MSc Business & Community

Programme

Please note, the MSc Business & Community is not running during the academic year 2013/14.

Qualifications and durations

• Full-time MSc 1 year
• Full-time PG Diploma 9 months
• Full-time PG Certificate 4 months
• Part-time MSc 2 to 5 years
• Part-time PG Diploma 21 months

Overview

Combines management and social science issues and approaches concerning the growing relationships between business and the wider society.

• Analyses business-society relationships, such as corporate responsibility, using relevant management disciplines and social science methods and theories.
• Addresses problems in the growing inter-dependence between business organisations, stakeholders, and their social and natural environments.
• Limited intake of students per year, fostering a friendly and supportive learning environment.

Course structure

Units include:- Business, society and states: corporate power and accountability, Globalisation 1: political sociology of globalisation,  Morals, markets and politics,  Dissertation planning, Ecology, management & organisational performance, Dissertation
 
Options:- Quantitative methods 1: introduction to quantitative methods, Qualitative methods 1, Principles & skills of social research, Fundamentals of accounting and financial management, Business economics, Human resource management, International policy analysis 1, Research issues, Governing contemporary societies, Sociology & social anthropology of development, The politics of sustainability: environmental security and international relations, Methods of management research, Strategic management, Strategy and human resource management,  Global regimes & new social movements, Globalisation & economic insecurity: social policy challenges, Comparative research methods, Globalisation 2: political economy of globalisation

Entry requirements

For humanities or social science graduates (including management/ business studies subjects) at least a second class honours (or international equivalent).

For graduates in other subjects at least a second class honours (or overseas equivalent) plus

• equivalent skills and competencies grained through professional experience, or
• other comparable qualifications plus appropriate professional experience.

The minimum non-graduate qualifications acceptable for admission to this course are:

1. A relevant postgraduate diploma or Higher National Diploma passed at the appropriate level.
2. A relevant professional qualification together with papers passed at an appropriate standard if required by the appropriate Head of Group.
3. Extended and responsible experience in a relevant field together with authorship of papers of an acceptable academic standard.

English requirements

IELTS 7.0 (with not less than 6.5 in each of the four components).
TOEFL 600 (paper-based test) or 250 (computer-based test) with a score of not less than 4 in TWE or 100 (internet-based test) with not less than 24 in each of the components.

References

Two references are required. At least one of these should be an academic reference.

Fees

See the Tuition Fees Schedule.

Funding

The Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Graduate School provides guidance on potential sources of funding (studentships and scholarships) for postgraduate students.

Further information on more general funding opportunities is available in the funding section.

Bursaries and scholarships

A small number of accommodation bursaries and, sometimes, scholarships are allocated to overseas students on a competitive basis. Further details are available on request.

Contact Postgraduate Secretary

Email sps-pgt-admissions@bath.ac.uk
Tel +44 (0)1225 38 6634
Fax +44 (0)1225 38 6381

Web: www.bath.ac.uk/sps

Our Research

Main areas of research

We are an internationally-recognised research-intensive department with a strong focus on policy and practice and a commitment to contribute to social wellbeing and social justice.

We draw together academic staff with backgrounds in Social Policy, Sociology, Social Work and International Development and work closely with colleagues in Psychology, Economics, and Health.

We also have an active and vibrant community of research students undertaking their own research alongside our academic staff.

Research Centres

• Centre for the Analysis of Social Policy (CASP)
• Centre for Death and Society (CDAS)
• Centre for Development Studies (CDS)
• Wellbeing in Developing Countries Research (WeD)
• History of Technology Research Unit (HOTRU)

Research themes

Our five research themes are:

• Children, Young People, Families
• Lifelong Health and Wellbeing
• Work and Welfare
• Global Transformations and Insecurity
• Governance and Policy Design

Departmental Staff

Find out more about our staff and their research interests.

About the Department

Introduction

The Department of Social & Policy Sciences includes academics from social policy, sociology, social work and international development.

The international excellence of our research was recognised by the award of the prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2011. We were also graded 2nd in the country for Social Work and Social Policy and Administration in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). The 2008 RAE exercise recognised the Department for its top 4*(star) research - 'quality that is world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour'.

International Development staff were part of the submission to the Development Studies research panel that was ranked 4th in the country.

We are committed to advancing learning and knowledge through teaching and research. Our Department collaborates with a wide range of users at the local, national, European and global levels.

Postgraduate programmes

We offer a wide range of postgraduate programmes. Our postgraduate teaching strongly reflects our research and our links to policy-makers and development institutions at the national, European and global level.

Our Department also has an active MPhil/PhD research programme. We take great pride in fostering a friendly and supportive learning environment.

Seminar series

We run a lively and well attended postgraduate research seminar series. Each of the Research Centres run seminar series and conferences associated with their research activities. The University of Bath also has a Research in the World public lecture series where key national and international academics are invited to speak.

Careers information

We are committed to ensuring that postgraduate students acquire a range of subject-specific and generic skills during their training. Our graduates generally go on to work in a wide variety of organisations, for example:

• social research in universities and research institutes, government, business, voluntary organisations and international organisations
• public policy analysis at local, national and international levels
• public information and campaigning within organisations concerned with wellbeing, sustainability and social justice.