Why study business? | with the University of Essex Online
This week I'm joined by Luke Johnson, the programme coordinator for business at the University of Essex Online. We discuss the MSc Business with Finance, the Master of Business Management (MBM) and the MSc Business Management and Business Analytics. Tune in to hear all about the award-winning support provided, who would suit these courses and the career prospects for graduates
Participants
- Emily Slade - podcast producer and host, Prospects
- Luke Johnson - programme coordinator for business at the University of Essex Online
Transcript
Emily Slade: Hello and welcome back to Future You, the podcast brought to you by graduate careers experts, Prospects. I'm your host, Emily Slade. In this episode, we chat to Luke Johnson from the University of Essex Online about some of the business courses available.
Luke Johnson: Hi, my name's Luke Johnson and I am the programme coordinator for business at the University of Essex Online. I am an ex-student at the University of Essex Online. I've got a Masters in Project Management, so I can really empathise with any students thinking about studying with us. And yeah, I've been with the organisation now for over six years.
Emily Slade: Wow, amazing. So what business programmes are you here to talk about today?
Luke Johnson: So we've got quite a few programmes. So luckily I'm not here to talk about all of them because we'll be here all day. But I'm here to talk about the MBN, the Masters in Business and Management, the MSc Masters with Finance and the MSc Business and Management with Business Analytics. Perfect. I'll go into a bit more detail about each of those programmes now. So I'll start with the MBM, the Masters in Business and Management. Now, management for some people, for a lot of people might sound a little formal, maybe a touch dry, but this programme I'd like to think is anything but. It's packed with real world relevance, focuses on adaptability and is designed to prepare people to succeed in a fast-paced, ever-changing world of business, modern business. The programme is for anyone who sees leadership as part of their future, whether that's building a career, launching a startup business, or just wanting to stand out in their organisation that they're already working for. It's not about sitting back and memorising textbooks and theory. It's more about developing tools and your confidence and the different perspectives you need to make things happen in the business world. What makes this programme exciting is the balance between the big picture of business thinking and practical skills and getting that, like I say, those real world experiences. So you'll dive into strategy, entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing, and the all important world of supply chain and operations. But at the same time as doing that, you're developing that everyday capability of problem solving and communication, collaboration and decision making. It's very much the idea of learn it today, use it tomorrow. So even if you're studying a full Masters, which can take two, three, four years with us, you can still apply the learning whilst you're studying with us. And hopefully we will touch on how we help you with applying that learning with the different assessment methods later on. So by the end of that programme, you'll not only be more knowledgeable, you'll also be more confident in putting your ideas into action and inspiring others to do the same. So the MBM is a practical and dare I say it, a lot more fun than it sounds on paper. Then we've got the MSc Business Finance. It's more about sharpening one of the most important tools in the business toolkit really is about understanding how money drives business success. So this programme is designed for people who want to get more under the skin of how organisations work financially. Because I mean, let's be honest, really, no matter how inspiring your business strategy looks like, if the numbers don't add up, it won't get very far really, will it? So what I really like about this course is that it doesn't treat finance as something separate or intimidating than to what the business programme is. Instead, it kind of weaves those financial understandings right into the bigger picture, the management and the strategy. So you'll be exploring economics in the business content. You'll learn, in the business context, sorry, you'll learn how to create strategies that actually form smart financial decision making and see how finance connects with everything from leadership to marketing to HR. You'll cover financial reporting, project management, corporate responsibility, So like I was saying, it's not just about managing money, it's about making good, sustainable decisions as well. The real advantage I find with this programme is you'll come out, what I like to say, speaking 2 languages, the language of leadership and the language of finance. That combination of having the ability to do that can be incredibly valuable for someone's future who does this, because you're not just part of kind of the boardroom conversation, you're helping to lead it as well. And then the last programme that I'm here to talk about today is the MSc Business and Management with Business Analytics, which really feels like the future. We're living in a world today with overflowing amounts of data. And the big question is, how do you make sense of it all? This programme is designed to put you right in the forefront of that challenge. It's not just about being a data scientist hidden behind a computer. It's not just about management in the old-fashioned sense either. It's about bringing those two worlds together, very similar to what was talking about in the finance programme. Taking the principles of analytics and applying them to real-world business problems. You'll learn, of course, how to collect, analyse, visualise data, but more importantly, how to use those insights to make smarter strategy decisions. The modules take you from statistics for business through to data management, modelling and data visualisation to applying analytically directional approach to managerial context. So like I was saying about the other programmes, it's about developing the confidence to not only kind of crunch the numbers, but how to communicate what those numbers mean. We really do place a big importance on that because being that person, like I was saying in the boardroom, in this scenario, we don't always want someone to give someone the data to say, here's the data, here's the information. We want someone to be able to collect that data, understand it, and decide how to act on it. That's the real game changer. So whether you'll be drawn to the MBM for its broad dynamic approach to management, the MSc in business and finance for its more deep dive into financial decision making or the business analytics programme for its more cutting-edge data-driven focus, each programme gives you the knowledge and the practical skills to thrive in a real world where business never stands still.
Emily Slade: Yeah, incredible. So how will the students study online?
Luke Johnson: Well, first of all, it's important to say that when you study online with us, you'll gain a recognised qualification from the University of Essex, which we are proud to say it's ranked in the top 40 of UK universities. That's a qualification with real value on recognition. So it's something we're especially proud of. Something else we're proud of is that the classroom experience we're created. So all of the modules are taught by experienced academics and practitioners, which means you don't just get the theory, like I was saying, you get that vital real-world perspective as well. Because our programmes are built with employability in mind, you will be developing skills that prepare you for careers, not only in your chosen field, but also in related sectors as well. Plus, there's flexibility in many of our programmes. You'll have the chance to tailor your studies with optional modules to match specific interests to your needs. At the University of Essex Online, everything is delivered through our interactive learning platform, which is available globally 24/7. So whether you're an early riser or a night owl like me, or fitting study around your work or family life, the course really does adapt to your needs. Support is also really at the heart of what we do. Tutors respond to emails within 24 hours during the week and 48 hours at weekends. So if you hit a challenge while you're studying, you won't just be stuck waiting for help. You'll also have the chance to book one-to-one meetings with your tutors regularly, in addition to the live seminars and Q&A sessions that are built into each module. And like I've said, it is one of our best USPs is our programmes are 100% online and part-time, meaning that you'll never be required to set foot on campus. As saying that though, we would love to see some of you if you were successful enough to graduate. We have a fantastic celebration down on campus for the graduation day. So it's great to meet, put a lot of names and pictures to faces and meet your cohorts. It's a fantastic day.
Emily Slade: Yeah, brilliant. So, let's talk now about the learning, teaching and assessment methods.
Luke Johnson: Yes, so our programmes are designed to give students, like I say, I keep saying this, but it is really important to not only give students the knowledge, but the confidence on how to apply that knowledge in a real world context. So learning takes place through a blend of pre-recorded lectures, we call them lecture casts, and they're kind of bite-sized learning resources, which we have our own learning technologists, we call them, that help develop them with the subject matter experts. We have those, we have our live seminars, we've got our Q&A sessions, along with all the additional resources and readings, alongside independent study, depending on the assignment or group work tasks. It's a real mix. which means students can engage on kind of key theories while also developing the ability to question, analyse and apply learning critically. When it comes to assessment, we use, we kind of deliberately use a diverse range of methods to enhance our learning experiences. So you'll see the traditional academic pieces such as reports and essays in some of our modules, These, of course, are needed because it allows our students to demonstrate their research skills, structure arguments effectively, and show kind of in-depth understanding of certain areas. But that's kind of just one piece of the assessment puzzle. We've got discussion forums, which bring a more interactive element and community element to each cohort. It encourages kind of critical thinking and giving you the chance to hear different perspectives from different walks of life. We've got reflective journals which help students kind of take a step back and chart their personal, professional and kind of academic growth over time while they're studying with us. We've got group and poster presentations and a lot of group work which give students the space to develop those essential team working and communication skills that they're just so essential in the business world. As well as that, we'll do a lot of peer reviews, which provides the opportunity for the cohort to provide feedback and to their peers. Again, that kind of mirrors the real world process that we have in the business world. And then, of course, we've got a lot of case study analysis, a lot of real world examples, which kind of bring everything together, letting our students apply theory directly to real world challenges. By combining all those different assessment methods, It kind of helps us measure where each student is overall. It helps us build their confidence and their professional skills, what they'll really need to thrive in a future career. Just before your next question, Emily, have you come across things like reflected journals or group projects in your own studies or in previous podcasts?
Emily Slade: Yeah, no, you really took me by surprise when you said that. Do you want to talk about it a bit more? Because yeah, I've personally, in my personal life, understand the concept of reflective journalism, but not through an assessment method or a teaching or learning method.
Luke Johnson: Yeah, well, we'd like to combine the two, really. We do like to combine the two a lot. So if you do come on one of our programmes and you continue to be successful, you'll see the two combined a lot because reflection and group work, we find it really important because it goes beyond just the learning theory. Reflection kind of helps you understand your own strengths, areas where to improve, how you're developing personally and professionally. And then group work on the other hand, kind of helps you build that teamwork, that communication, that problem solving skills kind of live and you're actively doing that. They're all things that we find employers are looking for in the real world. So whether there's a business department within the University of Essex, We have regular, we call them an employer advisory boards, basically meetings where we're meeting with heads of industry, kind of asking them, what are you looking for from our graduates? What are the things you need? And these are all things that they're asking for. They're asking for the ability to understand their own strengths and where to improve and how to build up team working and communication skills. So together those two things, those two assessment methods combined together really help turn the knowledge that they receive throughout a module, throughout a unit into practical skills that they can use for their career.
Emily Slade: Yeah, completely. It sounds brilliant and leans into, as you mentioned before, the aspect of community where if you're working part-time, online, distant learning, to have group work in that sense as a place to meet and talk to people is also really helpful.
Luke Johnson: Exactly. Yeah, that's exactly right. It can be, it can be seen, you know, as quite a lonely experience studying online, especially if you're, you know, if you're in another country and just doing a UK institution and things like that. So having that kind of that group work, it's a great, it's a great way to network. It's a great way to kind of almost have that on campus experience without having it at the same time.
Emily Slade: Yeah, definitely. That leans nicely into what career paths are waiting for these students.
Luke Johnson: So on the Masters in Business Management, the MBM, graduates can, they'll have broad leadership and management skills. So career paths are extremely versatile. typical roles have included business and business managers, operations managers, project or programme managers. We've got a few entrepreneurs and startup founders and businesses, management consultants, business analysts, strategic planners. So there's a real range there. It'll equip students to work across a range of different sectors and provides a real strong foundation in senior management positions. So even if you're in an organisation and you're looking to progress, a programme like this is perfect for you to build up your arsenal, so to speak, to build up those tools to progress further within that organisation. With the business with finance programme, like I said, you're combining that management knowledge with the financial expertise. So our graduates have gone on to be financial analysts. We've got corporate finance managers, investment analysts, management consultants, again, with more kind of a finance focus, business development roles within financial oversight. So it's ideal, this programme, for anyone looking to bridge the gap between management and finance or pursue leadership roles in the financial sector. So if they're already working in finance, this will help them kind of build that further as they progress. Then we've got the business and management business analytics. So graduates from this programme are trained to use data to inform decisions, as I was saying. So making them highly sought after in today's data-driven business world. You know, we've got business analysts, data analysts, data-driven strategy consultants, supply chain analysts, marketing analysts, you know, it's people. When you, where I was, when you go on to a jobs website nowadays, it's all those titles that you're looking for. The people that will complete this programme are absolutely perfect for all those roles. So yeah, it's suited for careers where turning data into kind of actionable insight is centered to the success. Yeah, so like I say, it can be very varied and our alumni students have gone on most of them just to progress further in their toes and career or organisation that they're in?
Emily Slade: Fantastic. That's brilliant. So when we talk about these individuals, who are we looking for? Who would suit and go on to these courses?
Luke Johnson: I mean, to take to take on a Masters degree, it's a, you know, it's extremely exciting, but we need people who are ambitious. curious and ready to take the next step in their career. That's who we're looking for. You don't really need to have decades of experience, but you should have a real interest in leadership and business and the areas which your programme kind of focuses on. That doesn't just go for the three programmes I'm talking, that goes for most of the programmes that we offer at the University of Essex Online. We love students who are motivated, open to new ideas and willing to challenge themselves, like to collaborate with others and apply the learning to real world contexts. You can kind of see the programmes we've developed are all revolving around those ideals. Essentially, we're looking for people who want to grow, both professionally and personally, and make the most of the opportunities these kind of programmes offer to them. I should also mention that We have around a 50/50 split of international students and UK students at the University of Essex Online, so we have an extremely diverse cohort. And because we're 100% online, it really doesn't matter where in the world you are as long as you have access to the internet. Many of our students are already in work undertaking our programmes to kind of progress further in their career. It's a great opportunity as well to come and network with your tutors, with your peers, So I really do recommend it if you're just looking to progress further in your career. Another question, sorry Emma, I've got for you is, with any of your kind of previous guests, again, did you talk to about kind of your personal learning experiences? So finding that, finding that right study, work and life balance can be really tricky. Okay, so have you come across any strategies or examples that really help students manage the those three effectively.
Emily Slade: Yeah, it's a good question. We've briefly touched on it before in previous episodes, but not in any great detail, more so that universities will offer help, advice and support for both mentally and physically that's available to students if they're struggling, but no actionable sort of advice. So did you have any?
Luke Johnson: Yeah, it's just so it's so important when you're kind of thinking about undertaking something like this, kind of any online programme really, or even a programme, in not your later years, but if you're working, finding that right study/work/life balance will be the key of how much you enjoy the programme and how much you enjoy the undertaking of it, especially when it's online learning as well. So the great thing about our programmes is its flexibility. So like I said, everything is 100% online and part time. So you can find ways to fit things around your work and your personal commitments as long as we say around 15, I would say 10 to 15 hours a week. it would be on the higher side of things when you first start because you're just kind of finding your feet, learning how to be, how to work in an academic way again, it can take a little bit longer. So we've just, again, I mean, we've got a lot of resources for our students. So we've got our tutors with the quick response times, like I said, the one-to-one sessions. We've got a dedicated student study skills team that can help develop personal timetables for students that kind of helps them look through everything that they've got going on in their lives to fit in their studies and their time effect and let to stay on track with their learnings and still have space for work, family and personal life. So yeah, before you start any kind of programme, anyone who's listening to this, I would just really consider how you're going to do that. Find a way to do it in your timetable and really focus on sticking to it. Because by doing that, you will enjoy and you will get so much more out of your learning journey. You would if you didn't, if you just came in kind of unknowingly what to expect. If you had that plan in place from the start, it would really benefit your learning.
Emily Slade: Yeah, absolutely. It's about being structured and organised, isn't it? And almost calendar blocking your timetable to within an inch of its life.
Luke Johnson: Yeah. Like I said, like I've studied online as well and it is a constant battle. Things come up in life and things change. You know, you can have children or you can get married or you can find work elsewhere. I mean, the good thing is with our programmes, you can take breaks. That's what I did, you know. So if you know you've got something big personally going on or work commitments around a certain a period of time every year is, a lot more intense. You can book that out. You can speak to the student support team and say, right, okay, I know between such and such month and this month, I can't study. So they can say, it does mean that your studies will last a little bit longer. But for me, it means you'll enjoy your studies a lot more and get more from it.
Emily Slade: Yeah, definitely. Brilliant. So do you offer any shorter programmes?
Luke Johnson: Yes, so we offer over 15 short programmes now. It is constantly changing, but they're part-time online courses again, each typically lasting around 13 weeks. I won't go through them all, but they cover a range of focused topics like leadership, marketing, data management, supply chain management, financial decision making. So these courses are a great way to boost your CV quickly. Again, Gain a CPD-accredited qualification as well, which is great, and even progress on to the PG cert, the PG dip or the full Masters degree later on. I would suggest if you're kind of umming and ahring about whether to to undertake a full Masters or you just want to kind of build your confidence up before you're doing that, taking one of these short courses is a really good first step. Or if you're kind of happy with the qualifications you've already got and you want to kind of understand the data world a little bit more or the finance world, just to kind of have that string to your bow, that they're perfect for those kind of individuals. If any of that sounds interesting to you at all or any of the programmes, I'd encourage just getting in touch with a member of our admissions team. They can kind of answer any questions that you've got and guide you through the options that you have and hopefully guide you to your next learning and career journey.
Emily Slade: Yeah, fantastic. That's all brilliant. Thank you so much for your time today.
Luke Johnson: Thank you very much, Emily.
Emily Slade: Thanks again to Luke for their time. For more information on the course, check out the show notes below. If you enjoyed the episode, do feel free to leave us a review on Apple or Spotify. Thank you as always for listening and good luck on your journey to future you.
Notes on transcript
This transcript was produced using a combination of automated software and human transcribers and may contain errors. The audio version is definitive and should be checked before quoting.
Find out more
- Discover the MSc Business with Finance at Essex Online.
- Explore the Master of Business Management at Essex Online.
- Consider the MSc Business Management and Business Analytics at Essex Online.
- Introducing business Masters courses.
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