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Northumbria’s MSc Economics and Sustainability is designed both for those who have a background in economics and wish to specialise, and for those who don’t have a background in economics but are interested in a career in environmental economics or a related area. 

Studying economics together with sustainability and examining the impacts of one upon the other, is a new and exciting discipline, which has excellent employment prospects. 

As countries and governments globally look to try and change the way we work and live, in order to address climate change, environmental economics is becoming more important within policy-making. 

Northumbria’s MSc Economics and Sustainability will give you a thorough grounding in resource and environmental economics as well as cutting-edge training in economics and policies for sustainability and climate change. 

In the second year, you will have an opportunity to undertake an Industry Consultancy Project allowing you to apply the knowledge and skills you have gained during your first year of study to a real-life industry issue from a range of employers. This authentic learning context ensures that you experience what it feels like to work within a team on a contemporary project that has real relevance and impact. Working to a client's brief, with academic supervision, you will advance your ability to apply theoretical concepts and research skills to produce a practical recommendation to a challenging problem.*

Demand is growing in the environmental sector for well-trained economics graduates, and our MSc Economics and Sustainability is specially designed to prepare students for specialist careers in government, international organisations, industry, NGOs and consultancy, in addition to the possibility of continuing on an academic path and pursuing a research career. 

The course combines the very latest theory and sustainability strategies with contemporary economics, giving students the change to explore the fields of Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Econometrics and Environmental Economics.

As well as gaining a detailed understanding of economics and sustainability issues, you will learn how to apply theory to real world problems and graduate with a solid set of specialist and transferable skills which will set you apart. 

Newcastle Business School is proud to be a member of the United Nations Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) global compact. Through our membership of this organisation, the School commits to providing distinctive education for our students that is relevant to global sustainability challenges. 

*Be aware that all Advanced Practice with investigative consultancy project routes are similar to many of our 1-Year MSc with consultancy project routes, while 2-year Advanced Practice course spends more dedicated time in the Business Clinic, reflected on the total assessment input for the two 60 credit modules.

 

Course Information

Level of Study
Postgraduate

Mode of Study
2 Years Full Time with Advanced Practice
2 other options available

Department
Newcastle Business School

Location
City Campus, Northumbria University

City
Newcastle

Fee Information

Module Information

Funding and Scholarships

Discover the funding options available to you.

Discover NU World / A virtual journey through everything Northumbria has to offer.

Explore our immersive 360 tours, informative subject videos, inspirational student profiles, ground-breaking research, and a range of life at university blogs videos and articles.

Entry Requirements 2023/24

Standard Entry

Applicants should normally have:

A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in any discipline, or substantial experience of working in a business organisation. It is recommended that your previous studies have included quantitative elements.

International qualifications:

If you have studied a non-UK qualification, you can see how your qualifications compare to the standard entry criteria by selecting the country that you received the qualification in from our country pages. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry

English Language Requirements:

International 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. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications

Fees and Funding 2023/24 Entry

Full UK Fee: £14,250

Full EU Fee: £22,000

Full International Fee: £22,000



Scholarships and Discounts

Click here for UK, EU and International scholarship, fees, and funding information.


ADDITIONAL COSTS

Whilst books are available via the University Library, there are various advised/recommended books you may wish to purchase throughout the duration of this course, costs are approximately £500.00

If you’d like to receive the latest updates from Northumbria about our courses, events, finance & funding then enter your details below.

* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

AF7016 -

General Economics: Theory and Practice (Core,20 Credits)

This module focuses on both microeconomics and macroeconomics while integrating opportunities to develop the workplace skills and behaviours that will support you in acquiring a future career. Course content is designed to highlight and illustrate the practical importance of economic knowledge in understanding today’s complex issues and to develop the applied skills and intellectual curiosity that are valued by employers. On this module you will be supported in a range of activities including engaging in tasks that you would be expected to perform in jobs that economics graduates typically occupy. You will undertake a research-based assignment during which you are provided with opportunities to lead and work in culturally diverse teams while focusing on problems and methodologies of practical and theoretical importance in economics. The module fosters intellectual openness and you will learn how to communicate your ideas effectively both to economists and non-economists and how to apply what you have learned in the context of the contested nature of the discipline. Additionally, you will engage in critical self-reflection which will enable you to explore your strengths, weaknesses and areas for development in relation to your career plans. A key outcome of this process is developing your ability to lead and manage more effectively in your future career. In so doing, this module is not only ideal preparation for your first job after you graduate but will also kickstart your commitment to life-long personal and professional learning.

More information

AF7017 -

Econometric Modelling (Core,20 Credits)

This module will provide you with an understanding of the basic tools of econometrics, with emphasis on techniques and the interpretation of results. It will start with a review of probability and distribution theory, statistical hypotheses testing, and estimation and inference in classical linear regression models. This content will be followed by selected topics in applied econometrics, with a focus on connecting theory with practical application. The lectures will be supported by computer classes using secondary data to explore the various estimation techniques. The module will introduce you to the use of econometrics software packages. At the end of this module, you will be acquainted with a wide range of topics in modern econometrics, which are vital for doing and understanding empirical work. This will be useful to you in empirical work in any field of economics as well as many disciplines outside of economics.

More information

AF7020 -

Economics for Sustainability (Core,20 Credits)

This module is designed to focus on the growing challenge of the negative consequences of rising and unsustainable resource use. This module will provide you with the knowledge and understanding to critically analyse resource use and how a sustainable approach to production can create new opportunities for innovation. You will go beyond the Sustainable Development Goals and explore and analyse various international environmental agreements and national policies that seek to limit environmental damage and their impact on national micro- and macro-economic environments.



You will take a global perspective on sustainability and how it is affected by externalities, imperfect markets, and asymmetric information across a range of countries. The module will integrate economic geography, political science and business management to analyse how governments, firms and individuals respond innovatively to the economic issues and challenges that arise from globalisation and environmental protection.



The module will cover:

Understanding sustainable development and the interrelationship between the ecosystem and the economy.

Economic impact of net-zero and sustainable development.

Institutions, externalities, and sustainability.

Innovation for sustainability.

An introduction to cost-benefit analysis and other decision-making metrics.

Dynamic efficiency and sustainable development.

Strategies for sustainable international trade.

The circular economy and circular resource use.

Global welfare challenges and economic development.



At the end of this module you will have developed the skills and tools to critically analyse sustainable economic development and be able to identify the political-economic context of strategies for sustainable economic growth and development. By developing your conceptual view of the relationship between business, environment, and society, you will be able to critically examine the mutual dependence between the environment, society and economic systems and how they relate to real-world challenges of economic strategies for a sustainable future.

More information

AF7021 -

Applied Environmental Economics (Core,20 Credits)

The module introduces you to applied methodologies and techniques for analysing and evaluating environmental problems from different economics and social perspectives. The module conceptualises pollution and other environmental issues as economic problems, exploring methods and tools that can be used to determine the appropriate level of environmental quality and choice of policy instruments for the attainment of environmental standards. You will examine several forms of pollution -- air, water, toxic wastes, global warming, ozone depletion -- and the polices that have been employed to control them. You will learn a range of advanced econometric models as well as their applications, developing a deep understanding of theoretical concepts underpinning many empirical research studies and acquiring the appropriate knowledge to apply these concepts to real data analysis. The module covers the analysis of cross-section, time series and panel data analysis with the specific focus on real-life applications.



Outline Syllabus:

The environment and its economics

Kuznets’ curve

Principle of cost-benefit analysis

Introduction to contingent valuation

Willingness to pay and willingness to accept

Discrete choice modelling



At the end of this module, you will be able to apply appropriate quantitative techniques to appraise and valuate a wide range of environmental problems and policies. By acquiring these critical skills, you will significantly enhance your employability and capacity to undertake a doctoral research programme with a significant empirical component.

More information

AF7022 -

Economic Policies for the Environment (Core,20 Credits)

Combatting climate change is one of the core developmental challenges of the 21st century. This module explores the inter-linkages between continued economic growth and environmental degradation from a political economy perspective. Specifically, you will focus on key debates surrounding the causes and consequences of the accelerating climate crisis and assess the strengths and weaknesses of different forms of remedial action. In so doing, you will develop an in-depth understanding of the political economy context for what is known as the Anthropocene: the era in which human activity has been the dominant influence on the climate and the environment.

You will be exposed to different theoretical paradigms that analyse the inter-relationships between economic markets and current ecological challenges facing humanity. These will include mainstream environmental economic perspectives, eco-socialist and eco-feminist frameworks, and degrowth theory. You will then proceed to examine some of the interconnected crises of climate change that are besetting the biosphere such as water scarcity, ecological pressures from modern food production, and biodiversity losses. The final part of the module will focus on appraising contemporary responses to these crises including the creation of green markets, carbon trading, renewable energy deployment and political economy transformation through social movements and a Green New Deal.

The module will be particularly useful to students wishing to pursue careers that address contemporary environmental challenges including impact investment; environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG); government climate policy; academic or consultancy-based research, environmental activism, and intergovernmental environmental diplomacy.

More information

BM9718 -

Research Methods and Analytics for Business Practice (Core,20 Credits)

In this module you will learn about a comprehensive range of research methods and business analytics techniques. This will equip you with the knowledge and practical skills necessary for you to conduct research at Masters’ level and prepare you to complete a Master’s Dissertation, Consultancy Project or Management Enquiry. By the end of the module you will know how to apply both quantitative and qualitative data collection and business analysis techniques. In quantitative techniques you will learn about sampling, questionnaire design, statistical inference, and hypothesis testing while qualitative techniques covered will include methods such as interviewing and focus groups. Analysis methods such as content analysis and thematic analysis will also be covered. In addition, you will gain some understanding of research philosophy (positivism and interpretivism) and research ethics and you will be able to write a research proposal to bring these ideas together.
Furthermore, this module will provide clear, critical, and analysis of data, you will also be able to consider the use of analytics implementation skills, where you will be introduced to analytics software such as SPSS. SPSS statistics analysis is one of the powerful solutions that is designed to help businesses and researchers to solve problems by various methods (geospatial analysis, predictive analytics and hypothesis testing).

More information

GA7000 -

Academic Language Skills for Postgraduate Business Students (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This

module is designed to support your transition to postgraduate level study in the use and practice of subject specific skills around assessments

and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to further develop your abilities to read and study effectively

for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your

use and application of language and communications skills suitable for a postgraduate level of study.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding postgraduate assignment briefs.

• Developing advanced academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.

• Practising advanced ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’

• Planning and structuring postgraduate level academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).

• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.

• Speaking in postgraduate seminar presentations.

• Presenting your ideas

• Giving discipline-related postgraduate level academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.

• Postgraduate level speed reading techniques.

• Developing self-reflection skills.

More information

NX0470 -

Applied Management Work Investigation (Optional,60 Credits)

You will undertake a group consultancy project within the Business Clinic during the first semester of your second year of Masters’ study (NX0479). Through your work-based experience, you will develop ability as a problem solver with valued investigative, theoretical and practical business skills. This will last the length of the semester and involve the examination of a complex organisational problem or commercial opportunity. This second semester module will involve the development of the client oriented management report and presentation alongside an individual literature review and personal reflection.

The content of the management report will be unique. The nature and scope of the area of your investigation will be defined and agreed in collaboration with the organisation and the University supervisor. The syllabus will include:

• Conducting research in organisations.
• Identifying researchable questions.
• Consultancy and project management skills.
• Research methods and doing a literature review
• Presentation, communication and report writing skills.
• Analysing findings.
• Writing recommendations and action plans.
• Reflecting on work based experiential learning.

In undertaking this project based module, you will critically reflect and evaluate upon organisational practices and their relation with academic theory, and in doing so, provide practical and actionable recommendations through an investigative management report.

The assessment for your module consists of a Group Consultancy Report (7,000 words) and Final Client Presentation, weighted at 60%, alongside an Individual Assignment comprising a Literature Review (4000 words) and a Reflective Learning Statement (2,000 words), weighted at 40%.

More information

NX0479 -

Business Clinic PG Group Consultancy Project (Core,60 Credits)

As a student enrolled on one of the 2-year Advanced Practice Programmes you may undertake a group consultancy project within the first semester of your second years of Masters’ study. Through your work-based experience, you will develop abilities as a problem solver with valued investigative, theoretical and practical business skills. This work-based experience will last the length of the semester and involve the examination of a complex organisational problem or commercial opportunity. By undertaking this module, you will have enhanced your individual skills, knowledge, effectiveness and employability by locating learning and development within a work-based context and will have critically reflected and evaluated upon organisational practices and the relation with academic theory.

The content of the work-based experience will be unique to you as a group of participants. The nature and scope of the area of student investigation will be defined and agreed in collaboration with the organisation and the University supervisor. The syllabus will include:

• Conducting research in organisations.
• Identifying researchable questions.
• Consultancy and project management skills.
• Research methods and doing a literature review
• Presentation, communication and report writing skills.
• Analysing findings.
• Writing recommendations and action plans.
• Reflecting on work based experiential learning.

Assessment will be both formative and summative and incorporate self, peer, and tutor evaluation. You will present your work-based findings to academic mentors (oral presentation) and an interim report written on behalf of the host organisation or sponsoring project client. In the follow-up module (NX0470), you will provide a substantial management investigation report on the business related issue emerging from this consultancy, alongside a personal reflective statement.

*Those students who do not achieve a mark 80% or more will not progress to NX0470 but will progress to the Masters Dissertation or Management Enquiry Module.

More information

NX0480 -

The Newcastle Business School Masters Dissertation (Optional,60 Credits)

In this module you will gain an understanding of the academic skills that are required to produce a Masters Dissertation. By the end of the module you will have written a 15000 word Masters dissertation. The areas included are:

• Justification for the choice of topic
• Appropriate understanding, awareness and critical analysis of existing and up to date literature evidenced by a comprehensive and well-referenced literature review with an extensive reference list
• Selection, justification and application of an appropriately rigorous methodology - including limitations of the approach selected
• Clear statement of the findings of the research
• Critical analysis of the findings
• Explicit links between the analysis and the conclusions supported by critical argument
• Evidence of original work or thought for example in the form or context of the data collected, analytical process or application of findings

More information

NX9734 -

Masters' Management Enquiry (Optional,60 Credits)

The Masters’ Management Enquiry module is a student-led individual project that enables you to undertake a significant piece of assessed

work commensurate with a capstone module and is offered as an alternative to the Masters’ Dissertation and Masters’ Consultancy Project.

The module aims to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate an authentic engagement with managers and/or professionals in your

discipline (this enquiry has to be discipline specific), and to integrate the knowledge you have developed during your programme to explore

the theory in practice. The learning on this module is experiential and problem based, where the focus is upon you discovering, probing and

questioning key practice-based issues. Through the module you will be offered the opportunity to develop and enhance key transferable

employability skills including; time management, project management, communication (written, aural and verbal), negotiation, persuasion and

influence, discovery, initiative, problem-solving and analysis.


The module has five thematic areas; explore, review, engage, reflect and connect. These form the key elements of the assessed submission

which is a single 15,000 word report.


Part A (35%, 5,000-5,500 words)

Explore: Interviewing a manager and/or professional in your discipline. In this interview you will either explore a key issue which you feel the

discipline is facing or, alternatively, explore with the manager or professional the key issues that they feel they are facing in practice. It is

expected that you will apply non-verbatim documented conversation and provide evidence of the key ideas emerging within the submitted

enquiry report (e.g. within the appendices).

Review: Critically examining the academic and practitioner literature to support the exploration, displaying an ability to critically assess and

appraise the knowledge of your discipline related to a specific key issue arising from your exploration.


Part B (65%, 9,500-10,000 words)

Engage: Displaying an authentic engagement with the discipline problem/issue identified in Part A, by collecting/generating and analysing

further live data (beyond the initial interview) regarding the discipline problem/issue. This live data may be primary data (e.g. further interviews

with, or questionnaire to, managers and/or professionals in practice) or secondary data (e.g. industry data). Application of appropriate,

ethically-considered, research methods and appropriate qualitative or quantitative data analysis.

Reflect and Connect: Demonstrating an ability to critically evaluate and reflect on the issues arising from the Management Enquiry.

Demonstrating how you have connected and fed-back to the participants of the Enquiry (usually the manager and/or participants) your key

findings to provide clear prioritised, well-justified, practical and actionable recommendations for change/enhancement/improvement to existing

practice to show how the recommendations would potentially affect workplace professional decision making.

More information

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

AF7016 -

General Economics: Theory and Practice (Core,20 Credits)

This module focuses on both microeconomics and macroeconomics while integrating opportunities to develop the workplace skills and behaviours that will support you in acquiring a future career. Course content is designed to highlight and illustrate the practical importance of economic knowledge in understanding today’s complex issues and to develop the applied skills and intellectual curiosity that are valued by employers. On this module you will be supported in a range of activities including engaging in tasks that you would be expected to perform in jobs that economics graduates typically occupy. You will undertake a research-based assignment during which you are provided with opportunities to lead and work in culturally diverse teams while focusing on problems and methodologies of practical and theoretical importance in economics. The module fosters intellectual openness and you will learn how to communicate your ideas effectively both to economists and non-economists and how to apply what you have learned in the context of the contested nature of the discipline. Additionally, you will engage in critical self-reflection which will enable you to explore your strengths, weaknesses and areas for development in relation to your career plans. A key outcome of this process is developing your ability to lead and manage more effectively in your future career. In so doing, this module is not only ideal preparation for your first job after you graduate but will also kickstart your commitment to life-long personal and professional learning.

More information

AF7017 -

Econometric Modelling (Core,20 Credits)

This module will provide you with an understanding of the basic tools of econometrics, with emphasis on techniques and the interpretation of results. It will start with a review of probability and distribution theory, statistical hypotheses testing, and estimation and inference in classical linear regression models. This content will be followed by selected topics in applied econometrics, with a focus on connecting theory with practical application. The lectures will be supported by computer classes using secondary data to explore the various estimation techniques. The module will introduce you to the use of econometrics software packages. At the end of this module, you will be acquainted with a wide range of topics in modern econometrics, which are vital for doing and understanding empirical work. This will be useful to you in empirical work in any field of economics as well as many disciplines outside of economics.

More information

AF7020 -

Economics for Sustainability (Core,20 Credits)

This module is designed to focus on the growing challenge of the negative consequences of rising and unsustainable resource use. This module will provide you with the knowledge and understanding to critically analyse resource use and how a sustainable approach to production can create new opportunities for innovation. You will go beyond the Sustainable Development Goals and explore and analyse various international environmental agreements and national policies that seek to limit environmental damage and their impact on national micro- and macro-economic environments.



You will take a global perspective on sustainability and how it is affected by externalities, imperfect markets, and asymmetric information across a range of countries. The module will integrate economic geography, political science and business management to analyse how governments, firms and individuals respond innovatively to the economic issues and challenges that arise from globalisation and environmental protection.



The module will cover:

Understanding sustainable development and the interrelationship between the ecosystem and the economy.

Economic impact of net-zero and sustainable development.

Institutions, externalities, and sustainability.

Innovation for sustainability.

An introduction to cost-benefit analysis and other decision-making metrics.

Dynamic efficiency and sustainable development.

Strategies for sustainable international trade.

The circular economy and circular resource use.

Global welfare challenges and economic development.



At the end of this module you will have developed the skills and tools to critically analyse sustainable economic development and be able to identify the political-economic context of strategies for sustainable economic growth and development. By developing your conceptual view of the relationship between business, environment, and society, you will be able to critically examine the mutual dependence between the environment, society and economic systems and how they relate to real-world challenges of economic strategies for a sustainable future.

More information

AF7021 -

Applied Environmental Economics (Core,20 Credits)

The module introduces you to applied methodologies and techniques for analysing and evaluating environmental problems from different economics and social perspectives. The module conceptualises pollution and other environmental issues as economic problems, exploring methods and tools that can be used to determine the appropriate level of environmental quality and choice of policy instruments for the attainment of environmental standards. You will examine several forms of pollution -- air, water, toxic wastes, global warming, ozone depletion -- and the polices that have been employed to control them. You will learn a range of advanced econometric models as well as their applications, developing a deep understanding of theoretical concepts underpinning many empirical research studies and acquiring the appropriate knowledge to apply these concepts to real data analysis. The module covers the analysis of cross-section, time series and panel data analysis with the specific focus on real-life applications.



Outline Syllabus:

The environment and its economics

Kuznets’ curve

Principle of cost-benefit analysis

Introduction to contingent valuation

Willingness to pay and willingness to accept

Discrete choice modelling



At the end of this module, you will be able to apply appropriate quantitative techniques to appraise and valuate a wide range of environmental problems and policies. By acquiring these critical skills, you will significantly enhance your employability and capacity to undertake a doctoral research programme with a significant empirical component.

More information

AF7022 -

Economic Policies for the Environment (Core,20 Credits)

Combatting climate change is one of the core developmental challenges of the 21st century. This module explores the inter-linkages between continued economic growth and environmental degradation from a political economy perspective. Specifically, you will focus on key debates surrounding the causes and consequences of the accelerating climate crisis and assess the strengths and weaknesses of different forms of remedial action. In so doing, you will develop an in-depth understanding of the political economy context for what is known as the Anthropocene: the era in which human activity has been the dominant influence on the climate and the environment.

You will be exposed to different theoretical paradigms that analyse the inter-relationships between economic markets and current ecological challenges facing humanity. These will include mainstream environmental economic perspectives, eco-socialist and eco-feminist frameworks, and degrowth theory. You will then proceed to examine some of the interconnected crises of climate change that are besetting the biosphere such as water scarcity, ecological pressures from modern food production, and biodiversity losses. The final part of the module will focus on appraising contemporary responses to these crises including the creation of green markets, carbon trading, renewable energy deployment and political economy transformation through social movements and a Green New Deal.

The module will be particularly useful to students wishing to pursue careers that address contemporary environmental challenges including impact investment; environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG); government climate policy; academic or consultancy-based research, environmental activism, and intergovernmental environmental diplomacy.

More information

BM9718 -

Research Methods and Analytics for Business Practice (Core,20 Credits)

In this module you will learn about a comprehensive range of research methods and business analytics techniques. This will equip you with the knowledge and practical skills necessary for you to conduct research at Masters’ level and prepare you to complete a Master’s Dissertation, Consultancy Project or Management Enquiry. By the end of the module you will know how to apply both quantitative and qualitative data collection and business analysis techniques. In quantitative techniques you will learn about sampling, questionnaire design, statistical inference, and hypothesis testing while qualitative techniques covered will include methods such as interviewing and focus groups. Analysis methods such as content analysis and thematic analysis will also be covered. In addition, you will gain some understanding of research philosophy (positivism and interpretivism) and research ethics and you will be able to write a research proposal to bring these ideas together.
Furthermore, this module will provide clear, critical, and analysis of data, you will also be able to consider the use of analytics implementation skills, where you will be introduced to analytics software such as SPSS. SPSS statistics analysis is one of the powerful solutions that is designed to help businesses and researchers to solve problems by various methods (geospatial analysis, predictive analytics and hypothesis testing).

More information

GA7000 -

Academic Language Skills for Postgraduate Business Students (Core – for International and EU students only,0 Credits)

Studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This

module is designed to support your transition to postgraduate level study in the use and practice of subject specific skills around assessments

and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to further develop your abilities to read and study effectively

for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your

use and application of language and communications skills suitable for a postgraduate level of study.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding postgraduate assignment briefs.

• Developing advanced academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.

• Practising advanced ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’

• Planning and structuring postgraduate level academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).

• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.

• Speaking in postgraduate seminar presentations.

• Presenting your ideas

• Giving discipline-related postgraduate level academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.

• Postgraduate level speed reading techniques.

• Developing self-reflection skills.

More information

NX0470 -

Applied Management Work Investigation (Optional,60 Credits)

You will undertake a group consultancy project within the Business Clinic during the first semester of your second year of Masters’ study (NX0479). Through your work-based experience, you will develop ability as a problem solver with valued investigative, theoretical and practical business skills. This will last the length of the semester and involve the examination of a complex organisational problem or commercial opportunity. This second semester module will involve the development of the client oriented management report and presentation alongside an individual literature review and personal reflection.

The content of the management report will be unique. The nature and scope of the area of your investigation will be defined and agreed in collaboration with the organisation and the University supervisor. The syllabus will include:

• Conducting research in organisations.
• Identifying researchable questions.
• Consultancy and project management skills.
• Research methods and doing a literature review
• Presentation, communication and report writing skills.
• Analysing findings.
• Writing recommendations and action plans.
• Reflecting on work based experiential learning.

In undertaking this project based module, you will critically reflect and evaluate upon organisational practices and their relation with academic theory, and in doing so, provide practical and actionable recommendations through an investigative management report.

The assessment for your module consists of a Group Consultancy Report (7,000 words) and Final Client Presentation, weighted at 60%, alongside an Individual Assignment comprising a Literature Review (4000 words) and a Reflective Learning Statement (2,000 words), weighted at 40%.

More information

NX0479 -

Business Clinic PG Group Consultancy Project (Core,60 Credits)

As a student enrolled on one of the 2-year Advanced Practice Programmes you may undertake a group consultancy project within the first semester of your second years of Masters’ study. Through your work-based experience, you will develop abilities as a problem solver with valued investigative, theoretical and practical business skills. This work-based experience will last the length of the semester and involve the examination of a complex organisational problem or commercial opportunity. By undertaking this module, you will have enhanced your individual skills, knowledge, effectiveness and employability by locating learning and development within a work-based context and will have critically reflected and evaluated upon organisational practices and the relation with academic theory.

The content of the work-based experience will be unique to you as a group of participants. The nature and scope of the area of student investigation will be defined and agreed in collaboration with the organisation and the University supervisor. The syllabus will include:

• Conducting research in organisations.
• Identifying researchable questions.
• Consultancy and project management skills.
• Research methods and doing a literature review
• Presentation, communication and report writing skills.
• Analysing findings.
• Writing recommendations and action plans.
• Reflecting on work based experiential learning.

Assessment will be both formative and summative and incorporate self, peer, and tutor evaluation. You will present your work-based findings to academic mentors (oral presentation) and an interim report written on behalf of the host organisation or sponsoring project client. In the follow-up module (NX0470), you will provide a substantial management investigation report on the business related issue emerging from this consultancy, alongside a personal reflective statement.

*Those students who do not achieve a mark 80% or more will not progress to NX0470 but will progress to the Masters Dissertation or Management Enquiry Module.

More information

NX0480 -

The Newcastle Business School Masters Dissertation (Optional,60 Credits)

In this module you will gain an understanding of the academic skills that are required to produce a Masters Dissertation. By the end of the module you will have written a 15000 word Masters dissertation. The areas included are:

• Justification for the choice of topic
• Appropriate understanding, awareness and critical analysis of existing and up to date literature evidenced by a comprehensive and well-referenced literature review with an extensive reference list
• Selection, justification and application of an appropriately rigorous methodology - including limitations of the approach selected
• Clear statement of the findings of the research
• Critical analysis of the findings
• Explicit links between the analysis and the conclusions supported by critical argument
• Evidence of original work or thought for example in the form or context of the data collected, analytical process or application of findings

More information

NX9734 -

Masters' Management Enquiry (Optional,60 Credits)

The Masters’ Management Enquiry module is a student-led individual project that enables you to undertake a significant piece of assessed

work commensurate with a capstone module and is offered as an alternative to the Masters’ Dissertation and Masters’ Consultancy Project.

The module aims to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate an authentic engagement with managers and/or professionals in your

discipline (this enquiry has to be discipline specific), and to integrate the knowledge you have developed during your programme to explore

the theory in practice. The learning on this module is experiential and problem based, where the focus is upon you discovering, probing and

questioning key practice-based issues. Through the module you will be offered the opportunity to develop and enhance key transferable

employability skills including; time management, project management, communication (written, aural and verbal), negotiation, persuasion and

influence, discovery, initiative, problem-solving and analysis.


The module has five thematic areas; explore, review, engage, reflect and connect. These form the key elements of the assessed submission

which is a single 15,000 word report.


Part A (35%, 5,000-5,500 words)

Explore: Interviewing a manager and/or professional in your discipline. In this interview you will either explore a key issue which you feel the

discipline is facing or, alternatively, explore with the manager or professional the key issues that they feel they are facing in practice. It is

expected that you will apply non-verbatim documented conversation and provide evidence of the key ideas emerging within the submitted

enquiry report (e.g. within the appendices).

Review: Critically examining the academic and practitioner literature to support the exploration, displaying an ability to critically assess and

appraise the knowledge of your discipline related to a specific key issue arising from your exploration.


Part B (65%, 9,500-10,000 words)

Engage: Displaying an authentic engagement with the discipline problem/issue identified in Part A, by collecting/generating and analysing

further live data (beyond the initial interview) regarding the discipline problem/issue. This live data may be primary data (e.g. further interviews

with, or questionnaire to, managers and/or professionals in practice) or secondary data (e.g. industry data). Application of appropriate,

ethically-considered, research methods and appropriate qualitative or quantitative data analysis.

Reflect and Connect: Demonstrating an ability to critically evaluate and reflect on the issues arising from the Management Enquiry.

Demonstrating how you have connected and fed-back to the participants of the Enquiry (usually the manager and/or participants) your key

findings to provide clear prioritised, well-justified, practical and actionable recommendations for change/enhancement/improvement to existing

practice to show how the recommendations would potentially affect workplace professional decision making.

More information

Study Options

The following alternative study options are available for this course:

Any Questions?

Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help.  They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.


All information is accurate at the time of sharing.

Full time Courses starting in 2023 are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but may include elements of online learning. We continue to monitor government and local authority guidance in relation to Covid-19 and we are ready and able to flex accordingly to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff.

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with additional restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors, potentially to a full online offer, should further restrictions be deemed necessary in future. Our online activity will be delivered through Blackboard Ultra, enabling collaboration, connection and engagement with materials and people.

 

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