Business Development and Innovation

About this course

About

Business development and innovation in challenging times is key to business growth and economic recovery. The overall aim of the MSc Business Development and Innovation course, therefore, is to provide an academically challenging, intellectually stimulating programme of study that educates, develops and enhances your professional competence. In short, a course with a strong theoretical underpinning and relevant practical application.

Within this broad aim, the specific objectives of the course are to:

• Provide an advanced study of business and management with particular reference to business development and innovation;

• Prepare and/or develop you for a career in business development and innovation by facilitating the development of transferable skills at a professional level, or as preparation for research or further study in the area;

• Develop your ability to apply knowledge and critical understanding of business development and innovation to complex issues, to improve organisations and business practice;

• Enhance your lifelong learning skills and personal development in to help work under your own initiative and originality, and to contribute to business and society at large.

Our experiences with participants studying on this course is that the real value of the course is in its ability to empower students to take a high level view of how innovation (in whatever form) can facilitate and support business development and create value in their own particular context.

Students will study the following modules;

Strategy for Business Development

Strategy consists of the analysis and decisions an organisation undertakes in order to create and sustain competitive advantage. Understanding these interrelated processes is crucial for creating and developing organisations. This module explores these decisions areas from a range of contemporary perspectives and contexts.

Creativity and Innovation

This module introduces students to an exploration of creativity and innovation within the discipline of business and management. The changing understanding of creativity is explored as well as personal approaches to creative problem solving. The broad nature of Innovation is examined - especially in terms of organizational culture / climate and new business models. The role of innovation in gaining strategic advantage is introduced.

Innovation in Practice

The module covers Innovation in Practice through a Business Process Innovation from both theoretical and practical perspectives. It introduces students to the crucial value creating processes within organisations. Moreover, the nature of business models is examined and creative approaches to new business models explored. Business Process Innovation is evaluated in different organisational contexts - both large and small organisations as well as in different sectors of the economy.

Global Business

This module seeks to provide students with an appreciation of the processes of firm internationalisation and the key issues that affect marketing decisions in an international and global context. Firm level processes and activities are considered within the context of the global business environment. Students will be given the opportunity to assess opportunities for internationalisation and the barriers that must be addressed.

Competitiveness

This module has been developed in association with Harvard Business School and is closely based on the Harvard Business School "Microeconomics of Competitiveness" (MOC) adapted to include a regional focus. The module explores not only theory and policy, but also the organisational structures, institutional structures, and change processes required for sustained improvements in competitiveness from a range of perspectives on a regional, national and international basis.

Management Research

The module seeks to expose students of business development and innovation to the range of research methods, consultancy skills, and project management techniques available. Students will acquire appropriate knowledge and understanding of the various research and project management methodologies for the purposes of developing an applied management project proposal and project plan in preparation for undertaking a postgraduate management project.

Entrepreneurship

Building on extant knowledge of the entrepreneurial process this module examines key aspects of entrepreneurial business development in theory and practice. The module builds on the knowledge gained in the earlier modules.

Digitising Marketing

This module examines the digital marketing context. When the tools of marketing change, marketing strategies must change too. The focus of this module is on small firms as they attempt to navigate the digital transition from offline to online marketing.

Management Project

The Management Project enables students to develop research, consultancy and project management skills developed in the research and consultancy skills module. The research and consultancy skills module provides the learning and foundation students require in order to apply the practical and theoretical concepts encountered on the business development and innovation programme to a "live" management issue. In doing so they choose appropriate research methodologies, gather data and make conclusions and resource-based recommendations to the host organisation in a reliable and valid manner.

Attendance

One of the features of the PgDip/MSc in Business Development and Innovation is that each of the eight taught modules is delivered using Block Learning. This means each module is delivered over three full days, with a follow-up day, usually a week later. Classes do not follow the traditional weekly lecture/seminar format.

During the three days (plus the follow-up) you will experience a variety of teaching and learning methods including lectures, seminars, case studies and guest speakers. You would also be expected to complete your own, individual learning, outside the classes.

Start dates

• September 2023

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Each of the taught modules is delivered using the block intensive learning approach. Thus, each module is delivered over three full days with an additional follow-up day. Various learning approaches are adopted including lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials, while guest speakers and visiting professors are used to add their expertise and practical experience to the subject being studied.

Assessment plays a significant role in the totality of a student’s educational experience. For this reason, considerable effort has been devoted to ensuring that the assessment requirements built into each module are appropriate to the learning outcomes, qualities and abilities being assessed. The necessary skills and abilities are established and developed through the completion of a wide range of practical and applied exercises, work-based assignments, consultancy-type exercises and case studies that may require peer presentations.

Academic profile

The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 59% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.

Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (25%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (20%) or Lecturers (55%).

We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic staff (81%) are accredited fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advanced HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.

The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise.  The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff.  This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.

Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.

Figures correct for academic year 2021-2022.

Modules

Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.

Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.

Year one

Creativity

Year: 1

Status: C

The purpose of this module is to introduce creative management concepts and tools that can be used to address development challenges at individual, group or organisational levels. Such challenges are typically in the context of social, economic or sustainable development. Module content draws on approaches to challenge-based research undertaken by multidisciplinary teams at Ulster University and includes case material from international, practice-based networks.

Strategy for Business Development

Year: 1

Status: C

Strategy consists of the analysis and decisions an organisation undertakes in order to create and sustain competitive advantage. Understanding these interrelated processes is crucial for creating and developing organisations. This module explores these decisions areas from a range of contemporary perspectives and contexts.

Global Business

Year: 1

Status: C

This module seeks to provide students with an appreciation of the processes of firm internationalisation and the key issues that affect business and marketing decisions in an international and global context. Firm level processes and activities are considered within the context of the global business environment. Students will be given the opportunity to assess opportunities for internationalisation and the barriers that must be addressed.

Innovation in Practice

Year: 1

Status: C

The module covers Innovation in Practice from both theoretical and practical perspectives. It introduces students to the underlying processes of innovation within organisations or different types. Moreover, the nature of innovation-based business processes is examined and critiqued.

Year two

Competitiveness

Year: 2

Status: C

This module focuses on the wider topic of competitiveness and explores the determinants of national and regional competitiveness from both a "bottom-up", microeconomic perspective, and "top-down" macroeconomic approach. In particular, it probes the ultimate determinants of a nation's or region's productivity, rooted in economic policies, the endowments of a country, the strategies and operating practices of locally based firms, the vitality of clusters, and the quality of the business environment in which competition takes place.

Management Research Dissertation

Year: 2

Status: C

The module seeks to expose students of Business Development and Innovation to the range of research methods and project management techniques available. Students will acquire appropriate knowledge and understanding of the various research methodologies for the purposes of developing an applied management research proposal and project plan in preparation for undertaking systematic empirical studies at a postgraduate level, on a topic of strategic value to an organisation.

Strategic and Applied Digital Marketing

Year: 2

Status: C

This module examines applying strategy in the digital marketing context. When the tools of marketing change, marketing strategies and marketers themselves must evolve too. The focus of this module is therefore on supporting adaptive practice of current or potential future marketers through leveraging an applied project based learning approach toward developing strategic expertise in the digital transformation of the marketing function.

Entrepreneurship

Year: 2

Status: C

This module engages module participants in a programme in Entrepreneurial Learning and Practice that reflects the environment with which they live and work. It aims to build their awareness of "entrepreneurship" as a theoretical concept and a practical reality for those engaged in the launch and/or development of any enterprise. It provides a framework for engaging with and assessing the viability of an innovative project or new venture or the development of an existing one. It also provides programme participants with an opportunity, to audit their personal entrepreneurial potential.

Standard entry conditions

We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must hold a degree with at least 2:2 Honours standard or equivalent.

Exceptionally, applicants who do not possess academic qualifications at the appropriate level but have substantial relevant work experience may be considered for admittance in accordance with the Faculty’s Accreditation of Prior Learning policy.

English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.

Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

• English language requirements
• Your country

Careers & opportunities

Career options

The course provides the foundation for opportunities in a wide range of careers, across a number of business areas. These include, for example, business development, strategy, innovation, business analysis, research, and consultancy.

The course also helps develop competencies for career change/progression, while also providing the necessary tools to enable participants to set up their own business.

Apply

Start dates

• September 2023

Contact

For more information visit

• Visit Ulster University Business School
• Visit Department of Management, Leadership and Marketing

Disclaimer

Testimonials

Here's what some of the current and past students had to say about the course:

• "The course is challenging, but amazingly appropriate to anyone with drive, passion and looking to develop both business and personal skills"
• "I would not hesitate to recommend the program to anybody interested in challenging either themselves or the status quo - students fortunate enough to participate will benefit greatly from the experience"
• "Each module in the course had both strong theoretical and strong practical elements. As a manager this this meant for me that parts of the learning could be directly transferred into making improvements in my work area"
• "My reason for undertaking the course of study was to update my skills in the area of innovation and to be exposed to the latest thinking in how innovative companies grow and scale. The course exceeded my expectations in these two areas"