Business and Management MA

1 Year On Campus Masters Program

Bath Spa University

Program Overview

The MA Business and Management at Bath Spa University gives you a one-year, full-time master’s that blends modern business theory with practical, real-world learning. It’s a great fit if you’re switching into business, building on a non-business background, or simply aiming to strengthen your leadership and strategic thinking for career growth.

Curriculum structure

First Trimester
You begin with a strong foundation across the most important areas of business. You’ll explore Marketing Management, Financial and Management Accounting, Managing People, and International Business Management, giving you a confident understanding of how organisations operate, make decisions, and compete globally.

Second Trimester
Your studies then move into the bigger questions that shape today’s business world. Through modules such as Governance, Ethics and Risk Management, Sustainability, and Strategic Operations Management, you’ll learn how to analyse complex issues, manage risk, and balance commercial goals with ethical and sustainable practices.

Final Trimester
Everything comes together in your Research Project. This is your chance to dive into a real business challenge — whether that’s exploring a trend, solving a problem for an organisation, or shaping a strategic idea. It’s hands-on, practical, and a valuable bridge into your future career.

Focus areas (in a string):
“Marketing Management; Financial & Management Accounting; Human Resource & People Management; International Business; Strategic Operations; Governance, Ethics and Sustainability; Research & Consultancy Project”

Learning outcomes (in a string):
“You’ll develop into a globally aware, ethically responsible business professional with strong strategic thinking, decision-making, leadership, financial and marketing skills, and the ability to deliver practical business solutions.”

Professional alignment (accreditation):
The degree is designed to support a wide range of professional paths — from general management and marketing to HR, accounting, international business, or even starting your own venture. The focus on real business issues and the final consultancy-style project gives you experience that employers genuinely value.

Reputation (employability rankings):
Bath Spa builds this programme around what modern employers expect — practical skills, ethical awareness, strategic thinking, and real-world business practice — helping graduates feel workplace-ready from day one.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Experiential learning is a big part of the MA Business and Management at Bath Spa, and it’s designed to help you actually practice business, not just study it. You’ll work on real business-style tasks, collaborate in teams, explore live problems, and use professional digital tools that make your learning feel connected to the real world. Plus, you’ll have access to strong university facilities — from digital suites to the library and specialist employability support — so you’re never learning in isolation.

Here’s how that hands-on experience really comes to life:

You take part in work-based, simulated business scenarios, where your assessments mirror tasks you’d tackle in a real company — things like reports, proposals, strategic analyses, and problem-solving exercises.
You can choose a full Consultancy Project instead of a dissertation, working directly with an existing business or start-up to research a real issue and provide practical recommendations.
Teaching includes workshops, seminars, teamwork, online activities, and research projects, giving you continual opportunities to apply ideas rather than just discuss them.
Because Bath Spa is one of only three UK universities designated as an Adobe Creative Campus, you get full access to Adobe Creative Cloud — perfect for creating professional presentations, marketing materials, and business reports.
You’ll make use of the library’s business databases, journals, and e-resources, which support everything from market research to your final project.
The Careers and Employability team works with you throughout the course, offering guidance, placement-focused workshops, and support to help you gain work experience or internships alongside your studies.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates from the MA Business and Management at Bath Spa step into careers where they can lead teams, manage projects, and shape strategy in real organisations. Many move into roles such as business analyst, management consultant, project or operations manager, marketing or business development manager, or progress into leadership positions within growing companies. Because the course blends practical learning with strong academic grounding, you’ll graduate feeling prepared, confident, and genuinely work-ready.

Here’s how Bath Spa supports your future success:

You’ll have full access to Bath Spa’s Careers and Employability team, who offer tailored career guidance, CV and interview support, employer events, and help you connect your coursework to real job opportunities.
Your final Consultancy Project or Research Project acts as a bridge to industry, letting you work with real businesses or tackle real business problems — experience you can directly showcase to employers.
The programme’s broad management foundation gives you long-term value: it’s designed to open doors across management, marketing, operations, HR, entrepreneurship, sustainability, international business, and more.
Bath Spa highlights that this course equips you with both strategic and practical business skills, developing graduates who can step into a wide range of roles with confidence and adaptability.

Further Academic Progression:
If you decide to continue your academic journey after this MA, you’ll be well-equipped for further postgraduate study – whether that’s pursuing an MBA, advancing into a specialist business qualification, or exploring research-based options such as an MPhil or PhD. Your final Research or Consultancy Project provides a strong foundation for any future academic or professional specialisation.