The UCD Smurfit School MSc in Management Online combines a grounding in theoretical business models with the analytical capacity to review and solve real-world business problems. Aimed at busy professionals seeking to advance their careers, the two-year programme’s flexible delivery structure facilitates participation by time-poor professionals with multiple commitments at home and in work while also allowing overseas participants to undertake the programme.
The course is specifically aimed at non-business graduates, according to programme manager and learning support officer Gerard Dooley. “Eligibility is very broad,” he explains. “It’s for anyone with a degree in anything except business. We get a lot of people with healthcare and engineering backgrounds, for example. In many cases, they are in middle-management roles and want to move on to the next level.”
Online delivery is very important for these mid-career professionals. “It opens it up to people who don’t have the time for more traditional programmes,” says Dooley. “The requirement to attend lectures in the evenings or at weekends excludes a lot of people. Then there are people with caring responsibilities, not to mention those living abroad. The course is open to all those people, who can now get a UCD Smurfit degree.”
The course is fully online with no in-person element. “But participants are fully fledged members of the student community here and can use the physical facilities of the school if they are able to.”
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Some lectures are delivered live, as Dooley outlines: . “Eighty per cent of the lectures are pre-recorded while the other 20 per cent are delivered live online and this gives opportunities for interaction between classmates and lecturers.”
All live lectures are recorded, and students can watch back if they miss them for any reason. “Students can do the programme 100 per cent asymmetrically if they wish.”
Students complete a wide range of modules over the two years. These include global leadership, digital innovation and strategy, corporate finance, HR and marketing in year one.
“That provides the foundation for the second year, when they move on to further develop their management skills,” says Dooley.
Second-year modules include global strategic management, economics and markets, supply-chain management, managing innovative projects and a business research project.
Registered nurse Georgina Ralph completed her MSc in Management Online last month and will graduate in December. Now living in Sydney, Australia, she wanted to broaden her career opportunities and gain a stronger understanding of business and management.
“I felt the MSc in Management Online was a good fit because it provided a strong foundation across all areas of business while also being suitable for professionals transitioning from non-business backgrounds,” she says. “Having worked across several areas of healthcare, I wanted to develop skills that could open opportunities beyond clinical roles in the future. The programme is very well recognised internationally and, as someone living abroad, that global reputation was important to me.”
The flexibility of the online structure was essential for Ralph, as she was balancing professional, academic and family commitments throughout the programme. “The course structure worked particularly well for someone managing a demanding schedule,” she says. “The online format gave me the opportunity to structure coursework around my own schedule while continuing to work full-time and progress academically.
“This flexibility became particularly important during my second year, when I had a newborn at home. The ability to access lectures, complete assignments and engage with the programme at times that suited my schedule meant I could continue my studies while balancing the demands of work and family life.”
The online format didn’t hamper interaction with fellow students. “One of the most valuable aspects of the programme was the opportunity to study alongside professionals from different countries, industries and career backgrounds,” says Ralph. “Despite being based in different parts of the world, there was a strong sense of collaboration throughout the programme.
“Working with people from such varied professional experiences brought different perspectives to discussions, group work and problem-solving approaches, which added greatly to the learning experience.”
Looking ahead, she says the MSc in Management Online has expanded her career opportunities beyond traditional clinical roles. “The programme also strengthened skills that are highly transferable across both healthcare and corporate environments. Studying within such a dynamic learning environment encouraged a different way of approaching challenges and broadened my understanding of how different industries operate. It has also given me the confidence to explore career pathways that I may not previously have considered.”
Dooley concludes by pointing out that there is no compromise on quality. “Students still get a great UCD degree and they can be based anywhere in the world,” he says. “The next programme commencing in September is now open for enrolment.”
To learn more about the MSc in Management Online, join a webinar on July 9th
