Skip to main content

Preparing for your School of Management MSc

Find out what you can do to get ready for your MSc course, and how we'll help you get started.


Pre-arrival support

Information for new taught postgraduate students is now available.

In September, we'll publish more information for arrivals for 2026/27 to help you prepare for your arrival in Bath.

Online registration

You must register online with the University in September. This will allow you to use University services and facilities and start your studies. We will send you an email in September inviting you to register.

From September you can join our Microsoft Teams channel. You'll be able to connect with other master's students in the School and get advice and guidance from our current MSc students and staff.

You'll also have access to our MSc Community Moodle Course. Moodle is The University's virtual learning environment.

You will be able to access Moodle once you have registered and completed some pre-arrival tasks to get you ready for your course.

Get help with accommodation.

Term dates and information for applicants and offer holders

We look forward to you joining us in Bath and welcoming you to the School on Monday 21 September 2026. Teaching begins on Monday 28 September 2026.

We will give you a full course outline when you start your MSc.

Admissions support

If you need to discuss your offer, or you are aware you may experience some delays in receiving documents, please email the School's MSc team (mscadmissions-som@bath.ac.uk).

Academic preparation

To get you ready to study at master's level at Bath there are some pre-arrival tasks we ask you to complete before you start your course.

You will be expected to work independently and will need to spend time researching subjects, reading and thinking critically about your subject.

If you are an international student who has not studied at a UK university before you may notice academic differences, like teaching methods and forms of assessment. We will provide more information in September.

Managerial Challenge Exercise (MCE)

You might not be used to writing essays, or standards of academic English in the UK or at Bath. The Managerial Challenge Exercise is designed to highlight writing expectations about citing, referencing and plagiarism and give you a chance to get some early feedback on your essay writing, if it is required, to help you adjust and thrive at Bath.

You will need to complete the Managerial Challenge Exercise Quiz in the first week of your course. This exercise will give you opportunity to demonstrate and develop your academic citing and referencing skills and get written feedback on your academic writing as early as possible, if required.

If you want to understand more about plagiarism and expectations of how to cite and reference correctly at The University of Bath the Library has produced two short videos, What plagiarism is and Strategies to avoid plagiarism.

In September you can access details of the Managerial Challenge Exercise (MCE) on your MSc Community Moodle Course provided you have completed online registration. There will also be a timetabled workshop in week 1 on referencing and avoiding plagiarism to help you.

We will provide more information on your MSc Community Moodle Course in September.

Books and online course materials

At the start of the semester, we will give you a course outline and reading list for the units you’ll study. You might decide to buy these books, but they will also be available in the University Library.

The University's virtual learning environment, Moodle, will give you online access to course reading material, activities and resources.

Units (modules) that you will study

Most of our master's courses include both compulsory and optional units. (Other universities sometimes call them 'modules'.)

You will have to make your optional unit choices for semester 1 and semester 2 before semester 1 teaching starts. The system for choosing units online will be available during a specified time only. We will provide details of when unit options are open in September.

You should think about your unit choices before Welcome Week.

English language and study support

All our master's courses include optional academic writing workshops. This gives you the chance to get your writing and study skills to the right level for a master’s degree.

The University’s Academic Skills Centre has lots of support available to help you develop your writing skills and get the best results for your work.

We will give you more information on support in September.

Course Support Team

Your Course Support Team involves your:

  • Director of Studies/ Academic Advisor
  • Student Experience Officer
  • MSc Office Programme Support

Your Director of Studies is your Academic Advisor. They are your first point of contact for academic advice.

Your Student Experience Officer is available for welfare support and advice. They are there to support you with any issues you may have, whether it's personal, about your course or related to campus life.

You can contact the MSc Office Programme Support team about anything to do with your MSc.

Support will be available through a combination of both in-person and online options.

Explore and connect

Find out about more ways to talk to us, events and what our students think about studying here

Moving to Bath and accommodation

Our students come from around the world. We’re proud of how diverse our postgraduate community is.

Whether you’re joining Bath from somewhere in the UK or from another country, you may notice some differences when you first arrive and interact, like:

  • culture
  • climate and weather
  • language
  • community

Find out more about living in the UK.

Discover ResLife: the essential online platform for new University of Bath students with a range of online guides covering local food, culture and community in Bath.

Vaccinations

The UK Government's Department of Health recommends routine vaccinations against certain diseases. Find out more about these vaccinations.

Accommodation

The University has accommodation on campus and in Bath. You can also rent private accommodation in the city.

Find out how to decide what is best for you, and what to do next.

The University recommends Studentpad as one of the best ways to find private accommodation in Bath.

Campus accommodation

If you're moving into campus accommodation for the first time, find out what you need to do before you leave home and once you arrive on campus.

City accommodation

If you're moving into city accommodation for the first time, find out what you need to do before you leave home and once you arrive in Bath.

Once you’ve found somewhere to live the Students’ Union has useful advice on housing contracts and a moving in checklist.

Travelling to Bath

Please check before you travel for updated information for any reduced services and disruption to travel. Find out the main ways to travel to the city of Bath and how to travel to our campus from the city centre. Look at our campus map to get directions.

Settling into student life

There are plenty of opportunities to help you settle into University life. Joining networking events or a student club or society is a great way to meet new people and make friends. You can also get help and advice from Student Support at any time. You will be introduced to a School of Management Student Experience Officer and a member of the MSc Office.

PGT Buddy Scheme

This scheme for postgraduate taught (PGT) students, run with the Students' Union, will help you connect with other new students on your course and transition into University life in Bath.

At your Welcome Event we’ll match you with like-minded course mates in small groups where you can interact with an intention to exchange Bath email addresses if you wish. Join the PGT Buddy Scheme by completing the registration form.

Where to buy groceries

ResLife has a useful guide for you- Battle of the Supermarkets

Your guide to Campus Shops

Online grocery shopping is widely available in Bath, with most supermarkets offering home delivery and click-and-collect services. The main supermarkets in town are:

Student Experience

Your wellbeing and student experience is important to us. We will support you with your welfare and wellbeing throughout your MSc.

The Student Experience Officers will deliver and facilitate a programme of events, support and touch points. These will help you to settle into Bath, make connections and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and facilities. We will provide more information in September.

Helping you prepare for your career

Graduate recruiters specifically target Bath students. You’ll get to engage with lots of employers during the course of your time with Bath.

We design our MSc courses to get you ready for the working world. You will have the opportunity to take part in lots of careers related activities right from the start of your course - both timetabled and optional.

We want to give you the best start to your career. Our Careers and Professional Development team are there to help. You’ll have a dedicated careers advisor to support you during your job search. It is valuable to engage with your careers advisor on a regular basis during your time at Bath, to make the most of the support available to you. More information will be available in September.

Some graduate job opportunities will have deadlines soon after you start your course. It’s important to start thinking about your job search as soon as possible.

Careers timeline

Before you start your MSc

Think about your career plans:

  • what do you want to do?
  • where do you want to work?
  • which companies/industries are you interested in?
  • what skills and experiences do you have?

If you are considering a career in banking, previous internship or work experience in this area is desirable. Some graduate opportunities open in Autumn 2026, to select candidates for graduate programmes that start in September 2027. Applying early in the semester can increase your chances of success.

Semester 1 (starts Monday 28 September 2026)

Your timetabled careers workshops start in week 1. These practical sessions cover:

  • internship and job search
  • CVs
  • cover letters
  • interviews
  • psychometric tests
  • assessment centres

Optional career activities include:

  • Industry Insights, where our graduates return to give advice on working in different sectors
  • one to one meeting to discuss your career goals and applications
  • support to pass psychometric tests
  • mock interviews and assessment centres
  • company presentations and workshops
  • Careers Fair (October)

Inter-semester break (25 January 2027 - 29 January 2027)

80 students will be selected to take part in our Future Business Challenge. During the week you will engage with companies and work in teams to analyse what makes a company resilient and sustainable.

Semester 2 (starts Monday 1 February 2027)

Careers support continues in semester 2.

Most of our courses include company engagement. This will give you the chance to hear how what you are learning in the classroom is put into practice.

For any careers questions, contact the MSc Careers Team.

Secure your place


Enquiries

If you have any questions, please contact us.


On this page