Course Overview
Course summary
Core management skills are in high demand in our rapidly changing environment. Successful managers need to know how people behave, the nature of leadership and sources of power and influence within the workplace. They must also plan, prioritise, develop new processes and identify new opportunities. That’s why our MA provides a broad understanding of business – from finance and people management to operations, communications and marketing. You’ll graduate with the all-round expertise and decision-making capabilities required to lead modern organisations.
Whether you aim to be self-employed heading your own company, work for private businesses, or not-for-profits or government agencies, this course is designed to develop the necessary management skills to succeed in a rapidly changing economic environment. This course will therefore open flexible career avenues or will enable you to take the next step to progress your career.
Blending theory and practice, our teaching is designed to equip you with the knowledge, competencies, analytical and problem-solving skills around the management of organisations and how to apply these to management problems and situations. As the course progresses, you will study operational, tactical and a more strategic approach to management.
You’ll study other organisations’ processes and practices, which helps you understand why companies have been successful or have experienced turmoil over the years. You’ll have access to a wide range of electronic and online media resources, as well as traditional face-to-face teaching and opportunities to learn from one another.
A highlight for many students is the Management Residential – a weekend combining presentations and workshops with great opportunities to network, get to know your fellow students and learn from each other’s experiences. You’ll be given a series of tasks designed to develop essential skills, such as team building, leadership, delegation and communications.
When you graduate, you’ll have the core management skills needed to give you flexibility to pursue a career in general management or specialist areas of business, including financial services, operations, human resources, sales and marketing. Graduates from this course have found employment at organisations including Accenture, Procter & Gamble and Unilever, as well as the NHS and local councils, while others have set up their own companies.
Top reasons to study with us
- Taught by staff with expertise in strategic management, entrepreneurship, design, innovation, operations and supply
- Residential weekend when studying Managers and Organisations where you’ll take part in team exercises and challenges to explore and develop communication, negotiation and team-working skills
- Outstanding facilities and access to the software widely used in industry, including NVivo and SPSS
Course structure
The course is designed to provide you with up-to-date theories, tools, systems and techniques across the management function, together with an understanding of contemporary management issues in an ever-changing business environment.
Semester 1
We examine how organisations operate in today’s global marketplace and consider how the different functions of management link together. You’ll develop a greater appreciation of operational processes, techniques, planning and control systems within different types of organisations.
Semester 2
We move on to business structure and modern strategies in a changing world, and the traits, behaviours and management processes needed for resilient, flexible organisations. You’ll consider some of the contemporary challenges facing business, from the merits of sustainable global growth to the global perspective of business development and need for sensitive, collaborative working in multicultural project environments.
The project gives you the chance to demonstrate your ability to critically analyse, research and report independently on a specific management area and apply your learning to a real-life management challenge. Past students have considered, for example, how retail companies have made the shift from physical stores to online, sometimes looking at a specific sector or certain companies within a country. One, who was already working as an executive in a London-based company, resolved a long-standing HR issue, while another worked with an SME to develop a more focused, competitive strategy for the products they market.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Core modules
This module explores the workings of the business environment at various levels and how this affects business operations. You’ll engage with primarily qualitative and some quantitative analysis techniques to understand the external influences on business at both a micro and macro level.
This module aims to develop your knowledge and competence of the research process and the application of research methods in the area of Business and Management. It covers qualitative and quantitative research methods and considers the contexts within which different methods are useful and how they should be applied in practice. It focuses on research design, data collection and analysis, and the presentation of findings.
This module provides business managers with a comprehensive, practical approach to using financial and accounting techniques and analysis in their business lives. It also looks at the concepts behind the techniques, recent developments in conceptual thinking and academic critiques. It will give you the confidence and expertise to use financial techniques and concepts in business-decision-making.
This module provides you with opportunities to critically analyse and reflect upon contemporary approaches in human resource management, and helps you to understand the strategic contribution of these in determining the success of organisations. The module in particular focuses on the critical role that contemporary HR practices play for enabling people to add value and achieve a sustained level of superior performance. More specifically, supports you to develop critical thinking and handling of complex people management and business decisions.
This module provides an understanding of how the behaviour of managers impacts on the effective working of organisations. More specifically, the module gives an insight into key aspects of the functioning of organisations in terms of structure and culture and how these impact on the behaviour of organisation members and the effectiveness of managers in managing others. The module links these issues with the development of leadership and managerial competence.
This module blends together the digital and the physical into a unified whole. Operations and Information Management are concerned with using human, material and financial resources, to deliver required products and services efficiently and effectively. The manager needs sound information about performance across the organisation; facts and figures about suppliers, customers and the rest of the organisation’s environment. This module develops a critical understanding of the sources and application of such information from a managerial viewpoint, and examines specific issues of managing operations in the digital age.
This module provides a grounding in the knowledge, theory and practice of marketing as applied by managers in the digital age. The module focuses on the development of effective market-oriented managerial thinking, using marketing related digital tools, frameworks, strategies and tactics.
This project is significant in how its aims, content and the manner of execution reflect the integrative nature of projects at Master’s level. In addition to applying theories studied in the different modules, you’ll be able to undertake an intensive study of an area of your choice. This should implement the Project Proposal demonstrating your ability to work autonomously and to apply the theory learned during the programme to a substantial real life problem.
This module equips you with the knowledge and skill to analyse complex environments, judge resource deployment for whether it creates value for customers. You’ll then put these skills into action by developing, evaluating and selecting innovative strategies through which firms capture value from their customers in global markets. You’ll draw on a range of data types and resources to integrate prior and on-going learning, identify strategic problems, and manipulate complex as well as incomplete information. Doing so, you’ll be able to integrate learning from other modules on the program of study that enables i) conceptual thinking at a higher level of abstraction; and ii) clear effective communication in oral and written form.
All students on our full-time business Masters courses can apply to undertake the PG Internship Programme Reflective Practitioner Module. This is a 6-12 week credit-bearing internship, which can be taken in addition to optional modules and will help students to gain invaluable work experience. The internships are normally taken part-time (14-20 hours per week) or on a full-time basis during the summer period. Interns are expected to be paid at least National Minimum Wage or if unpaid, travel and lunch expenses covered.
Ultimately students source their own internships with support from the WBS Placement Team and module.
To find out more and to register onto the module, students can email the WBS Placement Team: [email protected]
For more details on course structure, modules, teaching and assessment Download the programme specification (PDF).
To request an accessible version please email [email protected]
Get your copy of the University of Westminster prospectus and browse the range of courses on offer.
Contact us for general course enquiries:
+44 (0)20 7911 5000 EXT 65511
(Mon–Fri, 10am–4pm GMT)
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Careers
Core management skills are in demand from a wide range of employers across private, public and not-for-profit sectors. As a graduate, you’ll be equipped to pursue a general management career or choose to specialise in specific areas of business, including financial services, operations, human resources, sales and marketing.
Our graduates occupy a variety of roles in both multinational organisations and small and medium-size enterprises, employed in companies such as Accenture, Procter and Gamble and Unilever, as well as the NHS and local councils.
With a growing global network of 3,000 employers, our Careers and Employability Service is here to support you to achieve your full potential.
Develop your network
Build connections with peers and future business leaders.
Kickstart your career
Learn how to use social media in your job hunt or LinkedIn to kickstart your career.
Develop your CQ
Develop your cultural intelligence – or ‘CQ’ – studying alongside students and staff representing more than 100 nationalities.
Industry links
Westminster Business School is one of London’s leading centres for business education based in the heart of London and its political, media and financial services scene.
Staff who currently teach on this course have an extensive and diverse range of professional experience in the private sector. For example, in project management for a large German car manufacturer and as managing director of a small communications agency, as well as in the field of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships in health care provision, competitor analysis and insurance.
Job roles
Graduates of this course may go on to such roles such as:
- Business analyst
- Business development manager
- Data analyst
- Insurance underwriter
- Management consultant
- Project manager
- Risk manager
- Sales executive
- Supply chain manager
Graduate employers
Graduates from the Business School have found employment at organisations including:
- Accenture
- NHS
- Proctor and Gamble
- Unilever
Westminster Employability Award
Employers value graduates who have invested in their personal and professional development – and our Westminster Employability Award gives you the chance to formally document and demonstrate these activities and achievements.
The award is flexible and can be completed in your own time, allowing you to choose from a set of extracurricular activities.
Activities might include gaining experience through a part-time job or placement, signing up to a University-run scheme – such as mentoring or teaching in a school – or completing online exercises.
Read more about our Westminster Employability Award.
Course Leader
Dr Koko Kondo
Senior Lecturer
Koko Kondo is a Senior Lecturer in Management and Marketing at School of Management and Marketing. She is the course leader for the Marketing Management BA (January starters 2021). She joined Westminster Business School in 2005. She has been teaching research methods and taught international business and dissertation modules.
She worked as a visiting lecturer at Brunel University and London College of Fashion (supervising the Marketing MSc, lecturing Consumer insights, qualitative methods etc). Previously, she used to teach business research methods for the Fashion Merchandise Management BA (2002-2017) at the University of Westminster. In her post-doc, she worked on the Digital Users Project (2005-8) and the Media Experiences Project in Lund University (2013-6). She has worked in the media industry for 8 years in Tokyo, Japan (PR, production management, etc).
Currently she is working on crisis communication/strategic communication (PR) for children with colleagues from Malmö University, University of Athens, Tohoku University and Halmstad University.
Course Team
Why study this course?
Outstanding facilities
State-of-the-art Bloomberg-powered Financial Markets Suite (FMS) featuring industry-leading technology and software.
Combine theory and practice
Link theory to global practice through real-life case studies, problem-solving and live business projects.
Get business insight
Strengthen business insight through interaction with businesses and discussions about current market challenges.
Entry Requirements
A minimum of a lower second class honours degree (2:2).
We do not specify a required degree subject with cohorts ranging across the degree disciplines. Previous cohorts have seen a range of degree subjects ranging from philosophy and history through business studies to computing or engineering. The primary requirement is the aptitude and motivation to engage with subject areas that are new. Allied to an appreciation that some subject areas may require greater engagement than others in order to successfully complete the course.
We will also consider applicants with alternative professional qualifications and Continuing Professional Development records. And, similarly, we would consider those with at least three to five years’ relevant professional experience; to qualify on this basis, you will need to be able to demonstrate clear career progression with an upward trajectory. This should include increasing responsibilities, particularly the control of resources, people, and finance. Applicants relying on work experience for admission will be interviewed to determine their suitability, motivation and aptitude for study on the courses within the programme.
For non-standard entry, the Course Leadership Team may interview applicants who may be required to complete a written piece of work.
If your first language is not English you should have an IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each component.
View more information about our entry requirements and the application process
A minimum of a lower second class honours degree (2:2).
We do not specify a required degree subject with cohorts ranging across the degree disciplines. Previous cohorts have seen a range of degree subjects ranging from philosophy and history through business studies to computing or engineering. The primary requirement is the aptitude and motivation to engage with subject areas that are new. Allied to an appreciation that some subject areas may require greater engagement than others in order to successfully complete the course.
We will also consider applicants with alternative professional qualifications and Continuing Professional Development records. And, similarly, we would consider those with at least three to five years’ relevant professional experience; to qualify on this basis, you will need to be able to demonstrate clear career progression with an upward trajectory. This should include increasing responsibilities, particularly the control of resources, people, and finance. Applicants relying on work experience for admission will be interviewed to determine their suitability, motivation and aptitude for study on the Courses within the Programme.
For non-standard entry, the Course Leadership Team may interview applicants who may be required to complete a written piece of work.
If your first language is not English you should have an IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each component.
More information
University preparation courses
Our partner college, Kaplan International College London, offers Pre-Master’s courses that may help you gain a place on a postgraduate degree at Westminster.
To find out more, visit University preparation courses.
Student work
As part of the Managers and Organisations module, the Management Residential weekend is designed to reinforce the concepts of team building, group awareness and interpersonal skills. Students participate in varied team exercises and challenges to explore and develop communication, negotiation and team-working skills. For example, one previous task involved creating a board game based on any sport. Mixing with different cohorts of students, you’ll experience a greater number of global perspectives and begin to build a network of international contacts.
Learn new skills
Responsible business leader
Understand the importance of ethics, shared value, sustainability and collaboration as a responsible business leader.
Enhance your digital literacy
Enhance your digital literacy, learning how to collect and use data from Bloomberg, DataStream and Fame.
Improve your problem-solving skills
Improve your problem-solving and business diagnostic skills to better understand and tackle business issues.
What our students say
Laura Lindstrom
Management MA - 2023
Overall, the course was interesting. We had a variety of modules, both theoretical and practical. I enjoyed our lectures as they gave a lot of insights into the different subjects.
Abolade Oyewole
Management MA - 2024
Despite the high cost of living in London, I found it immensely valuable to study in one of the world’s major global cities. The experience was worthwhile and enriching as I got to see and appreciate the business hubs, vibrant culture, magnificent landmarks, and extensive transport system. On my course, I particularly enjoyed how the curriculum was tailored to give students a balanced perspective and a better understanding of pertinent issues in the global business environment.
Nwe Zin Thein Shaung
Management MA - 2023
I have thoroughly enjoyed my Management MA course at the University of Westminster. As a course representative, I found fulfilment in collaborating closely with my peers and lecturers to enhance the overall learning experience.
Westminster Business School blog
Read our blog and get an insight into life and studies at Westminster Business School.
Fees and Funding
UK tuition fee: £16,700 (Price per academic year)
When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.
Find out how we set our tuition fees.
Paying your fees
If you don't wish to pay the whole amount of your fees at once, you may be able to pay by instalments. This opportunity is available if you have a personal tuition fee liability of £2,000 or more and if you are self-funded or funded by the Student Loans Company.
Find out more about paying your fees.
Alumni discount
This course is eligible for an alumni discount. Find out if you are eligible and how to apply by visiting our Alumni discounts page.
Funding
There is a range of funding available that may help you fund your studies, including Student Finance England (SFE).
Find out more about postgraduate student funding options.
Scholarships
The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible postgraduate students.
Find out if you qualify for one of our scholarships.
International tuition fee: £17,500 (Price per academic year)
When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.
Find out how we set our tuition fees.
Paying your fees
If you don't wish to pay the whole amount of your fees at once, you may be able to pay by instalments. This opportunity is available if you have a personal tuition fee liability of £2,000 or more and if you are self-funded or funded by the Student Loans Company.
Find out more about paying your fees.
Alumni discount
This course is eligible for an alumni discount. Find out if you are eligible and how to apply by visiting our Alumni discounts page.
Funding
There are a number of funding schemes available to help you fund your studies with us.
Find out more about funding for international students.
Scholarships
The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible postgraduate students.
Find out if you qualify for one of our scholarships.
Facilities
The Learning Platform
Lecture theatres
Library
Bloomberg Financial Market Suite
Digital Marketing Lab
Meeting spaces
Cafe
Teaching and assessment
Your learning experience is designed to develop the capabilities needed by the graduate labour market, integrating practice-based learning and projects alongside academic learning and business theory.
To assist the learning experience, we provide reading lists, lecture and seminar materials in advance via Blackboard, our virtual learning environment. Where possible, lectures are recorded using specialist software and similar tools.
How you’ll be taught
Through a variety of teaching methods – from lectures and seminars to live case study analysis, business projects, an international consultancy project and internship – we aim to bring study to life by incorporating real-world experience. A focus on group work and ideas generation will help to develop the strong interpersonal skills expected of top managers.
The emphasis in the classroom is on problem-based learning, blending theory and practice, problem diagnosis and the selection of managerial tools to provide the best fit with the situation. You’ll learn by doing, given scenarios based on real-life case studies, where you put yourself in the position of manager, propose and justify your management response. For example, we might examine the ethical implications and treatment of its employees by the highly competitive Walmart Group in its desire to drive cost efficiency strategies.
There is a requirement for ‘self-guided’ learning and you will be expected to develop your own opinions and approaches to problems. Group work is a core component of the programme, which allows you to deepen relationships with classmates, get a more thorough understanding of subjects by interacting with people from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds, and mimic the office environment in which projects are often conducted in small teams across different departments. You’ll be given multiple opportunities to put forth real-life solutions to problems, present business cases or introduce plans for service optimisation.
The teaching team has strengths across multiple subject disciplines, including academic scholarship and practitioner business experience, in strategic management, entrepreneurship, design, innovation, marketing, social media, operations, digital business, psychology, human resources, organisation behaviour, economics, finance, management accounting and leadership.
In the following graph you'll find examples of how study time has been distributed in the past (data from the academic year 2023/24). Changes to division of study time may be made in response to feedback and in accordance with our terms and conditions. Learning typically falls into three broad categories:
- Scheduled hours: examples include lectures, seminars, practical classes, workshops, supervised time in a studio
- Placement: placement hours normally include placement opportunities, but may also include live projects or virtual activity involving employers
- Independent study: non-scheduled time in which students are expected to study independently. This may include preparation for scheduled sessions, follow-up work, wider reading or practice, completion of assessment tasks, or revision
How you’ll be assessed
We use a wide range of engaging assessment methods, including simulations, business challenges, investigating briefs, group pitches and video presentations.
The course involves a variety of assessment methods which call on the student to propose solutions to real case studies both in groups, alone and under short time limits.
Presentations and essays are also included in the course content, but it is the focus on practical resolution to real problems and the encouragement of analytical skills and creativity that make this an attractive course.
In the following graph you'll find an indication of what you can expect (data from the academic year 2023/24). Changes to assessment weights may be made in response to feedback and in accordance with our terms and conditions. Assessments typically fall into three broad categories:
- Practical: examples include presentations, podcasts, blogs
- Written exams: end of semester exams
- Coursework: examples include essays, in-class tests, portfolios, dissertation
Data from the academic year 2023/24
Supporting you
Our Student Hub is where you’ll find out about the services and support we offer, helping you get the best out of your time with us.
- Study support — workshops, 1-2-1 support and online resources to help improve your academic and research skills
- Personal tutors — support you in fulfilling your academic and personal potential
- Student advice team — provide specialist advice on a range of issues including funding, benefits and visas
- Extra-curricular activities — volunteering opportunities, sports and fitness activities, student events and more
Course Location
Our Marylebone Campus has benefitted from a multi-million-pound refurbishment resulting in new workshops, digital studios and development of the Marylebone Library. The campus is home to Westminster Business School and our award-winning Architecture, Planning and Tourism courses. For more details, visit our Marylebone Campus page.
Westminster Business School
Based in the heart of London's political, media and financial services, Westminster Business School has excellent industry links and a strong commitment to social enterprise.
Our courses are accredited by professional bodies including the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
Our practical teaching relates learning to the real world, and we develop graduates who are ready to respond to contemporary business challenges.
Contact us
Call our dedicated team on:
+44 (0)20 7911 5000 ext 65511
Opening hours (GMT): 10am–4pm Monday to Friday
Opening hours (GMT): 10am–4pm Monday to Friday
More information
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