Northumbria University (London)

Additional information

Overview

The management consulting services industry is expected to grow at an average rate of ten percent year-on-year, reaching a size of approximately 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars by 2026 (Statista 2022).

This exciting course will give you a transformative educational experience that combines design thinking, entrepreneurial leadership and real-world client briefs from start-up charities to Fortune 500 corporations to develop your innovative and entrepreneurial mindset.

You will learn in a creative environment and undertake live projects across the whole year, working with our academics and researchers alongside real-world clients in the designated design studio that replicates an agency environment.

Key facts

• Available as an MA or MSc, depending on the research methods used in your thesis
• Northumbria University is ranked top 20 in the UK for Art and Design (Complete University Guide 2024)
• Develop creative confidence and expertise in business insight to successfully lead organisations and communities to survive and prosper
• Enhance your employability & expand your professional network by working directly with potential employers and have between 5-7 client projects to add to your CV
• Be supported and coached by the Innovator in Residence at the design studio which replicates an agency environment
• Graduates from this course have gone on to secure senior roles in large organisations, started their own businesses and charities, or gone on to PhD level study and academic careers
• Newcastle Business School is accredited by the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). According to AACSB, “Approximately 6% of the world’s schools offering business degree education have achieved AACSB accreditation, demonstrating a commitment to high-quality, rigorous standards, innovation, and continuous process improvement. Read more about our ‘double’ AACSB Accreditation

What will I study?

The MA/MSc Innovation and Creative Strategy programme is about using design-led innovation and entrepreneurial leadership to make the world a better place.

You will be taught by experts, work with leading professionals, and be coached by an innovator in residence/studio leader at our design studio to develop high-level employability skills combined with creative confidence and an entrepreneurial mindset.

This Masters covers all stages of the innovation process, from research and exploring problems, through to developing strategies, presenting your ideas and analysing the outcomes. By the end of the course, you will be confident in putting your innovative ideas into practice.

Due to meaningful innovation happening when different disciplines work together, students from any discipline and background can join the course and benefit from gaining high-level employability skills combined with creative confidence and entrepreneurial agency.

How will I be taught and assessed?

• Teaching is delivered through a mix of lectures, seminars, and tutorials, totalling around 12-20 hours per week at our design studio, simulating an agency environment.
• You’re expected to engage in independent work and study on your live brief for the remaining time, totalling around 40 hours work per week.
• Supported by the Innovator in Residence/studio leader who will use their expertise to demonstrate how to be a responsible innovator and develop creative solutions to real-life problems as you work on live briefs.
• Assessment is based on portfolios, assignments, and reports, giving you multiple methods to show your understanding of the course material.
• Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) is embedded throughout the course with tools such as the ‘Blackboard’ eLearning Portal and electronic reading lists that will guide your preparation for seminars and independent research.
• Benefit from weekly academic support sessions designed to build your ability and confidence as an academic learner.
• You will be assigned a guidance tutor at induction who you will meet with regularly during your studies.

Careers and further study

This programme will enable you to engage directly with potential employers where you will showcase your skills and develop your confidence, capabilities and employability whilst building your professional network.

At the end of this course, you will be prepared to take on strategic roles by adding your critical thinking skills, strategic innovation, and research projects to your CV that you have undertaken with organisations from the likes of micro-charities to global corporations.

Previous graduates from this course have secured senior roles within large organisations, including roles such as:

• Creative Account Manager
• Innovation Strategy Consultant
• User Experience Researcher
• Global Category Manager

Regardless of your discipline, Innovation and Creative Strategy opens the door to many different options post-study. These can include finding an innovation-based career in a consultancy, starting up an enterprise or even a small business.