Ian Jindal, InternetRetailing’s Editor in Chief, takes a personal look at the MSc in InternetRetailing: who it’s for, why you should consider it and assessing the benefits… With an Open Evening on 14 June and the deadline for applications set as 18 July, now is the time to consider career and personal development.
The MSc in Internet Retailing is accepting applications for our third intake (September 2011) and we have an open evening on 14 June in London where you can learn more about the qualification and meet current students [Register to attend the Open Evening].
What is it?
The MSc is a commercial qualification, academically assessed. This means that you work on business problems and opportunities, with success being related to business success. Your work is, however, assessed academically by Manchester Metropolitan University’s Business School, to ensure that your output is at Masters level.
Result? You do good work that’s valued. Your business benefits. You get a globally-recognised, portable qualification: a Masters in Internet Retailing.
I’m too busy!
Good. If you’re not already busy you won’t get the most from the Masters. Busy, ambitious, hardworking professionals don’t have “spare time” as they push dozens of demanding projects, juggle growth in all areas with developing their teams. Our Masters, since it’s work-based, takes real projects, with real commercial outcomes, provides tools and approaches that support your work and then assess the outcome to be at Masters level. It’s a case of working more effectively.
Really? It takes a term to get into the swing and there will be reading and investigation time, of course. However, we do emphasise that this is case of learning to get more from your hours rather than adding to them. A fair estimate of the workload is 6 hours/week, plus 12 days a year for study/training days and contact sessions.
High fliers and Fly-highers
With the ecommerce sector buoyant the best people get several calls a month to move job. As an employee do you really want to move just to get career advancement? To go to a smaller operation just to get more or broader responsibility? As an employer do you want to lose the skills and experience of your best, plus all the costs of recruiting, simply because your brightest and most committed talent gets tired of waiting for you to ‘invest’ in them? Tired of waiting for you to give them a broader remit?
Whether employer or employee, success at the Masters benefits from commitment from both parties. The student gives time and energy as well as commercial projects. The retailer gives support, scope for projects and gains in return a confident, capable, committed senior retailer.
Who’s involved?
Created by Ian Jindal (Editor in Chief of InternetRetailing and eCommerce consultant), Econsultancy.com (the UK’s leading information and training provider to the digital economy) and Manchester Metropolitan University’s Business School (an entrepreneurial institution with a strong retail and digital expertise), the course’s Leadership Council includes the IMRG, House of Fraser, Lakeland, Joules, Ideal Shopping TV, and our students are C-level, Heads, Managers and owners at companies from Asda and Walmart (both), QVC, House of Fraser, Harvey Nichols, Monsoon Accessorise, Beachbody, Vodafone… Lots of names of course (this is a marketing piece, after all!), but why not meet the people at our Open Evening in London on June 14th?
Some reasons to consider the MSc
– career standout: the MSc is gaining recognition with employers and shows commitment to your skills development and portable abilities.
– peering and people: in addition to the industry tutors and your all-important peers (in your cohort as well as the first two years), we invest in creating opportunities to interact ‘off the record’ with senior retailers and industry figures, via the Leadership Council and specific events [eg our recent Leadership Day]
– broadening your skills and exposure: gain a wider understanding of all aspects of internet retailing, from web to marketing to supply chain management and logistics
– as a business owner, develop your key people and teams for performance and retention
– additional benefits from Econsultancy: £7,000 of additional training, free membership, free access to events, research and many additional benefits for you and colleagues (see benefits)
– stimulus and satisfaction, working and stretching your mind commercially.
References and further information
The key thing is to ACT: register for the Open Evening, contact me for more information or a chat, or just register your interest (no obligation and preserves your options). Now, apply masters-level thinking to the following:
* our pages on the MSc: http://www.internetretailing.net/training/msc-in-internet-retailing/
* the MSc microsite on our partner, Econsultancy’s, site (including full syllabus, and other information): http://econsultancy.com/uk/training/qualifications/retailing
* Consider the industry endorsements: http://www.internetretailing.net/training/msc-industry-support/
* what do the current Students say? http://www.internetretailing.net/training/msc-what-students-say/
* recent leadership event: http://www.internetretailing.net/2011/05/msc-debenhams-aurora-lakeland-and-amazon-contribute-to-leadership-day-for-msc-students/
Questions? Want to send your whole team?
Just get in touch! Email me or via masters@econsultancy.com.
