MSc Business Management

Entry year
2026/27
Course code
N20B12
Application
University
Level
Postgraduate
School
Bristol Business School
Campus
Frenchay
Duration
One year full-time, three years part-time
Delivery
Full-time, part-time day release, starts September
Programme leader
Dr Linh Duong

Page last updated 15 May 2025

You may be interested in the following alternative courses, where you study the same core business modules as you do in MSc Business Management and you also study a specific business area in more detail:

MSc Business with Digital Management

MSc Business with Supply Chain Management

Applications for 2026/27 entry will open in September 2025. Entry requirements currently stated are indicative but will be available from October 2025.

If you wish to be notified when applications are open, you can provide your details.

Introduction

Whatever your background or UG degree subject area, this course will equip you with a wide range of practical business skills, from market research and strategic analysis tools, to techniques for motivating individuals in the workplace in a variety of different industry sectors.

Why study this course?

You'll acquire the practical business skills needed for effective management. You'll then take these skills and learn to apply them in various contexts, gaining a comprehensive understanding of how different business functions operate and interrelate.

You'll further develop your management abilities by exploring the rapidly evolving external challenges currently faced by actual businesses and management professionals. By honing your ability to confidently account for these issues, you'll boost your chances of managerial success out in the real world. We'll encourage you to think about business in a responsible way, creating sustainable value for business and society at large, and contributing to a healthy economy.

Why UWE Bristol?

Designed in collaboration with employers, the MSc in Business Management at Bristol Business School is delivered by industry experts, many of whom are active in business management-related research. Our practitioner-led teaching approach and curriculum is continually updated to reflect the fast-moving environment in which modern businesses operate.

We know it's not where you start but where you finish that matters. With this in mind, we've designed a skills and aspirations audit on arrival. This will help you identify gaps in your knowledge, including digital literacy, and guide you in choosing the right career path. Throughout the programme, you'll receive tailored support to develop your skills and track your personal and professional growth. This feeds into the Careers Catalyst module, which enables you to reflect on your aspirations, build a relevant skillset and develop your personal unique selling point.    

You'll also enjoy access to and dialogue with business leaders, debating current, relevant topics at our popular annual Master's Business Conference.

Read more about the speakers you can hear from at the Business School.

Where can it take me?

The MSc in Business Management at Bristol Business School will support you to build the transferable skills, values and attitudes to face the challenges of contemporary business and to make confident and ethical decisions. By the time you graduate, the business competencies and knowledge you've mastered will allow you to add significant value to organisations all over the world, and in any sector.  

If you're already working in a management or management-adjacent role, the business skills you gain will give you the tools to develop your performance further, with a valuable qualification that also enhances your future professional prospects.

Watch: The learning and teaching experience

Structure

Content

The optional modules listed are those that are most likely to be available, but they may be subject to change.

You'll study:

Core modules

  • Self and Society in Business Management 
  • Career Catalyst: Developing Skills for Long Term Success
  • Navigating Organisational Complexity
  • The Anatomy of a Business.

Optional modules

You'll study one module from:

  • Work Based Learning Project
  • Enterprise Project
  • Management Project and Research Methods.

The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved we'll inform you.

Learning and Teaching

The MSc Business Management is offered as a one-year intensive programme of study, which will particularly appeal to those students who want to gain a postgraduate qualification, graduate and progress their career within 12 months.  

You'll learn through formal lectures, seminars, group work, mentor meetings and further independent study to consolidate your learning. The programme is designed so that the different modules interrelate allowing you to build your knowledge and skills. Support is available in a variety of formats both in person and online. You're expected to conduct independent study and to prepare for each session to be able to engage in meaningful discussions.  

For more details see our glossary of teaching and learning terms.

Study time

Full-time

If you opt for the full-time course, you'll attend the University for 12 months, with between eight and twelve hours of teaching scheduled a week during both teaching terms and mentored study during the final project term.

Part-time

The part-time route is designed to help you fit your studies around your other commitments. You should be able to complete the Certificate stage in eight months, the Diploma in 20 months and the full Masters in 31 to 35 months, or in a shorter amount of time, depending on when you begin your final project. You'll typically have 3-5 hours of teaching a week during each teaching term and mentored study during the dissertation terms.

Study support

If you have been out of higher education for a while, we provide skills sessions to help prepare you for studying again as well as sessions for non-native English speakers.

Assessment

The skills you'll need to succeed in your assessments are the same skills you'll need to succeed in your business management career. These include: 

•    collaborative teamwork•    evidence-based discussion •    advanced communication skills•    information processing•    strategic decision-making•    deadline management

All assessments are designed to enable you to develop a range of skills and insights which can be applied in a future career.  We encourage you to reflect through your journey on the skills that you are learning and how they might be useful in the future.  

Learn more about our assessments.

For more details see our full glossary of assessment terms.

Features

Fieldwork

Students who opt to take the Management Consulting module will engage in a team-based 'live' consulting project conducting fieldwork with a local organisation.*

* Subject to project availability and meeting client needs.

Meet leaders of industry

As a student at Bristol Business School, you will have the opportunity to hear about the challenges, issues and decisions being made at the highest level of strategic leadership. Our inspirational line up of speakers has included Lisa Opie, Managing Director of BBC Studios UK Production, and Dr Bevis Watts, Chief Executive of Triodos Bank UK. Read more about the speakers you can hear from at the Business School.

Study facilities

While you are studying with us, you will have access to a wide range of facilities to enhance your learning experience. This includes:

  • facilities at Bristol Business School, including our collaborative learning rooms, computer labs, and Bloomberg trading room (the same trading platform used by the city investment banks)
  • the University library which is open 24 hours a day
  • access to specialist business software in areas such as finance and project management.

Take a personalised virtual tour of the Business Management facilities and experience what a typical day could look like here for you.

Learn more about UWE Bristol's campuses and facilities.

Life

Postgraduate support

Our support includes access to fantastic facilities, study tools and career consultants, plus practical help to access everything from funding to childcare.

Bristol

A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.

Sports, societies and activities

There is more to your experience here than study. Choose to make the most of it and try new things.

Health and Wellbeing

We provide support in the way you need it.

Campus and facilities

Discover our campuses and the wealth of facilities provided for our students.

Careers

Careers / Further study

Our award-winning careers service helps you develop your employment potential through career coaching, a vacancy service for internships, placements, jobs, global opportunities, volunteering and community activity plus support for entrepreneurial activity, and access to employer events.

Read more about where our graduates go onto after studying with us.

Fees

There is currently no published fee data for this course.

Supplementary fee information

More information on fees can be found on our tuition fees pages.

For funding options, please see our funding and scholarships information.

Entry

Entry requirements

You'll need:

  • A good honours degree (normally minimum 2.2) in any subject.

If you don't meet the above grade requirement but have at least 12 months relevant professional experience and/ or equivalent qualifications, we will consider you on an individual basis.

Personal Statement

You are required to complete a personal statement for this course. Please read the personal statement guidance carefully and make sure that you answer the questions on the postgraduate application form within the personal statement tabs, keeping to the advised word count.

UWE Bristol's International College

International students who do not meet the academic or English language requirements to study this course can qualify by completing preparatory study at our International College.

English language support

If you meet the academic requirements but require additional support to take your language skills to the required level, you may be able to attend one of our pre-sessional English courses. Students who successfully complete the pre-sessional course can progress onto their chosen degree course without retaking an IELTS or equivalent.

Read more about our Pre-Sessional English Programme.

Deferred entry

We are not able to offer deferrals for this programme. However, we appreciate there may be extenuating circumstances to consider and therefore we will consider requests on a case by case basis.

English Language Requirement

International and EU applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).

*The University accepts a large number of UK and international qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section.

How to apply

Apply now

Read about postgraduate applications.

Read more about international applications and key international deadline dates.

For further information