MSc in Business Analysis and Strategic Management Alliance Manchester Business School - The University of Manchester

The MSc Business Analysis and Strategic Management course focus on real international management issues and how to solve them. A key element of the course is our unique client-facing project which allows you to put your learning into practice.

Special features

The client-facing project is a unique element of this course that provides an excellent opportunity to test, improve and enhance the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom. This consultancy project, lasting up to three months over the summer, involves you in either supporting a start-up company, finding growth opportunities for a medium-sized firm, or improving the effectiveness and efficiency of a function within a large, blue-chip company.

Course units details

The course consists of both compulsory and optional taught units. The compulsory units are built around the problems of strategic management, the operation of multinational enterprises, comparative business analysis and the skills necessary to work efficiently in an international business environment. The optional courses allow you to specialise in particular aspects of strategic management and business analysis.

During the summer period, you will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills learnt during the first two semesters, enhance your skills while working with a major real-life client and work as part of a team. The result of this project is presented as a research report/dissertation. This part of the course is closely related to the Manchester Method that enables you to experience experiential learning and helps you to become a reflective practitioner or manager.

The project is offered if you gain a minimum of 50% in each first-semester course unit. If not, you will be offered a project related to an external client, with no direct contact with the client. For those working on group projects, a group report and an individual report will be produced (both 6,000 words).

Alternatively, you may undertake an academic dissertation of 12,000 words. Your supervisor will help you to define the research and advise, guide and support you throughout.

You explore the operation of multinational enterprises and undertake comparative business analysis while gaining the practical skills necessary to work efficiently in an international business environment. Alongside a thorough understanding of business analysis and development, you graduate with the key skills of international business consulting, such as framing international business problems, writing business reports and preparing for interviews.

During the summer period, you will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills learnt during the first two semesters, enhance your skills while working with a major real-life client and work as part of a team. The result of this project is presented as a research report/dissertation. This part of the course is closely related to the Manchester Method that enables you to experience experiential learning and helps you to become a reflective practitioner or manager.

Examples of recent projects include:

• Exploring the strategic expansion of the volunteer tourism industry into the academic market
• An in-depth analysis of the wholesale market and changing trends towards online shopping
• Strategic positioning in relation to the offshore wind turbine market in northern Europe
• Identification of venture capitalist acquisition targets in the UK software industry

Projects are sourced from a range of small, medium and large businesses, across a wide range of sectors in Manchester and the UK's North West region.