Overview

The course is based on an MBA style curriculum and is academically rigorous without neglecting the applied, practical aspects of management education. Students come from a variety of backgrounds to experience the unique Cass environment of learning, teamwork and collaboration.

The programme equips you with both the foundations of business management and the most advanced tools and theories. These often come directly from the research carried out by Cass's world renowned faculty.

Several electives are offered alongside a business project and the International Field Trip. Graduates of the programme start careers in a variety of sectors. Cass's London location often helps in this regard, and we have close links with companies in all relevant fields.

The Cass MSc in Management offers three pathways:

  • Marketing
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Strategic Management

The first term of the programme is common to all groups and provides a good grounding in the fundamentals of business education. You can then opt to pursue one of the specialisations. All students are encouraged to select elective modules from the full range of specialist and generalist options in Term 3, and the project gives students the opportunity to study a particular area of interest in depth.

In 2011/12 the course features students from over 40 different countries from five continents. Course content reflects this international mobility, equipping students with the skills necessary to perform in the global business community.

'If you'd like to explore your life opportunities with people from different backgrounds Cass is the place to go.'
Tiantian Li, from China, MSc in Management

Tiantian describes more of her experiences at Cass....


Individual Appointments

If you would like to arrange an individual appointment to discuss this programme please email: alison.stevenson.1@city.ac.uk

Course content

We regularly review all our courses to keep them up-to-date on issues of both theory and practice. Consequently, there may be some change to the detailed content of the modules and occasionally to module titles.

The course commences in September with a Foundations of Management workshop which prepares students with some of the concepts necessary to complete the programme, and includes careers and professional skills development workshops. Included is a team-building weekend which allows our diverse, international cohort to bond with each other.

MSc in Management students also have the option of attending a one day European Field Trip. This element of the programme gives students the opportunity to see the theory of management put into practice. Organisations previously visited include McKinsey Europe and The European Union.

Term 1 (common core)

Six core modules (30 hours each)

Accounting and Finance

A sound understanding of accounting and financial principles and practices is an essential component of the range of skills an effective manager needs in a modern organisation. This module will equip students with an understanding of the most common accounting practices and also provide them with an understanding of the principles of finance and the valuation of financial instruments.

Principles of Marketing

The general aim of the course is to demonstrate that marketing is essentially about understanding that the way for an organisation to stay in business is to serve customers better than the competition, and to continue to do so over time. It also focuses on how to plan and implement marketing strategies; in other words, how the marketing objectives of a company can be translated into desired customer reactions. This entails studying critical concepts such as consumer behaviour and segmentation and reviewing the relative importance of the core elements of the marketing mix, namely product, promotions, price, and place (distribution). These critical marketing concepts will be applied to a real life marketing problem by writing a marketing plan for a new product.

Operations Management

Better, effective managers recognise that operations and information management form the technical core of a company's strategy. In this module you will learn how to manage operations better by recognising the type of service or production process, by seeing the management situation in this context and by managing information through the use of technology. You will also study process improvement, using as examples types of process that range from one-off projects (project management) to mass production.

Organisational Behaviour & Leadership

Much of the work of a modern manager depends on proper motivation and development of people. In this module, a balance of practical and theoretical learning is used to provide a sound basis for dealing with people at all levels.

Strategic Analysis

Strategic analysis and long term planning are among the most crucial activities carried out by senior management. This module introduces important themes and techniques through a balance of practice and theory.

Quantitative Methods for Business

This module introduces students to the most frequently used quantitative methods for analysing business data. Students will develop the ability to apply quantitative methods to a range of business cases from a variety of contexts and to interpret the results of their application. Students will also learn how to use spreadsheets and other software to implement quantitative methods and learn to address business problems in a structured way. Students will gain an appreciation of the role of judgement and critical thinking in quantitative analysis.

Term 2

Three core modules (30 hours each)

Advanced Practice of Management

On this module students work at management level for the organisation Cass Management Consultants (CMC). The mission statement of CMC is to develop world class managers of the future. It is an organisation dedicated to selecting and creating great managers for employers of managers. This module explores the extent to which management is treated as a profession and the extent to which students plan to treat it is a profession.

Corporate Governance

This extremely topical module addresses the nature and application of contemporary corporate governance. Issues covered include the role and function of boards of directors, internal and external auditors and stakeholder theory.

Finance II

This module will enable students to develop a coherent understanding of the functioning of financial markets and instruments, in conjunction with in depth examinations of investors' behaviour and the valuation principles for major categories of financial securities.

 

Specialist subjects: Choose one pathway from

Strategic Management

  • Advanced Strategy Analysis
  • Supply Chain Management

OR

Marketing

  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Marketing Strategy Simulation

OR

Entrepreneurship

  • Business Planning Project
  • Idea Generation & Innovation

Term 3

Two core modules:
  • Managerial Economics
  • Business in Society

  • A Business Research Project
  • Two electives
  • International Seminar Trip
Plus:

Strategic Management

  • Global Strategy

OR

Marketing

  • Innovation & New Product Development

OR

Entrepreneurship

  • High Growth Entrepreneurship

Electives

You may choose from a wide variety of electives. For example:

  • Asset Management & Business
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Consulting Skills
  • Customer Service Relationship Management
  • Digital Marketing
  • Entrepreneurship in Europe
  • Family Business
  • Brand Management
  • Marketing of Financial Services
  • Financial Crime: Issues for Management
  • Global Sourcing Strategy
  • Human Resource Management
  • Management Accounting techniques
  • Managing Customers in Business to Business Marketing
  • Strategies of Fast Track Venturing

Research Methods module

This compulsory module trains students to undertake independent research either in the context of a single organisation or by using third-party sources. It provides the necessary tools and skills to initiate, research and write up a business project and includes training in research methodology, availability of data sources, project writing, time-management and presentation skills. These skills will also be invaluable to students in their future career.

  

Accreditations

The MSc in Management was ranked in the UK's top three by The Financial Times Masters in Management ranking September 2011. This follows the 2008 award of accreditation by the Association of MBAs (AMBA) under their Masters in Business Management (MBM) accreditation scheme.

These two distinctions demonstrate that the MSc in Management is academically rigorous yet also highly relevant to the needs of employers, helping Cass graduates into successful careers around the world.

MSc Research Project

All students on the Cass MSc in Management complete a Business Research Project. In some cases this may be completed in partnership with a sponsoring organisation.

The project will be of approximately 8,000 words. This offers an opportunity to specialise in a contemporary management topic related to students' future careers. The project should be based on independent research either in the context of a single organisation or using third-party sources.

Students are encouraged from the start of the course to think about a topic for their project. A member of academic staff supervises the project, and the student may choose with whom they would like to work. The project must be submitted by the end of August. Company sponsored projects are encouraged and a number of such projects may be available.

Many students use this opportunity to do a project with a company they might want to work for. This gets their foot in the door and can lead to permanent employment post programme, whilst earning course credit. Student research projects are processed and managed jointly by the MSc Course Office team and the student's Course Director.

Some recent projects:

  • How could SONY catch up or overtake the first mover advantage of the Apple's iPod in the digital file player segment?
  • An examination of the relationship between human values and brand values
  • Money Laundering in Greece: A critical evaluation of the current situation
  • How does a distributor add value? A Case of the Norwegian exclusive Caterpillar dealership PON Equipment AS
  • The Roles of Causal Ambiguity and Management Perception on Firm Performance - A Case Study on Moet Hennessy
  • The search for capital and its effect on the success or failure of new bioinformatics ventures in the UK Taiwanese luxury consumption: A study of possible factors and motivations affecting consumer's luxury-brand choice
  • Foreign direct investment in Emerging markets: A catalyst for growth the case of India and China
  • The Standardisation of Advertising and Marketing methods by multinationals'
  • The Metrosexual Consumer - who is he? And how do you appeal to him?
  • Restructuring of a travel company in Montenegro in order to become competitive, globally and regionally. Case Study: "HTP Onogost"
  • Effective Leadership Development in Japanese Companies - A Case of Canon
  • Synergies from M&A A Case of Maersk Line
  • Survival of the Newspaper Industry: Making the Most of the Internet
  • Foreign Direct Investment in Albania
  • The Impact of the Digital Transformation on the Publishing Value Chain
  • Do profitable companies grow different: A cross-cultural analysis
  • Does macro superiority translate into micro dominance? India Vs China
  • Managing the Social Dimension of the Windmill
  • The Push and Pull Strategies in Value Management
  • Human Resource Management in Thailand: Hidden Differences and Diverging Values

Entry requirements

English Requirements

Every year we welcome students from around 100 different nations to study with us here at Cass. It is essential that all students have an excellent command of English in order to participate fully in the collaborative learning process. We therefore require all students who have not previously studied in English to sit an IELTS or TOEFL exam. If you are not a native English speaker but have studied or are studying in English at degree level, please submit a copy of your most recent English language test along with your application.

IELTS

The required IELTS level is an average of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in writing.

TOEFL

For TOEFL we require 107 (Internet Based Test)

Our TOEFL code is 7650, department code 02

We do not offer a pre-sessional English class as an alternative to achieving these scores. Any pre-sessional course should be viewed as a way of settling into living and studying in the UK and not as a way of topping up an IELTS or TOEFL score.

Other qualifications

A good Bachelors degree is required to enter this course, usually a UK 2.1 or above or the equivalent from an overseas institution. This course is open to graduates of all disciplines.

Applicants will need to submit two references, one of which MUST be an academic reference. No work experience is required for this Masters as it is designed for students just beginning their careers. Students with in excess of three years postgraduate work experience should consider applying for Cass's highly ranked MBA programme.

GMAT

All candidates applying to start in September 2012 must take the GMAT for this course.

We look for a well balanced average score in the range of 600-800. GMAT should be submitted with your application, however, applications may be reviewed whilst waiting for the GMAT report. Please note that we can temporarily accept the "test taker" unofficial copy of your score if your official report is not available yet, but you will need to submit your official score should you be accepted. Please send us a paper copy of your GMAT test so we can verify this online as we no longer receive paper copies by post.  You will need to add the MSc programme at Cass Business School to your list of institutions who can access your score results online.

GMAT scores are valid for five years. Further information about GMAT, registration, fees and testing sites is available from www.gmat.com

Our GMAT code is 2C2-R0-84

Tuition fees and term dates

Tuition fees 2012/13

£18,000 Currency Converter

Term dates 2012/13

Compulsory Workshop in Management
17 September 2012 - 28 September 2012

Please note that these dates are provisional and are subject to change. Contact the MSc office before making any travel arrangements.

Term I
1 October 2012 - 14 December 2012
Term I exams
14 January 2013 - 25 January 2013

Term II
28 January 2013 - 5 April 2013
Term II exams
29 April 2013 - 10 May 2013

Term III
13 May 2013 - 28 June 2013
Term III Assessments
25 June 2013 - 12 July 2013

Business Research Project submission deadline
2 September 2013

Official Course End Date
30 September 2013

Career opportunities

Graduates from the MSc in Management move into a diverse range of careers: consulting, marketing, advertising, luxury goods, wealth management, working for a family business or even setting up their own business.

MSc in Management Employability

Our Graduate Destination Survey of last year's MSc in Management cohort shows that 92% of graduates are now either in work (91%) or not job seeking as they are in further study, military service etc. (1%)*

Some examples of where graduates from the 2009/10 MSc in Management are working are:

  • Accenture - Management Consultancy - Analyst
  • PA Consulting - Management Consultancy - Consultant
  • Taiwan TaiSong (PONY International) - Merchandising - Assistant Buyer
  • Procter & Gamble - Customer Business Development - Account Manager
  • Mars China - Retail - General Management Trainee
  • Leo Burnett - Communications Team - Communication Executive
  • Starcom Mediavest - P&G Account Team, Account Executive

*Based on 2011 survey respondents

More details of Cass Careers Service