Course description

Master of Science (MSc)
Course Descriptions

Phase 1 – Core Modules *



The modules of the ESE Modular MSc has been specifically designed to empower students to both engage critically and understand the integrated nature of the modern business world. In addition the Masters assumes prior knowledge equivalent to an undergraduate degree in a business discipline. More generally the modules and the connections between them are constructed against a structural advisory template of Sections 3.1 through 3.7 of the benchmark statements for Masters Degrees in Business and Management (QAA 158 02/07). Core modules are chosen by the student in consultation with the campus Academic Director. It should be noted that not all six modules are necessarily available at all campuses but that core modules related to the students pathway specialism is strongly advised.

The Applied Business Research Methods module empowers students to conduct investigations into all facets of the business world including: the profiles of past, current and potential customers; employer attitude, perceptions and job satisfaction; the latest developments in communication and information technology (CIT), strategies or financial models; and operational performance. It examines positivist and phenomenological vistas, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analytic approaches including questionnaires, observation and interviews.

21st Century Advanced Business Structures examines the latest developments and trends of the modern organisation. Industrial and knowledge economies will be discussed leading to an analysis of globalisation. This module includes more established commonly used operational models such as outsourcing and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as well as less fully conceived ideas such as networked organisations and virtual businesses. In addition it will introduce other pervasive issues such as creativity, innovation, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Digital Asset Management (DAM).

The Organizations and their Cultures module introduce the latest research in the field to enable students to gain a holistic view of how organisations operate both on and underneath the operational surface. Various approaches to understanding and locating an organisation with regard its cultural setting are examined with the aim of enabling students to better understand businesses both in cases and later in their Internship and work.

The Marketing Management module aims to introduce and develop understanding of the concepts, principles, tools and techniques of marketing management, and to highlight current issues in the field of marketing. The module will equip students with the analytical tools that will help them in marketing decision-making, and enable them to understand marketing as a managerial activity and its relationship with other management functions. Students who successfully complete the module will be able to explain and apply the concept of the marketing mix to a company's products and services, and develop a customer focus for business activities.

Managing for Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility introduces the concept of sustainability and discusses the increasingly significant role it plays within today’s business world. Approaches to reducing waste, recycling and sustainable development are introduced as a prelude to examining their potential influence in future decision making as well as creative and innovation drivers. Corporate Responsibility is investigated in terms of it signposting the future organisations as having a significant role in progress towards a more resource conscious planet.

The Management of Resources and Operations module introduces operational practices and issues. In addition the module encourages students to reconfigure operations with the aim of the improving either service or product quality. Simulation and modelling techniques are examined in terms of their capacity to predict the outcome of operational design changes prior to their implementation.

The Integrity and Social Responsibility module provides a personal context for thinking about integrity and social responsibility in business leadership. It begins by exploring a basic assumption that leadership requires a journey of continuously striving to know oneself, understand one’s relationship with others, and taking personal responsibility for making choices and taking action. Further, it explores the premise that business has a responsibility to society beyond that of production and wealth creation. This module examines the responsibilities of businesses to shareholders and other groups as they present themselves to leaders and managers.

The Accounting and Finance for Decision Makers module is aimed at developing the student’s ability to prepare, read, understand and use main financial statements as a generalist. The module is oriented mainly towards the user of financial accounting data rather than the maker. However some basic inputs pertaining to the accounting principles would be taught to provide an introductory grasp from the creator’s perspective.
In addition to the above, the module examines the use and the preparation of cost and management data for planning, decision-making and control.

Finance Pathway

The Multinational Corporate Finance module examines classical and contemporary corporate financing approaches with respect to multinational firms in developed and developing markets. In particular the module assesses alternative choices of international corporate investment approaches. As a consequence it is intended to develop in each student a skill set of relevant corporate finance solutions.

Mergers and Acquisitions utilises relevant case studies to build student knowledge of all facets of successful Mergers and Acquisitions transactions. The module provides the student with a forum to evaluate and analyze the viability and appropriateness of a corporate merger or acquisition event.

Value Assessment introduces the key related theories and concepts of this important topic. The module reviews two key models of Value Assessment in depth and consequently develops a student’s analytical ability in evaluating enterprise value.

Investments introduces the key related theories and concepts of approaches to investment. The module reviews a selection of such techniques in depth and as a result the student is enabled with an ability to analyse the effect of such techniques through scenario.

The Risk Management module introduces and different theories and approaches to the subject. In particular two specific methods are reviewed and examined thoroughly, resulting in the student being able to utilise to assess Risk in a multinational enterprise (MNE).

International Project Management investigates how business projects, with the growth of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) are increasingly global activities. As a result the project manager often requires new approaches to dealing with geographical dispersed groups of individuals as well as other resources. One particular interest is the so called ‘Super Projects’ where the both financial scale and the complexity of the human coordination are unprecedented. With the development of supra-national bodies such as the European Union demanding ever more integrated Small and Medium Enterprise activity and with larger companies through mergers ‘Super Project’ thinking may become vital to the 21st century business world.

Decision Techniques examines the often complex process of making a business decision. The importance of knowledge management will be underlined as will nascent analytic methods such as Data Mining and Pattern Recognition using Artificial Intelligent software tools. Such methods are evaluated against a need to reduce both Risk and Uncertainty in business enterprises.

Management Accounting develops students ability to select and apply appropriate management accounting techniques for the preparation and presentation of management information for decision-making, planning and control. The selection of appropriate management accounting techniques and their application to the modern business environment is discussed. The usefulness of these techniques to the modern business environment will be examined critically.