Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Retail Management

Course Description

The aim of M.Sc. Retail Management is to expose professionals in the retail industry to the theories which directly or indirectly affect the industry.

Throughout the course of study students will be exposed to case studies related specifically to the retail industry in order to develop a deep understanding of the various facets of the industry and be able to critically evaluate, interpret and affect outcomes effecting their organisations.

Students will be also presented with a flexibility of choosing elective modules focusing on Buying and Merchandising, International Retailing, application of Business Intelligence in Retail, Franchising and Retail Negotiations.

The overall course objectives are:

Knowledge:

• Examine the retail concepts as they apply to finance, people, buying & merchandising and the supply chain within the strategic environment of the retail industry.
• Critically evaluate the theories, tools and methodologies used to understand, nurture and grow within and beyond the market in which the retail organisation operates.
• Appraise the relevance for the theories presented to the retail management context of their organisations. In doing so formulate strategies which will bridge the gap and improve the operational, commercial and organisational output.
• Leverage the thorough understanding of the industry and a related practice and apply learnings to effectively manage the retail organisation through the ongoing market turbulence.
• Critically analyse problems facing the retail organisation and develop, propose and apply solutions using current management techniques.

Skills:

• Critically develop a deep understanding of the strategic environment in which the industry operates and assess the issues and problems confronting companies within the retail sector.
• Apply the retail management concepts to their organisation and asses, suggest, implement and drive change within the organisation and its respective channels of distribution.
• Review and apply integrated supply chain techniques to the buying and merchandising functions of the organisation to ensure that organisations are meeting their strategic objectives within the respective strategic business unit.
• Evaluate the nature of the relationships fostered with the customers, suppliers, service providers, competitors, stakeholders and shareholders and the effects each have on the achievement of business goals.

Competences:

• Critically evaluate the spectrum of managerial tools and techniques in relation to the impact on the business within the retail industry and adopt or adapt these to suit the organisation.
• Propose the appropriate strategic direction the company needs to take to bridge the gaps identified through the critical review of case studies.
• Critically evaluate and suggest recommendation for alignment of the resources necessary to achieve strategic objectives set out in order to carry out efficient implementation of said objectives.
• Critically appraise the performance of the strategic implementation through KPIs established in the financial, marketing, HR and commercial management units of the retail organisations.
• Critically revise and assess the various aspects of the processes involved in the successful running of the retail operation in a complex and ever-changing industry.

Entry Requirements

Candidates who apply for this course must possess one of the following:

• a Level 6 degree;

• Minimum of 3 years’ work experience in management within the sector covered by the Study Programme;

OR

• a Level 5 diploma or higher diploma and 5 years’ work experience in a supervisory or managerial role, preferably but not limited to the retail industry.

Students whose first language is not English will be required to demonstrate English language capability at IELTS level 6.0 or equivalent.

Target Audience

This course is targeted at:

• Professionals seeking a management career within the retail industry;
• Those working in management positions within retail or retail-related industries, and who wish to refine and improve their competences and skills.

Career Paths

The possible positions for which this programme aims to prepare you for include, but are not limited to:

• Retail Manager
• Visual Merchandiser
• Supply Chain Manager
• Finance and Accounting
• Sales Manager
• Marketing Manager
• Commercial Manager
• Retail Consultant

Modules

You are required to complete all 7 compulsory modules (42 ECTS), and only 3 elective modules out of the proposed 5 (18 ECTS), as well as the Dissertation (30 ECTS) to fulfil the requirements of this master’s degree

How you’ll be assessed

The method of assessment is assignment-based.

The course comprises:
• 6 lectures per module;
• 3-hour lectures;
• 12 hours of guided learning, presentations, comprising synchronous online discussions, tutorials and/or videos;
• Self-study hours comprising research, reading and assignment work.

The course also includes additional, specialised support to help you write your Dissertation, including classes on Qualitative/Quantitative data analysis tools, as well as Dissertation Workshops.

Assessment

Overall assessment of this programme consists of two main components: 1. Modular Assessment carries 60% of the final grade. 2. The Dissertation carries 40% of the final grade.

The formative and summative assessment tasks may include an in-class assignment and/or a home-based written assignment using diverse assessment tools which may take the form of online and in-class discussions, examinations, case studies, reports, proposals, essays, and presentations, etc., as applicable to the diverse modules.

1. Modular Assessment

The modular score achieved at the end of the study programme modules is calculated by summing up and working an average of the overall grades obtained in all of the study modules. The final grade achieved by the modular component of the programme is calculated by working out 60% of the modular score obtained for the study modules.

Overall assessment weighting for each module consists of two assessment tasks, each carrying a weighting as below:

a) One Formative assignment carries 20% of total module mark achieved. b) One Summative assignment carries 80% of total module mark achieved.

2. Dissertation Assessment

Assessment of dissertations is primarily based on:

• Depth of critical understanding of the theoretical framework;
• Application of appropriate research tools;
• Critical approach to analysis, interpretation and evaluation of research findings;
• Depth and level of argumentation build-up;
• Original contribution to the generation of new knowledge/hypothesis/models;
• Scholarly presentation meeting academic standards