Course Overview
| Level of study: | Postgraduate degree |
| Tuition Fees | Fees and Finances |
| Entry requirements: | A 2:2 honours degree, or equivalent. Applicants would normally have 2 years’ relevant work experience.
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| English language requirements: | IELTS 6.0 with no component less than 5.5, or equivalent
Other English language tests are accepted, click here to find out more.
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| Mode of study: | Full-time |
| Duration: | 21 months |
| Assessment method: | Coursework (may include class tests) |
| Student finance: | Available |
| Payment plan: | Available |
| Location: |
London
Birmingham
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| Start dates: |
January, September |
| Application deadline: | Next application deadline
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About this course
The MBA with Advanced Practice is a general management course aimed at aspiring and established middle managers from a range of business sectors. The Advanced Practice element offers students the opportunity to gain valuable workplace environment experience.
The course has been designed to account for current (local, regional and international) market trends and has recently been updated to provide additional flexibility, choice and the opportunity and to help apply taught management skills.
The overall objective of this course is to educate and develop individuals as managers and business specialists, adding value through an integrated, applied and critical understanding of management and organisations, as well as the development of professional, transferable and intellectual skills that are essential for successful general and strategic management in private, public and third sector organisations.
Students will have the opportunity to develop knowledge, skills and insight in the following areas:
- Develop multidisciplinary and international perspectives, concepts and issues in the major management disciplines
- Gain an understanding of relevant toolkits and techniques for analysing business and management issues
- Cultivate the ability to analyse, synthesise and apply knowledge and understanding to solve management problems critically, rationally and rigorously
- Gain an appreciation and application of contemporary management and information systems to aid strategic decision making in business and management
- Develop an appreciation of appetite and responsibility for lifelong learning and personal development
- Develop skills for leadership and transformational roles in business in the changing external context within which they are likely to operate
- Develop strategic thinking, innovation and entrepreneurial skills
- Improve interpersonal and group-working skills
Advanced Practice
The compulsory Advanced Practice element of this programme takes place after you have studied 8 taught modules at the Master’s stage.
- undertake a 15 week long internship, or applied consulting project, working with a real organisation on a live business problem
- gain experience of the workplace environment and/or practical experience of the “real world” issues faced by those currently engaged in marketing
- put your learning into practice and hence, enhance your employability
- gain enhanced knowledge of the workplace which will facilitate the completion of your Dissertation.
Please note if you undertake an internship this may be paid or unpaid.
Course Duration
On successful completion of each stage of this programme of study, the duration will be 21 months, according to the following specific intake schedule:
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Sept-Jan
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Jan-May
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May-Sept
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Sept-Jan
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Jan-May
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Sept Start
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Year 1 – Semester 1
Masters stage
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Year 1 – Semester 2
Masters stage
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Year 2- Summer Break
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Year 2 – Semester 3
Advanced Practice stage
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Year 2 – Semester 4
Masters stage
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Teaching methods
- You will be taught using a wide variety of teaching methods across the modules including lectures and seminars, totalling around 12 hours per week.
- In addition to your time in class, you will also be expected to engage in approximately 30 hours of self-study time per week.
- You’ll be taught by experienced lecturers who will bring practical business-related experience into the classroom to enable students to understand how business works in the real world.
- You will have access to Blackboard, our online learning environment, where you can access module resources and reading lists that will assist your preparation for classes and self-study.
Assessment
You will be assessed by coursework, including assignments, group assignments, presentations and class tests.
Response to Covid-19: Our focus is on providing a safe and welcoming learning environment for our students. More information about our response to Covid-19 and FAQs are available here.
Careers and postgraduate opportunities
The course places a strong focus on enhancing the employment prospects of its graduates. Previous Ulster University alumni have secured positions within large multinational organisations such as Diageo, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte and KPMG as well as small to medium-sized enterprises. Others have used the programme as a valuable springboard to gain a thorough understanding of business and management principles before starting up their own business.
Related reading
Business reading:
Masters reading:
Advanced Practice study:
Modules
All modules are core and 15 credits unless specified.
Level 7 MSc Workshop (0 credits)
This module aims to review and enhance participants’ existing academic writing skills in contexts relevant to the modules it complements. It will also introduce skills and frameworks specific to postgraduate study, with weekly opportunities for participants to transfer these elements to their own assignments and to obtain feedback on their progression. As it provides the skills required to succeed in all written assignments, this module is compulsory
Marketing
This Marketing module focuses on the challenges management faces in developing and implementing both a marketing philosophy and successful marketing programmes.
The critical importance of marketing arises from its role as the boundary function between the organisation and the marketplace. Changes in the market require changes from the company; changes made by the company create changes in the market. Marketing is concerned with managing this ever-changing relationship.
Accounting and Finance
The overall aim of the module is to introduce you to the key areas of financial and management accounting.
To achieve this, you will be exposed to some numerical calculations during the module. However, there will be significant emphasis passed on understanding the issues around the numbers and the context within which they are set. In particular, the assessment for the module will strike a balance between calculation, interpretation and discussion.
In summary, whilst it is not intended to equip you with detailed knowledge to enable you to pursue a career in accounting, the module aims to take you to a point where you are capable of engaging in an intelligent discussion with financial experts and to be able to grasp the big picture rather than get lost in the detail.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Innovation and entrepreneurship are important drivers for value creation in modern economies. A central idea for both disciplines is the identification, evaluation and exploitation of opportunities. This module presents a contemporary exploration of the nature of innovation and entrepreneurship whilst also providing you with an opportunity to examine emerging sources of innovation in either a sector or organisational context.
Economics and the Business Environment
This module examines the internal and external environments within which firms must operate and helps managers to audit their business environment so as to establish a strategic approach to their business activity. It introduces managers to the principles of economics as they apply to the business environment and aims to enhance managers understanding of, and ability to adapt to, changes in the environments in which operate.
Managing People in the Organisation
This module aims to enable you to develop knowledge and understanding of individual and group behaviour within organisations, and the core areas of Human Resource Management, and to be able to apply this knowledge and understanding in a range of organisational settings.
Operations Management
In the dynamic environment in which businesses operate the importance of business improvement cannot be ignored. Customer focus through streamlining of value chains is imperative. It presents challenges in terms of how we classify, relate to and manage the internal and external chain of customers. The ability to remove costs, optimise value creation, understand the competencies, and effectively reconfigure the organisation in the context of a continuous improvement philosophy is crucial.
Leadership and Change
This module will give you the knowledge and the skills to be an effective leader. You will consider the key theories of leadership and consider their application through the skills provided by Neurolinguistic Programmes.
Management Research
This module will provide you with the primary knowledge necessary to prepare a management style dissertation. The focus of this module is to study the variety of research methods strategies, consultancy and project management techniques available.
On completion, you should be able to make more informed research and problem-solving choices and be prepared to address a range of issues that arise in the course of investigating your chosen management project.
For students undertaking an internship
Internship & Professional Development Project (60 credits)
This module is designed to further enhance the employability of the students who have completed the MBA whilst giving them the experience of a workplace environment. In considering this they produce both reflective reports which help aid skills development, and also an internship project in which they apply the theoretical concepts encountered on the course to a “live” management issue.
For students not doing an internship
Applied Consulting Project (60 credits)
This applied module enhances the practical and employability skills of students by requiring them to undertake consultancy projects for real-life case study clients. The module requires students to draw on relevant theories from previously studied MSc Marketing modules, and to apply these in marketing contexts, to deliver valuable project outcomes for client companies.
And the following modules
Digital Transformation
This module aims to provide students with an understanding of digital transformation in a range of organisational contexts. On successful completion of the module, a student will be able to: assess how digital technologies can disrupt industries by transforming industry value chains, patterns of demand and competitive pressures; understand how digital technologies and frameworks can be applied in a digital transformation strategy; understand the organisational and people capabilities required to support and implement a digital transformation strategy; and critically evaluate current practice and theory on digital transformation.
Strategy
This module is designed to introduce you to the key concepts in business strategy.
On successful completion of this module you will:
- have an in-depth knowledge of strategy
- be able to conduct a strategic analysis of an organisation, its environment, and its future strategic options
- understand the fundamentals of formulating an international strategy
- appreciate some of the key issues associated with strategy implementation
- critically evaluate current theory and practice on strategy
Business Project (30 credits)
This module provides you with the opportunity to demonstrate the ability to diagnose and investigate a complex business issue, locate the work within the body of contemporary knowledge, collect and analyse data, derive supportable conclusions and make practical and actionable recommendations for change, improvement or enhancement of current practice.
Please note: this programme is undergoing a review in Spring 2023 and modular content is likely to change. Please refer to this course page for the most up-to-date information.
The course information displayed on this page is correct for the academic year 2022/23. We aim to run the course as advertised however, changes may be necessary due to updates to the curriculum (due to academic or industry developments), student demand or UK compliance reasons.
Academic requirements
- A 2:2 (second class) honours degree or International equivalent
- In addition, applicants would normally have 2 years of relevant work experience
For country-specific entry requirements, please visit the entry requirements page.
If you do not meet the academic entry requirements, you may be eligible to study our Graduate Certificate programme.
If you are unsure whether your qualifications meet the entry requirements, please contact us and one of our team will contact you to discuss your options.
English language requirements
Applicants must satisfy our general entry requirements as well as meeting specific requirements.
- You will need to provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE grade 4 – previously grade C – or equivalent).
The general entry requirements are any of the following:
- IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5, or equivalent
- HKDSE English Language – Grade 4 overall with no less than 3 in any of the 4 sub-skills
- Indian Standard XII English – Minimum of 70% (in Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) or Indian Certificate in Secondary Education (ICSE) only)
- WAEC – C6
If you do not have the required IELTS, you may be eligible to study on our Pre-Sessional programmes.
- If you have IELTS 5.5, with a maximum score of 5.0, you may be eligible to study on our Pre-Sessional Standard programme.
- If you have IELTS 5.0, with a maximum score of 4.5, you may be eligible to study on our Pre-Sessional Plus programme.
Tuition fees for 2022/23
- UK/Home students: £10,000
This course is eligible for postgraduate government funding. Please contact us for details.
International students:
- London: £19,850
- Birmingham: £18,300
Please note: UK/Home students who are financing their studies through the postgraduate loan, you will be required to make a deposit payment of £250 at enrolment, this amount will be deducted from the total tuition fee. This does not apply to progressing students who are currently studying at the undergraduate level with us.
Please note that the fees outlined are for your tuition only and do not include the cost of any course books that you may choose to purchase, stationery, accommodation etc. As an Ulster University London and Birmingham branch campus student you will also have access to our on-campus libraries and a range of e-learning resources.
The modules you will study may require you to purchase additional course textbooks and you should be prepared to buy some additional texts, we recommend allowing an additional £400 for the duration of your course.
Information for international students
Ulster University is committed to providing the best possible experience to all our students. To ensure you secure your place with us, we require our international students to pay a deposit towards their fees. More information can be found here.
What does my tuition pay for?
- Your teaching in class – this includes seminars, lectures and tutorials
- Access to facilities including computers, Wi-Fi, printers, lockers, multi-faith rooms, quiet study space and social areas. To learn more about available facilities please visit our London or Birmingham branch campus pages
- Our library service – both on-campus and an extensive online catalogue of resources
- Careers and Employability Service which provides help with CVs, applications and interview preparation through workshops, drop-ins and 1-2-1 appointments
- The ACE Team (Academic Community of Excellence) who are here to support you with your studies and assignments
- Students Activities Association (SAA) – who organise events on campus, discounted sightseeing trips and help students create and run societies
Scholarships and discounts
For self-funding students, we offer a range of scholarships and early payment fee discounts, you can find out more here.
How to find out more
To find out more about this course, we recommend that you complete our enquiry form and one of our team will contact you to discuss your options.
How to apply
You can apply to study the MBA with Advanced Practice via our online application forms below.
APPLY FOR JANUARY 2023
APPLY FOR SEPTEMBER 2023
Information for disabled applicants
At Ulster, we welcome applications from disabled students and are committed to ensuring an equal and accessible application journey. Your application will be considered on an equal basis to all other applications. Please contact us if you require any assistance. This website is continually optimised to adhere to accessibility best practice guidelines; tools to assist users with specific accessibility requirements have also been provided. More information is available in our accessibility statement.
If you’re not sure or have any questions about studying with us, please contact us and one of our team will be able to help.
