Study with Ulster
Award:
Master of Science
Faculty:
Ulster University Business School
School:
Department of Management, Leadership and Marketing
Campus:
Belfast campus
Start date:
September 2025
The only PG course in Ireland which combines MSc Management & Corporate Governance with The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland qualification.
Due to the great demand for the GradCG qualification (formally GradICSA), Ulster University offers this course with face-to-face tuition to help you achieve a demanding professional and academic qualification. This course leads to graduate membership of The Chartered Governance Institute UK and Ireland, the international membership and qualifying body for chartered secretaries and other governance professionals. The course has been developed in close collaboration with the Institute and is fully accredited by them.
By completing this course, students achieve a masters qualification from Ulster University and also the professional qualification from the Institute.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
In this section
The MSc Management and Corporate Governance course will provide you with the knowledge, professional and transferable skills that will equip you for senior appointments in industry, the social economy, voluntary, charitable and public sectors.
The course equips students to enter employment in roles such as corporate secretary, corporate administrator and head of compliance. These are the professionals who ensure that organisations operate within financial and legal good practice guidelines. Further information on jobs and careers related to this course can be found at www.cgi.org.uk.
The course equips students for a career in professional services through:
• Development of transferable intellectual skills necessary for senior management roles;
• Application of corporate governance to the organisation;
• Study of management and organisational behaviour;
• Management of the finances of the organisation;
and
• Management of the legal environment of the organisation.
The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland (formally ICSA)
The Chartered Governance Institute Uk & Ireland is the international membership and qualifying body for chartered secretaries and other governance professionals and is a world-leading authority on governance, risk and compliance. Governance Professionals are professionals qualified in company law, accounting, corporate governance, administration, company secretarial practice and management. They are trained to chart a course through regulation, legislation and best practice, and to deliver effective operations. Chartered secretaries work as company secretaries and/or in other senior management and administrative positions in companies, charities, local government, educational institutions and trade bodies. The Institute has 36,000 members and students in over 70 countries. Further information is available at www.cgi.org.uk
The full-time MSc Management and Corporate Governance course is usually taught on two days a week, with lectures taking place during the afternoon and evening. As well as weekly lectures some subjects are taught on a "block" basis - meaning that the modules are taught over four days; one module in semester 1.
Students completing the Master's qualification will be required to take three modules in semester 3, these are usually taught on a 4 day "block" basis between May and July.
All but 3 modules on the course are assessed via coursework, there are 3 formal examinations. Students will be required to undertake a number of coursework tasks both individually and in teams.
The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.
Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10, 20, or 40 credit modules (more usually 20) and postgraduate courses typically 15 or 30 credit modules.
The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Teaching and learning activities will be in-person and/or online depending on the nature of the course. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.
Postgraduate Master’s courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.
Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.
The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).
Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.
All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study.
In Masters degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 60% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.
Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%) or Lecturers (57%).
We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic and learning support staff (85%) are recognised as fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advance HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.
The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.
Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
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Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.
Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module provides a firm foundation of the concepts underpinning corporate reporting to enable students to develop an understanding of the application of these concepts in practice and provides a framework which enables students to evaluate current reporting requirements.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module provides the student with the knowledge of compliance and administration processes that are required to fulfil the role of an effective governance professional.
Year: 1
Status: C
The aim of this module is for students to develop and extend their understanding of boardroom dynamics and decision making, including the discipline of risk management, in the context of their importance in maintaining effective corporate governance in organisations.
Year: 1
Status: C
Leadership and management involve making decisions that inevitably have a major impact on the organisation. This module introduces participants to the importance of Financial Management and its linkage with corporate strategy. It aims to build on the knowledge and understanding gained in the study of previous accounting related modules. Emphasis will be on integration of theory and practice. Learning will be by teaching, practice, reflection and independent study. Assessment is by coursework and end of semester examination.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module will equip students with the tools necessary to carry out an effective strategic analysis of any organisation. Students will understand the interconnected role of organisational functions which help achieve the strategic mission and goals of an organisation. Furthermore, they will learn the importance of strategic management in enabling organisations to identify, evaluate and respond to the forces and influences that impact upon their organisation with particular emphasis on ethics, values, CSR and stakeholder mapping.
Year: 1
Status: C
The module informs and equips students to effectively respond to the governance challenges organisations face today. In particular, consideration is given to the key ingredients necessary for securing the highest standards of effective corporate governance, encompassing topics such as the values and principles that underpin corporate governance; the central role of the board in decision-making; board effectiveness in corporate governance; the accountability and regulatory framework within which corporate governance operates; business ethics; corporate social responsibility; risk management; shareholder, and stakeholder, engagement; international corporate governance comparators and corporate governance in other sectors.
Year: 1
Status: C
The Operations function is that part of an organisation that focuses on the economic, efficient and effective use of resources to provide a quality of customer service as the basis for creating business profitability and/or value-for-money. The module is concerned with the design, planning and control of a range of operating systems and to raise awareness of the need for integration with other functional areas to achieve business excellence and completely satisfy customer needs.
Year: 1
Status: C
The module aims to enable students to acquire a broad knowledge and understanding of the core areas of Human Resource Management and to be able to apply these in a range of organisational settings. Teaching is through lectures, tutor supported group work and presentations. Lecture material will develop students' understanding of key concepts.
Presentations will be for students to apply their understanding. Use will be made of case studies, to give students the opportunity to formulate solutions to HR problems.
Year: 1
Status: C
The core aim of the management project is that students should investigate an important, contemporary and relevant management issue for their organisation or profession. It is expected that students will demonstrate an understanding of practical, ethical and strategic issues within their chosen research area. The research should be work-based and it is expected that the subject and design will be such that students will normally be working with primary, as well as secondary data. The total process seeks to develop and test students' conceptual and analytical abilities to enhance both their work-related capabilities and to prepare students for further research studies.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module provides students with a framework of knowledge from which to understand and analyse organisational and team behaviour at both the personal and interpersonal level. Building on this the module then examines the issues of effective and efficient team performance management.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module introduces students to the body of rules and principles of law which regulate public and private companies in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It is of practical significance to all those who wish to make a career in, or have dealings with, such companies and in particular those seeking a career in Company Secretaryship.
We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.
You should have a second class honours degree in any subject from a recognised institution or have obtained an equivalent standard in a professional or other qualification recognised by the University for this purpose, for example, the CGIUKI Diploma in Business Practice.
If you do not meet the above requirements, you may be admitted at the discretion of the Course Committee. In this case, normally you will be interviewed to assess your capability to undertake a rigorous course of study. The award of GradCG will depend on whether you meet the CGIUKI entry criteria.
Students who have achieved relevant professional or postgraduate qualifications MAY be granted exemptions from modules on the course, in accordance with the University's accreditation of prior learning (APL) policy.
Other qualifications
If you do not meet the above requirements, you may be admitted at the discretion of the Course Committee and in accordance with the University's APL policy. In this case, normally you will be interviewed to assess your capability to undertake a rigorous course of study. The award of GradICSA will depend on whether you meet the CGIUKI entry criteria.
Conditions of claiming graduate status of CGIUKI
• You must have registered with CGIUKI as a collaborative student and pay the fee to become a registered student member of CGIUKI.
• Those with the relevant work experience can apply for chartered secretary status and use the post nominal ACIS.
English language requirements for international applicants
International students will be required to have achieved IELTS 7 (with no contributing band at less than 6.0) or equivalent.
Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.
Applicants who have completed masters level qualifications, qualifications from the Governance Institute or other professional bodies, or who have significant work experience may apply to be exempt from modules. Please contact a member of the Course Team for more information.
In this section
Students who study the part-time route through this course may be able to seek promotion within their own organisation. There is a great demand for graduates from this course who have both a valuable academic qualification and a professional qualification from The Chartered Governance Institute UK and Ireland.
A number of organisations recruit directly from this course each year and the course can boast an employment rate of over 90% over the past few years with successful students being appointed to graduate level positions in organisations such as the following:
Maples Finance, BDO Ireland, Mason Hayes and Curran, FBD Holdings, Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Lex Tray, Eversheds (Manchester), Mazars, Citi, A & L Goodbody, Bank of Ireland, Action Aid, KPMG, William Fry, PWC, Blackrock, Maples Finance and Deloitte.
Chartered secretaries are high-ranking professionals with a diverse set of skills unique amongst many professions. Trained in corporate law, finance, governance and corporate secretarial practice, Chartered secretaries are the focal point for independent advice about the conduct of business, governance and compliance. They can also offer legal and accounting advice and manage the development of strategy and corporate planning.
A great deal more information on the job, opportunities and salaries of such skilled individuals can be found at www.cgi.org.uk.
Accreditations reflect the excellence of our teaching, research, and knowledge exchange and ensure our programmes realise the highest expectations. By studying at Ulster University you’ll gain insight and be at the forefront of current industry practices, while our many accredited degree programmes open doors to the world’s top professional organisations, making you more attractive to future employers and giving you a competitive edge in the job market.
Accredited by The Chartered Governance Institute (CG) for the purpose of exemptions from some professional examinations.
Postgraduate fees are subject to annual review, 2025/26 fees will be announced in due course.
See our tuition fees page for the current fees for 2024/25 entry.
There are a number of sponsored prizes and awards presented to outstanding students of this course.
It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.
Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.
There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.
See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
“After completing my undergraduate degree in Law I was working in the administrative centre for Ulster Bank in and was primarily involved in a large risk management project.
I wanted to complete a course that would complement my Law degree but also gave a holistic overview of the running of a business or organisation that was varied but also focused.
The MSc Management and Corporate Governance course was fairly new but had an already stellar reputation and seemed the course that fitted my need. Furthermore, there were known to be interesting job opportunities available after graduation which subsequently allowed me to live and work in some very differing countries.
The teaching on the course blended the practical aspects of management and corporate governance with the theoretical and academic. Also, we had continuous feedback from lecturers and staff at the University who were always more than willing to assist, I found the Ulster University Business School very accommodating. My previous experience of higher education was of being one of a very large class where I found it difficult to get interaction with academic, at the Ulster University Business School I was able to have first hand contact with academic staff and explore ideas discussed.
The course showed that I could manage a large and very challenging workload that was incredibly varied, whilst either working as part of a group or on individual assignments. It has helped me greatly on taking advantage of many opportunities far and wide, and is viewed by employers as definite 'positive' on my CV. It also comes with a recognised and respected professional qualification that is prized by many employers looking for someone who has shown dedication and ability to deal with heavy workloads.
I would recommend the course to anyone, it's very worthwhile, it gives you a very good fundamental background on the running of an organisation, whether as a business or part of government. It allows you to see how each function of an organisation; human resources, organisation behaviour and company law (for example) interact and complement each other and how you navigate your way through matters that would appear at first sight to be quite daunting.”
Kevin Hughes
“Prior to the MSc I studied at the University of Ulster in Coleraine between 2007 -2010 graduating with a BSc in Business with Accountancy
As a business graduate the content of the MSc course appealed to me as the modules included law, accounts, governance strategy and human resource management, to name but a few complemented by undergraduate study. My brother is a graduate of the course and is successfully forging a career in Jersey and my sister was studying the MSc Human Resource Management course.
The course is very demanding and high paced; but very worthwhile because of the excellent career prospects with the added advantage of jobs worldwide.
As well as taking away the academic learning from the course I also learned determination to succeed and the focus and fortitude to do so and to ensure a successful outcome.
For those who are thinking of taking the course I would say that that the Course Director and teaching staff are there to help, work with them, asking any pertinent questions to gain maximum support. The opportunities the course offers are extensive with the Course Director keeping in touch with his students worldwide, therefore maximising all contacts.
I have high expectations for the future. This course will enable me to diversify into such areas as wealth management, trust work, or the field of corporate governance. I am travelling to Canada in March 2012 on a six month visa to pursue the possibility of eventually emigrating and my masters course will significantly improve my chances of employment as corporate governance has become such an important issue. The opportunities are endless and I intend to grab life and career by the scruff of the neck.”
Ainslie Creighton
“I studied Law and Economics prior to the MSc Management and Corporate Governance and chose to do the course because of the breadth of subject areas covered and its links to employers.
The residential was fantastic – it sets you up for the rest of the course and I would recommend it to anyone. You meet people who become more than your classmates, I stay in contact with a lot of them even after finishing the course.
Studying on the course requires commitment and organisation. Your time has to be used efficiently to meet deadlines and making an early start on projects is advantageous. I’d recommend that students take full advantage of all the opportunities offered by the course including networking and social events to get the most from it. In addition to the academic knowledge I got from the course, it has definitely improved my confidence and organisational skills.
One of the reasons I chose the course was because of its employment prospects and links to employers, it helped to secure my job with Citi and I was one of the first in my year to secure employment.
I found the masters to be broad ranging it the type of modules you study, in my current role at Citi most of the modules have proved extremely useful – the learning from the accounting and law modules I use daily when drafting investment contracts and legal documents; and as I work in a team other modules such as HRM and Organisation Behaviour are useful as is the understanding I have of team dynamics.
I did not know a lot about the ICSA before the course, but it is a real added bonus and is sought after by employers."
Sarah Marshall
Ulster continues to develop and support sustainability initiatives with our staff, students, and external partners across various aspects of teaching, research, professional services operations, and governance.
At Ulster every person, course, research project, and professional service area on every campus either does or can contribute in some way towards the global sustainability and climate change agenda.
We are guided by both our University Strategy People, Place and Partnerships: Delivering Sustainable Futures for All and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Our work in this area is already being recognised globally. Most recently by the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact rating where we were recognised as Joint 5th Globally for Outreach Activities and Joint Top 20 Globally for Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals.
Visit our Sustainability at Ulster destination to learn more about how the University strategy and the activities of Ulster University support each of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Ulster University Business School (UUBS) aims to be a thought-leader for sustainable business futures.
Our mission is to embolden staff, students and all our stakeholders to become sustainable business futures leaders. We aim to support and showcase sustainability research and education across Ulster University Business School.
We do so by embedding the sustainable futures agenda into five remits: sustainability performance, research and knowledge exchange, learning and teaching, student experience and communications and engagement. We are a member of PRME – the Principles for Responsible Management Education concordat.
Contact: uubssustainability@ulster.ac.uk
We support and develop ‘Education for Sustainable Development’ within the Faculty’s Learning & teaching portfolio. We do so by providing bespoke staff training on ESD and curating an ESD Resources Hub.
All UUBS undergraduate and post-graduate course are mapped against the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and students are actively involved in learning for sustainable development.
We seek to enhance the student experience by encouraging our students to become actively involved in sustainability initiatives, such as Carbon Literacy Training, the Big Spring Clean and collaborating with the Northern Ireland Resource Network.
We develop, support and disseminate sustainability-themed research within the Faculty and beyond. Our annual sustainability research networking event creates new research strands within the Faculty’s research portfolio.
We actively support out PhD community to embed sustainability in their research and provide training on methods and critical thinking on sustainability.
We partner with other institutions, such as Queen’s University Belfast and Atlantic Technological University to broaden our sustainability research and create interdisciplinary research links.
UUBS has a dedicated Sustainability Committee, tasked with developing dedicated internal and external communications and engagement activities promoting the sustainability work of the Faculty.
We host an annual Sustainability Business Breakfast, attend and speak at notable sustainability events, such as the SustainExchange Summit, the Belfast Re[Act] Festival and the NI Science Festival.
Our sustainability work is monitored on our bespoke UUBS SDG Dashboard on our dedicated UUBS sustainability webpages. Our sustainability performance team oversees the Faculty’s Academy Restaurant’s Green Academy programme and associated eco-certifications Green Key and Green Tourism Gold Award.
