MSC management - UK

I have offers from Durham and Cranfield for Msc Management. Cranfield has a good and interesting programme where it is 60% teaching and 40% internship. Durham has a great programme too, but the internship thing isn't there. Durham is also ranked way above Cranfield. Rankings do matter to me, but they're not a priority. However, I need some suggestions/insight so I can make a more informed decision. Please help.

Reply 1

Cranfield University

Official Rep

Original post by rituanand

Hi @rituanand

Congrats on getting some great offers!

The Cranfield course, like most others, puts a lot of emphasis on being focused on giving you the most relevant and cutting-edge skills for the modern global industry. This is reinforced by the industry contacts and connections in the course and university overall.
The design and development of the course is informed by industry, with an external advisory panel comprised of senior management practitioners. This ensures that the graduates are fully prepared for the modern management world, and are highly sought-after. Additionally, the teaching team are supported by a many international visiting industry speakers and professors who bring the latest thinking and best practice into the classroom.
The course also has many ‘real life’-focused aspects. For example, you will develop your management consultancy skills, and have the opportunity to apply them while role-playing a management consulting project working in a team on a genuine business issue, competing against other teams.
You also pointed out how valuable the internship can be. They really give you the chance to experience work culture in the UK, and prove that your classroom-based skills do translate to the real world. You can also develop an network in your area of interest before finishing your course. In fact, many students in the past have been offered positions after graduation with their internship company! You can also experience the European work culture, improving language and communication skills in addition to continuing your learning for the masters while studying in Spain, and have many other opportunities associated with the course (and others in Cranfield too).

Rankings were one thing that were really difficult for me to understand while I was considering my Cranfield offer. Because it is postgraduate-only, it is excluded from a lot of the most popular/common ranking systems, but then because other unis are ranked based on what might be unrelated undergraduate courses, so the rank may not reflect the postgraduate experience.
The Masters in Management course is ranked:
5th in the UK and 36th in the world: The Economist WhichMBA? 2021 Masters in Management (MiM) ranking.
9th in the UK and 77th in the world in the Financial Times: Financial Times: Masters In Management 2021 ranking.
6th in the UK and 28th in the world: QS World University Rankings: Management Masters Ranking 2022.

Another great thing to look at as a measure of course quality (that employers will also use) is accreditation. The Cranfield course is a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) dual accreditation degree. This means that while studying for the degree, you can also achieve the CMI’s professional management qualification. The CMI is the only chartered professional body in the UK dedicated to promoting the highest standards in management and leadership excellence. It is the only organisation awarding Chartered Manager status, and has a 100,000+ membership.

I can’t possibly cover everything in a single post, because there are so many factors that go into the decision. However, if you have any follow up questions or want information on any other areas relating to Cranfield, I’d be happy to help! Just let me know here or on the Cranfield TSR forum 😊

Best of luck with your decision!
Ciara
3rd year Agrifood PhD student
Cranfield Student Ambassador