Management Consultancy

Overview
The MSc in Management Consultancy provides a detailed understanding of the global consulting industry - how it works, its dominant players, key success factors and the management issues that drive it, how and when to use different consulting tools and methodologies, how to write a consulting proposal and other key skills needed to be a successful management consultant. Guest speakers from the consulting industry, including recent course graduates, provide additional insight and expertise.

As part of the course, students work directly with companies, completing Company Clinics with SMEs in Semester 1, and a live consulting project for a client company in Semester 2.

The ideal candidates of this course are graduates in business or economics keen to pursue a career in the highly competitive and increasingly global management consulting industry.

What will I learn?
Successful completion of the course will provide graduates with knowledge of four main areas of management consultancy – how it functions, the key operators, the factors for success, and the management issues driving the industry.

1. The successful application of the various existing consulting tools and methods, both from an operational and strategic perspective, as well as the requisite skills to succeed within the profession.

2. In the summer term, students can complete a research project, or in a small number of cases, choose from a limited number of possible internships. With any possible internship opportunity, students may have to go through a competitive process, including potential interviews.

3. Acquisition of the techniques needed to solve problems and boost performance within businesses, as already applied by leading practitioners within the field.

How will I benefit?
The carefully-constructed curriculum aims to instil a varied and constructive approach to business problem-solving within students, making them highly sought-after for recruiters upon graduation.

1. Wide-ranging course content, designed to train students in not only understanding management principles but also making their own diagnoses and applying strategy in light of their findings.

2. The chance to apply knowledge is offered before completion of the course via a one-on-one consulting project conducted in tandem with a client company.

3. Graduates of the course regularly secure managerial and consulting positions in highly-reputed companies such as Accenture, PwC, Deloitte, BearingPoint and IBM.

Curriculum
Whether taking the course on a full-time basis or part-time via classes during the working day, students must complete a blend of core and option modules (6 + 1), as well as a consulting project with a client company.

In the summer term, students must complete one core module and can select to complete a research project or in a small number of cases, apply for a limited number of possible internships. With any possible internship opportunity students have to go through a competitive recruitment process, including interviews with employers, to be selected.

Vision/Values Statement
The MSc in Management Consultancy focuses on the nature of the management consulting industry, and its value as an enabler of organisations. In particular, the course examines and develops the role of the management consultant, the nature of client-consultant interaction, and the specific techniques used in a consultancy project to ensure the delivery of a successful project outcome. By completing live consulting projects for clients, students learn about the reality of the management consulting process at first hand (Purpose).

Embedded in the values of the programme are action learning enhanced by live business projects in all three semesters, combined with academic subjects relevant to consulting such as Organisational Behaviour, Change Management, Project Management and Strategy; and a balance of academic and practical teaching and learning strategies: lectures, case studies, guest speakers, project workshops, plus independent learning (education and subject/discipline/professional values).

The programme involves participative, interactive classes combined with experiential and action-based learning that fosters the development of professional presentation, communication, proposal and report-writing, and interpersonal skills; and a focus on analysis, project management and relationship-building skills (the nature of the learning environment for students). Students will undertake group and individual assessments; critical thinking and reflection; autonomous student learning; opportunities to learn from peers; student presentations; thinking reflectively; and interaction with business clients (key approaches to teaching, learning and assessment).

Autumn Trimester
Competitive and Corporate Strategy
Management Consulting Principles
Organisational Behaviour

Spring Trimester
Diagnostic Techniques in Consulting
Managing Organisational Change

+ 1 option module:
Economics of Entrepreneurship
Governance and Stakeholder Management
Creativity Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Mindfulness & Resilience at Work
HRM Technology, Analytics & Digital Innovation

Summer Trimester
Project Management

plus
Management Consultancy Business/Company Project

or

Management Consultancy Internship

Please be advised that the above reflects the 2022/2023 curriculum structure and is subject to change each year. Option modules listed are indicative of what has been delivered in previous years and are also subject to change.

Please review the entry requirements below. The UCD Smurfit Admissions Office staff have expertise in reviewing international qualifications from around the world and will be able to assess your application's comparability to the Irish entry requirement.

- Suitable for students with an undergraduate degree in Business, Economics or Engineering, although other backgrounds may be considered in some cases.

or

- A primary degree with a minimum of three years' relevant work experience.

Information & Requirements
English Language Requirements
If English is not your first language, an English language qualification is required for admission to all of our programmes. The exception to this rule is if you have completed your primary degree or an entire third level qualification through English, in an English speaking country.

Visa Requirements
Some students might have to get a student visa in order to come and study in Ireland. Please check the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Services website to see if you require a visa.

How To Apply
Step 1: Collating Documentation
The first step is to collate the required documentation needed to assess your application. Please ensure that you have clearly scanned, titled and collated your documents in numerical order.

These can include but are not limited to:
TRANSCRIPTS AND ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS
CV
ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST
REFERENCES
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION

Step 2: The Application Process
Once you have collated the required documentation and reviewed the entry requirements for your programme of interest, you can now apply online.

Apply online:
You must apply online using our dedicated student information portal. You will be required to enter contact details, upload your documents and answer two essay questions (each approximately 300 words). We would ask that you seriously consider both essays and answer these in the context of the programme you are applying to. Try to not replicate your CV and demonstrate what makes you different from other applicants. There are no right or wrong ways to complete these essays.

Application Deadlines:
Applications are assessed on a rolling basis and courses will close once they are filled. We advise you to apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Please note certain scholarships may require you to apply before a certain date – please refer to our scholarship page here. If you have any questions in relation to deadlines or availability please email smurfit.admissions@ucd.ie.

Application Fee:
You will then be asked to submit your application and pay the €50 application fee. No application can be assessed until the fee has been paid. You can apply for multiple programmes with the one application fee, but please be sure to mark your preferred course.

Application Review:
Once submitted, it usually takes 2-3 weeks before a decision is made on fully completed applications. This time period can sometimes be longer and can vary at different times in the year and in different regions. We may offer you a conditional place based on the completion of a number of criteria, such as degree, English test, or another qualification. This reserves you a place on the course and once you have fulfilled this criteria we will issue you a full offer.

Deposit:
Acceptance is completed by paying a non-refundable deposit (varies from either €500 or €1000 depending on the programme. Most of our programmes require a €500 deposit). Your offer email will detail the exact deposit amount required. Once you have accepted you will then be supported by the Programme Office who will contact you with further course and start details.

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time.

Career opportunities
Our graduates can be found in global organisations across a number of industries, from financial services to fashion.

91% of our graduates from this programme were employed after 6 months across a range of industry sectors. (Source: Latest Graduate Outcomes Survey, published in November 2021)

Potential careers for our graduates include:
Management Consultant
Technology Consultant
Product Manager
Project Manager
Analyst
Business Development
Corporate Sales Developer