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Overview
- Start dateFull-time: October, part-time: throughout the year
- DurationOne year full-time, Three years part-time
- DeliveryTaught modules 40%, Group project 20% (dissertation for part-time students), Individual project 40%
- QualificationMSc, PgDip, PgCert
- Study typeFull-time / Part-time
- CampusCranfield campus
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.
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.
Course delivery
Taught modules 40%, Group project 20% (dissertation for part-time students), Individual project 40%
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.
Modules
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 and elective (where applicable) modules which are currently affiliated with this course. All modules are indicative only, and may be subject to change for your year of entry.
Course modules
Compulsory modules
All the modules in the following list need to be taken as part of this course.
Enterprise Systems
| 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 |
• 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
| Aim |
To introduce core factors of managing operations. |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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|---|---|
| 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 |
• 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
| 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 |
• 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 |
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|---|---|
| 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 |
• 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. |
Data Analytics
| Aim |
To develop the student’s understanding and practice of business data analytics to describe, predict, and inform business decisions. |
|---|---|
| Syllabus |
• 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. |
Programme and Project Management
| Module Leader |
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|---|---|
| Aim |
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| Syllabus |
• 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. |
Supply Chain Management
| Aim |
To develop skills to analyse and manage the direction of a business, to design and develop manufacturing strategy to deliver competitive advantage and plan effective deployment of a strategy. |
|---|---|
| Syllabus |
• Benchmarking of manufacturing system performance. • Manufacturing strategy in business success. • Strategy formation and formulation, leading on to system design. • Structured strategy formulation and system design methodologies. • Approaches to strategy formulation in differing business contexts. • Realisation of new strategies/system designs, including approaches to implementation. • Case study on design of competitive manufacturing strategy. |
| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module a student should be able to: 1. Describe the role of manufacturing within business strategy. 2. Define and explain manufacturing strategy process and content, emergent and intended strategy, competitive edge criteria and decision areas. 3. Explain how the various approaches to manufacturing strategy formation complement different business circumstances. 4. Demonstrate manufacturing strategy formulation. 5. Apply a structured methodology to create a manufacturing strategy. 6. Assess the impact of a proposed manufacturing strategy on business performance. |
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. The Course Director for this programme is Dr Samir Khan and the Admissions Tutor for this programme is Matthew Caffrey.
Cranfield University really helps you explore what you don't know and the support that the academic professors have given has been fantastic. The industrial partners you will be engaging with are also fantastic.
Guan-Hong Yap, Management and Information Systems MSc Student
Accreditation
Re-accreditation for the MSc in Management and Information Systems is currently being sought with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET) 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.
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.
Cranfield Careers Service
Cranfield’s Career Service is dedicated to helping you meet your career aspirations. You will have access to career coaching and advice, CV development, interview practice, access to hundreds of available jobs via our Symplicity platform and opportunities to meet recruiting employers at our careers fairs. Our strong reputation and links with potential employers provide you with outstanding opportunities to secure interesting jobs and develop successful careers. We will support you in the job application process for up to three years after graduation.
How to apply
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.
