MSc in Business and Management (Top-up)

If you’ve previously completed a Foundation degree or equivalent, this course offers the opportunity to gain a full Bachelors degree in just 16 months. You’ll sharpen your interpersonal skills as a future business leader and build your understanding of the global business environment, useful for roles within multinational companies.   Explore a range of exciting topics, including:

• the global business environment and barriers to internationalism 
• fundamentals of international marketing 
• the role of strategic human resource management within organisations 
• forming a business strategy: key concepts and approaches 

You can also tailor your studies to specific interests with optional modules: Business Law; Business Finance; and eBusiness Marketing.   And towards the end of your studies you’ll plan, research and present a project on a topic of interest within business and management. You’ll also provide thoughtful commentary on projects produced by fellow students.

The University of Essex Online delivers 100% online and part-time courses in business, computing, education, health, law, criminology and psychology. The qualifications we offer include CertHEs and Bachelors degrees at the undergraduate level, and PG Certs, PG Dips and Masters degrees at postgraduate level, with study durations ranging from 8 months to 4 years.

You can study with us from anywhere with an internet connection and at a time that suits your schedule best. Your course will be delivered through a state-of-the-art virtual learning environment (VLE), which provides you with 24/7 access to high-quality resources, including lecture casts, discussion forums, live seminars and Q&A sessions, as well as extensive eLibrary.

Even your assessments will be completed entirely online – none of our courses has a requirement to travel to testing facilities or exam centres. In fact, the majority of our courses don’t have exams at all! For the few courses that have exam requirements, we use a virtual proctoring system that enables you to sit academically rigorous exams from the comfort of your own home. Otherwise, you’ll be completing written assignments, taking part in discussion forums or writing reflective journal entries.

Whether you're an experienced professional looking to progress your career or a recent graduate who wants to boost their CV, online study is a cost-effective, convenient and flexible way to get ahead.

Why study with us?

We are one of the longest-running providers of 100% online degrees in the UK. All our courses are specifically designed for online delivery, combining gold standard teaching with the latest technology and enabling you to gain a top-class education from anywhere in the world.

We achieved a gold rating in the government’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2018) for delivering consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for our students. With an 89% satisfaction rating, we are also the highest-rated online-only provider in the National Student Survey (NSS 2020).

Our online tutors are leading authorities and specialists in their respective fields. They are passionate about what they teach and combine their knowledge of industry practice with high-quality academic delivery, offering you an unparalleled learning experience.

Our team of dedicated student advisers and study skills specialists provide world-class mentoring and academic support to you from your first day to graduation. The team will be on hand to help and guide you as you progress through your studies. Whatever the question or issue, they will work with you to find a solution.

All our qualifications are awarded and validated by the University of Essex, an award-winning university with a 50-year heritage of teaching and research excellence. Upon completing your studies, you’ll be invited to graduate from the University of Essex’s Colchester campus. You will receive the same certificate as campus-based students – your mode of study is only mentioned on your academic transcript.

Our top-up courses are designed for those with some prior university-level education. As such, you must have completed one of the following within the last five years:

• a relevant Foundation degree from University of Essex Online or another recognised institution
• two years of a relevant BA (Hons) degree from a recognised institution
• a relevant Higher National Diploma (HND) from a recognised institution

You will also need to meet our English language requirements. Additionally, you will need to pass your first assignment set within the first three weeks of the course in order to continue with your studies.

English language requirements As our courses are delivered in English, a high proficiency with English is required. If English is not your first language, your English ability should be equivalent to an IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0. Don’t worry if you don’t hold an IELTS or equivalent qualification – we offer a free online English test to assess your proficiency.

• Designated for postgraduate student loans in England.
• Simple monthly payment plan available, enabling you to spread the cost over the duration of your studies.
• Full payment discount of 5% if you pay upfront.
• Regional scholarship available for international students based overseas in eligible countries.
• Alumni discount of 10% of the tuition fee available if you are a previous graduate with the University of Essex or University of Essex Online.
• 10% corporate discount available when three or more of your employees study with us.

Please note, a maximum of two discounts or scholarships can be applied. The corporate discount can only be used in combination with our upfront payment discount, but not in conjunction with any other discount or scholarship. Find out more information about our discounts and scholarships.

Business skills are incredibly transferable to most fields. As well as management, you could apply your new commercial knowledge to positions in finance, consultancy, project management, advertising or marketing. Gaining an undergraduate qualification with the University of Essex Online also puts you in good stead for your career prospects. Results from our 2021 student survey showed:

• 92% of students said their course helped develop their research skills
• 89% of students say their studies fit with their future plans
• Almost 60% said their studies had a positive effect on their career
• 25% of students saw their salaries increase by up to 10%