Business and Management MSc
2 Years | Distance Learning | Upcoming Intakes: January 2025, April 2025

In the modern world of business, diversity is key to success. That’s why our Business and Management MSc is open to people from all kinds of backgrounds. You don’t have to have any qualifications in business or any managerial experience to apply. Though, even if you do, by enrolling on the Masters you’ll explore business ideas and themes at a whole new level. The different backgrounds of our students and our staff are what make the programme engaging and reflective of the real-world environment.  

Our online business degree course is perfect for anyone looking to gain the strategic and practical skills and formal qualification needed to get ahead. Whether you are looking to make the switch from another career, move into senior management or start your own business, it will give you the opportunity to gain a Masters degree in business management at will boost your educational profile and ensure your CV stands out in the competitive job market. And, with the opportunity to tailor all your projects and assessments to your current role – or any future one you aspire to – you’ll be able to put your new learning into practice and make your mark even before graduation.    

By the time you finish the course, you’ll be equipped with a range of key employability skills, such as critical self-awareness, business analysis, change management and Masters-level research skills. You’ll also have the societal awareness, emotional intelligence and knowledge to transform organisations for the better – key traits that set great leaders apart. 

We welcome students from all backgrounds. However, we do offer a 20% discount to Northumbria alumni. See our funding page for full details.

At Northumbria and the Newcastle Business School, we’re proud to offer online business management courses that are every bit as engaging and fulfilling for students as our on-campus programmes. Through our bespoke systems, we’re able to deliver our Business and Management MSc to students who either can’t travel into the University in person or who are looking for the convenience of learning from home.  

Our flexible distance learning online MSc courses allow students to save extra living and travel expenses as all programme assets are online. Most importantly, whether you’re on campus or on the web, you’re always be a supported, full member of our student community.  

We’ve designed this Masters in Business Management in partnership with online experts to make sure you get the most flexible and engaging experience possible. We understand all our students are different and lead busy lives. That’s why our focus is on self-paced, interactive learning that will allow you the freedom to study whenever and wherever it suits you. The recommended study time for the course is 15 hours a week. 

You will access all your learning materials through our eLearning portal, Blackboard Ultra. You will study one module at a time, with each lasting 10 weeks (or 20 weeks for your final 40-credit Research Based Study). The form of your assessments will vary between modules – it could be an essay or a multiple-choice exam – but all of them will be submitted online. There will be no need to come to campus at any point during your course.  

Each of our online business degree modules has been carefully designed to ensure you gain the necessary knowledge about that topic in the most effective and engaging way. However, all of the modules will be split into multiple sessions and follow a three-stage structure: Learn, Explore and Apply. In each teaching week, you’ll have the chance to engage with interactive tools and media, ranging from text-based to video/audio (“Learn”), as well as complete online readings (“Explore”) in your own time. There will also be the chance to test yourself and receive formative feedback.  

You’ll join a supportive, lively online community. Throughout the course, you will participate in virtual discussion boards with your academics and fellow students, sharing your thoughts, knowledge and experience with them as you learn (“Apply”). In addition, you will be able to attend live webinars on key aspects of the module and its delivery/structure, such as assessments. These sessions will offer you the chance to engage with your tutors in real time and ask any questions you have about the course. If you are unable to attend these scheduled sessions, they will also be recorded so you can watch them at a time that works for you.    

As well as the support of your module tutors and fellow students, you’ll have access to our Student Success Team from day one through to graduation. Whether you need pastoral guidance, help with assessments or advice about fees, they will be with you at every step. Blackboard Ultra also offers 24/7 access to a range of advice and support services, such as Ask4Help, too.  

You will also be able to access over half a million books and e-books through our online University Library Services.

The worth of qualifications can depend upon the reputation of the institution that awards them. Our online Business and Management MSc comes from a renowned educational establishment, ranked in the world top 50 for sustainability (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2021).  

Newcastle Business School is one of Northumbria University’s 19 departments. You’ll learn from academics based at this truly international school, which has a reputation for delivering quality business management courses. In fact, we were the first business school in Europe to secure double accreditation in both Business and Accounting from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) – a mark of excellence which places us in an elite group of business schools worldwide.  

Our heritage, networks and resources mean we are equipped to help our students to become research-informed, cutting-edge business leaders of tomorrow. We have relationships with 16 professional business associations and institutions, including:  

• Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) 
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) 
• Association of International Accountants (AIA) 
• Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK) (CILT) 
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) 
• Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) 
• Chartered Institute of Professional Development (CIPD) 
• Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) 
• Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) 
• Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI) 
• Chartered Management Institute (CMI) 
• EFMD Programme Accreditation System  
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) 
• Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing (IDM) 
• Institute of Travel and Tourism (IIT)  

The academics teaching on this Business Management Masters course are not only actively engaged in research, but also experienced business practitioners. Their industry knowledge will help you to make sense of the international business and management theory explored throughout the course and apply it to real world contexts and situations. 

Get to know some of the tutors you may learn from below or explore the rest of the department here.

Research is the lifeblood of higher education institutions. As a university, Northumbria strives to be research-active and business-focused, which is reflected in this department. Newcastle Business School strives to produce forward-thinking business leaders with the expertise needed to create an inclusive and sustainable society. Our research will permeate every aspect of this online Business Management Masters, which will be centred around themes including: 

Responsible Business 

As one of our research signature areas, we are at the forefront of sustainable entrepreneurship, business and management. We are a signatory of the UN sponsored Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRiME), meaning we are committed to promoting these issues in our teaching, consulting and research. In modules such as Leadership for Responsible Change and Globalization, Innovation and Sustainability, you’ll explore the cultural and ethical contexts in which international businesses operate and come to understand the impact organisational decision making has on our wider society and environment.  

Digital Business 

Over the duration of your Business Management Masters, you’ll explore in-depth how rapid technological innovation is leading to unprecedented advancements for business, the economy and society. A designated module on Digital Entrepreneurship will ensure that you’re ahead of the game and ready to harness its potential.  

Decisions and Analytics 

We’re committed to helping you develop your strategic decision-making skills. Throughout the course, you’ll tackle areas such as Strategic Marketing and Business Analytics for Management – learning how analytical insight can help you build a sustainable competitive advantage, both for your business and within your own career.  

You’ll also get a chance to advance your own research capabilities through a dedicated Research Methods module and a final Research Based Study on a topic of your own choosing.  

Discover the more about Newcastle Business School’s Research Interest Groups here. 

As a professional, business-oriented university, Northumbria puts a lot of emphasis on the employability of our graduates, and our careers support extends to both on-campus and distance learning students enrolled in our online business degrees.  

Our Careers Service, Graduate Futures, provides a host of online services to help you approach opportunities and develop the skills needed to be competitive in today’s jobs market. This includes providing one-to-one advice to focus your career plans, practice interviews/assessments and more. Our Graduate and Student Enterprise service is also available to those looking to start their own venture. Supporting students and graduates to explore start-up ideas from concept to creation, this is one of the many reasons why Northumbria University has been in the top 3 universities in the UK for graduate start-ups based on estimated turnover for the past 5 years. (HEBCIS 2018/19).

In addition, all our Business and Management courses are designed to be career-boosting in the most practical sense. We have tailored our modules to develop your leadership competencies and your wider professional and personal skills, so you can become a more effective business practitioner. Even before graduation, you’ll be able to put your new skills and knowledge into practice and make a difference to your career. We will support you to apply the theories you learn to real world situations and tailor your projects and assessments, including your final Masters level thesis, to your current role. 

You'll graduate with the same Masters degree in Business Management certificate as you would if you had studied on campus. You'll also have the skills and formal qualification needed to take the next step in your career – whether that’s into senior management in your current organisation, a leadership role elsewhere or starting your own business. And with the average postgraduate annual salary rated at £42,000, investing in a Masters is definitely a worthwhile investment (Department for Education analysis of the Labour Force Survey, Graduate Labour Market Statistics 2019).