Study options
- Starting in
- September 2025
- Location
- Mile End
- Fees
- Home: £15,250
Overseas: £33,500
EU/EEA/Swiss students
What you'll study
This programme aims to teach you to:
- Engage with a range of theories, methods and approaches towards the management of people and organisations, in an international context.
- Design and use analytical tools to interpret management problems, challenges and risks.
- Develop a critical understanding of the economic, social and political factors which affect the structure, processes, functioning and culture of an organisation.
- Plan and conduct research through independent study.
- Acquire transferrable skills such as originality in thinking, time management and negotiation skills.
Structure
- Seven compulsory modules
- Choose one elective module
- 10,000-word dissertation module
Compulsory/Core modules
This module will provide an in-depth understanding of the broad range of theory, research, and practice in organisational behaviour for the adoption of appropriate policies and leadership styles. This will include understanding individual differences, motivational factors, and group dynamics which can mediate the functioning of an organisation. The module will analyse a range of case studies to illuminate the different work patterns, practices and behaviours both at individual, group and organisational levels.
BUSM086 explores theoretical approaches explaining what markets managers choose to compete within, why and how. 'Traditional' competitive positioning, resource-based views are critically evaluated for their appropriateness in an increasingly networked, globalised, digitised and fluid environment. Contemporary approaches to strategic management, such as the importance of strategy process, business ecosystems, behavioural approaches and time/timing are analysed. From a variety of organisational contexts, we assess the extent to which firm strategy models may be applied to public sector/voluntary/entrepreneurial types of organisations and firms.
The dissertation forms an important part of the assessment of the MSc Management Programme, carrying a weighting of four modules (60 credits), i.e., one third of the entire Programme. The dissertation requires a demonstration of ability to carry out an original investigation into an area of interest. As such, the process should reflect skills of formulating research questions, synthesising and analysing data, drawing insights and conclusions, and written communication.
The module provides insights into how accounting is embedded in a socio-economic context and how accounting is shaped by this context. Key concepts and methods of accounting are discussed by focusing on the reporting of the financial position and financial performance of business organisations, the analysis of the financial statements produced by business organisations and the use of accounting information by management for planning, decision making and control purposes.
This new module seeks to offer students a more comprehensive and contextual understanding of risk and crisis, including economic, social, technological, environmental, and geopolitical risk, inter alia, situating it within a broader set of institutions such as firms, corporations, NGOs, states, international organisations, etc., in order to make sense of what is specific about the causes, evolutions, and responses to risk in a capitalist political economy. This is also meant to address risk beyond the mere presentist purview of corporate management practices, insofar as students in the MSc Management may both i) work in a broad range of institutions, and ii) will have to understand and engage in their professional lives with a variety of emerging risks, which the conventional risk management literature broaches at times only superficially. We hope that, by the end of the course, students understand that risk management is not engineering, with mechanical solutions to social and economic problems, but rather always a fraught endeavor, rife with contradictions and contestations.
This module integrates the theory and practice of innovation and entrepreneurship. The module draws together the learning from several functional areas that students will have already covered in the past - marketing, strategy, finance, law etc. - and place these within the larger context of innovation and entrepreneurship. While we will discuss many tools, models, and frameworks that can assist innovation and entrepreneurship processes, a core focus within the course is to critically analyse and apply these ideas.
Research Methods introduces you to the main approaches and strategies in research methods so that you develop a strong understanding of how social scientists search for and test out evidence in their disciplines. In this way it will help you to develop a critical approach to questions of evidence during your studies and specifically prepare you to work on your dissertation. The lectures will cover issues of research design, searching and reviewing the literatures on topics, and the requirements for research at this level. You will also be given guidance on how to devise research proposals and write dissertations.
Marketing is one of the most fundamental, most complex, and possibly also most misunderstood functions of the firm. To put it in the words of the famous Peter Drucker: "Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two--and only two--basic functions: marketing and innovation." The aim of this course is to provide you with a sound understanding of the principles of marketing. In a nutshell, understanding marketing comes down to understanding your customers. Thus, even if you have no interest in pursuing a career in marketing per se, the knowledge and skills acquired in this course will be essential to your success in business. The course assumes no previous knowledge of marketing and will give you an overview of the basic marketing planning process, including segmentation, branding, pricing, distribution, and promotion. These concepts are brought to life through interactive lectures and case discussions. Furthermore, you will work on a segmentation project for a real product throughout the course. Module Availability This module is compulsory on the MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation and MSc Management programmes, and an elective on the MA Heritage Management programme. It will complement the programmes and will provide students with an understanding of marketing strategies and practices as they relate to the abovementioned programmes' specific foci and objectives. Organisation of module The course consists of eleven 3-hour lectures/seminars. The lectures/seminars are held each week. Your timetable will show which lecture you should attend.
The Contemporary Live Management Project module is a capstone project designed to be offered as a core module and an alternative to the dissertation module. The introduction of the module is driven by the gaps in the sustainability audit and mapping exercise in January 2022. The mapping exercise identified 1) a lack of skills development concerning addressing global challenges associated with sustainability and 2) an inconsistent focus on sustainability across taught modules. The fragmented and disconnected nature of sustainability content covered in the programme meant that students might not appreciate just how much sustainability content they actually get without a way of showing them how the pieces connect up. The Capstone project was identified as an approach and strategy to integrate sustainability learning from across the taught modules in the programme. The Contemporary Live Management Project module meet the following Programme¿s learning outcomes Identifies appropriate research methods to investigate a specific research problem; demonstrates a structured plan for the research; evaluates contemporary issues in business management/society; assesses the strength of arguments in academic literature and debates in a relevant field; expresses arguments coherently through writing; displays good structure, formatting, style and presentation of writing. By meeting these programme learning outcomes, the module meets some of the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and UNESCO key competencies for sustainability such as problem solving, critical thinking, reflexivity collaborative competency and promoting employability and enterprise. There is also the appeal to market- Many Business Schools have the capstone module on offer, for example, The School of Management at UCL, Accounting and Financial Management programme, UCL, https://london.ac.uk/courses/accounting-and-financial-management, Imperial College Business School: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/business-school/programmes/global-mba/programme/capstone/ , London School of Economics and Political Science, The MPA Capstone: https://www.lse.ac.uk/school-of-public policy/mpa/capstone The Contemporary Live Management Project module is important in: -Tackling contemporary issues arising in an unsustainable business environment organisation, -Developing critical and analytical skills and methods relevant to addressing sustainability in the workplace. -Identifying and analysing problem-driven issues and using appropriate methods to deal with those issues. -Collaborating with diverse organisations in addressing issues, risks, problems etc. The module will fill a key gap in the MSc in Management programme by capturing the many important issues that are treated by many modules across the programme, which are in some ways fragmented and disconnected at the moment, with which sustainability is one of them. Finally, the module fits in the UN¿s Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative, which asks Business Management schools to pledge their support towards putting sustainability at the forefront of education.
The module explores the theoretical perspectives of contemporary management issues and sustainability in management. It develops students' knowledge and skills in the approaches and methods for addressing the fundamental problems that underlie organisational management of sustainability in a changing world. The skills developed in this module are crucial in undertaking the Contemporary Live Management Project module. In pursuit of this aim, the module will examine the key underlying sustainability issues and global mega-trends driving the need to transform the world into a sustainable one. Students will also understand sustainable business/governance models, their underlying principles and their relationship with organisations, and the role of ethics in individual and organisational decision-making. Finally, students will understand the use of relevant tools, techniques, methods and practices in tackling sustainability issues and apply them in their learning and the Contemporary Live Management Project.
Elective modules
This module explores how the management of global supply chains involves negotiating a multifaceted process of value creation and capture cutting across firms' and states' borders and from the environment. It maps the relations between firms and between firms and other actors and explores how supply chains are embedded in different environmental and social contexts. The module explores these issues by focusing on some of the largest corporate-controlled global supply chains in history, e.g. food and supermarkets, fashion retailers and mobile phone producers.
Corporate Social Responsibility will offer students an introductory and in-depth module unpacking the sensitive relationship between corporations and issues of social justice, environmental destruction (animal, climate, pollution, ecologies) and labour rights. At a time when globalisation is perceived as a threat to international business addressing inequalities across the global North and South, this module will provide postgraduate students with indispensable knowledge about key issues facing corporations today. The module will also address both philosophical issues that include ethical theories, moral debates and social scientific perspectives as well as a grounding in real life case studies and access to a local stakeholder engagement project with charities in Tower Hamlets and Poplar. Specific modules will cover a wide-range of subjects including: 'greening' management (reducing emissions, waste management, protecting biodiversity), workers rights (trade unions, ILO, outsourcing, supply-chains), sustainable consumption (ethical marketing, corporate lobbying, consumerism), and promoting democratic processes (governance, accountability, stakeholder engagement).
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
Assessment
- Modules are assessed through a combination of coursework and written examinations.
Dissertation
The final dissertation is your chance to conduct in-depth and independent research. This can be a practice-oriented project of your choice, on a company or an industry you choose.
—"I had the opportunity to explore leadership, marketing, entrepreneurship, finance and strategic management, with some brilliant minds from these fields as teaching staff. The university's QTaster programme and other industry collaborations helped me to network with leading recruiters from the UK. The School of Business and Management provided me with the best learning resources and opportunities to well equip me for my future endeavors."
Chaitrali Bhoi, MSc Management, 2022
Teaching
Teaching for all modules includes a combination of lectures, interactive seminars, and virtual learning resources. Each module consists of contact time with your lecturers, group discussions and self-directed further study.
You’ll be assigned an Academic Advisor who will guide and support you in both academic and pastoral matters, throughout your course.
Our lecturers also publicise their office hours, when they are available to give feedback and advice on coursework, on their online staff profiles.
Where you'll learn
Facilities
- ThinkPod interactive collaboration space with presentation, recording and video conferencing facilities.
- School of Business and Management's resources, including industry-standard datasets and accounting tools.
- 24-hour library on campus.
Campus
Teaching is based at Queen Mary’s Mile End campus, one of the largest self-contained residential campuses in the capital. Our location in the heart of London’s East End offers a rich cultural environment.
We have invested £105m in new facilities over the past five years to offer our students an exceptional learning environment. Recent developments include the £39m Graduate Centre, providing 7,700 square metres of learning, teaching and social space.
The campus is 15 minutes from Central London by tube, where you will have access to many of the University of London’s facilities, such as the Senate House library.
About the School
School of Business and Management
The School of Business and Management has a reputation as a socially engaged management school, with an innovative, multidisciplinary, mindful and responsible approach. We invite our students to ask incisive questions, to challenge their assumptions, and to search for solutions to real-world challenges.
We ensure students experience innovative and engaging educational pathways, alongside supportive staff and excellent research facilities.
The School is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), which ensures that the highest standards of excellence in teaching, research, curriculum, and learner success are met.
In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), the School of Business and Management dramatically moved up the Times Higher Education rankings. Among 108 UK business schools, the School now ranks:
- 22nd for overall research quality (up from 39th in REF2014)
- 28th for research outputs (up from 34th)
- 12th for research impact (up from 24th)
- 21st for research environment (up from 59th)
Queen Mary is also part of the Russell Group - a body of leading UK universities dedicated to research and teaching excellence.
Career paths
This programme provides a foundation for a wide range of careers across the business and management spectrum.
Graduates of this course are now working in roles such as:
- Management Consultant
- Business Development Analyst
- Area Manager
- Supply Chain Lead
- Pricing Analyst
at companies including PwC, BP, Amazon, PepsiCo and Citi.
Fees and funding
Full-time study
September 2025 | 1 year
- Home: £15,250
- Overseas: £33,500
EU/EEA/Swiss students
Conditional deposit
Home: Not applicable
Overseas: £2000
Information about deposits
Full-time study
January 2026 | 1 year
- Home: £14,850
- Overseas: £31,850
EU/EEA/Swiss students
Unconditional deposit
Home: Not applicable
Overseas: £2000
Information about deposits
Queen Mary alumni can get a £1000, 10% or 20% discount on their fees depending on the programme of study. Find out more about the Alumni Loyalty Award
Funding
There are a number of ways you can fund your postgraduate degree.
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Postgraduate loans (UK students)
- Country-specific scholarships for international students
Our Advice and Counselling service offers specialist support on financial issues, which you can access as soon as you apply for a place at Queen Mary. Before you apply, you can access our funding guides and advice on managing your money:
Entry requirements
UK
Degree requirements
A 2:1 or above at undergraduate level in any subject.
Other routes
Candidates that do not currently meet the set entry requirements may have the option to study the two-year Management with Integrated Pre-Masters programme.
Find out more about how to apply for our postgraduate taught courses.
International
English language requirements
The English language requirements for our programmes are indicated by English bands, and therefore the specific test and score acceptable is based on the band assigned to the academic department within which your chosen course of study is administered. Note that for some academic departments there are programmes with non-standard English language requirements.
The English Language requirements for entry to postgraduate taught in the School of Business and Management falls within the following English band:
Band 4: IELTS (Academic) minimum score 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each of Writing, Listening, Reading and Speaking
We accept a range of English tests and qualifications categorised in our English bands for you to demonstrate your level of English Language proficiency. See all accepted English tests that we deem equivalent to these IELTS scores.
Visas and immigration
Find out how to apply for a student visa.