Put theory into practice in a hands-on capstone project
No business experience required
Expand your prospects with a diverse, business-oriented skill set
This online programme offers a choice of three start dates each year: September, January and May. The next available start date is January 2026.
Designed for ambitious graduates and working professionals, this online master’s programme will prepare you to tackle modern management challenges while developing the critical leadership skills you need to flourish in any industry.
The programme curriculum combines the study of contemporary theory across key functional areas with experience-driven learning, equipping you with the practical business and management skills you need to ascend in the workplace with confidence. You can expect to develop skills in areas such as:
You’ll also gain hands-on experience by completing a capstone project designed to develop strong consultancy, research and project management skills.
With live sessions, a diverse international cohort and an emphasis on real-world applications, this master’s degree in management and business will prepare you to lead in any field. No prior business experience is required – just the ambition to succeed at a globally recognised management school.
The online MSc in Management and Business is ideally suited to recent graduates and professionals who are currently in the workforce and looking to advance in their careers by developing in-demand management and business skills that can be applied in any industry.
The flexible nature of this programme makes it an ideal solution for professionals who work full time and are seeking an opportunity to upskill without compromising their professional commitments.
If you’re driven by ambition and a desire to ascend in your organisation by developing sophisticated leadership skills and business acumen, all while balancing your commitments on a flexible schedule, then this is the right programme for you.
No matter what path your career takes, the online MSc in Management and Business programme will prepare you to improve your management skills, understand how different elements of a business work together and learn to lead effectively. If you’re looking to boost your career prospects, this master's degree will help you build skills that are transferable across industries and can be leveraged across disciplines. Our MSc graduates secure careers in a diverse range of organisations, excelling in roles such as:
Some graduates have leveraged their business expertise to launch their own companies, while others have pursued academic careers in related fields. Recent employers of our master's graduates include:
A 2:2 Honours degree (UK or equivalent) in any subject with marks consistently at 2:2 level throughout undergraduate studies. Non-standard applicants (those holding professional qualifications or relevant work experience) may also be considered on a case-by-case basis. If your experience or background is non-standard, we may request an interview at our discretion before making a decision on your application.
We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.
We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.
If you are thinking of applying to Lancaster and you would like to ask us a question, complete our enquiry form and one of the team will get back to you.
We also have more details on our website about:
Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master's pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master's degrees. Visit INTO Lancaster University for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.
We continually review and enhance our curriculum to ensure we are delivering the best possible learning experience, and to make sure that the subject knowledge and transferable skills you develop will prepare you for your future. The University will make every reasonable effort to offer programmes and modules as advertised. In some cases, changes may be necessary and may result in new modules or some modules and combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.
Management and Business (Online) MSc is divided into five modules and a capstone project worth 30 credits each, amounting to a total of 180 credits. The programme is structured across the following modules:
The final module of the degree is the Capstone Project. You will undertake an independent research project using and building on the knowledge gained from the previous modules. Through the project, you analyse a managerial and/or business issue for your own organisation, utilising the learning you have gained during the programme to make recommendations for improvement. In the process, you will develop your analytical abilities and advance your managerial and business capabilities. You will produce a consulting report for your company and will also write a reflective paper summarising your learning from across the programme.
Managing people entails ensuring organisations allocate the right person to the right job at the right time for the right price. Theories of organisational behaviour examine what constitutes ‘right’ for individuals and how organisations can best align them. We explore this interdisciplinary field, which includes economics, accounting, strategy, sociology, and psychology, and navigate a line of best fit to manage what many believe to be an organisation’s greatest asset: its people.
This module will provide you with an understanding of the knowledge and general skills required to excel as a marketing professional in our interconnected business world. It explores integrated marketing communications, strategic branding, consumer behaviour and ethical considerations such as sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Within this framework, we will explore:
You will examine how the marketing function operates within organisations, learn tools and techniques to create compelling content, execute effective strategies, and examine the societal implications of marketing decisions. This holistic approach will prepare you to navigate the evolving landscape of modern marketing and make a positive impact on both businesses and the wider community.
This module is designed as an introductory course to the areas of accounting, financial reporting, and economic reasoning. You will learn the accounting cycle – from basic transactions to the preparation of financial statements, learning the language of accounting and accounting standards and understanding the importance of financial reporting and the role of financial statements in its process. This module explores key principles of modern economic theory and their practical applications. This includes analysing how firms operate in different market structures and how economic reasoning can inform business strategies and decision-making.
This module aims to introduce you to the discipline of operations management, focusing on how to apply and leverage information systems in the way we work. It will cover a range of approaches to planning, controlling, and improving operations, and you will develop an understanding of how operations management and the application of modern information technology, including AI, can contribute to business competitiveness.
This module explores innovation, entrepreneurship and strategy in different contexts, including appreciating the range of entrepreneurial, innovation and leadership skills needed in the transformation process.
We examine the role of the external environment in constraining, enabling and shaping entrepreneurial activities, and we introduce a range of strategy frameworks that enable you to rigorously analyse and evaluate the external environment. Additionally, we explore the important role of strategy, as being concerned with the direction and scope of the organisation over the long-term, in shaping the growth, success and/or failure of entrepreneurial ventures. As such, we explore a range of leadership and strategic concepts and frameworks that are central to the strategy-making processes that result in innovative business transformations.
| Fee per 30-credit module | £2,490 |
|---|---|
| Indicative total programme fee | £14,940 |
The tuition fee applies to both home and international students. The fees shown are reviewed annually and are subject to increases in future years.
Where local regulations require sales tax to be applied, it will be added to the tuition fee at the statutory rate and confirmed after application. There is no application fee for this programme. View further information about fees and funding for online students.
Lancaster University alumni are eligible for the Alumni Loyalty Scholarship, a 10% tuition fee discount that can be applied to the online MSc Management and Business programme.
The UK government offers a number of loans to UK and some EU national students wishing to study for a Master's degree.
Master's Loan
Lancaster is ranked 13th in the UK and joint 99th globally for Business and Management according to the QS World Rankings by Subject 2025, one of nine subjects at Lancaster to be featured in the top 100 in these prestigious listings.
QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025
The information on this site relates primarily to the stated entry year and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.
The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.
More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.
Read Lancaster University's terms and conditions for Lancaster University Online students.
