Business Consulting and Psychology, MSc

In this section
Business Consulting and Psychology, MSc

Introduction

The MSc Business Consulting and Psychology will build your professional consulting skills enhanced with a working knowledge of industry-leading psychology tools and workforce behavioural frameworks.

Study Information

At a Glance

Learning Mode
On Campus Learning
Degree Qualification
MSc
Duration
12 months
Study Mode
Full Time
Start Month
September
Location of Study
Aberdeen

Consulting is the fastest growing global professional occupation. Rapid changes in world business and advances in technology means companies are seeking new ways to compete and innovate. Business consultants are the solution with unique industry and occupational understanding and expertise.

The programme offers an opportunity to study fundamental concepts of business management and psychology. The range of topics covered offered by both the Business School and the School of Psychology will include research and practice based elements, giving students extensive knowledge of industry practices, key theories and challenges in business consultancy.

This will help you develop a range of transferable skills in understanding human behaviour in the workforce, problem identification, analysis and solving, project management, interpersonal communication including administering psychological analysis techniques and providing feedback, in depth operational analysis and business report writing.

What You'll Study

Stage 1

Compulsory Courses

Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5006)

This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 5-6 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across a number of weeks.

Topics include orientation overview, equality and diversity, health, safety and cyber security and how to make the most of your time at university in relation to careers and employability.

Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Enhanced Transcript as ‘Achieved’.

Introduction to Business Consulting (BU503E)

15 Credit Points

Rapid changes in world business and advances in technology mean companies are seeking new ways to compete and innovate. Business consultants can offer much needed advice and expertise. This course is intended to introduce you to the work of business consultants and identify the competencies you will require to apply for a career in consultancy. The course will be taught by practicing consultants and will cover both theoretical as well as practical aspects of business consultancy.

Operations and Project Management (BU5064)

15 Credit Points

The focus of this course is not people but processes, not outside the organisation but within. Operations transform materials, information and customers to create goods and services using staff and facilities. We study process types and focus particularly on projects. We see how capacity and inventory reconcile demand and output and explore location, supply chains, quality, risk and resilience. About 40% of the course is on projects and project-management techniques. Prepare for both critical discussion of theory and application (operationalisation), including calculation.

Organisational Psychology (PS5055)

15 Credit Points

At some point in our lives we will, hopefully, enter the world of work and be met with some of the challenges and issues which confront organisations globally such as managing organisational change, how to create a talent pipeline and how to create high performing teams. This online module provides an opportunity for students to understand the role of Occupational Psychology in dealing with these challenges and how psychological theory underpins practice in the workplace and across organisations.

Organisational Culture and Conflict (PS5038)

15 Credit Points

This in-person course covers two areas relevant to the performance and safety of organisations and their workers: culture and conflict.

Culture: ‘The way we do things around here’ – the rules and norms that govern employee behaviour. We will discuss organisational, national and professional culture, alongside multi-cultural teams.

Conflict: Differing experiences and backgrounds can produce disagreement, sometimes resulting in rudeness and bullying, adversely impacting worker performance and wellbeing. We will discuss conflict, the impact on staff, plus management strategies.

Stage 2

Compulsory Courses

Managing Change (BU555A)

15 Credit Points

The concepts of change and innovation have never been more topical, especially given the commercial context of fierce business competition, shorter product life cycles and more demanding customers. Increasingly, long-term commercial success is based on an ability to manage change, to act creatively and to promote innovation; These processes interconnect and overlap and often present major challenges to modern organizations; We address these issues through providing detailed case illustrations ranging from the workplace to the wider business market. Learning is encouraged through interaction, reading, investigation, video and case analysis, and critical discussion.

A Psychology Toolkit for Consulting (PS5539)

15 Credit Points

Business consultants can offer much needed advice and expertise across diverse areas that require an in-depth understanding of the people working in these areas to do so. Psychology Toolkit for Consulting course offers students an introduction into the a range of tools used by psychologist when consulting across these varied industries. The course will be taught by a practicing consultant and experienced academic and will cover both theoretical as well as practical aspects of psychological tools used in consulting.

The Leadership Challenge (BU5584)

15 Credit Points

This course provides an opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of your own leadership behaviour. Through workshops, group activities and discussions we investigate how personality, past experience, current situations and culture shape the way each of us behave in a leadership role. Using this information as a starting point we then explore how different leadership theories and approaches can be used as frameworks for developing a deeper understanding of leadership behaviour. You will also have an opportunity to try out a range of practical tools and techniques to assist you in the development of your own approach to leadership.

Positive Psychology at Work (PS5541)

15 Credit Points

Positive psychology is “the scientific study of what goes right in life” and “what makes life most worth living” (Peterson, 2006). Focusing on what is right with people is increasing being successfully applied to the world of work thus creating work settings which provide the greatest satisfaction amongst workers and where people, teams and organisations flourish and thrive. This course considers how the application of positive psychology theory and models can help overcome organisational challenges such as change management, motivation and effective leadership.

Stage 3

Compulsory Courses

The Consulting Challenge – Practical Business Consulting (BU593F)

60 Credit Points

The MSc Consulting Challenge requires students to produce a consulting report based upon their experience consulting for a company of their choice or a case study provided by the course convenor.

Advanced level knowledge and practice of a sub-area of the discipline is developed through practical interaction with the chosen business or detailed case study material. The students will be assigned an academic supervisor to oversee their research, data collection and report preparation.

Business Consulting Dissertation (BU593E)

60 Credit Points

The MSc dissertation provides students with the opportunity to produce a piece of independent and original research on an approved topic in business and psychology. Advanced level knowledge of a sub-area of the discipline is developed through independent study supervised by a member of academic staff. Students can choose a research problem related to change management and explore it further using theoretical and practical knowledge gained throughput the programme.

We will endeavour to make all course options available. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.

Fee information
Fee category Cost
EU / International students £26,250
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year
UK £15,700
Tuition Fees for 2024/25 Academic Year

Fee Information

Additional Fee Information

  • In exceptional circumstances there may be additional fees associated with specialist courses, for example field trips. Any additional fees for a course can be found in our Catalogue of Courses.
  • For more information about tuition fees for this programme, including payment plans and our refund policy, please visit our Tuition Fees page.

Funding Opportunities

The University of Aberdeen is very pleased to offer a 20% discount on postgraduate tuition fees for all alumni who have graduated with a degree from the University of Aberdeen. More Information can be found here.

Scholarships

Self-funded international students enrolling on postgraduate taught (PGT) programmes will receive one of our Aberdeen Global Scholarships, ranging from £3,000 to £8,000, depending on your domicile country. Learn more about the Aberdeen Global Scholarships here.

To see our full range of scholarships, visit our Funding Database.

How You'll Study

This MSc will be taught by practicing consultants and experienced academics, covering both theoretical as well as practical aspects of business and psychological tools used in consulting. The programme is also supported by off-campus supervised visits to active consulting projects across Scotland.

Learning Methods

  • Field Trips
  • Group Projects
  • Individual Projects
  • Lectures
  • Research
  • Tutorials

Assessment Methods

Delivery and assessment are based on real-life case studies, preparing students for a changing business landscape. You’ll study in a contemporary university environment and experience innovative teaching methods.

You’ll attend a variety of stimulating lectures, seminars and tutorials, with your skills and competency assessed by a mix of presentations, traditional exams, essays and projects.

Why Study Business Consulting and Psychology?

  • Students will complete a consulting project where they will be given the opportunity to gain direct experience in applying the concepts and theories studied on the programme
  • Ranked 1st Scotland in Student Positivity for Business Studies and Management Studies in the National Student Survey 2024.
  • Ranked 8th in the UK for Business and Management Studies in the Guardian University Guide 2025
  • Ranked 15th in the UK for Business, Management and Marketing in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 
  • Learn from specialist academic staff who are actively involved in research ensuring the curriculum is informed by cutting-edge knowledge and practice, which promises students pioneering research and a strong focus on forward-thinking ideas and innovation
  • Identify and engage with specialisms such as consumer behaviour, marketing and international human resource management
  • The School of Psychology at Aberdeen is one the oldest academic psychology units in Britain and can lay claim to one of the earliest academic psychology appointments         

Entry Requirements

Qualifications

The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.

5 years professional workplace experience

OR

A degree at 2:2 (lower second class) UK Honours level (or a degree from a non-UK institution which is judged by the University to be of equivalent worth)

Please enter your country to view country-specific entry requirements.

English Language Requirements

To study for a Postgraduate Taught degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:

IELTS Academic:

OVERALL - 6.5 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0

TOEFL iBT:

OVERALL - 90 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21

PTE Academic:

OVERALL - 62 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59

Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency:

OVERALL - 176 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169

Read more about specific English Language requirements here.

Document Requirements

You will be required to supply the following documentation with your application as proof you meet the entry requirements of this degree programme. If you have not yet completed your current programme of study, then you can still apply and you can provide your Degree Certificate at a later date.

Degree Transcript
a full transcript showing all the subjects you studied and the marks you have achieved in your degree(s) (original & official English translation)
Personal Statement
a detailed personal statement explaining your motivation for this particular programme
Reference
a reference letter from your university discussing your academic ability. If you have been out of education for a long time you may wish to use your current or most recent employer, or another professional person

Aberdeen Global Scholarship

Eligible self-funded postgraduate taught (PGT) students will receive the Aberdeen Global Scholarship. Explore our Global Scholarships, including eligibility details, on our dedicated page.

Aberdeen Global Scholarships

Careers

Students who complete the Business Consulting MSc can go on to have careers as a consultant or providing consulting services and experience within traditional employment areas. The consulting service practice stretches across all industries and with increased specialisation of the workforce, SME and large consulting companies are in high demand. Students may also wish to go on to start their own business consultancy.

Accreditation

The Business School is EQUIS accredited, placing it among a select group of globally recognised institutions. Out of over 15,000 business schools worldwide, only around 200 schools across 45 countries have attained this distinction.

This degree holds accreditation from

Psychology at Aberdeen

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Graduate Outcomes Survey 2024

Our results speak for themselves with 97.9% of graduates from the University of Aberdeen Business School in employment or further study 15 months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2024)

Our Experts

You will be taught by internationally respected academics who are at the forefront of their research and qualified professional consultants. We draw upon disciplines across Business and Psychology from leadership and management to consumer behaviour.

Programme Leader
Adam Peter Smith, The University of Aberdeen

Information About Staff Changes

You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.

Get in Touch

Contact Details

Address
Business School
University of Aberdeen
MacRobert Building
King Street
Aberdeen
AB24 3FX