MBA Retail Management at University of Bolton

Course Details

At the University of Bolton we pride ourselves in delivering higher level qualifications that are designed in consultation with the private sector, helping this MBA course benefit from truly international recognition amongst employers. The Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Retail Management is a full-time career development programme for those with previous management experience, designed specifically to prepare you for a career in retail management. It focuses on developing the strategic thinking skills needed in today’s global retail economy.

We’ll guide you to develop vital skills and knowledge of different retail organisations, their management and supply chains, and help you explore creative and systematic approaches to understanding business issues. We’ll also support you to develop the knowledge needed to improve business and management practice, in addition to encouraging you to build your intellectual capabilities in research, critique and synthesis.

This combination of academic and professional skills will help give you the tools to work with self-direction and originality, and to contribute to business and society at large. Overall, we offer opportunities and support for you to develop the sought-after analytical and critical competencies that prestigious employers in today’s global economy value so highly.

Key Features:

• Course materials are available online, allowing you to prepare work at home to ensure your in-class learning is highly interactive.
• You Tube videos featuring relevant scenarios in authentic retail environments are used as part of the teaching materials to re-create the feel of a real working environment.
• Your assignments will focus on research into established retail organisations and you’ll be encouraged to engage in genuine and current retail-centred research.
• The final dissertation gives you opportunity to produce an evaluative and critical discussion of a strategic issue relevant to your organisation together with your recommendations and an implementation plan.
• The University’s excellent libraries, 24/7 IT facilities, WiFi and learning areas are freely available for your use and you’ll be given access to a research and study skills module which can assist in all your studies.
• There is an opportunity to apply for membership of the Chartered Management Institute providing you fulfil the appropriate terms and conditions.

Career Opportunities

No matter what part of industry or commerce you work in, the Bolton MBA is designed to help you gain a critical understanding of the problems and challenges facing retail enterprises and organisations and equip you with the analytical and critical faculties to identify potential solutions. As a graduate, you’ll possess an overview of the key business practices, and further skills in areas such as operational management, marketing, strategic planning and accounting relevant to the retail context.

An MBA is often a route to promotion or a career change. Retailers around the world seek out business and management professionals with an MBA. Every business, from tiny start-ups to large companies, need someone with experience and the necessary education to support common business processes like accounting, finance, human resources, marketing, public relations, sales, and management.

What Can I Do With This Qualification?

A wide range of employers within retail – international, multinational, national, regional and SMEs – recruit MBA graduates. Employers look favourably on MBAs because studying for this qualification promotes knowledge and skills that are applicable to any organisation (regardless of the sector). The universal appeal stems from the MBA's focus on collective business principles.

Popular options for MBA graduates include human resource management, investment banking, management consultancy, marketing and supply chain management. An MBA is also highly respected around the world, so if you're interested in a global business career then it could be beneficial – particularly as qualifications from UK business schools are so well regarded. It can also help you to specialise in your current sector, or a new industry that you want to move into.

If you want to continue your studies then you could opt for a research degree (MPhil, DBA or PhD).

Alternative Career Options

• Accountancy
• Hotel and leisure management
• Public relations
• Financial management
• Information systems
• Market research analysis
• Product management
• Health policy and information
• Purchasing
• Teaching and education
• Media (TV, film, online, newspaper, magazine)
• Advertising
• Self-employment
• Logistics
• Banking
• Auditing and quality assurance
• Project management
• Risk and insurance