Flexible learning & international study key to business master’s students

Forty-three per cent of respondents to the survey expressed an interest in studying with an international business school but without leaving their home country – either through online provision or via transnational education models, where institutions operate campuses abroad.

Flexibility and continual learning are key factors for prospective master’s students. Modular study options appeal to 28 per cent of post-experience candidates and to 18 per cent of those at an earlier career stage.

A little more than a third (33 per cent) of all respondents are interested in master’s programmes that offer low-cost opportunities for further study over the next decade, allowing them to acquire new skills as needed. Just under a third (28 per cent) are interested in ‘micro master’s’, acquiring qualifications on a just-in-time basis.

 “Overall, the business master’s market is in good shape,” observes study author Andrew Crisp. “However, challenges exist, most notably affordability, with living costs and fees seen as a barrier to study by many.

“For business schools, there is a growing opportunity to deliver business master’s degrees to candidates with several years’ work experience, but delivery may not be in the classroom, and even when it is, it might be on a satellite campus.”

Mental health is also increasingly influencing study decisions. Nearly one in five (18 per cent) of respondents say their wellbeing is a priority when selecting where to study. Of these, nearly half (46 per cent) want support available at the point of entering business school, while over a third (35 per cent) report that they may wish to seek help in the year after graduation.