Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management MSc
2 Years Full-Time with Advanced Practice | September Start
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Applicants should normally have:
A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree or equivalent, or substantial experience of working in a business organisation.
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
Full UK Fee: £15,350
Full International Fee: £23,950
Scholarships and Discounts
ADDITIONAL COSTS
Students will have access to online reading lists that link to many eBooks and journal articles provided through University-funded subscriptions, however, if a student so wishes, they may purchase texts. The optional text costs would amount to approximately £500.
* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here
Please use the Apply Now button at the top of this page to submit your application.
Certain applications may need to be submitted via an external application system, such as UCAS, Lawcabs or DfE Apply.
The Apply Now button will redirect you to the relevant website if this is the case.
You can find further application advice, such as what to include in your application and what happens after you apply, on our Admissions Hub Admissions | Northumbria University
Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.
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).
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.
NX9729 -
Family Business and Entrepreneurship History (Optional,20 Credits)
Historically, family businesses have been (and remain) the most prevalent form of business ownership, demonstrating distinct characteristics and spread across different national economic models and over time. Family-owned business and family entrepreneurship have played a significant role in regional, national, and international development. This module will provide students with a long-term and wide-ranging perspective on the development of family business in different international contexts across the last two centuries. It will explore key themes and core concepts relating to survival, longevity, change over time, emergent strategies, innovation, risk-taking, transmission of skills and values and emotions. In this context students will explore the key processes involved in the adaptations and adjustments to increased competition, new technologies, global transitions, and international crisis. Students will also be introduced to sources and methods for examining the development of family business and learn research methods and forms of analysis that will enhance their understanding of historical processes.
More informationSM4004 -
Entrepreneurship - Context, Process and Practice (Core,20 Credits)
This module aims to increase your awareness and understanding of the issues and challenges of starting up and operating a small business and being entrepreneurial. As entrepreneurship requires a strong focus on practice, this will be achieved by providing you with a practical insight into setting up and trading as a small business, raising awareness of self-employment as a viable career option. You will learn about entrepreneurship as a process, the entrepreneurial person, ideation, and opportunity recognition, pitching and presenting, business planning, idea validation, resource acquisition, market analysis, customers and selling, entrepreneurial marketing, networking, and accelerators, incubation, and support. You will learn how to identify, explore, and progress your own business idea and be supported in your experience of planning this idea over the course of the module, recognising patterns and opportunities in complex situations and environments. At the end of this module, you will have a deeper understanding of real-life entrepreneurial issues and how they can be addressed. The development of entrepreneurial awareness, capability and mind-set which the module seeks to promote lends itself to application not only in new venture creation or development but also within traditional employment contexts.
More informationSM4023 -
Contemporary Issues in Entrepreneurship (Core,20 Credits)
This is a 20-credit module running in the second semester of the MSc Business with programme and is developed for those of you who have prior awareness of entrepreneurship and seek a deeper understanding of contemporary issues of entrepreneurship and small business subjects. The aim of the module is to introduce you to the main theoretical concepts of entrepreneurship and small business – Entrepreneurship Characteristics; Creativity; Risk and Strategic Options; Technology Innovation; Networks; Sustainability; Orientation – and show how each can contribute to the activities, success or otherwise of entrepreneurship. On completion of the module you will be able to demonstrate critical thinking skills suitable for strategic leadership roles adept at organisational change and innovation and utilise oral, written and communication skills. The content of the module comprises of a range of components which are listed below.
Entrepreneurship
Introduction to the module; Entrepreneurship; context; entrepreneurial revolution; influences; Differences between entrepreneurs & owner-managers’; characteristics and traits, skills; stakeholders; models of entrepreneurship and critical thinking & summative assessment guidance.
Strategies & Models of Entrepreneurship
The Entrepreneurial Environment, Entrepreneurial Strategies; Objectives and Competitive Advantage; Entrepreneurial Productivity & Performance.
Characteristics and Activities of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship Traits and Behaviour; Motivations and Values; Growth & Skills; Entrepreneurial Leadership Skills; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Culture; Structure & Control; Types of Entrepreneurs including Social and Civic Entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurship Technology & Innovation
Role of technology innovation & Change; Technology Industries Leadership; High Tech; HEI-SME knowledge interactions; Entrepreneurial State; Benefits & Limitations of Open Innovation and Business Clusters, Creativity and Knowledge; Diffusion and Adoption.
Entrepreneurial Networks and Open Innovation
Understanding Social Networks and their contribution to Entrepreneurship. Weak and Strong Ties; Enterprise Partnerships & Policy; Public Entrepreneurship; Business Ventures; Motivation & Engagement.
Public Sector Entrepreneurship
Social Innovation; Public Sector Entrepreneurs; Regional Policy.
International Entrepreneurship
Globalisation & International Entrepreneurship; International Start-up; Models of Internationalisation; Influence of Networks and Learning Theories.
Entrepreneurial Orientation
Entrepreneurial Synergies ; Psychological Orientation ; Gender in Entrepreneurship.
Critical Thinking Skills
The module seeks to foster your critical thinking, analytical, synthesis and reflection skills through developing your awareness of contemporary issues of entrepreneurship and small business to ensure a critical appreciation of the entrepreneurship and small business field of study.
SM9713 -
Innovation and Creativity (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the nature and practice of innovation and creativity and how it can be applied in the innovation process, whether within the context of a new venture or an existing organisation. The module will cover theories relating to innovation and its management within a strategic management context. This will be combined with an introduction to processes of stimulating creativity in a variety of business contexts. The module will seek to facilitate the development of practical skills to promote creative thinking through practice-based elements in which real world problems are introduced for the testing of creative teamworking techniques.
More informationSM9723 -
Entrepreneurship & Innovation Challenge (Core,20 Credits)
This module uses entrepreneurship and innovation challenges to develop your professional mindset, capabilities and attributes. Each challenge will involve you working in teams to achieve specified aims and will focus around contemporary real world socio-economic problems identified in the local community, internationally and within the business community. During the module you will analyse your entrepreneurial mindset and capabilities and develop key skills around entrepreneurial learning. You will build on this understanding of your entrepreneurial self to one where you can assemble and work with teams to complete entrepreneurship and innovation challenges.
You will be involved in 4 challenges and be supported through lectures and seminars that will deliver relevant theory and practice on: entrepreneurial mindset and capabilities; how to work effectively within dynamic teams; how to adopt a design-ethos in problem solving; and in how to lead entrepreneurially. During the process you will use your understanding of your entrepreneurial self to to enhance your skills profile in relation to the global graduate market.
SM9724 -
Innovation Policy (Optional,20 Credits)
This module examines the role of public policy in the innovation process and the support of entrepreneurship. It will help you to understand how policy can support the innovative firm and the ways in which businesses can interact with public sector and research organisations to facilitate innovation. Innovation takes place across heterogeneous networks, with firms making use of public sector infrastructures, collaborating with universities and responding to regulations and procurement processes initiated by government. You will learn about the ways in which governments seek to encourage innovation through actions at a local, national and international scale, and the multi-level systems of innovation which have developed across the world.
The module is delivered through a lectures and workshops, covering the following issues:
• Typologies and rationales for government intervention in innovation
• The entrepreneurial state
• Systems of innovation at national and regional level
• Public research and innovation support programmes such as Horizon Europe and national grant schemes
• Regional innovation strategies
• Clusters and cluster policies
• Smart specialisation
• Intellectual property regulations and policies
• Public procurement and innovation
• University-industry links and policies
• Science parks, science cities and innovation accelerators
• Responsible Research and Innovation in public policy
• Case study of the bioeconomy
•
Through this module you will have a deeper understanding of the drivers of innovation and the role of the state, and be better able to make effective use of external innovation resources or to move into a public policy role.
SM9725 -
Entrepreneurship and Sustainable International Development (Optional,20 Credits)
This module will consider entrepreneurship in developing and emerging economies. The importance of developing entrepreneurial activity in the developing world/emerging economies is identified. Historic and live cases of entrepreneurial practice are identified in the context of sustainable international development and the Sustainable Development Goals.
During the module you will explore: entrepreneurial models for developing/emerging economies; the importance of entrepreneurial activity for developing/emerging economies in terms of stimulating economic growth, innovation, competitiveness, and alleviating poverty; barriers to entrepreneurship in developing/emerging economies; drivers to entrepreneurship in developing/emerging economies.
SM9726 -
Digital Innovation and Enterprise (Optional,20 Credits)
This module aims to provide you with the knowledge and skills to understand how digitalisation, across the whole economy and government and the third sector, has resulted in wide-spread changes. These changes have led to wide-spread benefits, but also a series of challenges that impact on the ability of individuals and organisations to benefit from the digitalisation that is occurring.
The module is delivered through a lectures and workshops, covering the following issues:
• The scale and scope of electronic commerce
• ICT-mediated business models
• Digital platforms – growth, ‘winner takes all’ strategy and strategies
• Models of information systems within organisations
• Digitalisation – drivers, challenges and changing socio-technical structures
• Data – monetisation, flows, uses within organisations
Through this module you will gain skills to enable you to analyse and appreciate the emergence and development of digitalisation within organisations. On completing the module, you will appreciate the scope and dynamism of digitalisation.
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%.
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.
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
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.
The following alternative study options are available for this course:
Sep start
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