GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL POSTGRADUATE GUIDE.

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1 GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL POSTGRADUATE GUIDE

2 A provider of excellence in undergraduate and postgraduate education Based in the heart of Aberdeen, a world leading centre in Business and Energy The first academic institution in the UK and Ireland to subscribe to Thomson Reuters Eikon, a state-of-the-art trading platform

3 About the School The University of Aberdeen Business School is a leading international provider of excellence in undergraduate and postgraduate education, at the heart of an ancient Scottish research-led University. We are located on the beautiful North-East coast of Scotland in the vibrant city of Aberdeen, one of the world s leading centres in business and energy. Our international faculty consist of over 40 research active members with world leading academic credentials and strong professional links with the business community. Our research areas include: Accountancy and Finance - Accounting: public sector, critical, international, environmental and financial report analysis. Finance: Asset pricing, international finance, financial econometrics, microstructure, derivatives, regulation of markets, regulation of banks. Economics - labour economics; the economics of health and wellbeing; petroleum & energy economics Management technology innovation and operations; people and organisations; consumers, markets and society; health and well being. Real Estate property investment and market analysis; housing economics; regional and rural development The University of Aberdeen Business School offers graduate programmes which reflect its strengths in undertaking internationally-recognised research. For example: The University of Aberdeen has an international reputation in petroleum and energy economics, highlighted by the work of Professor Alexander Kemp OBE on North Sea Oil and Gas, and Professor Joe Swierzbinski on Auction Design. This research reputation supports the MSc in Petroleum. Energy Economics & Finance. The programme is designed to train energy analysts, not only in the traditional energy industry, but that of emerging renewable resources. The MSc programme in Finance & Investment Management is our longest running MSc programme, with successful graduates gaining employment in many areas of the finance sector. The University of Aberdeen is the first academic institution to subscribe to Thomson Reuters Eikon in the UK and Ireland. This flagship trading floor integrates real activity in financial markets directly into courses. The platform is used by major financial services companies across the world. International staff and students We are very proud that over the years our courses have attracted students from around the world. Alongside our Scottish students, in 2012 we welcomed 35 different nationalities in joining the School, allowing students to experience a wide diversity of cultures. Alumni are from countries including Argentina, Canada, China, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Russia, South Korea and Taiwan, amongst others.

4 Research in the School Research in the Business School is organised into broad research areas: Accountancy and Finance Economics Management Real Estate Additionally, the Business School is home to the following research centres: > Aberdeen Centre for Research in Energy Economics and Finance (ACREEF) > Centre for European Labour Market Research (CELMR) > Centre for Real Estate Research (CRER) > Scottish Experimental Economics Laboratory (SEEL) The University of Aberdeen is a member institution of the ESRC Scottish Graduate School of Social Science Doctoral Training Centre (DTC). 1+3 and +3 doctoral studentships are available in Economics, Business and Management, Accountancy and Finance and Real Estate under the Scottish ESRC DTC. Other sources of funding may also be available. Please visit for more information. Overall, 90% of research activity in the Business School is of international quality (55% is world leading or internationally excellent: 4* and 3* in the 2008 RAE). In the Research Assessment Exercise results of 2008, a UK wide process which evaluates the quality of research. 100% of Economics research, 90% of Real Estate research and 80% of research in Business and Management (including Accountancy and Finance) were judged to be of international quality. PhD Studies The University of Aberdeen Business School offers a variety of research degrees (MRes, MPhil and PhD) in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management and Real Estate. We endeavour to provide all full-time PhD students with fully networked personal computers, shared office space and a common room. Our students also have access to a variety of databases including Datastream, I/B/E/S (Institutional Brokers Estimate System) and Thomson Reuters Real Tick History databases. The University of Aberdeen is the first academic institution to subscribe to Thomson Reuters Eikon in the UK and Ireland. This flagship trading floor integrates real activity in financial markets directly into courses. The platform is used by major financial services companies across the world. Prospective students should review the School s staff pages to identify their research interests, and we would welcome discussions prior to application to ensure you are preparing your research proposal in conjunction with School research interests. More information on how to apply can be found by ing pgrbus@abdn.ac.uk

5 OUR TAUGHT MASTERS PROGRAMMES All our taught programmes are completed in 12 months, full time on campus. MBA (Masters in Business Administration), including Marketing and HRM pathways This programme is available to start in both September and January each year. Our Masters in Business Administration is a one year full-time programme designed to help you develop the practical and theoretical knowledge necessary to advance your career in business. The MBA programme will provide you with an opportunity to explore and develop your understanding of the key skills required to succeed in today s challenging business world. These include: > The specialist subject knowledge of the core areas of business, for example marketing, operations, finance and human resource management. > The interpersonal skills required to lead, manage and motivate successful networks, teams and organisations. > The opportunity to explore new perspectives, ideas and challenges for business. The MBA will develop your knowledge, skills and understanding through a mixture of workshops, tutorials, lectures and business simulations. The MBA Faculty will use a range of different methods to engage you in the programme including case study analysis, project work and group discussions. MSc Accounting & Finance Our programme is specifically designed for graduates who would like a career in the area of accounting and/or finance. You will develop a strong foundation in the principles and practise of accounting and finance as well as an understanding of the analytical tools required to make appropriate financial decisions. This is particularly important given on-going complex developments in the structure of the global financial environment. Our MSc students develop the theoretical and practical skills that are necessary for entering a career in accountancy and/or finance. There is also the opportunity to develop the skills to identify appropriate qualitative and quantitative tools. MSc Finance & Investment Management This MSc programme is the longest running within the School. Careers in finance increasingly depend upon a firm understanding of the foundations of investment behaviour and of the implications of complex developments in the structure of the global financial environment. In drawing from internationally recognised expertise in the fields of Finance, Accountancy and Economics, students develop an awareness of what drives investment behaviour, therefore prices and returns, in the contemporary world of finance. The programme provides students with the skills to identify appropriate tools for the analysis of issues in areas such as investment analysis, fund management and financial regulation.

6 MSc Real Estate The MSc Real Estate considers the creation and management of value in property from the perspectives of economics, finance, investment and business. It sets property markets in the wider context of the local, national and international economies as well as national and international capital markets. This programme is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), allowing graduates to proceed to the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence and full professional membership of the RICS. The degree has been running for over 20 years and employment prospects are good with many past graduates holding senior positions within the profession. The Real Estate programme at Aberdeen is internationally recognised as world class. The teaching staff have a wide range of practical experience as well as being distinguished researchers so the programme combines academic rigour with practical relevance. The Real Estate Department benefits from strong external links with the real estate profession. MSc Real Estate Finance This degree places particular emphasis on finance and economics and addresses those areas of professional practice concerned with real estate investment and operational property portfolios. Our MSc students develop an awareness of what drives investment behaviour in the contemporary world of finance and have the opportunity to develop the skills to identify appropriate qualitative and quantitative tools for the analysis of issues in different areas of finance such as investment analysis, fund management and financial regulation. The MSc Real Estate Finance is accredited by the RICS, allowing graduates to proceed to the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence and full professional membership of the RICS. MSc International Real Estate Markets The MSc International Real Estate Markets places particular emphasis on economics, finance and investment and addresses those areas of real estate profession concerned with domestic and international real estate use, investment and development. This programme is unique in giving a truly international element in its delivery, with a one-week field trip to Europe each year as part of one course and a five-week Asian Cities Tour in the final stage of the degree, where you will have the opportunity to visit companies and developments in the Far East. The programme aims to: > Develop interest in, and knowledge of, economics, investment, finance and management as analytical frameworks for understanding the operations and functions of real estate markets and institutions. > Equip graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to address the current and future challenges associated with professional practice in the field of international real estate. The MSc International Real Estate Markets is accredited by the RICS, allowing graduates to proceed to the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence and full professional membership of the RICS. MSc Management, Innovation & Change This programme is designed to meet the needs of entrepreneurial and innovation driven economies. As the environment in which firms operate becomes ever more complex, effective innovation management requires increasingly wider ranges of knowledge and skills sets. To address this challenge, the programme covers specific topics in innovation and change management and business development, in addition to a range of topics within management including the management of operations, marketing, business strategy, and accounting for managers. We also introduce students to a wide range of all-important practical skills in conducting extensive business and academic research, team working, making presentations, report and essay writing, and developing novel business ideas. MSc Petroleum, Energy Economics & Finance Specifically designed for graduates who wish to develop analytical and problem solving skills from economics and finance, enabling them to embark and develop their careers in business and government within the petroleum industries. The course addresses the increasing need for economic and finance skills required for the complex nature of decision-making in these industries. Our students will develop the skills to allow them to analyse a range of economic and finance issues relevant to these industries, such as investment analysis, government petroleum policies, decommissioning and energy demand. For full details on country specific entry requirements, please gbs@abdn.ac.uk

7 Your Future Career profile: Mark Tabrett MBA (with Distinction) Studying on the MBA programme was definitely a challenge for me and the others in my class. It became clear very quickly why it is so highly regarded by employers. The programme covered many key business areas through a wide variety of different courses. However, the MBA did not just cover the theory of how to operate a successful organisation. It also developed interpersonal skills through group discussions and projects, which often involved presentations to the class of our results. It was not an easy year. The workload was large and there were deadlines for coursework on a regular basis. It taught me an important skill that I use every day time management. Despite the amount of work involved, I found the programme to be an extremely rewarding year which I enjoyed thoroughly. I made some good friends during my time there so we could discuss any areas that someone maybe felt that they hadn t understood fully. The class was diverse in culture, with many students coming from outside of the UK, which meant that there were lots of different opinions when discussing various topics and issues. The class also contained a mixture of those who had worked and were returning to study and those who had never worked before, again bringing different approaches to our tasks. I felt that this exposure to diversity may be very useful in future due to increasing globalisation and the convergence of business practices between different cultures throughout the world. After leaving the university I joined KPMG - a global accountancy firm - in Aberdeen and qualified as a Chartered Accountant. The job required me to understand my clients industries and assess the risks which they may face during their financial year. Although I was not in a senior position, I felt that my MBA helped me in the early stages of my career; I was involved in meetings with colleagues and clients on a regular basis and the knowledge which I acquired has helped me to understand the business issues which are being discussed much more easily than I would have otherwise been able to. To demonstrate my point earlier, KPMG offers managers and senior management the opportunity to study an MBA as the firm realises the benefits that this could have for existing and new or potential clients. After a short career as an accountant I am now working for Talisman as a Business Analyst. Once again I have found the MBA provided a great platform to be able to operate effectively at a high level. The clients are not external in this role, they are internal, but the core skills required are the same. Overall I would definitely recommend the MBA at Aberdeen University to anyone who is aiming to achieve success in their career. It is a demanding course but very rewarding both academically and personally. It is an excellent opportunity to develop yourself at one of the country s most reputable and established universities with a class of graduates who share many of the same long term career aspirations as you.

8 What Do I Need? Taught Masters Programmes The minimum requirement for our Masters programmes is a good first degree (equivalent to a UK second-class Honours degree) or above in any discipline. The exception to this is for MSc Petroleum, Energy Economics & Finance, which requires equivalent of a UK 2.1 Honours degree, including evidence of high academic standards in quantitative subjects. For more specific information on entry requirements, please contact gbs@abdn.ac.uk Research Programmes The minimum requirement for Research programmes is a good first degree (equivalent to a UK second-class Honours degree) or above in a related discipline, and preferably a degree at Masters level. For further details on entry requirements, please contact pgrbus@abdn.ac.uk The English Language Requirement for all College of Arts and Social Sciences programmes is an IELTS of 6.5 with 6.0 in the writing and reading elements (or equivalent TOEFL ibt or PTE). For more information see How to Apply To apply please visit Complete Application forms must consist of: > A completed Postgraduate Application Form > Academic transcripts and/or degree certificate(s) to date > For international applicants, proof of proficiency in English (English Language Requirements) > Academic References. Applicants to research programmes must provide two academic references from their most recent academic institution. For taught programmes, references are not usually required in order for a decision to be made but in certain cases applicants may be asked to provide a single academic reference at the request of the academic selector. Applications for PhD and Masters by Research programmes require a Research Proposal to be submitted with the application. Some departments require an extended Research Profile and applicants should refer to School websites for details before submitting an application. If you have any questions about the application process, please contact: Postgraduate Admissions Office University Office, University of Aberdeen, King s College, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX Tel: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) pgadmissions@abdn.ac.uk Finance and Funding > Tuition fees will depend on your domiciled status. For up-to-date information on fees visit registry/tuitionfees > Our Funding Database is the quickest and easiest way to search for any funding sources that may apply to you. > Graduates of the University of Aberdeen can take advantage of our Alumni Discount Scheme > Scholarships and bursaries are available from the College of Arts and Social Sciences Graduate School. For full details visit funding For full information on funding opportunities available at the University visit postgraduate/funding