Management Science

MRes

  • Entry year 2025
  • Duration Full time 1 year
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Overview

Top reasons to study with us

  • 9

    9th for Business and Management in the UK

    QS World University Rankings (2024)

  • 72

    72nd for Business and Management in the world

    QS World University Rankings (2024)

  • Lancaster University is top 10 in The Complete University Guide 2025

Businesses, organisations and governments are now turning to quantitative and qualitative analytics to solve complex problems. Research is being used to inform or justify action like never before. Our MRes Management Science programme is designed for those with some familiarity with management science theory and techniques. It’s ideal for those wishing to pursue a PhD or a specialist career in government, industry or consulting.

Our department has a broad spectrum of interests with staff incorporating insights from cutting-edge projects into their teaching. We take the lead in the Centre for Marketing Analytics and Forecasting, the Centre for Productivity and Efficiency and the Centre for Transport and Logistics. This means you can benefit from these three research centres’ extensive and diverse research experience.

You will join a group of high-potential scholars from across the world. Together you will learn how to use advanced technical skills to solve real problems and find new ways to move forward. We combine taught and research elements to develop a focused research approach. You will study research methodologies, techniques and design approaches in organisational settings.

All our students study Research Methods, Research Design in Management, and Searching for Information in Management Research. We will then support you in developing your management science research proposal. This forms the basis of your four-month-long dissertation.

You can take this degree as a stand-alone programme. You can choose to use it to extend your knowledge in some specific area of Management Science. Or, if you have extensive practical experience, it can focus on researching the more theoretical aspects of the work.

Our graduates leave able to see research as a process of social communication. They are familiar with a wide range of information sources and databases used by business and management researchers.

Scholarships for 2025 entry

We are delighted to offer a selection of scholarships for Master’s programmes at Lancaster University Management School for 2025 entry.

International students

Your qualifications Programme cost without scholarship Management School Scholarship Lancaster Global Scholarship Total Scholarship amount You pay
1st class degree £32,760 £8,300 £5,000 £13,300 £19,460
2:1 degree £32,760 £5,000 - £5,000 £27,760
2:2 degree £32,760 £3,000 - £3,000 £29,760

Home students

Your qualifications Programme cost without scholarship Scholarship amount You pay
1st class degree £16,270 £5,000 £11,270
2:1 degree £16,270 £5,000 £11,270

We also offer an additional 10% discount on fees for Lancaster University Alumni. Alumni Loyalty Scholarship.

Scholarships will be applied automatically if you meet the criteria.

Scholarships information, terms and conditions

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in a quantitative discipline such as Mathematics and/or Statistics, including Science, Engineering, Economics, and Computer Science. Business and Management degrees with a strong quantitative component may also be considered.

We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

English language requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 7.0 and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

Pre-master’s programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master’s pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master’s degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Course structure

You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

Core

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Fees and funding

Location Full Time (per year) Part Time (per year)
Home £16,270 n/a
International £32,760 n/a

General fees and funding information

Additional fees and funding information accordion

Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

Careers

The Department of Management Science provides an extensive careers service and postgraduate students may expect to be eagerly sought after by employers. Major employers contact the Department each year to recruit. Many former students now hold senior positions in their organisation – as management scientists or as managers.

The Department has strong links with companies and organisations, many of which employ our alumni. Companies visit the department to make presentations and interview students as part of their selection process.

Management Science, Operational Research, Logistics, Supply Chain and Market Analysis are seen by leading companies as the start of a fast track to promotion for high flyers with a numerate or scientific background. Project Management skills are also highly sought after by companies due to a need for improved project success rates and more global and complex project organisations. There is a continually growing market for the project profession which covers many roles from support to strategic leadership. Experience has shown that if you have a postgraduate qualification, you will not only obtain a better starting job but will also receive more rapid promotion.

Top 100 in the world for Business and Management

Lancaster is ranked 9th in the UK and joint 72nd globally for Business and Management according to the QS World Rankings by Subject 2024, one of 11 subjects at Lancaster to be featured in the top 100 in these prestigious listings.

QS Rankings by Subject 2024
QS Top 100 logo
THE Rankings 2024

Ranked in the Top 100 worldwide

Lancaster is ranked =99th worldwide for Business and Economics in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by subject 2024.

THE World University Rankings by subject

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Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.

Why Lancaster?