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Business at UEA
Find out more about studying Business at UEA, and browse our other courses.
Find out moreMSc Business Management with a Placement Year
Key details
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Science
- Course Length
- 2 years
- Course Start Date
- January 2027
Course options
Other Start Dates
Gain a competitive edge with a placement year
This course is also available with an integrated placement year, giving you the opportunity to gain valuable UK industry experience alongside your master's degree
Other Start Dates
Top 20
UEA is ranked top 20 in the UK for Research Quality
UEA is ranked top 20 in the UK for Research QualityCourse Overview
Why MSc Business Management with a Placement Year at UEA?
Develop the judgement, adaptability, and strategic thinking needed to succeed in an economy shaped by AI and digital transformation. Build a broad management foundation that gives you the confidence to lead through change and uncertainty.
Why Choose UEA
- AI-ready leadership: Understand how emerging technologies are transforming business, leadership, and competitive advantage
- Integrated thinking: Learn to connect people, markets, finance, and innovation across rapidly changing environments
- Applied confidence: Graduate able to analyse disruption, not fear it, and make informed business decisions
What is MSc Business Management?
This is a rigorous generalist Master’s for a business landscape reshaped by automation, data, and global complexity. You’ll develop a deep understanding of organisations before analysing how they adapt under technological pressure.
In year one, across three semesters, you’ll move from core management foundations to integrative, future-facing thinking. You’ll examine entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and responsible management in contemporary contexts. Your second year is dedicated to a placement, giving you the opportunity to gain valuable industry experience.
The programme doesn’t offer simplistic answers about AI or disruption. It equips you with analytical judgement to evaluate risk, identify opportunity, and lead through uncertainty. You’ll also build valuable practical experience, enhancing your career prospects.
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Placement Year
This course includes an integrated placement year, allowing you to develop your professional skills and gain valuable UK industry experience alongside your studies.
During your first year, you’ll focus on your academic learning while taking part in an employability programme designed to help you prepare for the workplace. Through practical activities, career development support and guidance, you’ll build the skills and confidence needed to pursue placement opportunities.
In your second year, you’ll have the opportunity to complete an industry placement or work on three employer-led industry projects with different UK organisations. This experience allows you to apply your knowledge in a professional setting, develop your understanding of your chosen sector, strengthen your CV and expand your professional network.
You’ll take an active role in finding your placement, with support from employability workshops, one-to-one coaching and our specialist placement partner. If you’re unable to secure a placement, the industry projects provide an alternative opportunity to gain hands-on experience and work with organisations across a range of UK sectors.
Find out more about our Postgraduate Placement Year(opens in a new window) and the opportunities it can offer.
Careers
Career Pathways
With an MSc Business Management degree, you could launch a career as a:
- Management Consultant: Diagnose problems, improve performance, and support change across teams, processes, and strategy
- Project Manager: Plan and deliver projects, align stakeholders, manage risk, and keep outcomes on track
- Business Analyst: Turn data into insight, map processes, and support better decisions across functions
- Business Development Manager: Identify growth opportunities, build partnerships, and improve commercial performance
- Graduate Management Trainee: Rotate across functions, build leadership skills, and progress into management roles
Career Support
Throughout the course, you’ll develop the skills and confidence employers value most, including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and strategic thinking. Through presentations, applied projects, and business analysis, you’ll gain practical experience you can draw on in applications, interviews, and the workplace. You’ll learn how to identify your strengths, communicate your achievements with confidence, and build a compelling professional profile. Career Central(opens in a new window) will support you with CVs, applications, interviews, networking, and employer events, helping you stand out in a competitive graduate job market. By graduation, you’ll have a strong portfolio of experiences and examples that demonstrate your readiness for leadership and management roles.
After the Course
You’ll graduate with a broad management toolkit and the confidence to work across business functions. You’ll understand how organisations make decisions, manage people, and create value. You’ll be ready for roles in business, public services, charities, and start-ups. You’ll also be well-prepared for further study, including research-focused routes.
Study and Modules
Structure
Our two-year MSc Business and Management is a flexible generalist course, designed for those looking to develop a broad understanding of business while gaining the skills and experience needed for a successful career.
Created to support your ambitions in understanding ‘business and management’ principles and practice. This course will increase your knowledge no matter what your background or experience and aid you in developing a successful career in the business area of your choice.
This two-year full-time course provides a comprehensive introduction to the key areas of business, including people, markets and money. You’ll develop a broad understanding of how organisations operate while building the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in today’s global business environment.
As you progress through the course, you’ll explore the wider forces shaping modern business, including the impact of digital technologies, the opportunities created by global markets and the entrepreneurial skills needed to develop new ventures and drive innovation.
You’ll also focus on developing your professional and commercial capabilities, with opportunities to explore leadership approaches and discover the style that best reflects your own strengths and ambitions. Through an emphasis on brands, strategy and creativity, you’ll gain insight into how successful businesses are built and how high-performing teams are developed.
You’ll examine how AI and digital tools are transforming strategy, the workplace and business decision-making, preparing you to respond to the challenges and opportunities of an evolving global business environment.
In preparation for year two, you'll take part in a year-long Employability Skills module designed to help you find, secure, and succeed in your placement. You’ll benefit from workshops on CV writing, interview practice, and use of LinkedIn. You’ll also have one-to-one meetings to plan your application strategy and practise mock interviews.
Sessions are delivered through a blend of online and in-person learning. The module is assessed on a pass/fail basis, and successful completion, including meeting the attendance requirements, is required to progress to your placement year.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 20)Optional B Modules
(Credits: 60)Optional C Modules
(Credits: 20)Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Structure
In your second year, you'll complete a placement related to your chosen field, gaining valuable professional experience.
During the first semester, you'll focus on securing your placement with dedicated support, one-to-one guidance, and in-person workshops. If a placement isn't available, you'll complete three employer-led industry projects with organisations across a range of UK sectors.
At the end of the module, you'll submit a portfolio of your placement search and a short reflective report on your placement or industry projects. Both are assessed on a pass/fail basis.
By the end of the year, you'll have real-world experience, a stronger CV, valuable industry connections, and the confidence to take the next step in your career.
Compulsory Modules
Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning, and Assessment
Teaching and Learning
You’ll learn through interactive sessions, applied tasks, group work, and structured independent study. Teaching is supportive and practical, helping you turn ideas into decisions and communicate them clearly. You’ll receive guidance on academic skills, professional writing, and presenting to business audiences. Digital tools and real examples are used to keep learning relevant and career focused.
In the early stage of your studies, teaching focuses on building strong foundations and confidence in key business areas. Later, you’ll take on more complex tasks that require stronger judgement, synthesis, and independent thinking.
Assessment
Assessment is designed to measure your ability to apply ideas to real business questions. You’ll be assessed through a mix of coursework, applied analysis, presentations, and research-based work. You’ll receive feedback that helps you improve your thinking, communication and professional standards. Assessment methods also help you build evidence for CVs and interviews.
Early assessments focus on building core skills, clear writing and confident analysis. Later assessments emphasise integration, independence and your ability to justify recommendations.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
Degree classification
Bachelors degree - 2.2
Degree Subject
Any subject area.
Please note that if you have studied business before at undergraduate or postgraduate level, there may be some overlap. Therefore we recommend you check the modules carefully to make sure that this course is right for you.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
Degree classification
UK Bachelors degree - 2.2
Degree Subject
Any subject area.
Please note that if you have studied business before at undergraduate or postgraduate level, there may be some overlap. Therefore we recommend you check the modules carefully to make sure that this course is right for you.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
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IELTS: 6.0 overall (minimum 5.5 in each component).
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies(opens in a new window) for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not meet the English language requirements for this course, our UEA International Study Centre(opens in a new window) offers a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the required English skills.
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- UEA International Study Centre
If you do not meet the academic requirements for this course, you may be able to study the International Pre-Masters programme offered by our partner UEA International Study Centre. This programme guarantees progression to selected Master's degrees if students achieve the appropriate grade. For more details, please click here:
International Pre-Masters in Business, Economics and Social Sciences (opens in a new window)
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
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Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2026/27 are:
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UK Students: £14,500
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International Students: £25,700
We estimate living expenses at £1,171 per month.
If you choose to take this course with a placement year, your tuition fees for the first year will be as shown above. An additional fee of £3,500 will apply for the placement year (see our FAQs page for further details).
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here(opens in a new window).
Course Related Costs
Please see additional course fees(opens in a new window) for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
To apply please use our online application form(opens in a new window).
Further information
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying, please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk(opens in a new window)
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students(opens in a new window) section of our website.