Grant Thornton and Cranfield School of Management launch new Level 7 Senior Leaders Master’s Degree Apprenticeship

Leading business and financial adviser Grant Thornton UK LLP, in partnership with Cranfield School of Management, is proud to announce the market-wide launch of a new executive Master’s (MSc) in Management and Leadership.  

The MSc was developed by Cranfield professors and meets the requirements of the Level 7 Senior Leaders Master’s Degree Apprenticeship Standard. It is designed for any employer that wants to accelerate the strategic leadership capability of early-career professionals. Tuition and assessment fees are £18,000, which can be fully funded from the Apprenticeship Levy for eligible employees.

The MSc is the latest addition to a suite of programmes offered by Grant Thornton in partnership with leading education providers to respond to the needs of dynamic, growing organisations.   The MSc builds on the success of the Executive MBA, also developed by Cranfield School of Management and offered in partnership with Grant Thornton, which currently has 185 organisations sponsoring 388 learners through the leadership development programme.

The two-year Management and Leadership MSc programme, taught by Cranfield School of Management and Grant Thornton, will support future leaders from a wide range of organisations in successfully driving business performance with fresh ideas, innovation and diverse approaches.   

Delivered on a part-time basis (one week each quarter year)*, the course covers the core management subjects in a series of 13 modules, providing a solid grounding across all business fundamentals. It enhances the development of the self-awareness, strategic mindset and leadership skills needed to make an impact in a senior role at any organisation. Sessions with Grant Thornton’s professional coaches will further support the leaders of the future.

Justin Rix, Partner, Talent Solutions at Grant Thornton UK LLP, said: 

“We have listened to the market and, based on our insights in to what makes truly great leaders, have developed a curriculum that responds to the needs of modern, dynamic organisations.   The course is challenging and will stretch even the brightest minds, encouraging future managers and leaders to explore new areas and push themselves beyond their comfort zones. 

“This course, which can be fully funded using Apprenticeship Levy payments, is an opportunity for employers to accelerate the development of leaders and managers, improve retention and empower individuals to work on meaningful strategic initiatives with the support of a world-class business school partner.”

Professor Michael Dickmann, course director for the new Management and Leadership MSc at Cranfield School of Management, said: 

“This unique partnership combines the best of academic knowledge and commercial insights. The course will develop leadership and management capabilities with a specific focus on cutting-edge insights, commercial application and effective management frameworks.  The practical nature of the course enables learners to gain a ‘real-world’ business education, which they can apply directly back to their workplace.” 

The full-time Cranfield Management MSc is ranked 1st in the UK and 7th in the world by The Economist Which MBA? Masters in Management 2017 ranking.

*Up to six days over three months

About Grant Thornton: One of the world’s leading organisations of independent assurance, tax and advisory firms. These firms help dynamic organisations unlock their potential for growth by providing meaningful, forward-thinking advice. Proactive teams, led by approachable partners in these firms, use insights, experience and instinct to understand complex issues for privately owned, publicly listed and public sector clients and help them to find solutions. More than 38,500 Grant Thornton people, across over 120 countries, are focused on making a difference to clients, colleagues and the communities in which we live and work. The UK Grant Thornton member firm provides services to over 40,000 privately held businesses, public interest entities and individuals. It is led by more than 185 partners and employs more than 4,600 of the profession’s brightest minds.

About Cranfield School of Management: ​Cranfield has been a world leader in management education and research for over 50 years, helping individuals and organisations learn and succeed by transforming knowledge into action. We are dedicated to creating responsible management thinking, improving business performance and inspiring the next generation of business leaders. We work to change the lives of our students and executives by encouraging innovation and creative thinking, as well as the drive to succeed and make a real impact on their organisations.

Organisations as diverse as Jaguar Land Rover, BAE Systems, Royal Dutch Shell, L’Oréal, UNICEF and the African Development Bank have benefited from our work, which ranges from management research projects, through staff talent management development on our MBA courses, to customised executive programmes.

Cranfield is one of an elite group of Schools worldwide to hold the triple accreditation of: AACSB International (the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System) and AMBA (the Association of MBAs).

We are in the Top 10 International Business Schools in the Forbes’ ranking.

Our open and customised executive education programmes are ranked in the top five in the UK, according to the latest Financial Times survey, and in the top ten in the world for international reach. Over 10,000 people come to Cranfield each year to benefit from our executive and professional development programmes.