Business Management

Entry requirements

A minimum 2.2 honours degree from a UK university, or an equivalent academic qualification from a comparable international institution. Students whose first language is not English must achieve a minimum IELTS score of 6.5. Applicants without a first degree but with acceptable professional qualifications and/or acceptable management experience may also be considered. Mature candidates with significant work experience and lower academic qualifications may be considered. Students with other qualifications should contact Admissions to discuss suitability.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The business world is complex, fast-moving and exciting, and demands high-calibre employees with sound management, marketing and financial skills. The ability to manage change, risk and people, and to develop sustainable business strategies is crucial. If you wish to develop your own enterprise then creative and entrepreneurial skills are needed too.

The MSc Business Management programme provides students with an academically rigorous and professionally relevant education that will serve your career needs. The degree combines essential management knowledge with relevant practical and professional skills to prepare you for the challenging business world.

In addition to gaining a solid business foundation, the portfolio of elective modules, which has been increased, taught by RAU experts in agricultural, equine, environment, agri-food, land-based and business disciplines, provides students with the opportunity to either embed their studies in a rural context, or to concentrate their studies in pure business management disciplines. Students now have the option to select three electives from a range of eleven electives. To indicate the scope and scale of what is available, we provide the following examples:

• Agriculture and Farm Business Management specialism using Agriculture with Farm Business Management modules
• International Trade specialism using International Trade and Export with Operations Management modules
• Rural Tourism specialism using Rural Tourism and Event Management with Rural Policy and Implementation modules
• Small Scale Farming specialism using Small Scale Farming and Local Food Supply with Integrated Organic Systems modules
• Equine Business Management specialism using Advanced Equine Business Management with Rural Tourism and Event Management modules
• Climate & Natural Resource Management specialism using Climate Change and Development with Natural Resource Management modules

UN Sustainable Development Goals: This programme has now been designed to foster greater knowledge and awareness of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These goals are mapped to our modules to ensure that at each stage of the programme we are identifying how these goals can be developed as part of business strategy and managed within a business.

This is a dual qualification. Upon successful completion of the degree you may be awarded membership and a Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership from the Chartered Management Institute, further enhancing your CV.

Course Structure

The course is offered full-time over 12 months, or part-time over two, three or four years and comprises lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, case studies and a group project, as well as visits to and from national and international companies.

You will study eight modules in the autumn and spring terms; six core modules followed by two elective modules. The Research Project (dissertation) is then undertaken, to be submitted the following April.

Modules are assessed through continuous assessment and final examinations.

• 4086 Financial Management (15 credits)
• 4260 Marketing Strategy (15 credits)
• 4261 Leadership & Personal Development (15 credits)
• 4262 Sustainable Business Strategy (15 credits)
• 4263 Entrepreneurship and Business Planning
• 4413 Research Skills (15 credits)
• 4414 Research Dissertation (45 credits) or 4416 Work Based Project (45 credits)

Plus THREE additional modules, selected from (all modules 15 credits each):

• 3036 Advanced Equine Business Management
• 4002 Agriculture
• 4012 Farm Business Management
• 4023 Operations Management
• 4203 Small Scale Farming and Local Food Supply
• 4264 International Trade and Export
• 4278 Organic Systems
• 4722 Climate Change and Sustainability

Information for international students

For students whose first language is not English, the University will accept International English Language Test (IELTS) with a minimum score of 6.5 average with no element below 5.5. Other English language qualifications should be discussed with Admissions.

https://www.rau.ac.uk/study/international-students

Fees and funding

Scholarships and bursaries are available - please check our website for further details.

https://www.rau.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/fees-and-funding