Business Strategy, Leadership and Change Heriot-Watt University

Overview

This degree, Business Strategy, Leadership and Change, has been developed by leading academics within the Edinburgh Business School to provide a forward-thinking, cutting-edge programme of study that focuses on key challenges that leaders and managers face in the modern business environment.  

You’ll learn to develop a critical understanding of the principal theories, concepts and techniques of business strategy, leadership, and change.  

You’ll understand the techniques and practices at the forefront of business and be able to apply theories, concepts, and techniques in a practical context. This will develop your skills in evaluating alternative strategies and adopting different change management programmes and leadership styles.  

This is a conversion degree, meaning previous knowledge or study of the subject is not essential. This offers aspiring and less experienced future business leaders the opportunity to gain critical management skills.   

We work closely with our industry advisory board of business leaders to identify current skill gaps organisations face and ensure that our course content and teaching align with industry needs. As a result, you’ll develop key skills in highly employable areas of management including business strategy, leadership, project management, change management, quality management and inventory planning.  

Your Student Experience

Our Expertise

 Your learning will be informed by the expertise of our research-active academics, whose work covers four key areas: 

• International Business and Strategy
• Employment, Work and the Professions 
• Logistics and Sustainability 
• Social and Economic Data Analysis 

Academic Lead

The academic lead for this programme is Dr. Stephan Gerschewski, Associate Professor in Strategy & Enterprise and Global Programme Director of MSc Business Strategy, Leadership and Change. Originally from Germany, he has worked and taught in various universities around the world, including Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand), Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (South Korea), University of Tübingen (Germany), University of Reading (UK), and University of Kent (UK). His main research interests lie in International Business and Entrepreneurship. He has published extensively in top-ranked journals, including the Journal of World Business, International Business Review, and International Small Business Journal. He is Co-Editor of the Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, and he serves on the Editorial Board of several reputable journals, such as International Marketing Review and the European Journal of International Management.

Your Learning Environment

This degree is taught through a combination of lectures and seminar activity involving multiple modes of learning (case studies, workshops, and research papers) and all lectures will be available to download online. 

You’ll be assessed by a combination of presentations, written reports and classroom exercises that may be undertaken individually or in groups. There will be a blend of coursework and examinations for summative assessment. 

During your studies, you’ll benefit from and have access to our state-of-the-art facilities including our Global Incubator which offers new-start firms support to take their business ideas to the next stage. Here you’ll find all types of industries from a wide range of backgrounds and knowledge working with professional and investor networks to achieve meaningful outcomes. 

Outside of the classroom, you can join Heriot-Watt’s Business Society which holds regular social events and provides networking opportunities and insights into career prospects in business and other relevant industries.  

Customise Your Learning

Accreditation

This MSc in Business Strategy, Leadership and Change is accredited by the Chartered Management Institute and successful candidates will be awarded a Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership from the Chartered Management Institute.