Business MSc - University of Hull Business School Study Guide 2009

MSc programmes in theBusiness School

Hull University Business School

Maps

DATES OF SEMESTERSFor the current semester dates please visit ourwebsite at www.hull.ac.uk or call Admissions on+44 (0)1482 466850.

ADDRESS For general enquiries, please write toAdmissions Office, The University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK

T +44 (0)1482 466850F +44 (0)1482 442290E [email protected] www.hull.ac.uk

PHOTOGRAPHSPrinces Quay shopping mall in Hull’s city centre;Scarborough’s South Bay, only minutes’ walkfrom our second campus; Beverley’s 13th-century Minster ;* the Humber Bridge,* one ofthe finest single-span suspension constructionsin the world.

* photo © www.innesphotographers.co.uk 01482 649271

DISCLAIMERThe University of Hull will use all reasonableendeavours to deliver programmes inaccordance with their descriptions in thispublication. However, it reserves the right tomake variations in the contents or methods ofdelivery or assessment, to discontinueprogrammes and to merge or combine them, ifsuch action is considered necessary. If theuniversity does discontinue any programme, itwill use reasonable endeavours to provide asuitable alternative.

Printed July 2008

CONTENTS

Message from the Dean 1

MSc programmes in the Business School 2

MSc Business Management 3

MSc(Econ) Economics and Business 4

MSc Financial Management 5

MSc International Business 6

MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management 7

MSc Advertising and Marketing 8

MSc Marketing Management 9

MSc(Econ) Transport Management and Economics 10

The student experience 11

About the Business School 12

The University and the city 14

Research at Hull University Business School 15

Applying for one of our MSc programmes 16

Business School • 1

Welcome

MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

Welcome to Hull University Business

School. We aim to prepare you for the

challenges of managing in an

international business environment,

working in organisations which are

characterised by complex connections.

Your programme of study will help you

to understand these connections and

seize opportunities presented by them to enhance operations,

make cost savings and pursue new ventures – making you an

invaluable asset to any organisation.

Our outstanding premises combine refurbished listed buildings

and new build to provide inspirational surroundings for staff

and the 3,000-plus students enrolled with the school. The

recent opening of the Logistics Institute, based at the school,

has added further prestige to this development, creating a

world-class facility in global logistics, supply chain management

and related technologies.

Special consideration has been given to our MSc students, and

dedicated lecture theatres, seminar rooms and computer

suites have been created to enhance the learning experience.

You will also benefit from our state-of-the-art management

learning laboratory and, for those more relaxed moments, a

fair-trade cafe.

Independent accreditation and assessment have confirmed our

status as a leading UK centre for learning, teaching and

research. Our teaching has been assessed as ‘excellent’ and

our research as demonstrating national and international

excellence. We have received recognition from two of the

leading global accreditation systems for business schools

(EQUIS and AMBA), which places us among the top 20

business schools in the UK. These credentials assure you of

our commitment to achieving the highest standards in every

area of our operations and providing you with the very best

in business and management education.

As you read on and learn more about the degrees, the

facilities and the student experience that we offer, we hope

that you will make the decision to study for a Hull MSc

programme. We are sure that we can set you on the path to

success in your future managerial career.

Professor Mike C Jackson

In an increasingly competitive employmentmarket, you can gain a crucial advantage byacquiring advanced knowledge of businessand management theory and, vitally, how thisis put into practice in the global businessenvironment.

Our first-class suite of MSc programmeshas been created with this goal in mind,equipping students for career developmentand imparting the fundamental skillsnecessary for promotion or to take the firststep on the career ladder. Each programmehas been designed to provide those whohave not already studied a business subjectwith the core tools to excel in theinternational business arena. For those thatalready have experience of business andmanagement education, taking an MSc atHull can provide the specialist knowledgerequired to stand out from thecompetition.

All our MSc programmes respond to thelatest trends and requirements of thecurrent business world, reflecting the needsof employers and encompassing the mostrecent academic research.

The programmes are

• MSc Advertising and Marketing• MSc Business Management• MSc(Econ) Economics and Business• MSc Financial Management• MSc International Business• MSc Logistics and Supply Chain

Management• MSc Marketing Management• MSc(Econ) Transport Management and

Economics

The aim of each MSc programme is toprovide you with the right balance ofspecialisation, academic knowledge andprofessional skills. Having access andexposure to the diverse and constantlyevolving business world will ensure that youdevelop a well-rounded perspective onhow organisations work. The benefit of thiswill be a fundamental understanding of howyour specialist skills and expertise effectivelyfit into the wider organisational andinternational business environments.

ENGAGE WITH THE WORLD OFWORK You also have the opportunity to enhanceyour programme of study and gaininvaluable ‘real-world’ experience by meansof a focused work-based project. You willaddress a pressing issue related to yourprogramme of study and make a tangibledifference to the organisation you areworking with. Further interaction withpractising managers and professionalnetworks will start you on the road toexploring and forging your ownconnections.

All the programmes are designed forstudents from varied backgrounds. Thismeans that your first degree or workexperience need not necessarily be in thespecialist area covered by the MSc. Thechoice is yours.

Each programme is described in moredetail on the following pages. We areconfident that you will find one whichmatches your academic and careerinterests.

MSc programmes in the Business School

2 • MSc programmes

‘

’

The benefits of the unique ‘systems

approach’ I experienced at the

Business School may not all have

been apparent at first, but soon

became clear in the workplace and

invaluable when it came to

decision making. The holistic

approach applied in every class and

an understanding of how different

areas connect with each other give

you a distinct competitive

advantage.

This programme equips students with theessential skills and sophisticated knowledgethat they need to operate as effectivemanagers in today’s demanding and rapidlychanging business world. It introducesadvanced management theories andprinciples and develops the capacity toemploy this knowledge in practice, particularlywhen dealing with the complex,interdependent nature of the internationalbusiness environment.

Students acquire the analytical skills to makeinformed choices and decisions whendealing with a range of management issues.They are then encouraged to consider thesocial impact of their choices and to reflectobjectively as skilled practitioners.

The programme is designed for graduatesin non-business-oriented subjects, withoutprevious managerial experience, or thosewho wish to deepen their understanding ofthe management process. It consists of

• Principles of Marketing Management• Managing Finance • International Business Environment and

Strategy• People Management• option 1• option 2• Professional Skills• Research Methods• dissertation or project

Principles of Marketing Managementfocuses on the needs of customers and onproviding value, emphasising an integrated,strategic approach. It uses marketingsimulations and the format of the marketingplan to enable students to developanalytical skills and marketing strategies.

Managing Finance imparts an understandingof financial and management accountingtechniques, crucial in the currentcompetitive environment, and provides anintroduction to the alternative sources ofshort- and long-term finance available.

International Business Environment andStrategy encompasses complex and oftenunpredictable factors, such as trade, culturaland legislative barriers. Students criticallyanalyse the process of globalisation and theadvantages and disadvantages of variousentry routes to the internationalmarketplace.

People Management draws on students’own experiences to develop anunderstanding of management andorganisational behaviour which has practicalrelevance. Students are also encouraged toquestion accepted assumptions aboutmanagement.

You also take two optional modules fromthe wide choice available.

Professional Skills enables students toacquire skills that will help them achievetheir academic and professional objectives.Students identify and reflect on a range ofskills and issues associated withpostgraduate learning and professionalpersonal development planning.

Research Methods enables the explorationof research paradigms in the context ofbusiness and management, gaining tools andtechniques ready for the dissertation orproject. Students consider the practicalproblems and ethical issues that they mayconfront in organisational settings.

The dissertation or project provides theopportunity for students to pursue theirinterests and strengthen their analytical andcritical skills. The dissertation normallyinvolves primary research and the industry-based project requires students to explorea specific organisational issue and relatetheir findings and recommendations to theorganisation.


MSc Business Management

‘

’

The learning experience matured

my personal confidence as well as

my professional capabilities, as I

began to see opportunities to

deploy in the workplace those

skills gained on the course … And

indeed this process continues in a

very significant way today in my

current role.

MSc(Econ) Economics and Business


This programme develops an understandingof how economic tools can be invaluable inthe modern business environment, as suchspecialist skills can be employed to analyse awide range of business issues.

Students on this programme acquireeconomic training relevant to business,including the study of quantitative methodsand the economic analysis of business data,providing them with expertise highlysought-after in today’s competitive businessarena. They also come into contact witheconomic theory and how this relates to arange of topical business issues, putting theirknowledge into practice through a focuseddissertation or project.

The MSc(Econ) Economics and Business isdesigned both for recent graduates, withlittle or no working experience, and forthose who have been working and nowwish to pursue advanced study in thisspecialist subject. It consists of

• Economics for Business• Statistical Analysis of Economic Data• Current Issues in Business Economics• International Business Environment and

Strategy• option 1• option 2• Professional Skills• Research Methods• dissertation or project

Economics for Business includes keyconcepts in microeconomics andmacroeconomics – opportunity cost,strategic thinking and incentives, equilibriumand disequilibrium; selection fromalternative economic models and predictingthe effect of government policies onmarkets and on the macro economy.

Statistical Analysis of Economic Datadevelops the quantitative skills needed bythe business economist. It shows studentshow to model a market and to findrelationships within data, and focuses on thetools of econometrics that are used toproduce predictions and forecasts ofeconomic variables.

Current Issues in Business Economicschanges from year to year, reflecting staffresearch interests and our desire to keepthe course topical. Typically, the module willcover three or four issues, such ascompetition policy, financing businesses,economic regulation or international trade.


You also take two optional modules fromthe wide choice available.



The dissertation or project provides theopportunity for students to pursue theirinterests and strengthen their analytical andcritical skills. The dissertation normallyinvolves primary research and the work-based project requires students to explorea specific organisational issue and relatetheir findings and recommendations to theorganisation.

‘

’

Although my previous experience

was in the financial sector, I’ve

been able to build a career in

human resources management . . .

Case studies analysed while at Hull

give me an edge when dealing with

trade unionism, negotiations and

industrial issues … Hull gave me

an incomparable time … Living

and studying in Hull was an

exceptional and pleasant

experience.


This MSc provides a strong grounding in thetheory and practices of accounting andfinance in the business sector, demonstratinghow those who have responsibility for financialinformation can influence managementdecision making within and outsideorganisations.

Students become adept at analysingfinancial information and are able toconsider developments in financialmanagement across different cultures,adopting an international perspective.

The programme invites students toconsider the unique point of view of thefinancial manager within an organisation,which ensures that issues are consideredfrom a practical, real-world standpoint. Theywill explore traditional and contemporarydevelopments in financial practice and drawupon relevant research as a foundation onwhich to form strategic approaches tofinancial management.

The MSc Financial Management is aimed atboth recent graduates, with little or noworking experience, and those who havebeen working and now wish to pursueadvanced study. It consists of

• Foundations of Finance • Corporate Performance Analysis• Corporate Financial Management• International Financial Management• Financial Analysis• option• Professional Skills• Research Methods• dissertation or project

Foundations of Finance imparts a thoroughunderstanding of key issues in the theory offinance and the relevance of theory inpractical decision making, covering issuesincluding risk-return relationships, portfolioanalysis and risk management.

Corporate Performance Analysis exploreshow the practical application of financialand management accounting techniques canresult in more efficient allocation of humanand capital resources. Taking account ofsocio-political and economic issues themodule explores the decisions made byexecutives in satisfying their corporateshareholders.

Corporate Financial Management isconcerned with decisions made in acompetitive, international environment. Itexplores issues related to long-terminvestment appraisal: mergers andacquisitions and valuation; portfolio theoryand risk management. Issues of internationalexposure management and financialengineering are also explored.

International Financial Managementexamines how the principles of corporatefinance are applied by multinationalcompanies and the implications of theincreasing internationalisation of capitalmarkets. The module includes anexploration of stock exchanges and otherfinancial markets, and consideration offutures and options.

Financial Analysis imparts an understandingof the interpretation of internal andexternally published financial informationand considers the techniques of financialplanning, decision making and control withinthe organisation, with particular emphasison the short term.

You also take one optional module fromthe wide choice available.




MSc Financial Management

‘

’

My experience at Hull University

Business School was life changing.

Meeting students from almost

every continent in the world was

awesome, and the quality of

teaching was top notch. My

current role as a Planning/Financial

Analysis Officer for

Intercontinental Bank PLC, in

Nigeria is challenging but thanks to

my experience in Hull, I feel I am

doing well. For any prospective

student I would say HUBS is a yes,

and worth every penny.


This MSc highlights the key challenges facedwhen operating at an international level andaims to produce managers who arecompetent and confident within thisenvironment.

The programme explores topics includinggovernance issues, cultural diversity and theadditional complexity arising from cross-border transactions, providing an overviewof the international business environment.

Students become adept at formulatingcompetitive strategies and conductingeffective research, applying to practice theiracquired theory and knowledge. They alsocome into contact with current issues andthe latest research, appreciating the dynamicnature of the international businessenvironment and the forces shaping it.

The MSc International Business is aimed atboth recent graduates, with little or noworking experience, and those who havebeen working and now wish to pursueadvanced study. It consists of

• International Business Context• The Region in International Business• The International Firm and Its Strategy• Global Logistics and Supply Chain

Management• Cross-Cultural Communication• option• Professional Skills• Research Methods• dissertation or project

International Business Context focuses oninternationalisation as one of the mostpervasive forces of change in the businessenvironment in recent decades, opening upnational markets and creating newopportunities. It explores environmentalforces and examines the impact ofinternationalisation on organisations.

The Region in International Businessenhances understanding of regionalintegration and fosters the ability toevaluate its importance in shaping strategyand the wider business environment. This isassessed in the context of globalisation,comparing business activities within andacross world regions.

The International Firm and Its Strategyexplores how firms respond to thechallenges posed by increasinginternationalisation and examines themethod and direction of internationalstrategies. It explores the theories of theinternationalisation process, particularly inrelation to the emergence of multinationalcompanies.

Global Logistics and Supply ChainManagement explores the volatile marketconditions and evolving managementpractices that cause supply chains andlogistics operations to innovate at a rapidpace. The module explores complexlogistics problems and the management andregulation of international supply networks.

Cross-Cultural Communication impartsacademic understanding and developspractical skills to prepare students tointeract and manage successfully in globalbusiness environments. It addresses differenttypes of culture, aspects of language,discourse and writing, and communicationsolutions in a multicultural setting.





MSc International Business

‘

’

Graduating and living in Hull have

had a positive impact on my life

and career. I am currently

employed with a rapidly expanding

healthcare organisation responsible

for the overall implementation of

HR strategy and overseeing all

personnel issues for over 600 staff.

Tutorials and group activities

unlock your leadership skills and

help you to fully understand the

dynamics of managing in culturally

diverse working environments. I

find I can easily relate the course

content to day-to-day personnel

issues.


This programme provides students with adeep understanding of the management,planning and coordination of supply chains –an area which is essential to the success ofany organisation operating on a global scale.

The programme cultivates the skillsnecessary to develop effective and efficientsupply chains which deliver higher levels ofvalue for the end user and facilitatesustainable business growth. It explorescurrent theory and research anddemonstrates how this informs practice bydrawing on the insights of practitioners.Through practical projects, students developinnovative solutions to real-life logistics andsupply chain problems.

Students benefit from the vast expertiseand resources of the new Logistics Institute,a world-class facility based in the BusinessSchool. The programme links with the MScRadio Systems and Logistics Technology, andcross-disciplinary dissertation projects areavailable.

The MSc Logistics and Supply ChainManagement is aimed at those who havebeen working and now wish to pursueadvanced study. It consists of

• Principles of Logistics and Supply ChainManagement

• Supply Chain Planning and Control• Logistics Technology• Global Logistics and Supply Chain

Management• option 1• option 2 • Professional Skills• Research Methods• dissertation or project

Principles of Logistics and Supply ChainManagement introduces fundamentalprinciples of the discipline, includingprocurement, inventory management,freight movement, technology applications,outsourcing, and lean and agile principles.Those with experience of the sector willgain fresh insights from current thinking inthe field.

Supply Chain Planning and Control focuseson analytical, modelling and measurementmethods in supply chain management, usingindustry-standard software. Students gainknowledge and practical experience ofthese key tools enabling them to developsophisticated systems for the movement ofgoods and the flow of information.

Logistics Technology considers andevaluates new technologies such as RFID inthe context of logistics applications. Taughtby the Department of Engineering, themodule brings technologists and logisticianstogether to gain a mutual appreciation ofadvanced technology.

Global Logistics and Supply ChainManagement explores the volatile marketconditions and evolving managementpractices that cause supply chains andlogistics operations to innovate at a rapidpace. The module explores complexlogistics problems and the management andregulation of international supply networks.





MSc Logistics and Supply ChainManagement

A programme for students wanting to developa career within the ‘creative industries’, suchas advertising, direct marketing or publicrelations. It fosters the ability to choose,design, implement and evaluate creativemessage strategies for different targetaudiences and to select the appropriatemedia channels to communicate suchmessages for best impact.

With a firm grounding in general marketingprinciples, students will be uniquely placedto ensure that potential tensions betweenthe creative and the practical are overcometo produce innovative solutions that meetbudgets and timescales.

Case studies bring theory to life, illustratingbest practice and how this can be achievedthrough the implementation of projectteams. The programme is aimed at recentgraduates and those with work experiencewho wish to pursue advanced study. Itconsists of

• Advertising and Media• Public Relations and Organisational

Communications• Principles of Marketing Management• Integrated Marketing Communications• International Marketing• Buyer Behaviour• Professional Skills• Research Methods• dissertation or project

Advertising and Media explores cutting-edge promotional practices in the contextof campaign planning and the role of themedia. In a competitive world, advertisershave to find new ways of talking to theirmarkets and look for ever greater impactfrom campaigns.

Public Relations and OrganisationalCommunications covers key aspects oforganisational identity, image and reputationmanagement, media relations, crisismanagement, internal communications, andexternal communication betweenorganisations and their stakeholders.


Integrated Marketing Communicationsexamines the nature, role and importanceof marketing communications andpromotion management in the light of thebehavioural foundations that underpinthem.

International Marketing explores theprocess of extending domestic operationsinto a different national market. It examinesthe merits of standardised and adaptedmarketing solutions in global marketingwhile paying particular attention to theimpact that national culture has onmarketing operations.

Buyer Behaviour builds an understanding ofhow both consumers and organisationsmake purchasing decisions, investigatinginfluences such as culture, social class,perceptions and attitudes, using practicalexercises to enhance the academic content.




MSc Advertising and Marketing


‘

’

My degree set me on the path to

my current position as Assistant

Marketing Manager for Ibrahim

Fibres Limited, one of the largest

companies of its kind in Pakistan.

The self-motivated study, lively

debate, real business case studies

and independent research projects

allowed me to think critically and

prepared me well for the

challenges of my current role.

This MSc has been created for those whowish to move into a general marketing ormarketing research role and want a thoroughgrounding in all of the key marketing skillareas (for example, market research, businessstrategy, consumer behaviour).

The programme prepares students forwork within an international setting. Itintroduces students to both the maintheoretical tenets of the marketingliterature and to their intellectualdevelopment, value and limitations in use,along with proposed alternative theoriesand perspectives.

As well as introducing the essentialconcepts of marketing and the role ofmarketing within the organisation, theprogramme fosters the synthesis ofintellectual and practical skills to achievemarketing outcomes effectively. Thedissertation or project allows students toexplore an issue in marketing inconsiderable depth.

While marketing’s principles are universal innature, the programme’s content alsoconsiders these within different nationalcontexts, using case studies, examples,personal reflection and discussion.

The programme is aimed at both recentgraduates and those with work experienceand consists of

• International Business Environment andStrategy

• Market Research• Principles of Marketing Management• Integrated Marketing Communications• International Marketing• Buyer Behaviour• Professional Skills• Research Methods• dissertation or project


Market Research accepts that marketinginformation is central to marketing decisionmaking and reviews various researchmethods and approaches. It explores therelationship between marketing researchand other marketing information and howdata from different sources may provideelements of a marketing informationsystem.


Integrated Marketing Communicationsexamines the nature, role and importanceof marketing communications andpromotion management in the light of thebehavioural foundations that underpinthem.

International Marketing explores theprocess of extending domestic operationsinto a different national market. It examinesthe merits of standardised and adaptedmarketing solutions in global marketingwhile paying particular attention to theimpact that national culture has onmarketing operations.

Buyer Behaviour builds an understanding ofhow both consumers and organisationsmake purchasing decisions, exploringinfluences such as culture, social class,perceptions and attitudes, using practicalexercises to enhance the academic content.




MSc Marketing Management



Transport is a sector experiencing globalgrowth, with increased emphasis onsustainability. This has resulted in the need forefficient and effective management,regulation, and policy formation andimplementation.

With this in mind, the MSc(Econ) TransportManagement and Economics enables itsstudents to develop into highly sought-afterprofessionals who understand and canmanage the complexities in this sector.

It imparts an understanding of conceptsand policy relating to transportmanagement and provides economic toolsand techniques to effectively analyse andimprove systems and structures. Theoutcome of this is an ability to developtransportation infrastructures that areefficient, cost-effective and sustainable.

Students on this programme will draw onthe school’s established research strengthsand resources in economics and logistics,including the new Logistics Institute.

The programme is aimed at both recentgraduates and those with work experienceand consists of

• Transport Economics and Policy• Transport Management • Economics for Business• Principles of Logistics and Supply Chain

Management • option • Professional Skills• Research Methods• dissertation or project

Transport Economics and Policy exploresthe demand for transport and how it canbe modelled, particularly within thecontemporary setting. The consequences ofdifferent objectives for transportundertakings, the effects of the networksfound in most transport systems andgovernment policy and regulation are allconsidered.

Transport Management focuses on howthe industry is managed, particularly withinthe context of sustainable transportsystems. Applications of technology, industrystructure and modal characteristics will beexplained with particular focus onpassenger transport, complementing othermodules looking at freight.

Economics for Business includes keyconcepts in microeconomics andmacroeconomics – opportunity cost,strategic thinking and incentives, equilibriumand disequilibrium; selection fromalternative economic models and predictingthe effect of government policies onmarkets and on the macro economy.

Principles of Logistics and Supply ChainManagement introduces fundamentalprinciples of the discipline, includingprocurement, inventory management,freight movement, technology applications,outsourcing and lean and agile principles.Those with experience of the sector willgain fresh insights from current thinking inthe field.





MSc(Econ) Transport Management andEconomics

ACADEMIC FRAMEWORKThe academic year at the University of Hullbegins with an MSc induction programmein September. The first teaching semesterruns until January, and the second fromJanuary to the beginning of June. Duringthat time, graduate students complete fourtaught modules of 20 credits each and fourof 10 credits each. (Four modules arestudied and completed in each of the twoteaching semesters.) The summer periodfrom June to September is spent workingindependently with academic supervisionon the MSc dissertation or project. The 180credits needed for a Masters degree at Hullare therefore made up of 120 credits oftaught modules and a 60-credit dissertation.

SUPPORT AND SOCIAL LIFEYou will be supported throughout yourtime at the school through the provision ofextensive learning resources, a friendlystudy environment and effective careeradvice related to your individual needs.

In preparation for independent study,assignments and examinations, we provideall our students with access to study advice,an excellent library, broadband-enabled PCsand journals. In addition to a dedicatedcomputer suite, MSc students can also takeadvantage of wireless internet access in theBusiness School’s cafe, which is ideal forgroup work. The University offers furtherhigh-quality computing facilities, including24-hour computing centres and PCs in thelibrary and halls of residence.

To ensure that all students can make themost of our connections with industry andinternational organisations, we have createdthe World of Work office. This has beendesigned to enable students to connectwith employers through workplace projectsand by making them aware of jobopportunities relevant to their skills andexperience. The World of Work team canalso help to identify and build skills thatemployers are looking for, giving studentsthe edge in a competitive jobs market.

Outside speakers further enhance the MScprogrammes and enliven modules byrelating their real-life experiences toprovoke fresh insights into businesspractice. Company visits provide first-handexperience of the UK businessenvironment, demonstrating theory inpractice.

All MSc students are assigned personalsupervisors who are a source of pastoralcare, information and links with othersupport services in the University. Studentsare also supported by an academicsupervisor during the dissertation period.

HUBSoc, the Business School’s own studentsociety, arranges a host of professionalevents and social evenings for MSc studentsto enjoy.

Accommodation which is owned, managedor directed by the University is guaranteedfor all overseas students, although wecannot, unfortunately, extend this guaranteeto the families of students.

OUTCOMEThose who successfully complete one ofour MSc programmes will be equipped withskills and knowledge that qualify them forappointments in organisations of all kinds,and your degree will continue todemonstrate its value as your careerprogresses and your earnings grow. Anever-growing global community of alumnimeans that you continue to gain advantagefrom social and business networking eventslong after graduation.

Students who wish to pursue theiracademic interests further may be able tostay on and study towards a PhD degree.


The student experience

‘

’

There is also an international feel

within the school … My fellow

students came from all over the

world – China, Greece, Germany

and Africa – and it was nice to mix

with them and gain different

perspectives.


Hull University Business School provides astimulating environment in which fundamentalissues within international business andmanagement are studied, developed and usedto influence practice.

Our aim is to equip managers and businessprofessionals to succeed in a fast-changingand interdependent world. All areas of ouractivity are interconnected – our excellentresearch, learning and teaching acrossdisciplines and our strong links tocommercial and international organisations– which means that our students benefitfrom a holistic view of the complex andconstantly evolving global businessenvironment. All of this, along with thespecialist skills derived from theirprogramme of study, prepares them toenter any organisation and make anoticeable and immediate difference.

The school is housed in four inspiring listedbuildings which have been sympatheticallyrenovated to accommodate the seamless

integration of first-class modern facilities,including dedicated computer suites, amanagement learning laboratory with thecapacity for interactive business simulations,and a 500-seat lecture theatre. Ourpostgraduate students also benefit from theUniversity’s vast library collections andelectronic information resources as well asaccess to extensive, modern ICT facilities.

The recently completed Logistics Institute,based in the fourth building of the BusinessSchool, has created an excellent world-classfacility, with students throughout the schoolfurther benefiting from this prestigiousdevelopment.

With extensive resources, a friendly andsupportive learning and researchenvironment and effective career adviceand development, the Business Schooloffers a wealth of opportunities for thoseseeking career and academic developmentthrough postgraduate study.

About the Business School

‘

’

My role as a management

accountant is allowing me to

contribute to the success of this

local enterprise, using the skills and

knowledge acquired and developed

through my university education

… For me this is a privilege and

testifies not only to the relevance

of academic education in the

workplace but also to the

importance of Hull University

Business School’s role in the

success of the local economic

community.


ENDORSEMENTSThe Business School is one of only 20 UKinstitutions to have received endorsementfrom both EQUIS (the European QualityImprovement System) and AMBA (theAssociation of MBAs) – two of the leadingglobal accreditation systems for businessschools.

The award of EQUIS from the EuropeanFoundation for Management Developmentconfirms that the school conforms todemanding external standards. Thisaccreditation assures you of the highestlevels of quality and recognises our strongcorporate connections. It also demonstratesthat the school operates on a trulyinternational level.

Accredited by AMBA, the Hull MBAprovides graduates with an internationallyrecognised qualification, greatly enhancingthe value of this degree. As a member ofAMBA, the school joins a network ofestablished business schools committed todeveloping the business leaders oftomorrow. This provides lasting benefits forstudents of the school, who can takeadvantage of AMBA’s regular programme ofnetworking meetings and events andlifelong learning and career developmentopportunities.

The presigious The Times Good UniversityGuide ranks our Business, Economics andAccounting programmes among the top 30of all business schools in its 2009 survey.

The quality of the school’s teaching has alsobeen rated as ‘excellent’ by the UK’s QualityAssurance Agency (QAA), with ourdoctoral training programme receivingrecognition from the Economic and SocialResearch Council (ESRC), the leading UKbody for research accreditation in the socialsciences, including business andmanagement.

In the last Research Assessment Exercise(2001) the Business School received arating of ‘4’, which classifies its research as ofnational and international excellence. Eightinternational publications are currentlyedited from the school, and individualmembers of staff hold visitingprofessorships or fellowships at over 40institutions in more than 20 nations.

Further information about the BusinessSchool can be found atwww.hull.ac.uk/hubs.

‘

’

I have really enjoyed my time here

at Hull … The campus is lovely, the

teaching is excellent and the

facilities are great too.The tutors

within the Business school are

very accessible and always have the

time to answer any queries.

The University and the city


A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCEThe University of Hull is a centre ofexcellence in teaching and research and hasa reputation as one of Britain’s friendliestuniversities, with active links to industry andcommerce and the local community, as wellas an international reputation. It wasfounded in 1927 as a college of theUniversity of London and achieved itsindependence in 1954 as the 14thuniversity in England.

Nearly all academic departments andservices are located on the main campuson the outskirts of the city of Hull. Unusualamong universities, it occupies neither acramped city centre site nor a rural oneand it has benefited from a location withroom for extensive developments – such asthe Business School’s new premises.

General information about the Universityand its facilities for graduate students canbe found at www.hull.ac.uk.

HULL AND THE REGIONThe vibrant riverside city of Hull is apleasant, student-friendly place to live andoffers something to suit every mood, day ornight. With £1 billion invested over the lastfive years there’s a new buzz about the city,an exhilarating mix of culture, shopping andnightlife.

Hull offers a fascinating mix of the old andthe new, the historic and the contemporary,with a range of interesting monuments andmuseums alongside modern bars and coffeehouses.

For a cultured day out, the Ferens ArtGallery, in the heart of the city, is home tounique exhibitions and live art. Hull alsoboats an award-winning Museum’s Quarterand The Deep – the world’s onlysubmarium, home to hundreds of species ofmarine life.

If you want to shop till you drop, Hull is theperfect place to do it. Princes Quay and thenew St. Stephen’s development, Hull’s mainshopping and leisure centres, accommodatemany well-known high-street names. Thecity also has its own selection of boutiquesin attractive arcades, as well as a traditionalEdwardian market selling fresh fruits,vegetables, meat and fish.

Hull has a very strong maritime heritageand has been a major port for sevencenturies. Trade is now at record levels, andstate-of-the-art superferries sail daily to andfrom Rotterdam and Zeebrugge. High levelsof investment planned in the Hull andHumber Ports will see further benefits forthe city region in the coming years.

The city also has a proud sporting heritage,with a successful football club, two SuperLeague rugby clubs, a champion ice hockeyteam and speedway. If you are interested insport, there is plenty to watch in Hull.

For those more interested in nightlife, thereis also much to do. When the sun sets onthe city, its numerous pubs, bars, restaurantsand nightclubs come alive, and studentswho venture into town can have a reallygood time exploring them. The PrincesAvenue area, a short walk from theUniversity itself, has recently flourished intoa cosmopolitan and relaxed café and barscene, offering a wide range of stylish barsand eateries covering a range of worldcuisines.

The Hull Campus is approximately anhour’s drive from historic York. The cities ofSheffield, Leeds, Manchester andNottingham are also easily accessible by railor road; and the train from Hull to Londontakes around 2.5 hours. Hull is served byinternational airports at Manchester, Leedsand Humberside and by overnight ferries toEurope.

The city of Hull is one of the leastexpensive places to live in the UK. You canfind information on accommodation, bothat the University and in Hull, on theUniversity’s website (www.hull.ac.uk/accom).

‘

’

Studying at the Business School

helped me to improve my global

view on business management,

which has been of great benefit in

my current role teaching

management at Shandong Jiaotong

University. I was in contact with

the world's latest and most

advanced theories on management

and I developed analytical,

organisational, leadership, problem

solving and creative skills.


Research is central to the activities of HullUniversity Business School, which is dedicatedto the production and dissemination ofinternationally influential business, economicsand management research. Through ourresearch we make a significant contribution toHull’s reputation as one of the UK’s leadingresearch-engaged universities, which iscommitted to supporting an active andvigorous research community and fosteringinterdisciplinary collaborations.

Our world-class academics, including 17 fullprofessors, play major roles in theinternational academic community. Theirresearch, disseminated through books andleading peer-reviewed international journals,generates and advances new knowledgeand ideas; inspires new ways of working;underpins new teaching content andmethods; and supports strong relationshipswith universities, businesses and institutionsboth regionally and internationally.

Research at the school is organised throughsix centres of excellence:

Centre for Economic Policy (CEP)provides a focus for research in appliedeconomics.

Centre for International Accounting andFinance (CIAF) has an emphasis on appliedand international work on financialreporting as well as accounting forintellectual capital, accounting education,real estate and entrepreneurial finance.

UHLI Research focuses on excellence inglobal logistics and supply chainmanagement.

Centre for Management andOrganisational Learning (CMOL) isconcerned with the understanding, critiqueand improvement of learning processes formanagers and organisations.

Centre for Marketing, Communicationsand International Strategy (CMCIS)focuses on the strategic use of integratedmarketing communications as well as otherapplied research in marketing andinternational strategy.

Centre for Systems Studies (CSS) is aninternational focal point for research in thetheory and practice of systems thinking,organisational cybernetics and complexitytheory.

For more information on research degreesat Hull University Business School, pleasevisit the website www.hull.ac.uk/hubs orcontact the school for a brochure on ourresearch opportunities.

Research at Hull University BusinessSchool

‘

’

The most important thing for

practising managers is to update

ourselves all the time, to know

what is going on and what new

ideas are being developed … By

keeping up with new thinking we

can also continue our involvement

with the Business School, where

we can exchange ideas drawn

from our own learning after we

graduate.

RESEARCH DEGREESThe Business School offers researchdegrees in the areas covered by its sixresearch centres at the levels of

Doctor of Philosophy and Master ofPhilosophy (PhD/MPhil) – a three yearfull-time programme (or occasionally fiveyear part-time). Successful applicants tothe PhD are first registered on an MPhiland are then expected to upgrade fromMPhil to PhD through an UpgradeSeminar (comprising a 10,000 wordresearch report and presentation) within12 months of their initial registration.Exceptionally, students may continue onthe MPhil which is, in total, a two year full-time programme (three year part-time).

Master of Research (MRes) – a one yearfoundation programme that provides anideal preparation for students wishing tostudy for a PhD but whose first degree orMasters degree did not contain asufficient research training element. Theprogramme of study includes modules onresearch philosophy, quantitative andqualitative research techniques, genericresearch skills, interview skills, surveymethodologies and appropriate subjectrelated options. Successful completionallows progression to the MPhil/PhDprogramme.

Both are high-quality programmesrecognised by the Economic and SocialResearch Council (ESRC). Furtherinformation is available at www.esrc.ac.uk.

Applying for one of our MSc programmes


ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS For entry to any MSc, students should havean Honours degree (or equivalent) and agood command of English (evidenced byIELTS, TOEFL or previous study in English).Other qualifications, together with workexperience, may also be acceptable.

The Business School offers a number ofscholarships to UK/EU and internationalMSc students each year, and bursaries toUniversity of Hull graduates taking an MSc.Further details of these can be found onthe school’s website at www.hull.ac.uk/hubs.

An application pack may be obtained from

Admissions OfficeThe University of Hull,Hull, HU6 7RX, UKE [email protected]

Information about applying for MScprogrammes, tuition fees, and scholarshipsand bursaries can also be found throughthe link to ‘Admissions’ from the University’shome page at www.hull.ac.uk or from theMSc pages at www.hull.ac.uk/hubs. Apostgraduate application form can also bedownloaded.

FURTHER INFORMATION For further information about the BusinessSchool and its programmes, please contact

The Postgraduate OfficeHull University Business SchoolHull, HU6 7RX, UKT +44 (0)1482 463254F +44 (0)1482 463370E [email protected] www.hull.ac.uk/hubs ‘

’

I credit the success I have achieved

in my career to the high quality

MSc programme at the Business

School. I am presently senior

management consultant with

ConsIndia Global Consulting

Services, based in New Delhi, India

and was also nominated to the UK

Department of Trade and Industry

for the prestigious accolade of

Business Leader of Tomorrow. My

experience at Hull has been

extremely valuable – educationally,

professionally and socially.

An aerial view of the Business School.

Business MSc - University of Hull Business School Study Guide 2009

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