will focus upon the critical issue of people and their performance in the particular context of the maritime industry. It will illustrate how the processes of contemporary human resource management supports organisational performance and will explore the key elements of the HR cycle including resourcing, managing performance and developing and rewarding staff. You will identify areas of overlap between management and leadership, and investigate competences and behaviours associated with management and leadership. You will be encouraged to develop leadership behaviours that will enable you to manage performance as well as lead change to improve overall organisational performance.

This module explores marketing theories and key concepts, explains the use of conceptual frameworks for understanding marketing phenomena and will equip you with the ability to analyse marketing environments and strategies. You will learn to apply appropriate techniques based on insights gained throughout.

This module will allow you to understand the process of securing global intellectual property protection for pharmaceutical products and recognise the various steps and inputs required in the discovery, development and authorisation of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products. You will be able to develop an awareness of the various routes to commercialisation on a global basis and have a critical appreciation of the implications of patent expiry.

This module provides you with the means of further developing and integrating the skills and knowledge acquired on the MBA through application to a specific organisational issue or problem. You will be enabled to demonstrate proficiency in relation to scoping the issue(s)/problems, consideration of appropriate literature, collection and analysis of data, and assessing the financial implications, such as any cost/benefit analysis for justifying specific recommendations and consideration of implementation issues.

You can find more information about this course in the programme specification. Module and programme information is indicative and may be subject to change.