Advancing business analysis and consulting capability in a tech-powered world
Offered as a standalone course or as part of the MSc Business in Tech, the PG Cert in Business Analysis and Consulting is a flexible, part-time course created to meet the increasing demand for business analysis and consulting skills in professional services and tech-led sectors.
Type
Postgraduate Certificate
8 months, part time
Location
100% online
Intakes
January, March, May, July,
September, November (2023)
Fees
£833.25 per 15-credit module
Understand contemporary business problems and develop lasting solutions with a PG Cert.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Business Analysis and Consulting aims to prepare professionals from a range of backgrounds for successful consultancy and leadership careers. You’ll develop highly effective skills in business analysis, consulting and project management, to meet the needs of industry and deliver value-focused solutions.
The PG Cert is uniquely flexible, designed as a part-time course for working professionals, allowing you to pay module-by-module and take breaks if needed. The PG Cert is offered as a standalone course with the option to advance onto a PG Dip in Transformation Management and Leadership or MSc Business in Tech qualification, all without the need for a career break.
Gain your postgraduate business degree online and study a selection of highly relevant and timely topics. The course’s modules will feature both academic theory and practical learning, developed in line with market trends and technologies.
This postgraduate business certification is ideal for people who would like to work in a consultancy role in the professional services and technology sectors, or for experienced tech professionals who want to progress their careers in business analysis and consulting or management.
The programme focuses on working within organisations but is also relevant for business owners who wish to develop transferrable management skills and knowledge to apply in an entrepreneurial context.
The ‘In Practice’ module ‘Consultancy in Practice’ will allow students to put learnings into practice and conduct project case studies that are relevant to their own work.
If you’re looking for an innovative approach to learning with excellent student support and career-focused outcomes, this programme could be right for you.
Research excellence
Ulster University is highly regarded for its research impact and the quality of its online teaching, ranked as a Top 30 UK university (Guardian University Guide 2024) and among the top 10% of UK universities for research impact (REF 2021).
Support for online students
The university has over 20 years of experience delivering online courses and provides strong support from enrolment to graduation, assigning a personal Student Success Advisor to every student.
Global industry links
Ulster University Business School (UUBS) is a key driver of business and tech innovation in Northern Ireland, ranked in the Top 20 for accounting and finance in the UK (GUG 2024), with 100% of Business & Management case studies judged as having outstanding or very considerable impact in terms of reach and significance (REF 2021).
Vocational education
The PG Cert has been designed around insights from professional services firms and tech-led industries to produce highly employable graduates with the skills to thrive, succeed and lead in a rapidly transforming sector.
£833.25 per 15-credit module
Fees are payable on a module-by-module basis as you progress through the course*. In the 2022/23 academic year, modules are priced at £55.55 per credit point, so a 15-credit module will cost £833.25.
The number of credits you take will be determined by your chosen award, as outlined below:
Postgraduate Certificate: 60 credits
*Tuition fees may be subject to an annual inflationary increase each academic year in line with Ulster University’s terms and conditions. The increase will come into effect for the September teaching period each year.
Flexible options make payment as easy as possible for students, sponsors and employers. A 10% Alumni Discount is available for eligible candidates.
Start when it suits you with intakes in the 2022/23 academic year in September, November, January, March, May, July.
Applicants are expected to have:
EITHER
a second class honours degree or better from a university of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or from a recognised national awarding body, or from an institution of another country which is recognised as being of an equivalent standard.
OR
an equivalent standard (normally 50%) in a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma; postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma or an approved alternative qualification.
AND
evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE grade C or equivalent).
Entry requirements are set at this level as the team’s experience shows that students without this tend to be unable to cope with the demands of the course.
PG Cert (postgraduate certificate)
Our Postgraduate Certificate in Business Analysis and Consulting consists of four modules, covering client and stakeholder management, as well as a practical consulting project.
Please note, modules are reviewed annually and may change in subsequent academic years. The order of modules will vary depending when you start the course.
Further study options – PG Dip and MSc
If you wish to continue studying, you can advance onto a postgraduate diploma (PG Dip) or full Masters qualification (MSc). Please note that these qualifications provide specialised training most relevant to the tech sector and tech-led organisations.
The Postgraduate Diploma in Transformation Management and Leadership (PG Dip) is an advanced management training course consisting of eight modules: everything included in the PG Cert, plus four additional modules in transformation, tech operations, strategy and leadership. The PG Dip takes a minimum of 16 months.
If you want to study the full Masters in Business in Tech* (MSc), you’ll complete 10 modules plus a work-based consultancy project over a minimum of two years, part-time. You’ll hone your tech leadership skills with advanced learnings in business research and complex project management.
Speak to one of our Enrolment Advisors about which option is right for you.
*The official title of the programme, which will appear on your graduation certificate upon completion of the full programme, is ‘MSc Business in Technology’.
Learning outcomes for PG Cert students:
You can gain your business analysis and stakeholder management certification part-time and online, easily fitting your studies around other commitments.
With more than 20 years of experience in delivering online courses, Ulster University’s tutors are well-versed in providing effective and engaging online learning experiences. Our postgraduate certificate in business management (and extended MSc programme) offers an immersive curriculum, with interactive study sessions, business simulations and project-based learning.
You’ll have 24/7 access to all learning materials, readings, and discussion boards via our online learning portal, meaning you can study when it suits you, from anywhere in the world.
As a distance learning student, you’ll have opportunities to network with skilled professionals around the world. What’s more, you’ll receive support from course academics and your own personal Student Success Advisor throughout the learning journey.
Ulster University Business School (UUBS) is the 6th largest business school in the UK. Based in Northern Ireland, one of Europe’s fastest-growing technology leadership hubs, UUBS is invested in driving business excellence in the region, across the UK, and internationally.
The faculty of the Business in Tech programme (inclusive of the PG Cert) consists of academic experts with a broad range of industry experience. Course Director Helen McKenna has over 20 years of experience designing and teaching business and management programmes, and maintains strong links to industry figures and organisations.
Dr John King
Lecturer in Transformation Leadership
John teaches leadership from the perspective of the complexity sciences. He uses reflective and critical research methods combined with techniques from theatre and group analytic psychotherapy.
He completed his doctorate at the University of London and previously led the MSc in Clinical Leadership as well as numerous bespoke leadership programmes at Ulster University Business School.
John’s research interests include organisational behaviour, group analysis, organisational research methods and sociology. He is currently researching the application of Complex Responsive Process theory to leadership development.
Professor Gillian Armstrong
Professor of Business Education and Director of Business Engagement
Gillian joined Ulster University in 1997, becoming chair in Business Education in 2013 and department head of Accounting, Finance and Economics between 2010-18. She has been actively involved in the development of excellence at the business school, aligning teaching with priority sectors to support Future of Work requirements and skills supply.
Committed to developing the regional economy, Gillian implements work-based learning and innovative educational models to enable employment, upskilling and graduate retention in a range of sectors. She has worked in partnership with Deloitte to develop the Degree Apprenticeship programme and is currently leading a Business School initiative to support Future of Work requirements.
Gillian is an active member of the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS) and a Council member of the NI Chamber of Commerce (NICC). Her research interests lie in marketing; in particular, the use of big data consumer analytics, with ongoing support from DAERA and Invest NI.
Helen McKenna
Senior Lecturer and Course Director of the Business in Technology MSc
Helen is an experienced consultant, working on transformation, innovation, business growth and capital build projects. She has advised government, industry and academic institutions on issues relating to entrepreneurship, advancing business skills and knowledge, and curriculum design.
She works collaboratively with industry leaders to design and develop postgraduate business and management curricula and courses, most recently the Business in Technology MSc.
Helen’s research interests include omnichannel education, microlearning, integrated curriculum design and developing business acumen and leadership capability in the tech sector.
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