Charting strategic career pathways at Lancaster University Management School
Promoted by Lancaster University

Charting strategic career pathways at Lancaster University Management School

The global business landscape is a dynamic ecosystem. Political, ecological, technological, and demographic circumstances all dictate its condition.

As in every ecosystem, certain entities must fight harder than others to survive.

“Business as usual nowadays means fast-paced change and agility,” says Dr Radka Newton, Director of MSc Management at Lancaster University Management School.

In a time of rapid shifts and growing uncertainty, enterprises fall back on managers to make sound decisions.

Effective leaders learn on their feet, applying a combination of analytical and creative skills to achieve goals both big and small. They are guided by a pronounced sense of global and personal awareness, sharpened with study and enquiry in a mentally-stimulating environment.

This is what students from Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) become after completing their year-long, business-focused Masters of Science (MSc) courses.

Lancaster University produces some of the UK’s brightest leaders, proven by its consistent ranking in the top ten of The Guardian University Guide 2020, The Complete University Guide 2020, and The Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020.

 

The quadruple-accredited world-ranked business school offers courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. For the latter, there are two MSc programmes that stand out for their powerful combination of contemporary theory and insightful real-world lessons.

MSc Management: Deep dive across disciplines

Personal development is part and parcel of the Lancaster experience, and this programme is no exception.

“The programme is very fast-paced and encourages a high level of self-management and commitment to personal development. It also emphasises leadership development through practising a variety of leadership styles, as well as an appreciation of followership,” says Dr Newton.

Lancaster University Management School

Besides core business knowledge of marketing, finance, accounting, and economics, students engage in complex discussions about strategy, entrepreneurship, and project management. Through this broad spectrum of enquiry, they develop critical management skills and knowledge that are sought after by employers all over the world.

Additionally, experiential learning is heavily prioritised in the MSc Management programme. Not only are students privy to sessions with leaders-in-residence and summer industry partnerships, they are also directly involved in reviewing and designing the programme.

For example, Dr Newton’s research focuses on the adoption of lean management and service design in higher education, to improve student and staff experience. She has been working with students from the past three cohorts on curriculum co-design, during which they essentially curate their own learning experience.

The approach injects a healthy dose of industry training and insight into postgraduate studies.

“In addition to case studies for almost every completed subject, we also had the opportunity to see real-life business processes, which was very helpful to understand how companies operate,” says student Farida Hajiyeva, from Azerbaijan. As part of the operations management module, Farida visited Lancaster Brewery with a group led by alumna Marie Thenon.

For fellow Azerbaijani student Afet Feyzullayeva, the many benefits of this programme include an extensive career support network, individual guidance from lecturers, and a host of reliable study resources.

Lancaster University Management School

“The school provides plenty of networking opportunities and events which can contribute to finding a job and building a career. There are also many events where students can meet alumni members who share their career pathway,” Afet says.

Graduates of the MSc Management programme have gone on to join multinational consultancy firms, take over family businesses, or embark on their own ventures.

MSc Strategy: Nurturing key thinkers

Key thinkers, decision-makers and implementers consider the implications of several aspects on their organisation, among them digital strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and stakeholder engagement.

These are all components of the MSc Strategy programme at LUMS, which prepares students for a career in consultancy, project management, or any other field that requires leaders with a solid game-plan.

Combined with language courses, professional development support, and a dedicated careers adviser, LUMS creates the ideal environment for students to thrive – even if they come from another country.

In addition, the programme is endorsed by Ernst & Young and Gränges, exposing students to industry opportunities such as guest lectures, internships and mentorships.

“We work closely with partner companies for certain modules, translate theoretical knowledge into real-life examples and have career development support to improve our professional presentation (on paper and online),” says Pia Leyendecker, a student from Germany.

On top of gaining important theoretical knowledge, students also sharpen their critical and creative thinking skills before they embark on the next phase of their career. These are critical building blocks in producing the next generation of effective managers and strategists – and Lancaster University Management School is where you can become one too.

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