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Your year studying a School of Management MSc

Our master’s courses aren’t just about what you learn in the classroom. Find out about all the other ways you can add to your learning during your time with us.

A year of opportunity. A lifetime of possibility.

Our MSc courses last 12 months. During your year with us you’ll have lots of opportunities to add to your learning, and your CV.

Professional Development Programme

Our Professional Development Programme (PDP) runs throughout the year. We've designed PDP to let you take your master's course further. Through a series of optional activities, you'll work with partner organisations and develop skills they look for. PDP gives you the chance to:

  • put your learning into practice on projects with a range of organisations
  • make valuable connections with our graduates and industry connections
  • improve your CV

The Bath Professional Development Award

Taking part in PDP can lead to the Bath Professional Development Award. This recognises your skills development and achievements during your studies at Bath.

Take your MSc further

Our MSc Careers Team and MSc students discuss the Professional Development Programme and the experiences they've gained.

Your year at Bath

We offer so much more than what you'll learn in the classroom.

Your introduction to Bath

  • Welcome Week
  • The Big Team Challenge
  • Careers Support and the Professional Development Programme

Semester 1: September to January

  • AmplifyME Trading Simulation
  • Rotork Community Challenge
  • Reading Week
  • Examinations
  • Future Business Challenge

Semester 2: February to May

  • AmplifyME Trading Simulation
  • Sustainable Business Challenge
  • Reading Week
  • MSc Consulting Project
  • Examinations

Summer and beyond

  • Summer options
  • Dissertation Boot Camp
  • Professional Development Awards
  • Graduation
  • After you graduate: careers support

All year round support and activities

Your professional and personal development won't be limited to your course timetable. From day one you'll have access to personal career and wellbeing support.

Careers

Our aim is to get you ready for the next step of your professional journey. We have a dedicated careers team and offer career training for all our MSc students. You’ll have access to:

  • a dedicated careers advisor
  • customised career workshops
  • support for international students
  • help finding jobs in the UK and abroad
  • support for entrepreneurs

Find out more about support for your career during your MSc.

Wellbeing

You will not be alone. We have dedicated Student Experience Officers to support you. They provide a confidential advice service and can help with any personal or academic issues you might have. They also organise social and networking events events to help you get to know other students and enjoy life outside the classroom.

Hear from our MSc Team and some students about the support available.

Your introduction to Bath


  • Welcome Week. Events and talks to help you settle into the School and life at Bath. Meet your classmates, tutors and other key people.
  • The Big Team Challenge. Meet companies, work on a business task.
  • Careers support and the Professional Development Award

Semester 1: September to January


  • AmplifyME Trading Simulation. Experience life in different trading roles. Use the tech the professionals use and live market data. Priority given to Finance students. Counts toward The Bath Professional Development Award.
  • Rotork Community Challenge. Work with other students to support local charities and disadvantaged people. Develop skills that employers want. Counts toward The Bath Professional Development Award.
  • November:
    • Reading Week. Optional extra-curricular activities.
  • January:
    • Examinations
    • Future Business Challenge. Meet companies, develop analytical skills, solve a real business issue. Counts toward The Bath Professional Development Award.
Six students holding certificates and punching the air

Semester 2: February to May


  • AmplifyME Trading Simulation. Experience life in different trading roles. Use the tech the professionals use and live market data. Priority given to Finance students. Counts toward The Bath Professional Development Award.
  • Sustainable Business Challenge. Work with students from other universities on a sustainability project. Counts toward The Bath Professional Development Award.

The Sustainable Business Challenge: a student's perspective

  • March:
    • Reading Week. Optional extra-curricular activities.
  • February to March:
    • MSc Consulting Project. A six-week team consulting project with a local organisation. Counts toward The Bath Professional Development Award.
  • May:
    • Examinations
A student wearing a blue shirt and jeans slides down a red, blue, green and yellow slide with his hands in the air.

Summer and beyond


  • Summer options (depends on course): Practice Track, dissertation, internship, Entrepreneurial Project, Entrepreneurial retail start-up or Consultancy project
  • June:
    • Dissertation Boot Camp. Get help with your dissertation.
  • August:
    • Professional Development Awards
  • December/January:
    • Graduation
  • After you graduate: careers support
Read how a student shared her dissertation at a UN conference

Summer options

Choose the way you want to complete your degree.

Most of our MSc courses give you the flexibility to choose how to spend your summer.

Dissertation

The traditional way to finish a master’s degree, a dissertation is an option on all our MSc courses. You’ll research a topic in detail. This could be either an academic research question or a practical challenge. You’ll review existing research, analyse data and produce recommendations with support from an academic advisor. Our Dissertation Boot Camp will prepare you for all aspects of your dissertation.

Practice Track

Work in teams on a project with an external client organisation. You'll gain experience of setting project objectives, project management and presenting.

The Practice Track is available for students studying:

Internship

Apply your academic knowledge in a real job with a summer internship at an organisation. You'll develop your skills, learn about an industry and gain experience of a practical work environment.

We can't guarantee internships, but our MSc Careers team will support you with your job search and at all stages of the application process.

Internships are available for students studying:

Entrepreneurial project

Work in a group to develop an entrepreneurial project within one of four settings:

  • independent venture
  • corporate venture at an existing company
  • venture at a family business
  • social venture

You'll learn to:

  • identify an opportunity and exploit it innovatively
  • evaluate assumptions and uncertainties affecting the business model or problem
  • collect and analyse data to test these assumptions
  • incorporate the results into an innovative business model or solution

Entrepreneurial projects are available for students studying:

Entrepreneurial retail start-up

Work on your own or in teams to launch a retail venture. You'll develop a business plan and pitch for seed money, purchase stock, market and run your business. You will have the opportunity to develop skills like relationship building, e-commerce, leadership and communications.

Entrepreneurial retail start-up is only available for students studying MSc in Strategic Retailing.

Consultancy project

Apply skills, concepts and techniques learnt during your course to a real industry project. Working in groups with one of our industry partners, you'll work on a real business opportunity or challenge. You'll use your team dynamics and project management skills to investigate the issue and recommend solutions.

Consultancy projects are available for students studying:

Our MSc courses


Contact us

If you have any questions about our MSc courses, please get in touch.