A major knowledge gap exists between managers in organisations who are confused by the IT systems, and the technical staff who deliver them. Our graduates play a crucial role in integrating the language and practice of management and technology in business. Develop your understanding of the interaction between IT, organisation and people behaviour to prepare you for managerial positions in business operations and ICT projects.

At a glance

  • Start dateFull-time: October, part-time: throughout the year
  • DurationOne year full-time, part-time: throughout the year
  • DeliveryTaught modules 40%, Group project 20% (dissertation for part-time students), Individual project 40%
  • QualificationMSc, PgDip, PgCert
  • Study typeFull-time / Part-time

Who is it for?

This course is suitable for graduates with science, engineering, IT or business related degrees keen to pursue careers in a range of industries, or academia; or graduates currently working in industry keen to extend their qualifications or pursue a career change; or individuals with other qualifications who possess considerable relevant experience.

Why this course?

There are numerous benefits associated with undertaking a postgraduate programme of study at Cranfield University, including:

  • Study in a postgraduate-only environment where Masters' graduates can secure positions in full-time employment in their chosen field, or undertake academic research
  • Teaching by leading academics as well as industrial practitioners
  • Work alongside a strong research team
  • Dedicated support for off-campus learners including extensive information resources managed by Cranfield University's library
  • Consultancy to companies supporting their employees on part-time programmes, in relation to individual projects.

Informed by Industry

Our courses are designed to meet the training needs of industry and have a strong input from experts in their sector. Students who have excelled have their performances recognised through course awards. The awards are provided by high profile organisations and individuals, and are often sponsored by our industrial partners. Awards are presented on Graduation Day.

Your teaching team

You will be taught by leading academics and experienced practitioners in change management and IT drawn from Cranfield’s network of partners. The course is directed by an industrial advisory committee comprising senior representatives from leading manufacturing and business organisations. This means the skills and knowledge you acquire are relevant to employer requirements.

Accreditation

The MSc in Management and Information Systems is accredited by the Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET), Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer.  Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to comply with full CEng registration requirements.

Please note accreditation applies to the MSc award. PgDip and PgCert do not meet in full the further learning requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer.


Course details

The course comprises eight assessed modules, a group project and an individual research project. The modules include lectures and tutorials, and are assessed through practical work, written examinations, case studies, essays, presentations and tests. These provide the 'tools' required for the group and individual projects.

Group project

The group project experience is highly valued by both students and prospective employers. Teams of students work to solve an industrial problem. The project applies technical knowledge and provides training in teamwork and the opportunity to develop non-technical aspects of the taught programme. Part-time students can prepare a dissertation on an agreed topic in place of the group project.

Industrially orientated, our team projects have support from external organisations. As a result of external engagement Cranfield students enjoy a higher degree of success when it comes to securing employment. Prospective employers value the student experience where team working to find solutions to industrially based problems are concerned.

Individual project

A key element of the Master's programme is the project work undertaken.

The individual research project is either industrially or Cranfield University driven. Students select the individual project in consultation with the Course Director. It provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate independent research ability, the ability to think and work in an original way, contribute to knowledge, and overcome genuine problems in manufacturing. The projects are sponsored by industrial organisations.

Companies that have recruited and sponsored project work include 3M Health Care, Airbus, Aston Martin, BAE Systems, BT, Chubb Security, Ford Motor Company, GEC, GlaxoSmithKline, IBM, Jaguar, Johnson & Johnson, Motorola, Pfizer, Philips, Rolls-Royce and Unilever.

Assessment

Taught modules 40%, Group project 20% (dissertation for part-time students), Individual project 40%
manufacturing group embedded video
Manufacturing industry impact: the benefit of group projects

University Disclaimer

Keeping our courses up-to-date and current requires constant innovation and change. The modules we offer reflect the needs of business and industry and the research interests of our staff and, as a result, may change or be withdrawn due to research developments, legislation changes or for a variety of other reasons. Changes may also be designed to improve the student learning experience or to respond to feedback from students, external examiners, accreditation bodies and industrial advisory panels.

To give you a taster, we have listed the compulsory modules and (where applicable) some elective modules affiliated with this programme which ran in the academic year 2017–2018. There is no guarantee that these modules will run for 2018 entry. All modules are subject to change depending on your year of entry.

Compulsory modules
All the modules in the following list need to be taken as part of this course

Enterprise Systems

Module Leader
  • Professor Essam Shehab
Aim

    The module aims to provide a systematic understanding and knowledge of the enterprise systems principles and how to use these systems to manage an enterprise. The course will also provide hands-on experience using SAP as a leading industry-standard software application.
Syllabus
    • Introduction to business functions, processes and data requirements within an enterprise.
    • Enterprise wide IT systems. Managing Enterprise through ERP.
    • Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): concepts, techniques and tools.
    • ERP selection and implementation issues.
    • An Introduction to IoT and Cyber Security.
    • SAP based hands-on case studies.
    • Conduct a Group Presentation on the Impact of ERP on a specialist MSc theme.
Intended learning outcomes On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
1. Demonstrate the systematic understanding of the principles of business functions, processes and data infrastructure.
2. Understand the concepts, tools and techniques of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and its related subjects such as IoT and Cyber Security.
3. Demonstrate awareness of ERP systems in his/her specialist MSc.
4. Understand the importance of Enterprise-wide systems to business operations.
5. Appreciate issues and challenges in ERP implementation.
6. Understand basic concepts and identify the various criteria for ERP selection.
7. Have working/application knowledge on the use of SAP tool through hands-on case studies.
8. Continue independently through research to advance their knowledge and understanding in a specific area of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) related to individual MSc.

Operations Management

Module Leader
  • Professor Harris Makatsoris
Aim

    To introduce core factors of managing operations.
Syllabus
    • An introduction to manufacturing and service activities
    • Capacity, demand and load; identifying key capacity determinant; order-size mix problem; coping with changes in demand
    • Standard times, and how to calculate them; process analysis and supporting tools; process simplification
    • What quality is; standards and frameworks; quality tools; quality in the supply chain
    • Scheduling rules; scheduling and nested set-ups
    • Roles of inventory; dependent and independent demand; Economic Order Quantity; uncertain demand; inventory management systems and measures
    • Information systems – at operational, managerial, and strategic levels; bills of material; MRP, MPRll and ERP systems
    • Ohno’s 7 wastes; Just-in-Time systems (including the Toyota Production System, and Kanbans)
    • Class discussion of cases, exercises, and videos to support this syllabus
Intended learning outcomes On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:

1. Apply the ‘Framework for the Management of Operations’ to all operations, from pure service to pure manufacturing.
2. Identify the key capacity determinant in an operation, and carry out an analysis to develop the most appropriate approach in response to changes in demand.
3. Select and apply appropriate approaches and tools to determine standards and improve processes.
4. Determine the information needed to support businesses, in particular manufacturing operations.
5. Analyse problems rigorously to develop options, and select an appropriate option taking into consideration relevant factors such as risk, opportunities, cost, flexibility, and time to implement.
6. Select appropriate Just-in-Time (JIT) tools to improve operations.
7. Develop appropriate quality systems for the whole of their supply chain – from supplier, through operations to customers – and ensure these systems are sustained and a culture of continuous improvement prevails.

Business Process Analysis and Engineering

Module Leader
  • Dr Ip-Shing Fan
Aim

    To develop the student’s understanding and practice of business process analysis and engineering as a core competence in operations and change management, in the role of internal or external consultants.
Syllabus
    • Business Process Management.
    • Manufacturing and Services Processes.
    • Modelling and Charting Tools.
    • Lean and Six-sigma Processes.
    • Business Analysis and Improvement Workshop Techniques.
    • Re-engineering and Improvement Cases.
Intended learning outcomes On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
1. Distinguish the concepts of business process management.
2. Relate the range of business processes in manufacturing and service sectors.
3. Construct business process model and charts.
4. Propose business process improvements using lean and six sigma approaches.
5. Plan and execute business problem analysis.
6. Plan and create business solution design.

General Management

Module Leader
  • Dr Yuchun Xu
Aim

    To give an introduction to some of the key general management, personal management and project management skills needed to influence and implement change.
Syllabus
    • Management Accounting Principles and Systems;
    • Personal style and team contribution, interpersonal dynamics, leadership, human and cultural diversity;
    • Project Management: structure and tools for project management
    • Introduction to standards: awareness of standards, relevant standards (quality, environment and H&S), value of using standards, management of the standard and audit.
Intended learning outcomes On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
1. Understand the objectives, principles, terminology and systems of management accounting.
2. Have an appreciation of inter-relationships between functional responsibilities in a company.
3. Have a practical understanding of different management styles, team roles, different cultures, and how the management of human diversity can impact organisational performance.
4. Have an understanding of structure, aspects, and tools for project management.
5. Critique the role of standards and their management in manufacturing.

Business Change Management

Module Leader
  • Dr Ip-Shing Fan
Aim

    To develop the student’s understanding and practice of business change management as a core competence in operations and change management, in the role of internal or external consultants.
Syllabus
    • Business Change
    • Psychology and Motivation of Change
    • Socio-Technical Systems
    • Business Change Project Lifecycle
    • Preparing for Business Change
    • Roll out Business Change
    • Change Workshop Techniques
Intended learning outcomes On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
1. Distinguish the different nature and implications of business change.
2. Compare the different theories in the psychology of change.
3. Appraise the socio-technical system interactions in business change.
4. Formulate the activities in the lifecycle of a business change project.
5. Perform stakeholders, change impact and communication analysis in different organisation context.
6. Plan and design business change programme.
7. Plan and evaluate business change roll out.

Business Data Analytics

Module Leader
  • Dr Ip-Shing Fan
Aim

    To develop the student’s understanding and practice of business data analytics to describe, predict, and inform business decisions.
Syllabus
    • Big Data and Business decisions.
    • Basic statistics for management.
    • Data Modelling and Analysis using Excel.
    • Data Modelling and Analysis using JMP.
    • Data quality and system interoperability.
Intended learning outcomes On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
1. Investigate management decisions in the context of Big Data.
2. Distinguish the types of data typical in business management.
3. Evaluate different statistical methods for analysis of business data.
4. Construct data models from datasets representative of data extracted from business IT systems.
5. Evaluate reliability of datasets and devise ways to enhance trustworthiness of data extracted from business IT systems.
6. Analyse and investigate patterns from datasets representative of data extracted from business IT systems.
7. Present data analysis results to support management decisions.

Enterprise Modelling

Module Leader
  • Dr John Ahmet Erkoyuncu
Aim

    To extend the student’s ability to evaluate integrated knowledge systems within the context of the wider enterprise environment through the application of modelling and simulation tools, techniques and methodologies.
Syllabus
    • Introduction to modelling: taxonomy, overview of methods and techniques;
    • Enterprise Modelling and lean concepts and architecture
    • Structured Systems Analysis methodology, Process description capture tools and techniques, Object state transition network;
    • Discrete-event simulation, Systems dynamics and Agent-based simulation techniques and methodologies;
    • Case study analysis, use of industry-based software tools
Intended learning outcomes On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
1. Distinguish the concepts of modelling approaches and architecture.
2. Analyse challenges in the capture and representation of business knowledge for the purpose of modelling.
3. Critically evaluate the opportunities in a business where modelling and simulation can add value.
4. Construct and apply different modelling & simulation tools used in producing enterprise models.

Programme and Project Management

Module Leader
  • Dr Ip-Shing Fan
Aim
    To develop the student’s understanding and practice of project and programme management as a core competence in operations and change management, in the role of internal or external consultants.
Syllabus
    • Project and Programme Management.
    • PM Tools and Techniques.
    • IT Project Management.
    • Introduction to PRINCE 2.
    • Introduction to Managing Successful Programmes.
    • Project Readiness.
    • Organisation and People issues.
    • Project Complexity and Risk.
    • Project Management simulation.
Intended learning outcomes On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
1. Distinguish the concepts of change, transformation, project, programme and portfolio management.
2. Apply the basic project management methods.
3. Compare PRINCE2 and Managing Successful Programmes approaches.
4. Relate the characteristics of IT project to agile approaches like SCRUM.
5. Appraise the complexity nature of projects.
6. Manage the dynamic uncertainty in project execution.
7. Construct a business change project plan using PRINCE2 approach and templates.

Fees and funding

European Union students applying for university places in the 2018 to 2019 academic year will still have access to student funding support. Please see the UK Government’s announcement (21 April 2017).

Cranfield University welcomes applications from students from all over the world for our postgraduate programmes. The Home/EU student fees listed continue to apply to EU students.


MSc Full-time £10,000
MSc Part-time £1,635 *
PgDip Full-time £8,000
PgDip Part-time £1,635 *
PgCert Full-time £4,400
PgCert Part-time £1,635 *
  • * The annual registration fee is quoted above and will be invoiced annually. An additional fee of £1,415 per module is also payable on receipt of invoice. 
  • ** Fees can be paid in full up front, or in equal annual instalments, up to a maximum of two payments per year; first payment on or before registration and the second payment six months after the course start date. Students who complete their course before the initial end date will be invoiced the outstanding fee balance and must pay in full prior to graduation.

Fee notes:

  • The fees outlined apply to all students whose initial date of registration falls on or between 1 August 2018 and 31 July 2019.
  • All students pay the tuition fee set by the University for the full duration of their registration period agreed at their initial registration.
  • A deposit may be payable, depending on your course.
  • Additional fees for extensions to the agreed registration period may be charged.
  • Fee eligibility at the Home/EU rate is determined with reference to UK Government regulations. As a guiding principle, EU nationals (including UK) who are ordinarily resident in the EU pay Home/EU tuition fees, all other students (including those from the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) pay Overseas fees.
MSc Full-time £20,000
MSc Part-time £20,000 **
PgDip Full-time £16,200
PgDip Part-time £16,200 **
PgCert Full-time £8,100
PgCert Part-time £11,760 **
  • * The annual registration fee is quoted above and will be invoiced annually. An additional fee of £1,415 per module is also payable on receipt of invoice. 
  • ** Fees can be paid in full up front, or in equal annual instalments, up to a maximum of two payments per year; first payment on or before registration and the second payment six months after the course start date. Students who complete their course before the initial end date will be invoiced the outstanding fee balance and must pay in full prior to graduation.

Fee notes:

  • The fees outlined apply to all students whose initial date of registration falls on or between 1 August 2018 and 31 July 2019.
  • All students pay the tuition fee set by the University for the full duration of their registration period agreed at their initial registration.
  • A deposit may be payable, depending on your course.
  • Additional fees for extensions to the agreed registration period may be charged.
  • Fee eligibility at the Home/EU rate is determined with reference to UK Government regulations. As a guiding principle, EU nationals (including UK) who are ordinarily resident in the EU pay Home/EU tuition fees, all other students (including those from the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) pay Overseas fees.

Funding Opportunities

To help students find and secure appropriate funding, we have created a funding finder where you can search for suitable sources of funding by filtering the results to suit your needs. Visit the funding finder.

Postgraduate Loan from Student Finance England
A Postgraduate Loan is now available for UK and EU applicants to help you pay for your Master’s course. You can apply for a loan at GOV.UK

Santander MSc Scholarship
The Santander Scholarship at Cranfield University is worth £5,000 towards tuition fees for full-time master's courses. Check the scholarship page to find out if you are from an eligible Santander Universities programme country.

Chevening Scholarships
Chevening Scholarships are awarded to outstanding emerging leaders to pursue a one-year master’s at Cranfield university. The scholarship includes tuition fees, travel and monthly stipend for Master’s study.

Cranfield Postgraduate Loan Scheme (CPLS)
The Cranfield Postgraduate Loan Scheme (CPLS) is a funding programme providing affordable tuition fee and maintenance loans for full-time UK/EU students studying technology-based MSc courses.

Commonwealth Scholarships for Developing Countries
Students from developing countries who would not otherwise be able to study in the UK can apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship which includes tuition fees, travel and monthly stipend for Master’s study.

Future Finance Student Loans
Future Finance offer student loans of up to £40,000 that can cover living costs and tuition fees for all student at Cranfield University.

Global Manufacturing Leadership Masters Scholarship
The Cranfield Global Manufacturing Leadership (GML) scholarships, provided by Cranfield Manufacturing contributes towards the costs of study (tuition fee plus £1000 maintenance grant). Awards are made for a maximum duration of one calendar year for full time study.

Conacyt (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia)
Cranfield offers competitive scholarships for Mexican students in conjunction with Conacyt (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia) in science, technology and engineering.



Entry requirements

A first or second class UK Honours degree in a relevant science, engineering or related discipline, or the international equivalent of these UK qualifications. Other relevant qualifications, together with significant experience, may be considered.

Applicants who do not fulfil the standard entry requirements can apply for the Pre-Masters programme, successful completion of which will qualify them for entry to this course for a second year of study.


English Language

If you are an international student you will need to provide evidence that you have achieved a satisfactory test result in an English qualification. Our minimum requirements are as follows:

IELTS Academic – 6.5 overall
TOEFL – 92
Pearson PTE Academic – 65
Cambridge English Scale – 180
Cambridge English: Advanced – C
Cambridge English: Proficiency – C

In addition to these minimum scores you are also expected to achieve a balanced score across all elements of the test. We reserve the right to reject any test score if any one element of the test score is too low.

We can only accept tests taken within two years of your registration date (with the exception of Cambridge English tests which have no expiry date).

Students requiring a Tier 4 (General) visa must ensure they can meet the English language requirements set out by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and we recommend booking a IELTS for UKVI test.

Applicants who do not already meet the English language entry requirement for their chosen Cranfield course can apply to attend one of our Presessional English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses. We offer Winter/Spring and Summer programmes each year to offer holders.


Your career

Successful students go on to a wide-range of careers in manufacturing, logistics, IT, business systems analysis, manufacturing management consultancy, research and development, and academia. Opportunities are diverse and international, with graduates progressing to senior positions in industry.

Applying

Online application form. UK students are normally expected to attend an interview and financial support is best discussed at this time. Overseas and EU students may be interviewed by telephone.

Apply Now