Explore all levels of business in higher education study at Essex Business School at The University of Essex with this accessible brochure. This pdf includes course information in the subject areas of Business Management, Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Human Resource Management, Entrepreneurship at undergraduate, masters and PhD level and The Essex MBA. You can also find out about our Accreditations and Memberships, our research community, our unique facilities, work placements and hear from some of our alumni.
Our mission is to deliver a transformative education and research excellence that has a positive impact on people, business and society.
Essex is ranked 12th in the Guardian University Guide 2026.
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Contents
05 Welcome 06 Our Business School 08 Accreditations and memberships 09 Research excellence 10 Our campus 12 Work placements 13 Essex Startups 14 Accounting 16 Business and Management 18 Marketing 20 Human Resource Management 22 Finance and Banking
24 Entrepreneurship 26 The Essex MBA 28 Spotlight on our Alumni
We are a socially conscious School characterised by a collaborative spirit, a supportive environment and significant engagement with the community.
Welcome
A message from the Dean It is my pleasure to welcome you to Essex Business School! We are a socially conscious School characterised by a collaborative spirit, a supportive environment and significant engagement with the community. Over the past 20 years as part of this school, I have witnessed its growth from a relatively small department to where we are today, with a clear purpose and a proven commitment to sustainability. With six subject groups, we have academics who are world-leading experts in their fields. Everyone studying with us should anticipate a transformative educational experience and a commitment to research excellence that generates a positive long-term impact on people, the economy and society. Essex Business School welcomes students from around the world, maintaining rigorous quality in research and teaching while fostering a collegial atmosphere, within a vibrant, inclusive and happy learning environment. Our students represent the next generation of organisational leaders. We want to equip them to be responsibly successful in their pursuits. My aim is to ensure that the School continues to make a difference by delivering high standards in research, teaching, operations and engagement while fostering a socially conscious ethos that promotes sustainable growth. Professor Claudia Girardone Dean of Essex Business School
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Our Business School
Our values
At Essex Business School, we champion responsible, ethical and sustainable business. Through our world-class teaching and research,we push the boundaries of knowledge, fostering critical thinking and encouraging the use of business as a force for good. We offer undergraduate, masters, MBA and PhD programmes in six broad subject groups: Accounting, Business and Management, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Finance, Banking and Entrepreneurship. Many of our courses are professionally accredited – giving our students a head start in their professional careers.
Our international community We are proud to be home to students and staff from over 140 countries. Languages for all Choose from 9 different languages to learn alongside your degree for no extra cost.
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Accreditations and memberships We are proud to have close links with many leading professional bodies and industry associations. Our accreditations are carefully interwoven into the learning journey. If a course is professionally accredited it may give you exemptions from some professional exams, this means you can gain a professional qualification quicker, by taking fewer exams after you graduate. From top-tier global validation to practical exemptions and sustainable leadership training, they’re designed to give your career a head start by allowing you to move into a professional role faster, boost employability, reduce time to qualification, and enrich your professional network.
Find out more
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Research excellence
Essex Business School is home to an international research community pushing the boundaries of knowledge and investigating contemporary challenges within business and the wider world.
Our research agenda emphasises sustainability practices, corporate responsibility and key technologies. Our department houses seven Research Centres and five research groups. Our research spans topics including emerging markets, firm financing, corporate governance, financial econometrics and gender studies. Our academic staff also contribute towards the interdisciplinary ESRC Business and Local Government Data Research Centre. We embed the latest research and thinking into our teaching, so that students experience an education at the cutting edge of the discipline and learn about real-world issues affecting businesses and organisations in today’s economy.
We are Top 150 for business and economics by THE World University Rankings by Subject 2026.
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Our campus
Our Colchester home is the UK’s first zero carbon business school building. More than one tonne of carbon is saved per day through the building’s energy efficient design and low carbon technologies. With our winter garden for year-round study space and our Bloomberg Trading Floor, our Colchester building has everything our students need to succeed. Our students also have access to all of the University’s facilities, including 24/7 access to the library and facilities from cafés to the SU club!
Bloomberg Students at our Colchester Campus benefit from a practical education in finance with our state-of-the-art Bloomberg Trading Floor. Students can access real financial data in almost real time to help them build company profiles for their project work as well as experiencing how to execute trades and terminal commands. It’s a skill that will set you apart from the rest if you’re interested in a career in investment banking.
Bloomberg Market Concepts certificate Our students have the opportunity to complete the Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) certificate in their own time.
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Work placements
Gain real-world experience through a paid placement year with leading organisations or dynamic SMEs. Taken between the penultimate and final year, the placement counts towards your degree and helps you graduate with the skills and experience employers value. Some of the companies Essex Business School students have done work placements with include BMW Financial Services, Samsung, Greater Anglia, NHS, TransPerfect, Department of Health and IBM. I had to be versatile when the rail industry was daunted with rail strikes. A highlight was being trained to be a train dispatcher alongside my day-to-day job in marketing. During strike days I worked as a frontline colleague dispatching trains from London Liverpool Street station. You can gain amazing experience, references or even future career opportunities from the company, I am testament to this as I secured a full-time role at Greater Anglia as a Brand Manager upon graduation.
Karolina Szpiegel Throughout my placement with Greater Anglia I learned a great deal of skills specific to marketing: how to use the CMS (the content management system) for the Greater Anglia website; social media marketing for Facebook and Instagram; I worked with a variety of partners on promotional activity; traditional marketing at train stations through posters and customer information screens; various elements of branding and working with brand guidelines and working with agencies.
Essex Startups
All of our students have access to support from The Essex Startups team. The team are here to support budding entrepreneurs at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey. Their team supports students from idea creation to expanding business into new markets. Their annual programme of innovative workshops, mentoring and funding opportunities are designed to help our community fulfil their potential and achieve their ambitions.
Success Story
WYSPR is a social media tech enabled advertising agency set up by Oliver Bourne and Eliot Wood, two graduates from Essex Business School. The two friends secured various funding grants to go towards start-up costs in getting their unique technology business proposal, which centers around the concept of ‘Friendfluencing’ off the ground. WYSPR transforms the social media Instagram user into a social media influencer to scale UGC for brands, as a means of promotion and content creation. Utilising the power of ‘Friendfluencing’, the company hopes to build a world where anyone can get paid to advertise and create content, as well as sell and collect market data at their own discretion in a convenient and ethical manner.
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Accounting
A head start in your career. Many of our accounting degrees are professionally accredited by organisations such as ACCA, CIMA and ICAEW. At Essex Business School, we teach our students to be accountable, act ethically and make financial decisions that positively impact both organisations and society. Our aim is to inspire our students to be both business-minded and socially responsible. Specialise your degree You can focus your learning and research a range of specific modules and opt in to receive a ‘qualifier’ on your BSc Accounting degree transcript when you graduate, eg BSc Accounting (Professional Knowledge and Skills) or BSc Accounting (Corporate Sustainability) .
Taught by experts
Our expert staff are at the forefront of debate and research surrounding accounting issues around the globe. Our Accounting Research Group conducts research in five key areas: ■ Accounting, Accountability and Global Development ■ Publicness and Resilience ■ Environment, Climate Change and Vulnerability ■ Capital Markets, Audit, Regulation and Reporting ■ Precarity, Exclusion and Social Justice
Our Accounting courses
Undergraduate courses
Options
BSc (Hons) Accounting BSc (Hons) Accounting and Finance Integrated Master in Accounting: Accounting and Finance
Masters courses
Options
MSc Professional Accounting MSc Accounting and Finance MSc Accounting and Financial Management
Study mode: Full-time
Course Options: S Year abroad P Placement year
Part-time
Scan here for full course and modular information
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Business and Management
We believe in teaching business with a real-world focus so that our graduates are business-ready when they leave us. Our business and management courses are taught by industry experts, meaning students benefit from the latest thinking in an ever-changing industry. Whether our students are aspiring business owners, consultants or social enterprise leaders, we are here to help get them there. Our courses offer an interdisciplinary approach to give you a solid education in business and management combined with an understanding of the societal context in which businesses operate. Our courses are taught by internationally recognised social scientists and management experts who produce work with global impact. Taught by experts
Did you know? In your final year you can pick a module from any EBS subject area.
Our Business and Management courses
Undergraduate courses
Options
BSc (Hons) Business Management BSc (Hons) Business Administration and Supply Chain Management BBA (Hons) Business Administration BSc (Hons) International Business and Entrepreneurship BSc (Hons) Marketing Management BSc (Hons) International Business and Finance BA (Hons) Business Management and Modern Languages BA (Hons) Business Management with a Modern Language BSc (Hons) Business and Analytics
Masters courses
Options
MSc Management MSc Business Analytics Master of Business Management MBM MSc Global Project Management MSc International Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc Corporate Sustainability
Study mode: Full-time
Course Options: S Year abroad P Placement year
Part-time
Scan here for full course and modular information
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Marketing
Marketing is an exciting, ever-evolving industry that is essential in our digital age. Today’s marketers must interrogate data to get ahead of the trends and be both imaginative and strategic to stay ahead of the competition. At Essex Business School we want our students to embrace their creativity and analytical nature so that they can tackle business challenges in fast-paced, digitally connected and global marketplaces. Our courses are highly practical and combine marketing theory with interactive projects, group work and workshops to explore the major issues facing marketers today. Whether our graduates want to join a digital agency, become a social media guru, lead a marketing department or start their own business, studying marketing at Essex is the perfect foundation. Many of our lecturers are members of our Management and Marketing Research Group which aims to drive change by understanding the role of the consumer and the value of the employee. Taught by experts
Ethical and sustainable business
We are a signatory of the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME).
Our Marketing courses
Undergraduate courses
Options
BSc (Hons) Marketing BSc (Hons) Marketing Management Integrated Master in Management: Marketing Management
Masters courses
Options
MSc Marketing MSc Management (Marketing) MSc International Marketing and Business Intelligence
Study mode: Full-time
Course Options: S Year abroad P Placement year
Part-time
Scan here for full course and modular information
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Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management (HRM) encompasses all aspects of managing a workforce, from recruitment to people management. More so than ever, HRM helps organisations to navigate the complex and rapidly changing global business landscape. At Essex Business School we teach Human Resource Management that emphasises ethical and socially responsible practice. Therefore, we teach our students fair labour, reducing discrimination, environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Given the recent global challenges and increase of hybrid work environments, our approach to HRM focuses on employee health, safety and wellbeing. Our students develop skills in change management, managing remote work arrangements, conflict resolution and using people data to make human-centric decisions.
CIPD Accredited Our human resource management degrees are professionally accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
Taught by experts
Our students are taught by experts within the HRM field. Our research community in HRM and organisational studies undertakes research on all aspects of work, organisation and society. Their research, which informs our evidenced-based and critical approach to teaching HRM, is grounded in exploring issues that should matter to us all, including; gender and sexuality, creativity and innovation in organisations, sustainability and more.
Our Human Resource Management Courses
Undergraduate courses
Options
BSc (Hons) Business and Human Resource Management
Masters courses
Options
MSc Human Resource Management MSc Organisational Change Management MA Management and Organisational Dynamics
Study mode: Full-time
Course Options: S Year abroad P Placement year
Part-time
Scan here for full course and modular information
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Graduate opportunities Our graduates have secured roles in top UK financial companies including Lloyds, Barclays, KPMG, JP Morgan, PwC and Citi.
Finance and Banking
We help our students understand the impact that the financial sector has on the world, it’s people and how finance professionals can be a force for positive change, so that they will not only become a skilled practitioner, they’ll become a responsible one. Essex Business School is home to one of the largest and most respected groups of finance academics in the UK. They teach our students how to forecast share prices, manage investment portfolios, understand the role of financial technology and big data, identify factors behind market booms and crashes, and why the psychological behaviour of investors is so important. Our undergraduate degrees in finance and banking combine academic rigor with practical financial skills to prepare students for a fast-paced career in finance. We also offer Masters courses for students who want to specialise in highly skilled areas of finance, such as risk management, financial engineering and fintech.
You can focus your learning and research a range of specific modules and opt in to receive a ‘qualifier’ on your BSc Finance degree transcript when you graduate, eg BSc Finance (Sustainable Finance) , BSc Finance (Banking) , BSc Finance (Fintech and Big Data) or BSc Finance (Management) .
Specialise your degree
Our Finance and Banking courses
Undergraduate courses
Options
BSc (Hons) Finance BSc (Hons) Banking and Finance BSc (Hons) Finance and Management BSc (Hons) International Business and Finance
Masters courses
Options
MSc Finance MSc Corporate and Investment Banking MSc Financial Analytics MSc Investment and Wealth Management MSc Financial Engineering and Risk Management MSc Financial Technology (Finance) MSc Finance and Management MRes Finance
Study mode: Full-time
Course Options: S Year abroad P Placement year
Part-time
Scan here for full course and modular information
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Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is a dynamic field that operates in a constantly evolving social and economic landscape. With the comprehensive framework that we provide throughout our student’s studies, our graduates are equipped with the skills and knowledge to take their ideas to market and watch their business flourish. Our student entrepreneurs benefit from the support of our Essex Startups’ award-winning team. Their innovative workshops, personalised mentoring, and funding opportunities are tailored to meet students’ unique needs and help them succeed. By joining our community of budding entrepreneurs, our students will discover the support they need to turn their goals into reality.
Taught by experts
Our entrepreneurship academics are renowned for their cutting-edge research that reflects the diversity and expertise of the Group. Our research deepens our understanding of the challenges that organisations and managers face, leading to impactful and relevant debates. Our transformational education prioritises teaching practical and analytical skills, which enable our students and graduates to stand out and be sought after by world leading organisations.
Our Entrepreneurship Courses
Undergraduate courses
Options
BSc (Hons) International Business and Entrepreneurship
Masters courses
Options
MSc International Business and Entrepreneurship MSc International Marketing and Business Intelligence MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Study mode: Full-time
Course Options: S Year abroad P Placement year
Part-time
Scan here for full course and modular information
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The Essex MBA
The Essex MBA is our flagship Masters programme. It seeks to develop socially responsible entrepreneurs delivering sustainable business. Our MBAs aspire to achieve lasting positive change for themselves and those around them and we aim to inspire them to create the world they want to live in. This immersive programme is for business professionals looking to advance their career and challenge themselves to expand their knowledge and skills. Accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), our world-class MBA is offered on a full-time or a part-time basis, and built around sustainability, entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship.
Flexible study
The Essex MBA is taught at our Colchester Campus. We offer a range of learning styles to fit around our students’ professional commitments. The MBA start date is in October. As well as the year-long full-time MBA, we offer a two-year part-time MBA, or a modular option enabling students to complete their MBA alongside their existing employment or business.
Our world-class MBA tutors have both academic and extensive industry experience and are at the cutting-edge of research in areas such as entrepreneurship, business ethics and corporate social responsibility to leadership and strategy. The course is led by our MBA Director, Dr James Fowler, a prominent figure and respected mentor within Essex Business School. During your studies you will participate in immersive and practical workshops and modules delivered by our visiting experts. Taught by experts
MBAs are experienced, motivated and resilient professionals. We want to build on their experience to assist them in seeing new ways of applying their existing skills, as well as augmenting their current capabilities. We want them to go into the world confident about who they are, clear about what they stand for and excited about what it is they can contribute sustainably to any organisation. James Fowler MBA Director
Download a copy of The Essex MBA Brochure to find out more
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Spotlight on our Alumni
Erikson Reci BSc Accounting and Management
Some of my best memories were made here, from collaborative study sessions to relaxing afterwards with a bit of miniature painting! What also helped me prepare for the working world were the extracurricular clubs and experiences I got involved with alongside my studies. These opportunities helped me build practical skills, meet new people, and develop confidence, all of which made a huge difference when it came to securing a graduate role. It’s that combination of focused study and supportive community that really makes Essex special. I am now working at Deloitte as an L&C Analyst.
When I look back at my time at Essex Business School, I realise how many opportunities there were to grow, not just academically, but personally and professionally too. One of the standout facilities at EBS is the Bloomberg Suite. The Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) course gives you hands-on experience with financial data and analysis, skills that are highly valued in the world of finance and beyond. For me, learning these tools and understanding how the markets operate made a real difference when applying for jobs. The seminar rooms became my go-to space, not just for learning, but for working on projects, revising between semesters, and even socialising with friends.
Renaldas Daugela BA Business Management and Modern Languages Essex’s global reputation in the social sciences, the research- led teaching, and above all, the diverse international community convinced me to choose Essex. One of the defining moments of my undergraduate degree was my year abroad at Università Bocconi in Milan. I studied everything from Organisational Behaviour and Social Psychology to Global Sustainability Strategy and Creativity Management. Some classes were taught in English, others in Italian – which forced me to adapt, grow, and eventually become fluent. Outside the classroom, Milan offered culture, friendships, and an expanded worldview. That year boosted my CV, but more importantly, it expanded my confidence and sense of independence. I joined one of Europe’s leading EdTech start-ups, Memby, as a Sales and Affiliate Marketing Manager. Working remotely, I managed partnerships, built affiliate networks, and sharpened my skills with tools like HubSpot and Slack.
On campus, I threw myself into community roles: from being a Student Ambassador and Italian Language Mentor to working as a Registration Assistant, helping new students settle into life at Essex. Each role added another layer of skills that I would carry forward into my career. Looking back at my time at Essex, the highlights go far beyond grades and awards (though I was proud to make the Dean’s List twice and win the Final Year Prize for Italian). The real highlights were the moments of growth – cooking my first proper meal as a student, navigating life in Milan, and meeting people who became friends for life. I am now working at Future Anthem as a Commercial Executive.
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I decided to take BSc Business Management as it’s a broad subject, and you can go into so many different careers with it. I chose to stay on and undertake MSc in Human Resource Management the course offered a CIPD Level 7 qualification. After speaking with numerous HR professionals, they told me how vital a CIPD qualification having is. The fact that the university offered this, along with a very interesting course, made doing this degree choice a very easy decision. There are many highlights from my time at Essex, from receiving a first-class degree in my Bachelors. If I told younger me that I would be achieving a first at university, let alone even going to university, I would be in utter disbelief. I was also put on the Dean’s List of Excellence, again, another achievement I would never have dreamed possible. Finally, I am just proud of how I have evolved as a person. As I was living at home with my parents before university, I truly did not have any idea really of how the world worked, such as people skills, finances and general life skills. Going to uni has me proud of the
Ellie Porter BSc in Business Management (First Class Honours) MSc in Human Resource Management In addition to the high-quality teaching, the factors influencing my decision to start my university journey at Essex included the variety of campus accommodation and the vast amounts of green space. The building captivated me with its stunning features, as well as its ‘carbon neutral’ stance. I wanted to be at a business school which encapsulated its values represented in its physical school, and Essex University did exactly that.
person I have become. I currently work as a HR Administrator at Bestart Human Resources.
Nishan Balasingham BSc Banking and Finance (including Placement Year) I chose to study BSc Banking and Finance as I was interested in developing a detailed understanding of financial markets and concepts. The variety of module choices allowed me to gain a detailed understanding of the various industries and sectors I wanted to work in post-graduation. The modules offered allowed students to develop knowledge in different aspects of the financial industry. Personally, I enjoyed modules that involved a certain element of mathematical calculations such as Portfolio Analysis, Foundations of Finance, Corporate Finance and Financial Modelling. The opportunity to complete a placement year was another strong reason I chose to study this degree as I knew it would allow me to develop my skills in industry, while developing strong network connections that would be useful post-graduation. I completed a placement year at BMW Financial Services as a Financial Accounting Intern, followed by a Summer Internship at Infosys Consulting as a Management Consulting Intern.
Since graduating with a First Class Honours in BSc Banking and Finance (including Placement Year), my career has gone from strength to strength, from being employed as a Financial Planner at Guardian Wealth Management, to a Wealth Manager at Globaleye, both based in Dubai. After returning to the UK I went on to be a Senior Financial Planning Manager at Santander UK, to now, where I’m employed as a Chartered Financial Planner at Fairstone Group Ltd, based in London. I have recently been listed among the Top 35 Under 35 Financial Advisors in the UK, in Citywire’s Top 35 Next Generation Advisers, an accolade I’m incredibly proud of.
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