MSc in Business Management
HKU SPACE and Edinburgh Napier University

The Master of Science (MSc) in Business Management offered by HKU SPACE and Britain’s Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) aims to produce business managers with a global perspective.

The MSc covers various issues, such as creativity in business, global economics and organisational behaviour. “The programme is designed to help students develop global management insights, critical thinking and management skills to function effectively in a management role,” says deputy programme leader Tammy Kwok Pik-yee.

“The content is relevant to the current issues in business management, including sustainability, global economics, managing organisational behaviour and competitive advantages. The faculty constantly updates the content with the latest cases.”

To graduate, students need to complete four compulsory modules plus two core modules – one on research method and the other focusing on a dissertation.

“We deliver the programme in block mode to allow maximum flexibility for students to plan their schedule. Each module will start with five lectures sections by the academic staff from Edinburgh Napier University. There will be four evenings and one Saturday in five consecutive days. After the lecturers, HKU SPACE lecturers will give five tutorials in weekday evenings to students,” says Kwok.

The programme is ideal for managers who are looking to acquire an analytical and creative approach to business management. “The programme develops students to have a sound theoretical grounding in the broad area of business management with global and innovative outlook. About 30 per cent of our students have one to five years of work experience. They are at a managerial level. More and more professionals, such as designers and engineers, are joining this programme,” says Kwok.

Students can finish the MSc in two to four years. Lectures and tutorials are scheduled on weekday evenings and on Saturdays and Sundays.

Applicants should hold an honours bachelor’s degree from a recognised university or equivalent. Those with no degrees but have worked for five years or more will also be considered. The intakes are in February, June and October.

Samson Tsang, who graduated from the programme in 2012, had worked for more than 10 years in the e-commerce department of a sports equipment company.

Coming from a computer-science background, he said he hoped to gain business knowledge through formal academic training. “Through working in the e-commerce department, I can say I am street-smart in business, but I also wanted to be ‘book-smart’ and obtain an academic qualification from the programme,” he says.

Tsang found the case studies very beneficial. “The cases inspired me to think of business management from various angles. Through class discussions with my classmates, I got to know how managers in different sectors look at a business. It was a fruitful learning experience for me,” he says.

Tsang advises prospective students to pay attention to time management. “From my experience, the workload is not easy to manage. There are examinations and assignments. The block mode delivery has certainly helped students like me to manage my time. I suggest students plan their schedule carefully if they want to pursue this programme,” he says.

Ari Liu Kin-fan, chief designer at VTech Telecommunications, is in charge of leading an international team in designing products aimed at the US market. She says she joined the MSc to gain up-to-date management knowledge to enhance her role as a team leader and as an employee.

“I have gained so many things from this course – not only holistic business knowledge, but also the importance of key success factors for a company. The programme includes many practical elements, such as decision-making skills, clear-minded analysis and efficiency,” Liu says.

“I found the course “Behaviour and Management in Organisations” very useful. Businesses are about people – understanding how to bring the best out of people and nurturing your staff is the single most important element of management,” she says.

Like most students working full time, Liu says it was not easy managing her time. “Balancing work, study and life is never easy. Nevertheless, I would not say it was a struggle, even though the course was tough, because I enjoy learning, relish a challenge and understand the need for continuous learning,” she says.