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Strategic Communication and Leadership (Professional Practice) MSc

2023-24 (also available for 2024-25, 2025-26)

Start date

18 September 2023

29 January 2024

Duration

18 months with placement

About the course

Reasons to study

  1. Study at the Times Higher Education Business School of the Year 2023.
  2. You'll study our Global Professional module gaining transferable skills to take into the ever-growing intercultural business environment.
  3. Study at an AACSB International accredited Business School. Globally, less than 6% of institutions offering business degrees achieve this accreditation. 

This course is specifically aimed at International students, supporting those wishing to gain practical work based experiential learning. Together with studying your chosen course we are offering an additional 6-month placement opportunity, making the course 18 months in length. This allows students to put into practice the skills and techniques developed throughout the Master’s degree within a UK environment after completing the 12-month taught programme.

This course cultivates an appreciation of the crucial relationship between strategic communication and leadership. This understanding is explored through a consideration of the role contemporary leaders should play in addressing urgent and complex challenges facing society.

This course provides an excellent opportunity for those from a variety of backgrounds to gain awareness of the issues, insights and concepts shaping society and Business, both now and in the future. You’ll develop knowledge on the strategic importance of communication to contemporary organisations and its impact on society.

  • Each module supports our commitment to developing students as global business practitioners with intercultural sensitivity and environmental awareness, as well as core leadership and research skills.
  • The flexible curriculum suits students who are continuing their management and business-related studies, as well as those from other disciplines seeking to enhance their education.
  • The 18-month route has the opportunity to undertake a 6-month placement element at the end of the 12 month taught programme.
  • Further specialisation and an opportunity to pursue an area that interests you, or which will develop your career opportunities are available through various option modules available.

Course detail

Core modules:

Leadership Power & Ethics

‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ It is therefore essential that in today’s ever-increasingly complex work environment, you have a strong foundation of ethical decision-making & communication and deep understanding of the power relationships involved in a complex society. In the real world you will find it challenging to determine right and wrong when it comes to doing business. In this module you will reflect on the roots of (un)ethical behaviour as you explore philosophical, psychological, professional, and intercultural frameworks of ethics related to leadership, followership, and citizenship.

Leading Managing and Developing People

This module explores the links between people management practices and positive organisational outcomes and how these are achieved in different types of organisational contexts. Focusing on leadership, flexibility and change management, the aim being to help students become effective strategic managers as well as effective HR specialists, managing others fairly and effectively and increasing levels of engagement, commitment and performance.

Strategic Communication, Business and Society

This module is for students seeking careers in, or an understanding of, Corporate Communication and Public Relations. The strategic importance of communication to contemporary organisations and its impact on society means the module will also appeal to students with other professional interests and leadership aspirations.

The Global Professional

In today’s highly mobile and interconnected world of business, you will undoubtedly find yourself working with culturally diverse teams, partnerships and customer bases. It is therefore essential that you are able to offer future employers, colleagues and other stakeholders an adaptable interculturally aware and responsive approach. In the light of that, this module fosters transferable skills fundamental to global employability. Your professional and personal development will be guided through the application of the eight CIPD Behaviours, University of Huddersfield’s target Graduate Attributes, and key Intercultural Effectiveness skills and mindsets. As you develop professionally through your subject studies you will increase consciousness of your individual cultural make-up and the impact of this on behaviour, relationships and worldview in order to navigate beyond the borders of your own culture. You will develop a conscious approach to effective global practice, responding positively to difference, and constructing strategies to deal with intercultural workplace encounters.

Option modules which may include (choose one)

Managing Big Data

With many industries generating huge volumes of data almost continuously the challenge for these industries is understanding how this data can be utilised for developing organisational value. This module introduces the field of Big Data, sources, management and visualisaiton. The module will evaluate and consider a range of features in the area, and provide opportunity to work with multiple online and offline data sets, investigate ethical issues around the data and explore different data collection strategies. Experience in these areas gives a holistic overview of organisational challenges and an informed perspective in decision making through the utilisation of big data.

Intelligent Business Information Systems

This module will review the principles and applications of information systems and business intelligence in different types of businesses and organisations. The role of information systems and business intelligence in modern operations and supply chains will be reviewed and discussed. The most recent advances in technology, their applications and implications in managing businesses will be discussed. Different types of information and enterprise systems and software will be reviewed and discussed in this module. Issues to be considered in the implementation and use of these packages will be highlighted.

Managing Sustainable Challenges

Businesses around the globe are becoming more aware of their role in helping to build a more sustainable future. Consequently, this module will aim to provide you with an integrative understanding of the role of business in overcoming the challenges of sustainability. Utilising both theory and practice-based frameworks related to business responsibility, corporate sustainability and sustainable development, you will have the opportunity to identify, and assess the challenges associated with the responsibilities of business. You will also be introduced to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a view towards examining how businesses could collaborate to achieve these.

Managing Employee Relations

This module will provide a comprehensive understanding of employment relations perspectives and debates, focusing not just on the theoretical, practical and legislative aspects of this constantly evolving subject area but also to manage employment relations strategies and their outcomes on organisational climate, employees and management. Through critical application of activities, knowledge and behavioural competencies learners this module aims to equip you to strategically manage employment relations practices across broad organisational settings e.g. non-union and union environments, to enable the effective management of the employment relationship.

Global Business and Human Rights

As more and new corporate and trading actors emerge onto the global commercial scene, questions as to the relationship between business and human rights increasingly raise profound and intriguing problems of law and policy. This module, alert to historic developments, and drawing on principles of international law, investigates how national, regional and international initiatives to regulate the ever-changing dynamics of financial and cultural globalisation, are affecting respect for human rights in contemporary society.

Emotional Intelligence for the Effective Leader

EQ (emotional intelligence) is considered to be the ‘soft’ skill which the sharpest leaders use. This module encourages you to enhance your effectiveness in areas of EQ such as self-awareness, self management, mindset, integrity, maturity, empathy, inter- and intrapersonal intelligences, and physical context. All of this is contextualised within a framework for developing effective relationship management in team work and leadership.

Final Project

An opportunity to pursue an area that interests you or which you are passionate about comes in your choice of project. You have a choice of three routes: Research Route, Consultancy Route and New Venture Creation Route (subject to tutor approval).

Research Route

Research Methods

This module aims to provide you with foundation concepts of research methods to prepare you to conduct your own research. It will introduce you to different types of research approaches available to researchers, how to formulate good research questions, how to review academic literature in the research process, how to select the appropriate data collection techniques, how to carry out the data analysis and write-up. The module should provide a solid basis for you to develop your skills further in your own research project.

Individual Research Project

The Individual Research Project provides an opportunity to pursue your own interests and engage more deeply with your subject by completing an in-depth piece of research work using relevant research methods. Working autonomously, but under the guidance of a supervisor, you will make choices about the most appropriate methods and then conduct your own research project. Through the Individual Research Project, you will have the opportunity to greatly enhance your own knowledge and skills. The research will be presented in written format using academic conventions recognised in your field.

Consultancy Route

Consultancy Skills

This module prepares you for the Group Consultancy Project. It introduces the theory underpinning the process of consultancy in organisations. The module will analyse various models of consultancy and you will be given an opportunity to explore different stages in the consultancy cycle including: the purpose of consultancy in business context, project scoping and contracting, information gathering, analysis and report, action planning, implementation, review and exiting.

Group Consultancy Project

The Group Consultancy Project provides you with the opportunity to engage in a ‘real world’ live client brief. You will work in small teams and will be expected to engage in the process of scoping the project with the business client, undertake the necessary information gathering, analysing the information and make recommendations to the client. As part of this module, you will also need to evaluate how principles of ethics, sustainability and responsibility influence your professional decision making.

New Venture Creation

Launch a venture

The module provides you with the opportunity to take the practical steps to initiate a new venture or facilitate growth and innovation in an existing venture. The focus is on developing an understanding of business practicalities through action, reflection and case study. The module encourages you to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes for practice, recognising that you may be at different stages and working on different issues at the same time. Supervision and action learning sets provide flexible support to enable self directed learning to facilitate start up and business development initiatives with existing businesses.

New Venture Creation

The module will encourage you to develop your entrepreneurial mind-set, and help you understand the challenges and opportunities of starting and running a new venture. Your entrepreneurial skills and abilities will be guided through the application of different entrepreneurial tools and techniques – as well as practical exercises - that should enable you to assess your own entrepreneurial readiness, while preparing for the risky, uncertain and challenging environment of creating new ventures.

MSc Professional Practice Placement

The Professional Practice module gives you an opportunity to reflect on your personal and professional development and put theory into practice through professional work experience. This route must be chosen at the point of application by selecting the specific (Professional Practice) route as the placement adds a further 6 months to your duration of study. Due to the competitive nature of the placement route the Professional Practice course has limited availability and places are capped.

Placements are not guaranteed and are secured through a competitive process. You may be required to undertake formal application processes and interviews with placement providers in order to successfully secure a work placement.

Assessment of this module is in the form of a reflective log

Additional information

Exposure to various activities at the University of Huddersfield will enrich your knowledge and skills. An intensive induction pre-course workshop, which will be held in September and January, provides you with an in-depth insight into your course; helps promote an interactive environment between fellow students and meet with your tutors.

Tutors are experts in their field and with many having practical experience in industry and the professions which helps combine your academic knowledge with practical application. Many aspects of teaching and assessment are grounded in real life situations.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for Professional Practice courses are normally:

  • An Honours degree (2:1 or above) or equivalent professional qualification, in any subject.
  • Applicants with other appropriate professional qualifications and/or experience will be considered on an individual basis.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 7.0 overall with no element lower than 6.5 (a minimum of TOEFL 550 (Computer Based Toefl 213) score) or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our Where are you from information pages.

Placements


This course offers you the chance to undertake a 6 month placement at the end of the taught element. A placement can help you build on the knowledge and skills developed on the course.

The placement is a valuable tool that can enhance your employability and help you to develop as an individual. It is acknowledged that graduates with work experience are generally much more attractive to employers.

Our Employability and Placements Office are available to support you in finding placement opportunities and can provide advice in areas such as interview skills and preparing CVs and covering letters.

Student support

Learning, Innovation and Development Centre : Our Learning, Innovation and Development Centre (LID) provides academic support to all students within Huddersfield Business School. Our academic skills tutors have taught at all levels including Master’s who can work closely with you to help you achieve your full potential throughout your time at the University of Huddersfield.

They can help with a wide range of academic skills including referencing, academic writing (such as essays, reports and coursework), research, reading, note-taking, dissertations and presentations as well as all other skills and issues relating to academia. As well as this, they also offer advice on dyslexia and can provide information on accessing disability support.

The team also provides support for international students. We recognise that there are many differences between studying here and in your home country. This is why we have dedicated academic skills tutors who can help you with both your study as well as your language skills.

International Student Development: We understand that settling into a new country and environment can be very stressful. So, if you are an international student, the International Student Development (ISD) team can help provide support in understanding and adapting to the UK Higher Education environment as well as settling into life in the UK.

In addition, we can also help you develop the essential academic skills needed to ensure you achieve your full potential throughout your time at Huddersfield. We provide help and guidance to students at all levels (both undergraduate and postgraduate) with timetabled academic skills sessions. These sessions are delivered in same-course groups by our experienced tutors. In addition, English language sessions are available at foundation, intermediate or upper intermediate level. The number of weekly sessions and support you receive will vary depending on the level you are currently working at.

Student Support & Guidance: Huddersfield Business School has a Student Support & Guidance service which aims to ensure that you are fully supported whilst studying here with us at The University of Huddersfield. They are able to offer you help, advice, support and guidance on a wide range of matters that may be having an impact on your general well-being or university life and studies.

The team can offer one to one pre-booked appointments or drop-In sessions to discuss or give advice on anything that concerns you which may include; attendance, disabilities, timetable Issues, welfare and any personal issues that may be impacting upon your studies.

Library services and online study support: Students at the University of Huddersfield have access to a wide range of study resources through the library and additional online study support resources. Our modern, professionally organised library provides a wide range of books, cds, dvds and additional online resources such as company reports, market research reports and academic and professional journal archives. At key times in the academic year the library is open 24-7 and our students also borrow laptops, reserve study rooms for group working and access computer software programmes.

Important information

We will always try to deliver your course as described on this web page. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below.

Changes to a course you have applied for

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment.

Cancellation of a course you have applied for

Although we always try and run all of the course we offer, we may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants to ensure you have a good learning experience. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will contact you to discuss other suitable courses with us we can transfer your application to. If we notify you that the course you have applied to has been withdrawn or combined, and you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

We will always try to deliver your course and other services as described. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below:

Changes to option modules

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have a range of options to choose from and we will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes

We will only make major changes to the core curriculum of a course or to our services if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change in this context is a change that materially changes the services available to you; or the outcomes, or a significant part, of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), classes, type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum.

For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators; to meet the latest requirements of a commissioning or accrediting body; to improve the quality of educational provision; in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback; and/or to reflect academic or professional changes within subject areas. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but this may not always be the case. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation with affected students. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

Termination of course

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed and we will notify you as soon as possible about what your options are, which may include transferring to a suitable replacement course for which you are qualified, being provided with individual teaching to complete the award for which you were registered, or claiming an interim award and exiting the University. If you do not wish to take up any of the options that are made available to you, then you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the course without liability to the University for future tuition fees and you will be entitled to a refund of all course fees paid to date. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by a framework of regulations, policies and procedures, which form the basis of your agreement with us. These include regulations regarding the assessment of your course, academic integrity, your conduct (including attendance) and disciplinary procedure, fees and finance and compliance with visa requirements (where relevant). It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to abide by them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan, where you will also find links to the full text of each of the regulations, policies and procedures referred to. You should read these carefully before you enrol. Please note that this information is subject to change and you are advised to check our website regularly for any changes before you enrol at the University. A person who is not party to this agreement shall not have any rights under or in connection with it. Only you and the University shall have any right to enforce or rely on the agreement.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

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