The details
Location: Online Mode of study: Part-time Qualification: MSc Indicative duration: 2 years
Start date: Awarding body: University of Essex Delivered by: Kaplan Open Learning For queries: Call +44 (0) 1206 489 358

Grasping the financial side of business is often seen as one of the most daunting parts of running an enterprise – but it doesn’t have to be. This postgraduate course provides a thorough understanding of economic and financial management topics, all while boosting your managerial and strategic skills.  

On the MSc Business with Finance, you’ll explore modules including project management and business strategy, as well as the fundamentals of financial decision-making. Take the opportunity to build on key skills applied in modern business such as innovation, collaboration and critical thinking. You can also choose to concentrate on specific areas of interest and specialisation, with optional topics including: 

  • marketing fundamentals: how to develop a strategic marketing plan 
  • why organisations demand different leadership approaches 
  • human resource management: a critical understanding of HR theories 

Towards the end of your course, you’ll have the chance to produce an innovative research report on your chosen area of business, finance or management. Collect primary evidence to support your research and make commercial recommendations based on data analysis. 

Our business and finance qualification can help prepare you for success in financial management. If you’re interested in business but are looking to focus on a specific area, discover our Masters degrees in finance, human resources, marketing, analytics or project management. 

 

Why we’re great

  • Study with an institution with over 15 years’ experience delivering quality online learning.
  • Receive your certificate from the University of Essex, a top 40 UK university (Complete University Guide 2024).
  • Elevate your postgraduate experience and interact with University of Essex Online’s truly global student community.
  • Study on any device, at anytime from anywhere in the world with our 24/7 VLE.
  • Enjoy high quality silver rated teaching (TEF 2023).

The MSc Business with Finance is made up of the following modules and, upon completion, is equal to a total of 180 credits.

Optional modules: choose modules worth a total of 20 credits.

Learn the essentials of contemporary management and organisational theory in this career-enhancing module. You'll learn how to manage individuals, teams, groups and cultureswhile studying real-life case studies to provide further background on the wider economic and political landscape shaping management today.  

Undertake an advanced study of financial accounting with this comprehensive module. You'll explore the preparation of full consolidated financial statements, issues of principle in accounting standards and developments in external reporting. You'll also develop a sound knowledge of the recording of financial transactions in a variety of types of entities.   

What impact do economic forces have on managerial decisions? Find out in this in-depth module. You’ll learn how to apply the fundamental concepts of macro and microeconomics to managerial plans, while gaining an advanced understanding of contemporary literature on the subject.  

Explore the theories and concepts utilised for effective project management and the use of contemporary project management software. In this valuable module, you’ll gain insight from case studies and delve into project management knowledge areas and process groups while using specialist project management software. 

Finance is key to keeping a business on-track and how you decide how to use your budget is crucial. With a strong focus on accounting matters in financial decision-making, this helpful module allows you to successfully analyse management control – as well as the conflicting implications of challenging budgeting decisions. 

Undertake a solid grounding in research approaches and techniques at Masters level. On this exciting module, you’ll engage with both peers and tutors by critiquing and debating current literature. You’ll also journey towards becoming a fully reflective and independent thinker, by gaining new ways to collect, organise and present data. 

This defining module allows you to produce a major piece of academic research on a chosen topic within business and management. You’ll have the opportunity to explore areas that have not been fully investigated previously – incorporating your knowledge of management challenges, or a business scenario that has far-reaching organisational implications. 

Hone your strategic management skills with this exciting module. You’ll benefit from an engaging introduction to the key theories, approaches and concepts which form business strategy. Not only that, you’ll learn to critically evaluate the limitations of emerging schools of thoughts and how to they best work in practice. 

In this exciting module, youll build on practical leadership skills and theory to assess organisational leadership performance, as well as your own personal development. Understand how the culture, values and purpose of organisations can in turn demand a variety of different leadership approaches, and begin to implement your own leadership style. 

Ready to learn more about marketing strategies in private and public organisations? In this exciting module, you’ll critically examine the various software applications and other tools necessary to build a strategic marketing plan. You’ll also analyse the variables essential to delivering marketing strategies in different types of businesses. 

What role does marketing play in your organisation? Enhance your understanding of this area with this exciting module. You’ll analyse the wider social, political and economic contexts of marketing, and address its role in society today – while looking to the future to see where contemporary marketing is headed. 

Explore the complexities of human resource management in this insightful module. You’ll gain a critical understanding of HR theories and practices in a global context, as well as a deeper awareness of ideologies within a wider social, political and economic setting. You’ll also consider the strategic influences of stakeholders on business performance. 

Ready to explore the complexities of human resources? This in-depth module will give you a critical understanding of the internal and external contexts of organisations. You’ll also develop a deeper awareness of social responsibility and the technological trends shaping human resource management as a whole. 

Teaching methods 

Studying online gives you the freedom to study when and where it suits you – at home, during your lunch hour or anywhere else you have internet access.  

Our courses are delivered through a virtual learning environment (VLE) instead of a traditional campus. This means you’ll have access to your study materials 24/7, including:  

  • multimedia lecturecasts made up of written content, short videos, animation, audio recordings, infographics, short tests and mini-assignments 
  • discussion forums for you to chat about the course content with fellow students 
  • live seminars and Q&A sessions with your tutors 
  • a comprehensive eLibrary of textbooks and academic journals  
  • support from academic staff and your dedicated Student Support team 

 

Assessments 

You’ll be assessed through a series of assignments. This can be by engaging in discussion forums throughout your modules, completing reflective journal entries, delivering live presentations or by submitting longer written pieces. 

We’re committed to providing frequent and transparent feedback in the following ways: 

  • our assessment criteria are designed to be simple and transparent 
  • you’ll always be aware of your current provisional grade, right from the start of the programme 
  • you’ll be able to view your marks clearly in your gradebook whenever you log into the learning platform 
  • there’s a 7-day turnaround for marking and feedback of assessed work 
  • you’ll have regular contact with your Student Support team, with whom you can discuss any concerns as soon as they arise 

 

Online learning experience 

Your learning experience will be fully supported by high-quality learning materials and resources, delivered via our state-of-the-art virtual learning environment (VLE).  

On average, your learning experience will include the following: 

  • directed learning (40%) this includes participating in tutor-led discussions and seminars, completing interactive exercises on the VLE, and watching videos and lecturecasts. You’ll also be able to book appointments with your module tutor during their office hours, which can be found on the VLE 
  • self-directed learning (30%) – including undertaking wider reading and research in your area of study to develop your understanding of the subject area 
  • assessment (30%) time spent preparing ad completing assignments and activities that contribute towards your overall assessment. 

Typically, you’ll need to dedicate a minimum 15-20 hours of study per module, per week. 

 

Study duration 

Our MSc Business with Finance has an indicative study duration of 2 years, which is a guide to how long your course will take to complete. The actual duration may be longer or shorter depending on your speed of study, study options chosen and module availability.  

It’s possible to complete your studies faster than the indicative course duration by doubling up on modules at certain times; however, minimum study durations do apply.  

Our academic year is organised into modules, typically with a one or two-week break between modules and a structured three-week break for the Christmas period. Students will receive a course timetable during the application process.  

All our courses have regular start dates throughout the year.  

On successful completion of your degree, you’ll be invited to attend a graduation ceremony at the University of Essex’s Colchester campus. 

 

Academic staff 

A quality teaching experience is at the heart of everything we do.  

The dedicated tutors who teach our course modules are subject matter experts, experienced academics and leading industry thought leaders. They play a vital role in ensuring the latest theories and areas of study are covered in our courses, and are proud to provide a high level of academic support. 

You can find more information on our key academic staff and their experience here. 

 

Quality and assurance  

We’re proud to provide a first-class education to students anywhere in the world and adhere to the strictest quality standards 

The University of Essex Online is a recognised member of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) and registered with the Office for Students (OfS) 

All our degrees are delivered by Kaplan Open Learning, a world-leading education provider with over 15 years’ experience. 

Companies seek out candidates with the most advanced skills to fill senior positions – and a postgraduate qualification is an excellent way to showcase your abilities. As well as finance, roles in business management, banking, insurance, marketing, sales, retail and human resources would also greatly benefit from the knowledge gained on this course.

Gaining a postgraduate qualification with the University of Essex Online 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%

We know that many people from non-traditional backgrounds would succeed on our courses! That’s why we offer two different entry routes, taking into account your prior work experience and relevant qualifications. You will also need to meet our English language requirements.

Additionally, you will need to pass your first assignment set within your two-week induction period of the course in order to continue with your studies.

 

Academic entry route

In order to satisfy the academic entry route requirements for our MSc Business with Finance, you must have the following qualifications as a minimum:

  •  an undergraduate degree from an approved institution, equivalent to a UK Honours degree, or a relevant professional qualification

 

Work experience entry route

In order to satisfy the work experience entry route requirements for our MSc Business with Finance, you must meet the following criteria:

  • at least five years’ senior level work experience

 

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 6.5. Don’t worry if you don’t hold an IELTS or equivalent qualification – we offer a free online English test to assess your proficiency.

You don’t need to prove your English ability if you are a national of, or have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of these countries.

Full tuition fee:  

£12,167 UK / £12,428 International (2023-24) Δ 

  • 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. 
  • 10% anniversary scholarship available when you enrol by 31 July 2024.
  • 20% impact scholarship available for our April 2024 intake.

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 here. 

Our course fees are fully inclusive – all teaching materials and required reading are included, and there are no hidden charges for assessments or resits.  

Δ All tuition fees shown are net of any applicable sales tax payable by you in your country of residence. Where we are required to add sales tax at the local statutory rate, this will be added to the tuition fees shown and confirmed during the payment process. 

Subject specialists, industry authorities and experienced academics: the tutors who teach modules on our MSc Business with Finance are experts in the fields of business and finance.

What our students say

testimonials

William Annoh - Master of Business Management (MBM)

I was particularly impressed with the way that the online programme was structured. My Student Advisor Rebekah was very helpful in advising me and guiding me through the process. All the faculty who taught the modules were very very helpful; they taught me so much. I've learnt a lot of things and I'm willing and ready to use them in my career path. I particularly loved the discussion forums. It was a platform for us to engage with each other, so it helped us as online participants to get to know each other and think about different things. It helped me open my mind to a lot of different ideas. Now that I've finished my degree, the first thing I plan to do is to better myself in my role at work. I just started a new role last month so I'm looking forward to using my experiences from here to grow that. On the side I do some consultancy as well, and I have helped manage a few...

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Erin Lovell - Essex Online MBA

You are smart, capable, and strong. Repeat that to yourself as many times as you need to per day until you believe it.  

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Things I love: writing, long-distance charity walks, my Jack Russell terrier Jada, virtually all animals, tea, travelling to places I don’t speak the language, and learning. Things I dislike: cooking, butterflies, the sound of forks on teeth and being late.  

Why did you decide to open a sports centre?

My business partner and I had been discussing it for a few years before it all started to come together. We recognized that Bermuda was missing a central, family-friendly, location for practitioners of different martial arts & boxing styles to train. Our goal was to open a purpose-built facility that would be high-quality, affordable, and inclusive. So far, so good!  

Have you always...

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Jamie Wakeman - BA (Hons) Business and Management

I started my studies in 2012 and all was going smoothly in my career and with my education until 2015, when I discovered that I had a tumour. This turned out to be non-cancerous, but it was very big and required a seven-hour operation to remove it. The surgeon (who was a big rugby fan) described it as being the size of a size three rugby balls! I recovered from the operation quickly and I was able to carry on with my studies. However, I soon began getting severe inflammation in all my joints. This progressively got worse over Christmas 2015 and into 2016 and I ended up needing three more operations in early 2016. Although this was supposed to help me, it actually made the problems with my joints accelerate and by April/May 2016 I was in incredible pain in more or less every joint of my body. I was eventually diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in the summer of 2016; this is a...

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