Business Transformation MSc
About this course
Scale. Innovate. Transform.
Step into the future of business with a course designed for ambitious changemakers. At Nottingham Business School, we believe in learning by doing—this isn’t just a master’s in theory, it’s a launchpad for your next big move. Whether you’re building a start-up, growing a family business, or leading innovation within an organisation, this course gives you the tools, mindset, and network to make it happen.
Centred around your own business or industry challenge, the course combines immersive classroom learning with practical, real-world testing. You'll explore key areas such as lean start-up methods, business modelling, digital strategy, and sales and growth hacking. One intensive week on campus is followed by three weeks of applied implementation, supported by experienced entrepreneurs, mentors, and Venture Builder, situated in the Centre for Business and Industry Transformation. You’ll also take on a global consultancy project to gain international experience with a week-long visit at Babson College (USA).
Who is this course for?
- Future Founders and Innovators
Turn your ideas into reality with the tools to build, test, and scale your own venture. - Family Business Successors
Drive innovation and sustainable growth within your family business. - Entrepreneurial Minds
For those with a passion to create and lead, this course gives you the platform to experiment and grow. - Consultants and Problem-Solvers
Tackle complex challenges and lead strategic transformation for clients. - Corporate Changemakers
For aspiring intrapreneurs, learn to drive innovation and maximise value in dynamic markets.
-
Learn from experienced entrepreneurs with a track record in scaling start-ups and business transformation. Connect with our alumni and Founders Network of 800+ innovators to grow your business and expand your network. -
You will have the opportunity to work directly with the award winning CBIT Venture Builder and the start-ups with it. You will also have access to our venture builder-exclusive software and hardware offerings. -
Bring your own family business, start-up, or industry challenge into the course and use it as your central case. After one immersive week on campus, spend three weeks applying and testing your ideas in the real world. We’ll act as your sparring partners and shadow executives—supporting your journey every step of the way. -
This course blends real-world application with academic rigour. Using your own business case, you’ll learn lean start-up and decision-making through hands-on, iterative testing. A standout feature is the tailored Global Consultancy Project, delivered in partnership with Babson College (USA).
What you’ll study
You'll gain real-world tools to solve business challenges and build transformative ventures. Through hands-on learning, you'll master applied research, test business ideas, and align strategies with objectives. The course focuses on problem-solving, helping you identify gaps, update practices, and drive growth while controlling costs.
Each module starts with an immersive one-week in-class experience, followed by three weeks of mentored self-study to apply your ideas. Modules run over four weeks, with time for preperation and assessment.
Semester one modules
- Business Model Generation
- Innovation and Business Transformation
- Sales and Growth Hacking
Semester two modules
- Multichannel Digital Strategy
- Establishing a New Venture
- Global Consultancy
Semester three module
- Business Transformation Project
Ongoing learning
- Professional Practice
Semester one
Business Model Generation (20 credits)
A Business Model describes how a company intends to create, deliver and capture value. A business model is needed before a viable business plan can be made. The module teaches how to develop innovative business models and creates familiarity with the core tools and processes used. This is achieved experientially by forming a team that develops a viable business model for a business idea initiated by the team over the course period.
Innovation and Business Transformation (20 credits)
The principle aim of the module is to develop a set of skills in participants that help them innovate from an existing commercial context. This necessitates learning about concepts, models and frameworks to evaluate the nature of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship critically. Students must think about non-traditional and new approaches for sourcing and commercialising new offerings that address societal needs and the technologies or concepts that may drive them.
Sales and Growth Hacking (20 credits)
The module objectives are to build confidence and acquire knowledge and skills to apply in the real world of business. Focus areas are the sales process, the sales techniques, the design and management of sales processes, the management of the sales team, methodologies, techniques, and tools for growth hacking a company.
Semester two
Multichannel Digital Strategy (20 credits)
The module covers the entire lifecycle of digital marketing from initial strategy through to execution. Participants will get hands-on experience working with the latest digital marketing technologies and techniques alongside the business strategies to implement them successfully.
Establishing a New Venture (20 credits)
This module critically analyses the preparation and implementation issues in setting up a new venture. Students will design, analyse and evaluate options for business processes. Through sprint and scrum-based activity, the students will evaluate the impact on their venture growth models. The module will also teach how to leverage process design to possible growth for due diligence in investment evaluation.
Global Consultancy (20 credits)
The Global Consultancy Experience aims to provide the opportunity to experience dimensions of international strategic management by working intensively for a period of up to one week on the case for 'going global' in a different country and market in a facilitated study tour, including lectures, company visits and an internal consultancy project. Students are encouraged to propose their project as the topic for an international consultancy.
Semester three
In your final semester, you will take on an independent research project, which can be your own business case. This provides a challenging but excellent opportunity to use the theories and knowledge you've gained to produce a piece of academic work that informs your business transformation case.
Business Transformation Project (50 credits)
This dissertation module enables students to engage in an extended piece of independent research, answering a question relevant to the programme of study. The project should relate to exploiting a business opportunity or addressing a problem in any business sector. Technology, processes, and competitors should be considered innovative factors to generate and test viable business models. The project should involve identifying and analysing options and a comparative evaluation of the business model design. It will include identifying and analysing best practices in the problem domain and evaluating business model design options that suit the opportunity/problem being addressed. Innovation in the business model design is emphasised.
Ongoing learning
Throughout the year, you will also study the following modules to help you understand how to manage your own continuous personal and professional development. You will benefit from external practitioners, industry experts, and partners through workshops and guest lectures.
Professional Practice (10 credits)
This module aims to develop your understanding of the business and commercial environment. You will apply relevant prior knowledge and skills in the business environment increasing your commercial awareness. On completion of the module, you will have developed a range of skills and have a practical insight into the world of work and possible career opportunities.
We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.
Video Gallery
How you're taught
The course will use a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, experiential learning, simulations, seminars, and workshops, to develop your understanding and grow your knowledge. Small group tutorials are also provided to support your development of subject knowledge and transferable skills. Alongside developing critical thinking and analytical skills, you will also gain a c-suite level understanding of how different business functions can work together to bring about sustainable business transformation.
Teaching and Learning
Nottingham Business School adopts a distinctive approach to the design of student learning opportunities. Your learning is structured around theory, practice, experience and observation, and reflection and improvement. At each level (course, module and session), you will study different theories, concepts and approaches and be given opportunities to apply these in a range of practical settings. The aim is to enhance your understanding through the direct experience of business, where you will have opportunities to observe business practices and behaviours (including your own) and analyse these using theoretical knowledge. It is our intention that by reflecting on these experiences, you will be able to use these theories to guide your actions and decisions in a business context or even consider how a theory itself might be improved. In this way, we aim to enhance the quality of your learning.
Sustainable Development Goals
The MSc Business Transformation programme empowers you to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals by developing the skills to lead innovative, inclusive, and sustainable change in business through hands-on learning, industry collaboration, and cutting-edge research.
Academic Mentors
Every postgraduate student will be allocated an Academic Mentor at the beginning of the academic year and you will meet with them regularly throughout the year. Academic Mentors help you make the most of your time at NTU. They will support you in developing and enhancing the qualities and transferrable skills necessary for your studies, career progression, professional and personal development.
Assessments
A range of assessment methods are used across the course, the choice of which reflects the needs and demands of the different types of module. Some modules will assess the ability to work collaboratively in a team and others will assess individual capability. Types of assessment will range from examinations to group presentations including coursework, essays, group reports, oral presentations, and a research project.
The interactive nature of the taught sessions offers opportunities to gain feedback on your performance before being formally assessed and increasing use is made of eLearning to further support the feedback process.
All modules on this programme include two assignments. One individual (70% summative) and one delivered as a group presentation (30% summative).
In-sessional English language support
In-sessional English language classes are offered to international students at no extra cost. The classes aim to provide focused support in the skills you need in order to develop your English in your subject area.
Further information please contact the Nottingham Language Centre based in the Djanogly building on City Campus:
Tel: +44 (0)115 848 6156 | Email: englishsupport@ntu.ac.uk | Website: www.ntu.ac.uk/nlc
Personalise your journey
We know our postgraduate students are a diverse group, with different levels of academic knowledge in their chosen area of study, different cultural and educational backgrounds, and varying levels of personal and professional skills and competencies.
At NBS we strive to ensure that these two motivating factors are nurtured and therefore supported. Our students are encouraged to practice and develop the skills and competencies required to critically reflect on their learning, and on their ability to apply this learning to their studies and to real world complex issues within the workplace. Through a series of curricula and extra-curricular initiatives, strengthened by tailored academic mentor support, NBS provides all our postgraduate students with the ability to participate in a range of challenging and unique activities, projects, events and experiences to enable our students to succeed in a competitive and dynamic global environment.
Careers and employability
At Nottingham Business School, we’re focused on your employability from the start of your postgraduate degree. We provide you with a learning experience that integrates theory and practice.
The core skills gained are transferable across a wide range of careers. Your qualification is likely to be popular with many employers because you'll have demonstrated an ability to write essays and reports, master advanced data analytic methods and pitch effectively in front of the public.
Recent graduates have gone on to pursue careers as:
- The Boss: A large number of our alumni are transforming their family business and/or continue working in ventures they started during the course. Roles include:
- Entrepreneurs / Corporate Entrepreneurs
- The Consultant or the Investor: A great number of our alumni are in consultancy or investment firms, helping many other client companies to scale. Roles include:
- Investment advisors
- Business analysts
- The Corporate Change Manager: Known as intrapreneurs, many of our alumni are the powerhouses within corporations, steering major projects and rewriting business strategies for the new “blue oceans”. Roles include:
- Project managers in businesses and universities
- Transformation management in SMEs and blue chips
- Innovation managers
- The upcoming Thought Leader: Some of our alumni are pursuing advanced studies and research in Research and Development institutions.
Employability Team
We have a dedicated Employability Team who not only help you during your time with us but also following graduation, they’ll continue to support you by providing a number of services that will help kick-start your career.
Our Employability Team offer a wide range of support from one-to-one appointments with our specially trained consultants, to arranging recruitment fairs and skill building workshops.
Services they provide include:
- Finding placements, internships and part-time work
- Helping you to pursue self-employment
- Advice on taking gap years and time out
- Information and help on getting into volunteering
- Providing advice on further study.
As a student you will have access to our virtual learning environment, where you will be able to get in touch with our Employability team for CV support, application, interview and job hunting advice, career ideas and employer videos.
You can visit the Employability Team on your local campus every day during term time. They are also open outside of term time too, except on University closure days. So drop in, say hello, and get help with quick enquiries or book an appointment with a careers consultant from your school.
Campus and facilities
You’ll mainly be studying in our brand-new Postgraduate Centre, at the heart of our vibrant City Campus. Designed to support collaborative study, there’s a range of accessible teaching spaces, state-of-the-art technology, breakout areas, quiet work booths and a communal café. You can access dedicated market research reporting platforms and digital resources (e.g. Mintel, Passport, SPSS, and Adobe Creative Cloud) and a room equipped with Bloomberg terminals, which enables you to delve into industry-leading data, news and analytics.
NTU’s City Campus has everything you’ll need to keep occupied between lectures. As well as the Boots Library and its beautiful roof garden, there’s our superb Students’ Union building and two-storey, 100-station gym; a whole host of cafés, bars, restaurants and food outlets catering to every taste; our much-loved Global Lounge; performance and rehearsal spaces for musicians; and so much more!
If that’s not enough, just take a few steps off campus, and you’ll find yourself in the beating heart of Nottingham — one of the UK’s top 10 student cities, and one of the top 25 in all of Europe. It’s a city stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure: enjoy lush green spaces, galleries, hidden cinemas and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink and social scene by night. For more details, why not take a Virtual Tour?
Entry requirements
- You will need an undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK undergraduate honours degree (2.2 or above).
- All applicants will be required to demonstrate a commitment to the subject they wish to study and should demonstrate how their chosen programme of study will benefit them in their future career
Other requirements
- For our team to tailor the content of the course to the incoming cohort, your application requires a written statement in which you should outline the reasons for wishing to undertake MSc Business Transformation. We will be looking to ensure you have sound rationale for joining the course, including an appreciation of your business challenge or industry problem which acts as a foundation for content and activity to be built upon.
If you’re considering submitting an application for this course, but you have more than three years of relevant work experience, why not consider applying for our Master of Business Administration (MBA) course? Find out more about our MBA here.
Get in touch If you need any more help or information, please contact us at Ask NTU or call on +44 (0)115 848 4200.
NTU may admit a student with advanced standing beyond the beginning of a course, through an assessment of that student's prior learning, whether it is certificated or uncertificated. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available to these prospective students, such as recognising experiential learning or transferring to a similar course at another institution, otherwise known as credit transfer.
All prospective students who wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning should initially contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form
- You will need an undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK undergraduate honours degree (2.2 or above).
- All applicants will be required to demonstrate a commitment to the subject they wish to study and should demonstrate how their chosen programme of study will benefit them in their future career
Other requirements
- For our team to tailor the content of the course to the incoming cohort, your application requires a written statement in which you should outline the reasons for wishing to undertake MSc Business Transformation. We will be looking to ensure you have sound rationale for joining the course, including an appreciation of your business challenge or industry problem which acts as a foundation for content and activity to be built upon.
International qualifications
We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:
Postgraduate preparation courses (Pre-Masters)
If you don’t yet meet our entry requirements, we offer Pre-Masters courses through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC), based on our City Campus:
English language entry requirements
You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
Fees and funding
Home fees for September 2025 entry
| Study route | Home fees |
|---|---|
| One year (full-time) | £13,000 |
Additional costs
Your course fees cover the cost of studies, and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our City Campus library, support from our expert Employability team, and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses.
You may choose to purchase core text books for your course, and prices for these may vary. However, our library is home to four floors of books, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) – meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think!
Whilst on placement students will be expected to pay for accommodation, travel and living costs.
Funding your studies
Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there’s no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and living costs page and funding pages will answer your questions.
Postgraduate loans
The government introduced a new postgraduate loan scheme for Master degrees. The loan will be a contribution towards the costs of study and it will be at the student's discretion to use the loan towards fees, maintenance costs or other costs. Find out more on our postgraduate loans page.
Scholarships
You might be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies. We award scholarships to those students who can demonstrate excellent achievement, passion and dedication to their studies.
Alumni Discount
We’re happy to be able to offer a 20% alumni discount to most current NTU students and recent NTU alumni. This discount is currently available for those starting an eligible postgraduate taught, postgraduate research or professional course.
Getting in touch
For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service on Tel: +44 (0)115 848 2494 or for Scholarship help please contact us on Tel: +44 (0)115 848 4460.
International / EU fees for September 2025 entry
| Study route | International / EU fees |
|---|---|
| One year (full-time) | £21,400 |
Scholarships
We offer scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for your scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.
Living costs
Get advice on the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham and how to budget:
Paying fees
Find out about advanced payments, instalment plan options and how to make payments securely to the University:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
Additional Costs
Your course fees cover the cost of studies, and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team, and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses.
Library books
Most study modules will recommend one or more core text books, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. Our libraries provide a good supply of essential text books, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) – meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think! There may also be a supply of second-hand books available for purchase from previous year students.
Field trips
All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.
Placement
Whilst on placement students will be expected to pay for accommodation, travel and living costs.
Print and copy costs
The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the Printing, photocopying and scanning information on the Library website.
How to apply
Ready to join us? Apply through our NTU Applicant Portal.
- Register as a new applicant and create an account in the Applicant Portal - don't worry you won't need to complete your application at once, you can come back to it so keep your details safe.
- Fill out and submit your application - make sure to check all the information such as entry requirements before submitting.
- Track the progress of your application – you can do this by logging into the Application Portal.
- Check your offer – As long as you’ve provided all the information we need, we’ll try and make a decision on your application within five to ten working days. However, this can take longer and you should allow at least three weeks for a decision.
- Accept your offer within four weeks - Remember that competition for places is high, and if you don’t accept your offer within four weeks it may lapse. After eight weeks it will be automatically withdrawn.
- Meet the conditions of your offer (if you have any) - Upload all the documents required to meet the conditions of your offer using the My Documents section of the Applicant Portal.
Don’t worry if you’re waiting for results – we recommend applying now, and then adding them to your Application Portal once they arrive.
If you need some help in writing your application you can view our handy tips.
Good luck with your application!
Apply online through our NTU applicant portal.
Application advice
Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example. After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.
Writing your personal statement
Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
The University's commitment to delivering the educational services advertised.
