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Management - Master's Programme

(MiM) MSc with a major in Management | 1 year | 60 credits

A graphic of people connected to each other through networks of thoughts and questions

Kick-start your management career with our Master's in Management (MiM) that will transform you from an ambitious graduate into a successful manager. You will learn to apply the skills you acquire in a range of areas including marketing, strategic management, business consultancy and organisational development.


Description

This intensive, one-year full-time programme prepares recent, non-business graduates for a wide range of careers in management. An emphasis on skills takes students beyond the theory and into the heart of real-life management challenges. You will refine and build upon your communication, teamworking, and presentation skills through individual and group work, and develop your professional skills in decision-making, problem-solving, analysis, and critical reflection.

Some key elements of the programme

Base Teams are a core element of the programme. We will create teams of five or six based on diversity. Your team will be a base for you during the programme and there will be several team assignments in the programme. The teams are also important in supporting the members learning and development in the programme. Among other things, the teams will be meeting a tutor on a regular basis (see below). In short, we suggest that you see the programme as a number of projects and that your team is sharing the responsibility of managing these projects. 

Ensuring that each team develops a constructive team dynamic is of course very important. Management is, to a large extent, a question of cooperation and teamwork. Teams must also be managed or lead. Working in diverse teams for an extended period is a very good learning opportunity. Ultimately you are all responsible for creating a good team dynamic. Naturally, we will help you by teaching various theories on teams, team development, team leadership, handling diversity, conflict handling, communication in teams, feedback, etc. We will also organise team development sessions with a team coach throughout the programme. The faculty will create the teams in early September.

From day one of the programme, each student must keep a learning journal to be handed in monthly. A learning journal is a collection of notes, observations, thoughts and other relevant materials built-up over a period of time. It is a piece of writing, which allows you to record thoughts and insights about your learning experience. It encourages you to review and consolidate learning, to evaluate performance, to plan future learning based on past learning experience. The purpose is to enhance your learning through the very process of writing and thinking about your learning experiences. This journal will be read and commented on by a tutor (see the MiM Learning Journal Guide where you will find a suggested format for the journal).

Five times during the programme you and your base team will meet a tutor. The purpose is for you individually and in a team to talk about your learning and development. It is also an opportunity for faculty to stay in touch with you. The tutorials are three hours and will be used for sharing reflections, for monitoring progress and for agreeing on plans for the further learning and development. The tutors are all experienced coaches.

Developing as a future manager is very complex and to a large extent a tacit process. It involves integrating all sorts of knowledge, skills and mind-sets into a whole. It is certainly much more than passing the various tests and assignments we give you and is certainly deeply personal. To make sure that you are exploring these issues in an open and curious manner, it is a good idea to also talk about your experience with others undergoing the same process and with a faculty member that knows the programme design.

Connecting the programme and your ideas for your future career is valuable. Among other things we think it is a good idea to connect your career plans to your Undergraduate experience, to your topic for the degree project and other learning opportunities in the programme: all in the effort of building a relevant CV. Several times during the programme, you will be given the opportunity to meet a career coach. The coach will help you define your career plans, build a CV, build your “brand” and build a network that can help you find the job you are aim for.

The task of managing is, on one hand, very concrete, and on the other, a very elusive phenomenon. Reading about Managing and Managers is only a small part of developing the ability to manage. To support your learning and development you will be shadowing a manager for some time. The purpose is for you to develop your understanding of what management might be by observing the “everyday” task of managing, by interviewing a manager and by reflecting on what it might mean to manage. Based on the shadowing, you will write a report and share your experience and learning in a seminar. To increase the value of the shadowing, you should, of course, find a type of manager and/or a type of organisation that relates to your future career plans. You are responsible for finding a manager to shadow, but if needed, we will help.

Managing an organisation is a complex task. Management is a profession dealing with the need for integration. In other words, it is about ”bringing the pieces together”. It is about overcoming all sorts of dilemmas; bridging the long and short-term needs; bringing thinking and acting together effectively and efficiently; and harbouring diverse perspectives. The business game will provide you with the opportunity of experiencing the challenges of managing a company. Your base team will compete against other teams in a business simulation. Your team will be the management team of a company. During the simulation, instructors focusing on strategy, marketing, management control, etc., will coach the teams.

You may already have career goals in mind or perhaps you are still considering what route, role and environment will best suit you in the business world. Either way, this degree programme will prepare you for leadership in the fast-moving business world. It is driven by a practical and applied teaching philosophy that focuses on experiential learning and development, and you will learn from real-life case studies how to put the latest academic thinking and business strategies into practice.

Your fellow students are high achievers from around the world enriching your learning experience, and high-profile industry leaders regularly speak on campus. The programme has been developed by our renowned faculty in close cooperation with leading companies to ensure that it provides highly-relevant transferable skills and knowledge for the workplace and beyond.

The programme is designed for students that already hold a recent first degree in a subject other than business or management, looking to develop key managerial skills.

International Master Class

Students with exceptional study results during the first semester at this programme, may compete for seats at the International Master Class programme. An International Master Class is a highly competitive opportunity to go on an exchange semester after finishing your Master’s studies at LUSEM.

International Master class for LUSEM master students

Extra curricular track: Living the Sustainability Idea

Living the Sustainability Idea is an extra curricular track where you get the opportunity to know more about the concept Inner Development Goals, meet companies, be introduced to the latest research and get individual coaching to start your personal journey. It’s a possibility for you to explore, practice and reflect on your skills and capabilities.

Laura Elisabet Maltha Johannessen, Master's student in Management, talk about Living the Sustainability Idea.

Contact

Master coordinator Business Administration
master [at] fek [dot] lu [dot] se

Programme documents

This one-year master comprises 60 ECTS credits. The program design is partly focusing on providing managerial knowledge through courses covering the fundamental knowledge areas, partly providing skills training and partly supporting personal development.

Autumn semester (30 ECTS)

Successful management of organisations and their activities depends on successful management of individuals, teams and projects in an increasingly complex and diversified context. This course provides a broad overview of key theories, models and concepts related to managing these. Furthermore, the course also provides a broad overview of the academic foundation for these theories and models.

The content of the course is divided into the following parts:

Managing and leading individuals. An overview of key theories and models in leading and managing individuals is discussed. The overview is partly presenting the historical development of academically based development of our understanding of leadership and management but is primarily focusing on contemporary theories and models. Particular weight is put on the aspect of diversity on leadership and management.

Managing and leading teams. An overview of key theories and models regarding teams, team dynamic, team roles and team leadership is discussed. Particular weight is put on the aspect of diversity in teams.

Course code: MGTN71 | Download syllabus

The concept and praxis of managing is complex and to some extent elusive. Nevertheless, management and managing are an essential elements in organizations and in our understanding of organizations. This course provides a broad overview of some key aspects of management/managing both on an academic and explicit level and on a pragmatic and tacit level. The contents of the course is divided into the following parts:

The concept and practice of management: Management is practical, contextual and complex and is seen, in this course, as a mix of Science and Craft. In this course we present both the explicit and analytic elements of Management as well as the tacit and experiential elements. Topics covered are: Management contexts and conditions; Management roles and expectations; and Management knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Human cognition and decision-making: Decision making, often under uncertainty, is an essential aspect of management. The course provides a broad overview as well as practical application of key theories and models in behavioral economics and psychology. Topics covered are: Judgment and choice biases; Decision under risk and Intuition and deliberation.

Moral competence: Moral norms and values affect conditions for management and the prospects for organizations to achieve their goals. Management is related to power and often has far reaching consequences. The course provides an overview as well as practical application of moral philosophical concepts and theories used to analyze moral issues in a managerial context. Topics covered are: Moral issues in management practice; Normative theories; The function and evolution of moral norms and Moral norms and cultural relativism.

Managerial decisions in a legal context: Managerial decision-making and execution is taking place inside various legal systems. Acquiring a basic understanding of the role legal systems play in society and in particular how they affect managers is vital. The course introduces legal thinking and it provides an overview as well as practical application of legal concepts and methods used to analyze the relevant legal consequences of managerial decision-making and execution. Topics covered are: What is law and what is a legal system? Organizations in legal environments, Territoriality in law, Private and public law, Mandatory provisions and party autonomy.

Course code: MGTO61 | Download syllabus

Learning, development and change are important aspects of managerial practice. This course provides a broad overview of some key aspects of management/managing both on an academic and explicit level and on a pragmatic and tacit level. The content of the course is divided into the following parts:

  • Theories and praxis of learning, innovation and change in organizations. As organizations, as well as society in general, operates under changing conditions the ability to innovate is essential. A system’s ability for learning and change is a key success factor. Hence change management is an important part of managing. The course will give an overview of theories and models on organizational change and change management.
  • The theories and praxis of managing, learning, development and change in individuals. An important part of Management is to develop individuals in line with organizational needs. The course will give an overview of theories and models regarding how adults learn and develop.
  • The theories and praxis of managing ones on development, learning and change as a manager. Successful management is based both on tacit and explicit competence. It is also personal and situational. The course will provide tools for continues personal learning and development as a Manager.

Course code: MGTO51 | Download syllabus

This course provides a broad overview of key theories, models and concepts related to five central perspectives on management:

Strategic Positioning and the Strategy Process, in particular:

  • The development of strategy theory and research over time and how this development can be linked to the development in society and the challenges faced by managers of organizations over time.
  • The key concepts, tools and theories within the field of strategy theory and relates this to problems and challenges facing managers of organizations in the private as well as the public sector.
  • The ability to identify and critically assess managerial problems related to the strategy process.

Marketing Management, in particular:

  • Companies and other organisations’ understanding of and interaction with markets, stakeholders and society. How marketing is conducted on consumer markets. How marketing is conducted on business/industrial markets.
  • Relationship marketing orientation. Interactions, relationships, networks, trust and corporate social responsibility.
  • Service marketing perspective. How service marketing is conducted on consumer and business/industrial markets. Service-dominant logic. Product vs. Service offerings. The complexity of service offerings and the management of service.

Organization, Coordination and Design, in particular:

  • Why do we have organizations? Specialization, productivity and the need for integration and coordination.
  • Organizational configurations: Organizational parts, structures, coordination mechanisms, formal and informal organizations, formalization, specialization, standardization and (de-) centralization.
  • Designing the effective organization: The importance of context and the impact on managerial work, innovation, motivation and knowledge work.

Management Control, in particular:

  • Financial reports and profitability analysis. Income statement, balance sheet, Du Pont analysis and the management of financial results, and cost dynamic
  • Management control tools. Budgeting, financial and non-financial performance indicators, balanced score cards, management control system.
  • Investment calculations, cash flow planning, analyses of working capital requirements.

Course code: MGTO38 | Download syllabus

Spring semester (30 ECTS)

Economic perspective: The course introduces a range of leading explanations for and perspectives on the rise and long-run development of the global economy. Focus is laid upon examining a number of possible determinants of long-run economic transformation, such as geography, infrastructure networks, human capital, natural resource management and institutions.

The choice of themes is guided by what is considered to be core challenges in the contemporary global economy to both developed and developing countries, such as how sustained worldwide economic growth can be combined with an efficient use of natural resources, how it impacts on income patterns and wealth distribution, and how it connects to institutions and quality of governance.

Guided by the selected challenges students are given the required knowledge base for conducting informed global contextual analyses. Focus will be laid upon identifying implications from this analysis on contemporary management strategies.

Technological perspective: Innovation and the evolution of technology are among the key forces that shape society. In particular, many observers see the current wave of innovation and digitalization as a new industrial revolution that will have a profound effect on all aspects of the global economy and society.

The course will introduce current topics and theoretical perspectives that shed light on the underpinnings of these developments and discuss some of the challenges of technological change for people, organizations and industries.

Course code: MGTO26 | Download syllabus

Managers and organisations are acting in increasingly more complex current environments and navigating towards increasingly more complex and uncertain future environments. This has profound consequences for individual managers as well as for organisations. The ability to reason under such conditions is one important dimension. Hence an understanding of cognitive theory and cognitive development is valuable. Acting under these conditions is another important dimension. Individual and organisational learning in action and so-called ambidextrous abilities are core aspects.

The content of the course is divided into the following parts:

  • Theories of complexity and uncertainty as it applies to management.
  • Theories and praxis of foresight as it applies to management.
  • Theories and praxis about cognitive development for individuals and in organisations.
  • Theories and praxis of strategic thinking and decision-making.

Course code: MGTO12 | Download syllabus

Learning, development and change are important aspects of managerial practice. This is particularly apparent in a dynamic environment. This course provides a broad overview of some key aspects of management both on an academic and on a pragmatic and tacit level. The content of the course is divided into the following parts:

  • Theories and praxis of learning, innovation and change in organizations. As organizations, as well as society in general, operates under changing conditions the ability to innovate is essential. A system’s ability for learning and change is a key success factor. Hence change management is an important part of managing. The course will give an overview of theories and models on organizational change and change management.
  • The theories and praxis of managing, learning, development and change in individuals. An important part of Management is to develop individuals in line with organizational needs. The course will give an overview of theories and models regarding how adults learn and develop.
  • The theories and praxis of managing ones on development, learning and change as a manager. Successful management is based both on tacit and explicit competence. It is also personal and situational. The course will provide tools for continues personal learning and development as a Manager.
  • The theories and praxis of running project and organizations in a dynamic environment with an emphasis on critical application of managerial tools and the need for continuous organizational and individual learning and development.

Course code: MGTO52 | Download syllabus

The students work independently, in smaller groups on the design and conduct of their studies. They present their studies in the form of a final written master thesis (degree project). This includes the search, selection, study and presentation of relevant literature on the appropriate theoretical area or areas. Further, students will present their chosen research methodology, and will collect relevant empirical data. The students are also expected to read and discuss the work of other students that attend the course.

Course code: MGTN59 | Download syllabus

I learned about how I manage and lead, including both my strengths and weaknesses. I also learned a lot from my classmates, from insights they provided during group discussions, and to reflect on what they saw in me. If I would describe the programme in five words, it would be: tough, challenging, intentional, rewarding, and worthwhile.

Jordan Stilley (USA)

“I have a background in Aerospace Engineering and have several years of work experience. However, I began to realize that while engineering school prepared me well for the technical aspects of work, it did little to prepare for many parts of the job – such as teamwork, effective communication, making difficult decisions, and interacting with customers and suppliers. I also learned that I really enjoy interacting with and helping the people I work with, and that I would like to work in management someday. When I saw the description of Master’s in Management, it really resonated with what I saw lacking in my previous education and what I would need to prepare me for my future career goals.”

What is the programme like?

“This programme is much different than my other academic experiences. In addition to lectures, papers, quizzes and one regular exam, there were workshops, team projects, a large group project, and even a business simulation. As a result, there was a wide variety of hands-on learning opportunities. The programme is very international with students from every populated continent. I didn't feel like anyone was left out or that people from the same country stuck together to the exclusion of others – we were all in it together! I think this was helped by a lot of group work early on where the groups changed every time. The main features that are unique to this programme is the large amount of challenging team-based assignments (so that you really have to learn how to work as a team) and the opportunities to reflect on and learn from your experiences. I have never experienced these learning opportunities in an academic setting before, but they are ones that provided some of the most valuable insights for my future career. I learned about how I manage and lead, including both my strengths and weaknesses. I also learned a lot from my classmates, from insights they provided during group discussions, and to reflect on what they saw in me. If I would describe the programme in five words, it would be: tough, challenging, intentional, rewarding, and worthwhile.”

What are you planning to do after your time in Lund?

“I just started a job in Malmö (Sweden) as an engineering consultant, similar to my previous work. This will allow me to learn about the working culture here in Sweden (as compared to the US), learn the Swedish language, and let me build a network in the region. However, down the road, I would like to move into a leadership role in a technology organization, such as a team- or project manager.”

We are divided into "base teams", which have been specifically chosen by our professor depending on our background, previous education and learning styles. By working in a diverse team, we need to learn how to accept all of our different learning styles, to be flexible, to be understanding and how to manage each other. What I have personally learned is is my own learning style, my way of thinking and making decisions, and what I want and expect out of my life.

Stephanie Ambjörnsson Schröderheim (Sweden and USA)


Career opportunities

The programme has been developed in extensive consultation with top recruiters and the curriculum focuses on the knowledge and skills that employers demand. It provides knowledge and experiences that will prepare graduates for future management positions.

Among the major companies that have recruited from the School of Economics and Management you will notice Alfa Laval, Deloitte, IKEA, L’Oréal, McKinsey, Tetra Pak and Unilever. Our dedicated careers service will help you present yourself with confidence to top employers.


Programme requirements

Selection to this programme

MSc Management is an intensive and demanding programme for students with an excellent undergraduate degree who wish to launch a career in management. Admission to the MSc Management programme is very competitive and the selection committee will pay close attention to all aspects of your application, with particular focus on the following criteria:

  • MSc Management is designed for recent graduates. A recent Bachelor's degree from an internationally recognised university in a subject other than business or management is recommended.
  • We will not accept candidates whose degrees are in business or management. If your degree contains modules similar to more than one quarter of the MSc Management programme, you will not be eligible for a place.

The Söderberg Scholarship

Two full-time scholarships exclusively for Master's in Management students. The scholarship cover 100% of the tuition fee.

The Söderberg Scholarship is an academic excellence award targeting top Master’s in Management students outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland.

You apply for a scholarship after you have completed your Master's in Management programme application.

The Söderberg Scholarship