Beyond academics: Top graduate business schools for employability

05 Jun 2019

The globalised business landscape is continuously evolving. Our artificial intelligence-fuelled future stands to bring massive changes to the future of work, such as an increase in reliance on automation. This means rethinking the skills future workforces need to work alongside technology and continue to thrive, rather than being shouldered out of the workforce.

To keep up with these rapid developments, what can set you apart from a competitive job market is your qualifications.

There’s no denying the advantages of work experience, but a graduate degree in business can enhance your employability. Graduate programmes not only broaden one’s skill set, knowledge and network, but also builds one’s business credibility. For example, widely-recognised programmes such as an MBA can help students become better managers and leaders in addition to increasing their earning potential, which shows that students do benefit from a graduate business degree.

While there are many business graduate programmes available, it becomes essential to choose one that is at the forefront of shaping this global field. This means choosing universities with courses that reflect current changes within the discipline to help shape and mould the next generation of business leaders.

So, regardless of whether you’ve recently completed your undergraduate studies or are an experienced professional, it is never too late to take the next step towards upskilling yourself. Here are four business schools to pursue business graduate studies in the UK if you’re looking to boost your employability:

UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW – ADAM SMITH BUSINESS SCHOOL

University of Glasgow

Are you looking for a postgraduate programme that grants you the opportunity to study and travel abroad, as well as work in international environments to develop a global mindset and high cultural awareness?

The University of Glasgow’s triple accredited (AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS) Adam Smith Business School, based in one of the UK’s largest cities— Glasgow— is one of Scotland’s finest business institutions, and here you can pursue the Master of Global Business (MGB).

This 16-month long programme offers a global learning experience at three leading business schools. Students spend their first four months in Glasgow before studying and travelling with students from Glasgow’s partner institutions— University of Victoria in Canada and Chulalongkorn University in Thailand— for eight months. Students also get the chance to conduct a global research project in their final four months, granting them the option to finish with a global internship at a multinational enterprise.

With the MGB, students learn in an intimate (30-45 students) yet diverse cohort of international students, enhancing their cross-cultural experience. Each semester, students learn about the business context of the region and have the chance to learn a new language— either French or Chinese — throughout the programme. Students can also choose courses on consulting methods, business development and entrepreneurship, to further increase their employability.

UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM – BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS SCHOOL

University of Birmingham

Birmingham Business School delivers world-class research and teaching to its students. As a testament to its global status, it stands among the world’s elite business schools, holding the gold standard of ‘triple-crown’ accreditation from the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, AMBA (Association of MBAs) and EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System).

Birmingham Business School’s postgraduate and research portfolio instils the skills needed to become a forward-thinking leader, offering both academic excellence and vocational relevance. This ensures the skills and experiences you take away are valued by industry employers.

The School has a dedicated and bespoke careers service for postgraduate Students, with strong links to industry partners who are looking to recruit high-quality graduates, including world-renowned companies such as Accenture, Deloitte, HSBC and Ernst & Young. Additionally, MBA students receive bespoke advice from the School’s employment consultants at the start of their programme, opening doors to a range of potential employers.

Across its education and research frameworks, Birmingham Business School is embedding a culture of responsible business across a wide range of specialised master’s degrees, on top of postgraduate distance learning courses through its online learning platform. This consistently helps students make that next step in their career of choice.

UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER – SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

University of Leicester

Leicester is a leading UK university named among Reuters Top 100: Europe’s Most Innovative Universities ranking. The university’s postgraduate courses at its School of Business serve as a rewarding and enriching experience that supports students’ professional and personal development.

Their postgraduate courses are split into six subject areas: accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing and innovation and entrepreneurship. What’s unique about the School is the opportunity for students to study and work in Hong Kong, one of the most vibrant international financial centres in the world.

Through their partnership with Lingnan University, eligible students can study either the university’s MSc Finance or MSc Banking and International Finance programmes at Leicester before spending six months in Hong Kong studying their MSc International Banking and Finance (MIBF) course. Following this, students will have the opportunity to work in Hong Kong for a unique opportunity to develop their skills and experience within Asian working culture.

The School’s careers team also offers bespoke career development support to help students stand-out among employers by equipping them with the tools to build a clear picture of their options, develop their career search strategy, and receive expert sessions that focus on particular areas of interest to support students’ personal and professional development, among others.

UNIVERSITY OF BATH – SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

University of Bath

Bath’s School of Management is one of the UK’s leading business schools with many accolades under its belt.

They’re ranked 1st for Accounting and Finance in the Guardian University Guide 2019; 1st for Marketing in The Complete University Guide 2020; and joint 3rd for Business Studies in The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2018. Their MSc in Management is also ranked in the Global Top 20 by the Times Higher Education and The Wall Street Journal.

The university is also 6th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2019.

At the graduate level, Bath’s School of Management offers MSc as well as full-time MBA and executive part-time MBA courses. Their master’s courses cover all areas of business, management and finance, and emphasise practice, research and teaching. As a student here, you’ll learn from leading experts in their fields who bring the latest research into the classroom.

The School has its finger on the pulse of the business realm – their intensive MSc courses receive input from businesses to ensure course content are relevant and designed to improve students’ career prospects. Students will also have a chance to interact with their corporate partners and build relationships and learn what they look for.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International