Master of Science in Professional Practice (Specialism)

at University of Bolton United Kingdom

If you’re looking to become a solicitor or barrister, you’ll need a recognised law qualification. The full-time LLM in Law offered by the University of Bolton’s School of Law is suitable for law graduates, non-law graduates, and practicing lawyers.

Our challenging but supportive environment gives you the chance to acquire postgraduate legal skills from a team of tutors with specialist knowledge and close links to the legal profession.

You’ll have the opportunity to explore the law’s key themes and focus your studies on areas of personal and professional interest, ranging from corporate and finance law through to employment law, intellectual property law, European law, international law, and medical law.

The programme is designed to provide intellectually-stimulated course content underpinned by internationally recognised research. By the end of the course, you will have had the opportunity to develop key transferable skills that are in demand in both legal and non-legal careers worldwide.

Highlights

• This professionally-focused programme is designed to provide advanced knowledge and skills directly relevant to international and corporate law sectors.
• You’ll benefit from the opportunity to critically analyse and understand the complexities arising in your chosen specialist field.
• You’ll have the chance to develop originality in the application of your knowledge, along with a practical understanding of how established research and enquiry techniques can be used to best effect.
• Students are given the chance to develop strength in data collection, critical data analysis, creative thinking, formulating, and solving complex legal problems.
• By developing your interpersonal skills to interact effectively with a range of specialists, you could also enhance your professional prospects.

Key Features

• Establish your knowledge and understanding of the doctrines and principles which underpin the law of England and Wales.
• Learn about the sources of the law, how it is made and developed, the institutions that administer it, and the personnel who practice it.
• Enjoy the opportunity to explore a wide range of legal concepts, values, principles and rules of English law.
• Benefit from the chance to learn how to explain the relationship between legal concepts, values, principles and rules in several areas.
• Practice your skills in the university’s dedicated new court room, a cutting-edge learning environment – and an excellent venue for guest speakers.

If you’re looking for a postgraduate course that exactly matches your strengths and ambitions then your search is over. The University of Bolton's MA/MSc Professional Practice (Specialism) allows you to design your own master’s degree. We’ll help you personalise your postgraduate education by combining the disciplines that matter for your future. This bespoke course will support you to gain a combination of academic, analytical, and employment-focused skills that will prepare you for a career in your chosen professional area, as well as provide a sound basis for doctoral-level study.

Supporting your choices
Working with our expert tutors, you can choose two modules from across the whole spectrum of master’s level modules available at the University of Bolton. You’ll also be supported to devise a master’s-level dissertation or major project that develops your research and critical thinking skills and allows you to demonstrate your expertise. We’ll counsel you as you make these choices to ensure you create a coherent programme of study – one that is achievable and that will support you to develop the skills and knowledge you seek. We offer a wide range of subjects and you can choose modules from a single area or from two different disciplines, depending on your interests, prior qualifications and experience.

Capture essential employability, transferable and business skills
Alongside your subject-specific studies, you’ll have the opportunity to build the essential employability, transferable and business skills you need to compete with confidence for your dream job or build your own successful business from the ground up. You’ll focus on developing the skills that are most valuable to you as an individual, as shaped by your prior learning and future plans. We’ll guide you to explore areas such as influence and impact, self-management, creativity and innovation, and professional identity, bringing in business and psychological concepts to enhance your development as a professional.

Focusing on your future
We want to help you gain the skills and self-belief to showcase your worth in your chosen field. We’ll guide you to explore and understand the postgraduate labour market in the sector you wish to join, preparing you to apply your new knowledge, attributes and experiences so that you can satisfy and impress your stakeholders (such as employers, clients, commissioners and funding bodies). We’ll help you learn about the recruitment methods used by different types of organisations in your field, explore your personal brand and self-positioning, and prepare for recruitment and selection or self-employment. In addition, we’ll support you to develop skills in commercial ability and acumen, networking and professional relationship management, as well as strategies for career maintenance and growth.

Tried and tested research-informed coaching
Throughout the programme, we’ll use tried and tested, research-informed coaching and training methods to support your development. These will range from postgraduate-level skills in research, critique, problem-solving, professional presentation and synthesis to interpersonal and business-relevant skills such as innovative thinking, team working and project management, the effective use of technology, public speaking and professionalism. All this knowledge will be tailored to your chosen employment context to help you achieve your vision for your future.

An ideal course for graduates and professionals in a wide range of areas
This course should appeal to (but isn’t limited to) graduates and professionals in areas such as art and design, accountancy, science, engineering, business management, film FX, performing arts, community development and youth, computing, games, construction, law, crime and criminal justice, early years, education, English and creative writing, mathematics, nursing and the caring professions, media, psychology, the humanities and sport.

Would you prefer to complete your course over a longer time? We also offer this course with a duration of 18 months full-time or 24 months part-time. For full-time study, please visit our MA/MSc Professional Practice (Specialism): Extended course search web page for details and to apply. Alternatively, for part-time study, please visit our MA/MSc Professional Practice (Specialism) course search web page.

Highlights

• Dr Selva Pankaj, the author of ‘Thinking into Character – A Proven Methodology for the Creation of Success & Self-Fulfilment’, is a valued partner of the University whose work will support you in the development of business and career planning, confidence and knowledge.
• This course allows you to focus on one subject or to combine two areas of interest to follow an interdisciplinary route. When you successfully complete the master's, your degree title will be chosen to reflect the focus of your studies.
• Our highly qualified and professionally experienced staff have strong links with many economic sectors, offering opportunities for industry masterclasses and lectures, joint projects, and networking.
• The University of Bolton offers a host of world-class facilities across our campus and faculties. Depending on your choice of modules, you'll be able to make use of our specialist facilities to support your studies.
• This MA/MSc is part of the University of Bolton’s ‘Career Development Masters’ suite, which offers shared modules designed to give you a wider business perspective, including tax self-assessment, invoicing, intellectual property and risk assessments, as well as knowing how to start a business and to take advantage of opportunities for enterprise development.

Key Features

• Teaching and supervision are delivered by dedicated staff chosen for their expertise and experience in fields relevant to your areas of study and professional development needs.
• We offer an engaging programme of visiting speakers and practitioners that gives you opportunities to network with and learn from industry professionals.
• We'll offer you opportunities for interdisciplinary work and collaboration.
• Your studies will culminate in your Professional Dissertation, an independent and substantial piece of research that will further your knowledge and practice. This will demonstrate your mastery of an aspect of your field, showcasing your expert knowledge to employers as well as forming an ideal preparation for doctoral-level studies should you to wish to pursue a PhD.
• Your final master’s degree title will reflect your specialist areas of study (please note that the final award title will be selected in agreement with the University within the parameters specified in programme documentation). If you have chosen two specialist subject areas with equal weighting, the title will reflect both specialist subject areas; for instance, MA Professional Practice Creative Writing and Computing. If one of your specialist subject areas has a greater weighting than the other, the word ‘with’ will be used instead of ‘and’ between the two subject areas; for example, MA Professional Practice Creative Writing with Computing.

At the University of Bolton’s School of the Arts we offer creative, student-focused courses that are valued by employers, and underpinned by the knowledge and industry experience of our high quality staff. We frequently update our programmes to ensure they keep up with new and emerging trends and provide you with the tools and techniques you will need to progress into your chosen area of employment.

Our Animation and Illustration degree offers commercial understanding, and gives you the opportunity to develop high level technical skills and knowledge. You’ll be encouraged to develop professional standards in the creative use of a wide range of illustration, animation, and digital software programmes. Building on an introduction to the basics of animation and illustration, the second half of the course offers you increasing levels of choice to specialise in either area, exploring digital and experimental means of image making.

You’ll be taught by a diverse team of highly experienced, professionally and academically qualified, staff. They have extensive experience in the animation and illustration industry and have worked for several broadcasting companies including the BBC and Granada Television.

Highlights

• Our Art courses are placed in the top ten in the UK for student-to-staff ratio by the Guardian University League Tables 2020, so you have access to individual tutor support and small group teaching.
• If you want to specialise in pursuit of a specific career destination, such as digital animation or children’s book illustration, you can do so.
• You’ll be encouraged to enter national and international competitions, including the Penguin Random House Design Award, Channel 4 E Stings and the Macmillan Prize for Illustration.
• We’ll invite you to participate in study visits to animation festivals, galleries, museums, exhibitions and conferences. In the past, these have included The Bradford Animation Festival, Thought Bubble, Alice in Wonderland at the Portico Library, Manchester Art Gallery and Tate Liverpool, and the Manchester Animation Festival.
• Students have also benefited from trips abroad and have visited, in previous years, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Paris and Tokyo. There is also an opportunity for a limited number of exceptional graduates to exhibit at Design and Art Direction in London.

Key Features

• You’ll have access to industry-standard equipment in our five dedicated studio spaces equipped with Apple Mac computers and scanners. Much of the coursework involves the creative use of animation, illustration and graphics software.
• The course is broad-based and you’ll explore character design, story boarding and narrative techniques with traditional and digital animation and illustration for screen and print.
• There is a visiting speaker programme so you can benefit from discussions with industry professionals in the sector. We’ll also support you to develop transferrable skills for the work place such as problem solving, team working and interpersonal skills.
• You’ll be encouraged to create a portfolio of work and have the opportunity to present your work to the public as part of the Bolton School of the Arts final-year Creative Show.
• In addition to the taught modules, which are mostly simulated live briefs, there are opportunities to work on live projects for clients from inside and outside the University.

A recent survey of 9.2 million job adverts found that just over one in ten roles required data expertise (1). Across the economic spectrum, there is a growing need for professionals who can unlock the potential of data, turning raw information into actionable insight. From healthcare, government and public services to marketing, telecommunications and the energy sector, data skills are highly transferable between industries. It doesn’t matter what your background area of expertise is, the University of Bolton's MSc in Data Analytics and Technologies is open to everyone wishing to launch their career in data analysis, data visualisation and the technologies that underpin these essential business activities.

Supporting you to become the ‘complete package’
Employers are not looking for ‘robots’ that process data – they are looking for well-rounded human beings with a combination of high-level technical expertise and essential interpersonal and employability skills, such as leadership, communication, critical thinking, team working and problem-solving. We draw expertise from across the University to ensure you gain the vital mix of hard and soft skills necessary for career success. In addition, our extensive links with regional and national employers offer opportunities for masterclasses, networking and individual industry-based projects. Overall, this course offers you the opportunity to develop extensive knowledge of data analytics and a broad grounding in technology solutions, coupled with essential skills development for business and leadership. Together these attributes will take your CV to the next level.

Mastering the data
Our experts will support you as you develop an extensive knowledge of data analysis principles and methods and gain a broad grounding in technology solutions. We’ll focus on high-impact areas such as digital marketing and how the culture of the web, social media and digital technologies affect consumer behaviour. You’ll be encouraged to explore how concepts from consumer psychology, marketing and business intelligence are applied in areas such as web analytics, email marketing, search engine optimisation and online advertising. We’ll guide you as you learn how to use a selection of data analytics software packages, and apply this knowledge to contemporary case studies in a hands-on way to extract and present valuable insights from the data. This course offers you the skills to interrogate and make sense of data, unlock vital insights and communicate your discoveries.

Helping you pursue Amazon Web Services (AWS) certification
To ensure you have the skills to effectively manage and store data, we’ll support you to develop critical understanding and practical ability in the use of core IT infrastructure, architecture, processes and technologies. This will be particularly helpful when you undertake cloud-based data analysis. Companies are increasingly using the public cloud so need professionals with the skills to design, deploy and manage applications in cloud computing so we offer specific materials to help you pursue AWS certification as a Cloud Practitioner (2). AWS certification emphasises hands-on experience and best practice, meaning it stands out for its rigour and thoroughness in evaluating your skills. As the market leader in the cloud computing space, AWS certification demonstrates and validates your technical cloud knowledge and skills, helping you stand out to employers.

Future-proof your career
Big data, cyber laws, consumer data analytics and AI is revolutionising and transforming how people do business. Being able to adapt and work effectively in a digitally enriched business environment is a key skill required by employers. Our MSc Data Analytics and Technologies degree offers an innovative approach that will help you to become your own careers coach. We’ll take a multi-faceted approach to help you gain a combination of academic, analytical, business and professional skills that will prepare you for a career as a data analyst, as well as provide a sound basis for doctoral-level study. We’ll use tried and tested, research-informed coaching and training methods to support your development and help you form clear plans for your future. You’ll undertake individual industry-based projects and create a body of work that focuses on your progression into employment. Completing this course will extend your skills and increase your self-confidence so you can compete with confidence for your dream job, secure a promotion or build your own business.

Would you prefer to complete your course over a longer time? We also offer this course with a duration of 18 months full-time or 24 months part-time. For full-time study, please visit our MSc Data Analytics and Technologies Extended course search web page for details and to apply. Alternatively, for part-time study, please visit our MSc Data Analytics and Technologies course search web page.

Highlights

• Dr Selva Pankaj, the author of ‘Thinking into Character – A Proven Methodology for the Creation of Success & Self-Fulfilment’, is a valued partner of the University whose work will support you in the development of business and career planning, confidence and knowledge.
• Our industry?engaged staff have strong links with organisations across the range of public, commercial and industrial sectors, offering opportunities for industry masterclasses and lectures, joint projects, and networking
• We offer you the opportunities to develop extensive knowledge of the key data analysis principles and methods, along with a broad grounding in technology solutions.
• This MSc is part of the University of Bolton’s ‘Career Development Masters’ suite, offering shared modules that give you a wider business perspective. Inspired by the graduate training programmes of major companies, these modules will help you develop high-level employability and transferable skills and apply them in your career.

Key Features

• Teaching and supervision are delivered by dedicated staff chosen for their expertise and experience in fields relevant to data analytics and big data, relevant technologies and your professional development needs.
• We offer an engaging programme of visiting speakers so you can enjoy masterclasses with industry professionals, gaining insights into contemporary issues, developments and practice in data analysis, digital technologies and the broader commercial environment.
• We'll offer you opportunities for interdisciplinary work and collaboration.
• On graduation, you’ll be able to showcase your expert knowledge to employers through your Professional Dissertation. This independent and substantial body of work will demonstrate your mastery of an aspect of data analytics and technologies, as well as your postgraduate-level skills in research and critical thinking.

Health and social care is a vast service sector providing support to people who are vulnerable, such as children, older people and adults with disabilities or mental health issues. Our BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care offers you the opportunity to develop the values, skills and knowledge essential to good health and social care practice, opening the door to a huge range of rewarding employment opportunities.

Balancing policy, practice and academic training, our course is strongly linked to the UK government’s agendas for health and social care. Our highly experienced and dedicated team will lead you in an exploration of the principles of care, care planning and delivery, the ethical aspects of care, and areas such health promotion, safeguarding, and more. We’ll support you as you learn how to collaborate across professional boundaries, use evidence to inform your decisions, and gain understanding of critical issues in health and social care and ways of dealing with them.

Practical experience, including a work experience placement in a health and social care setting, is key to your development. Our focus is on helping you become a knowledgeable, compassionate, and person-centred care professional.

Highlights

• Guest lectures and talks by both health and social care service providers and service users give alternative perspectives, aimed at enhancing your understanding.
• Professional experience is an essential element of the course that gives valuable, hands-on, real-life experience in a health and social care setting. Our extensive network of health and social care contacts means we can offer a wide variety of placements.
• Alongside specialist health and social care knowledge, you’ll have the chance to develop your skills in research, data evaluation, critical reasoning and analysis, as well as in areas such as communication, team working, problem-solving and self-reflection.
• Our emphasis on supporting you to develop study and critical thinking skills will help you to engage with further learning and prepare you for postgraduate study.

Key Features

• We want to work with you as an individual, giving you access to the help and support you need to succeed.
• Our highly qualified and research-active team offers a vast range of professional experience in health and social care, as well as close links with the sector, the NHS, and voluntary and charitable organisations.
• Getting out of the classroom and into the workplace is a key part of your learning, so you’ll undertake a placement in a health and social care setting at level HE5 of the course.
• We’ll encourage you to engage in voluntary work in health and social care environments throughout the course. These activities contribute towards your portfolio of evidence, ready to impress employers when you enter the jobs market.
• By studying alongside students who are already health and social care professionals, you’ll be able to share in the knowledge and experience they have developed in their working environments, helping you to provide the highest standard of care for your own patients in the future.
• A link tutor provides academic communication between our London Academic Centre at Regent College London and the University of Bolton’s academic school so that the experience you receive as an off-campus student is equivalent to that of an on-campus student.
• As an off-campus student you'll also have access to the support of the University’s dedicated off-campus team and resources, to help make you truly feel part of the institution.
• You’ll also have access to the University’s e-learning resources, an extensive e-library and the support of University librarians.

Almost every business or organisation uses some sort of system to keep things working efficiently and productively. This system might keep information moving securely and efficiently, or it might ensure product distribution or service availability. A systems engineer is the all-important link between complex programming and technology, and its users, customers and stakeholders. So, you’ll need a firm knowledge and understanding of both sides, and the ability to take a joined-up approach to ensure systems meet a wide range of needs reliably, efficiently, and in a user-friendly fashion.

That might sound like a tall order, but it’s a hugely rewarding career path, and this course is a great opportunity for you to develop a unique blend of practical engineering and management-orientated learning. We’re here to help you further specialise your systems engineering knowledge and skills, and completing this course successfully should make you highly employable in a range of sectors and settings.

The course meets professional institution standards in the UK and Europe and addresses a range of contemporary issues in engineering and engineering management. If you’re looking to take a systems-based approach to engineering management, this course is could be ideal.

Highlights

• This programme is a collaboration between the University of Bolton and South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences in Germany. It allows you to spend one of your three semesters of study in Germany and receive two awards, one from each University.
• We’ll support you as you develop a systematic knowledge and understanding of how advanced engineering concepts and design methodologies apply in the design of mechanical equipment.
• We’ll encourage you to develop a mastery of digital signal processing for use in control applications.
• You’ll have the chance to explore advanced artificial intelligence techniques used in the design and control of automated machinery.
• We’ll work to help you develop a detailed understanding of how ‘total quality management’ applies to design, manufacture and project management.
• You’ll have the opportunity to learn about the commercial side of project management, including contract negotiation, stakeholder management, quotations, procurement and a range of other financial and legal matters.

Key Features

• The course is designed to meet professional institution standards in the UK and Europe.
• We’ll encourage you to undertake a work placement and/or an industry-based project.
• You can also choose from two alternative pathways: Mechatronics or Electronics Systems Engineering.
• You can select common systems modules, whichever pathway you take.
• For this three-semester programme, you’ll normally study semester 1 at the University of Bolton, UK and semester 2 at South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, Soest, Germany. The third semester, which is largely devoted to project work, is normally undertaken at the University of Bolton.

In our ever-changing world, novel ideas can create new businesses, help them grow faster than ever and develop new industries overnight. We aim to prepare you to lead these changes. The University of Bolton’s MSc in Entrepreneurship and Innovation will build your knowledge in the three key areas of entrepreneurship, innovation and business development and help you gain the skills and self-confidence to showcase your worth. Our expert team will work to nurture your entrepreneurial mindset so you can realise your entrepreneurial potential.

Innovation for everyone
Entrepreneurship and innovation play vital roles in knowledge creation and exploitation to generate value and drive sustainable economic, social and organisational development. Organisations are increasingly seeking people with the ability to spot and take advantage of new opportunities so entrepreneurial and innovation skills are highly sought after. It doesn’t matter what your background or area of expertise is, this course is open to everyone with entrepreneurial drive and the desire to innovate.

Be the change
The need for professionals who can create and grow innovative companies and sustainable social enterprises has never been greater. We also want to prepare you to bring innovative insights into existing organisations so they can better respond to the complex challenges facing our society. Many business executives link the success of their businesses to innovation and as a result, put a lot of emphasis on it. Not only does it allow organisations to stay relevant in the competitive marketplace, but it also plays an important role in economic growth. Our MSc in Entrepreneurship and Innovation is designed to help you develop the high-level skills and critical competencies you’ll need to become a successful innovator and an entrepreneur who can build ethical and sustainable businesses.

Study in one of the most innovative regions in the UK
The North West of England was a powerhouse of the industrial revolution, and Greater Manchester remains at the heart of innovation in the UK today. MediaCityUK is an international hub for innovation, technology, and creativity and has been chosen as a base by over 250 media and digital businesses. Moreover, industry heavyweights like Google, Amazon, Freshfields, LLP, the BBC and Microsoft have opened offices in the Manchester area. Overall, the diverse industry base and the region’s growing population offer rich opportunities for those with innovative ideas coupled with the skills, knowledge and self-belief needed to build a new business from the ground up. As a graduate of this master’s degree, you’ll be well placed to thrive in this environment.

Supporting you to become the ‘complete package’
To succeed as an entrepreneur, you’ll need a combination of high-level business development expertise coupled with essential interpersonal and thinking skills, such as persuasion, negotiation, critical thinking, collaborative working and problem-solving. We draw expertise from across the University to ensure you gain the vital mix of hard and soft skills necessary for career success. In addition, our extensive links with regional and national employers offer opportunities for masterclasses, networking and individual industry-based projects. Overall, this course supports you to develop extensive knowledge of innovation and entrepreneurship, coupled with essential skills for business and leadership. Together these attributes will take your CV to the next level.

Would you prefer to complete your course over a longer time? We also offer this course with a duration of 18 months full-time or 24 months part-time. For full-time study, please visit our MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Extended course search web page for details and to apply. Alternatively, for part-time study, please visit our MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation course search web page.

Highlights

• Dr Selva Pankaj, the author of ‘Thinking into Character – A Proven Methodology for the Creation of Success & Self-Fulfilment’, is a valued partner of the University whose work will support you in the development of business and career planning, confidence and knowledge.
• We use small group and tutorial teaching, so you have the opportunity to benefit from the excellent and often personalised support offered by our teaching staff.
• Contemporary research findings are woven into our teaching and this is supplemented by colleagues from our enterprise lab who are on hand to offer practical support throughout the programme.
• Our industry?engaged staff have strong links with organisations across the range of public, commercial and industrial sectors, offering opportunities for industry masterclasses and lectures, joint projects, and networking.
• This MSc is part of the University of Bolton’s ‘Career Development Masters’ suite, offering shared modules that give you a wide business perspective. Inspired by the graduate training programmes of major companies, these modules will help you develop high-level employability and transferable skills and apply them in your career.

Key Features

• Course materials are available online, allowing you to prepare work at home and make the most of the highly interactive in-class tuition.
• Teaching and supervision are delivered by dedicated staff chosen for their expertise and experience in fields relevant to entrepreneurship, innovation and your professional development needs.
• We regularly invite guest speakers with varied and extensive experiences in industry and practice, enabling you to benefit from their knowledge and mentorship.
• You’ll benefit from opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and network building with students from our other Career Development Master’s degrees, including the Human Society, Data Analytics and Technologies, Professional Practice and Creative Industries courses.

Designed to assist the next generation of managers in developing the necessary knowledge and skills for career development, our Master’s in International Management aims to offer a comprehensive overview of global management theories and practices, with a focus on the different national and cultural contexts in which companies operate.

Stimulating and challenging, this course combines elements of research, innovation and application, with a view to building your academic and professional skillsets and opening up development opportunities in careers and areas of further study. A key course focus is global decision-making and exploring the role of management in a cross-cultural context, including the concepts and issues relating to diversity and human resource management.

You’ll study across a range of relevant subject areas, such as strategy formulation, sustainable business development, innovative marketing, and finance and accounting for a firm foundation in management skills that can be applied in an international setting.

Highlights

• In an increasingly international business world, awareness of global management practices is desirable among employers. You’ll have the opportunity to build cross-cultural management skills that could assist you in the international employment market.
• Teaching is provided by staff with a specialist knowledge in a range of management areas, with close links to business and industry.
• You can access course materials online and prepare for lessons in advance, allowing for more interactive lessons.
• On successful completion of this course you will be awarded an MSc in International Management.

Key Features

• The programme provides a significant grounding in international management theories and practices.
• You’ll have access to excellent facilities, including our 24/7 library and IT resources, WiFi and comfortable learning areas.
• Join our well-established postgraduate community preparing for careers in executive management.
• We’re committed to helping you develop your employability and career network. You’ll be encouraged to attend guest lectures that enhance your learning, help you make contacts in industry and contribute to your professional development.

Professional recognition

• Holders of our MSc International Management can apply for the status of Member (MCMI) or Fellow (FCMI) of the Chartered Management Institute. The point at which you can be accepted will depend on factors other than qualifications, such as your responsibilities at work. Full details are available on the CMI website: http://www.managers.org.uk/

The growing social and economic challenges to young people and adults in communities mean the need for highly trained, passionate and creative professionals in the areas of youth and community work have never been greater. The University of Bolton’s MA in Community Development and Youth Studies is designed to prepare future leaders for this sector, ready for a career changing lives by challenging discrimination and oppression through informal social inclusion.

The aim of this course is to extend your already considerable professional skills and knowledge with specialist modules that deepen your understanding of areas such as equality and diversity, community learning, and global community development and sustainability. Our expert team will help you gain critical reflection, analysis and evaluation skills that support your ability to determine the impact of professional interventions on the community and young people.

Combining this knowledge with the principles and techniques of academic research and investigation will help develop your evidence-based practice, and grow your skills in evaluating options and formulating creative solutions to complex problems. Studying leadership and management styles, theories and frameworks will support you to become more actively involved in the planning, delivery and transformation of services and interventions.

Overall, our aim is to help you gain the professional and transferable skills to move forward in your career, empowering young people and adults in communities.

Highlights

• Our students are drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds – sharing the individual and unique educational insights and perspectives of your peers helps to enrich your learning experience.
• We promote research and critical enquiry helping you learn to make sound, evidence-based independent judgements.
• Our excellent links with over 70 partners and external agencies means we can offer a wide variety of perspectives and research opportunities; for instance, we work with youth and community centres, schools, alternative education projects, women's refuges and community projects, as well as housing, health, leisure and youth training schemes, resettlement projects, and detached, outreach and mentoring projects.
• On successful completion of this course you’ll be awarded an MA in Community Development and Youth Studies from the University of Bolton.

Key Features

• Face-to-face sessions and one-to-one support is offered by our team of highly experienced, enthusiastic and dedicated experts.
• Staff and students from across our Faculty of Health and Wellbeing work closely together. By studying alongside people from related specialisms and sectors, such as early years and health and social care you can benefit from a wider range of knowledge and experience that supports cross-disciplinary thinking and inter-professional working.
• Our academic team is actively involved in community and youth studies research, helping you to explore issues from a robust research-informed knowledge base.
• Specialists in the field of community development and youth work will be invited to join us as guest speakers and lecturers, offering you first-hand live examples of current practice.
• Our highly experienced team will support you as you develop critical thinking and research evaluation skills and apply these during your independent master’s-level project.

Business management qualifications open doors and are considered essential whether you are looking to pursue a career in business, or achieve higher levels of responsibility in your current work. We’ll support you to enhance your existing Foundation Degree or HND-level knowledge and skills, ready to achieve the status of BSc (Hons) Business Management (Top-up) graduate. You can study advanced aspects of business and management, enhance your professional skills, and boost your employability.

Building on your prior studies, we’ll guide you as you gain knowledge of strategic management, and develop critical inquiry and research skills that support your work and enhance its quality. This flexible Honours-level programme offers a wide choice of modules drawn from our Law, Enterprise, Finance, Supply Chain Management, People Management, Marketing or Retail specialisms, so you’ll have the opportunity to ‘zoom in’ on aspects of the subject you have personal interest and strengths in, or that support your career or further study goals. As a graduate, you’ll also receive the CMI Level 5 Award in Leadership and Management, and some of the modules you choose may offer exemptions from further professional qualifications from institutes such as ACCA and CIM.

Developing your employability is a key focus of this dynamic and flexible programme. Real-life case studies, guest speakers and industry visits are designed to help you to understand the business environment and the needs of employers in local, national and international contexts.

We also aim to help you develop lifelong learning skills so that you can take ownership of your professional development for the future, maximising your potential for success.

Highlights

• The Institute of Management Greater Manchester – and the wider University – provides a warm and friendly environment for your studies, with relatively small class sizes, purpose-built teaching facilities, and excellent student support and library services.
• On successful completion of this dual award course you’ll receive both an academic degree and a professionally-recognised management qualification – the CMI Level 5 Award in Leadership and Management. You don’t need to take extra exams or coursework to achieve the Award – we combine our degree module and CMI assessments streamlining your route to both qualifications.
• We’ll introduce you to your course and new study environment through a bespoke induction programme focused on helping you transition smoothly and effectively to Honours-level study.
• Face-to-face sessions and one-to-one support is offered by our team of highly experienced and enthusiastic lecturers who have worked in a wide range of businesses ranging from multinational organisation to SMEs.
• The University offers excellent 24/7 library and IT facilities, WiFi, and well-appointed learning areas.

Key Features

• This course is offered within our vibrant Institute of Management environment in Bolton town centre.
• We use small group and tutorial teaching, so you have the opportunity to benefit from the excellent support offered by our teaching staff.
• We regularly invite guest speakers who hold senior positions in industry and practice, enabling you to benefit from their knowledge and advice.
• Course materials are available online, allowing you to prepare work at home and make the most of the highly interactive in-class tuition.
• Contemporary research findings are woven into our teaching. We offer a robust academic underpinning to your studies of business management.
• Our dedicated team will support you as you develop critical thinking and research skills and apply these during your final year dissertation or work-based project (if you’re in suitable employment).