WBS redesigns a host of Master's courses to meet demands of employers

Warwick Business School has overhauled its Master’s portfolio to meet the increasing demand from employers for AI, finance and sustainability skills. 

It has launched three new postgraduate programmes - MSc Business with Finance, MSc Business with Sustainability, and MSc Marketing & Consumer Behaviour - alongside a wider review of three existing courses. 

The MSc Management of Information Systems & Digital Innovation course has been re-worked with a greater emphasis on AI and is now called MSc Digital & AI Leadership, while MSc Finance & Management has been redesigned with management studies added to the core financial principles, techniques and methodologies of the previous MSc Business & Finance. 

And MSc Business with Artificial Intelligence has replaced MSc Business with Digital Strategy & Artificial Intelligence to give students the skills and knowledge for today’s job market. 

Two of the new programmes form part of the School’s Master’s in Business range, where students will study four shared core business modules before specialising through a further four modules in finance or sustainability. 

Ross Ritchie, Professor of Operations Management and Associate Dean (Postgraduate Business and Management Programmes), said: “We are always talking to employers about the skills they need from our graduates and these changes reflect those conversations. 

“Employers are increasingly seeking graduates who combine a grounding in core business disciplines with specialist expertise in emerging areas like AI and sustainability. 

“The launch of MSc Business with Finance and MSc Business with Sustainability reflects the growing demand from employers for professionals who can navigate increasingly complex financial, technological and environmental challenges. These programmes provide students with both breadth and specialist knowledge, helping them develop the skills needed to lead and innovate in a changing world.” 

Meanwhile, AI is changing every sector and job at a rapid rate. It has moved from a specialist technology to a subject that needs to be core knowledge for managers and leaders. 

Today's business leaders must work out which AI investments are worth backing, where the technology can make the biggest difference in their organisation, how to manage the risks, and how to turn the AI revolution into higher profits and growth. 

MSc Business with Artificial Intelligence and MSc Digital with AI Leadership highlight this growing trend as organisations race to enhance this powerful new technology provided by the likes of Anthropic and OpenAI. 

Students will learn about AI agents, cyber risk management, digital architecture and systems and how to manage people and AI, so they successfully reshape work and organisational life. 

Professor Ritchie added: “Prospective students are increasingly looking for courses that offer both flexibility and clear career relevance. Our updated portfolio provides exactly that.  

“Not only will future business leaders need to understand the advantages and risks of various AI and digital technologies, but they will also need the critical soft skills, including teamwork, leadership and communication. As AI continues to advance and combine with technical roles, the human management skills of critical thinking and judgement will be of greater value.” 

Dedicated careers support for Master's students

Students will also be able to take advantage of the School’s dedicated MSc CareersPlus & Employer Relations team. Before even arriving, students gain access to the MSc Careers Summer School, featuring online sessions on job hunting, applications and interviews, plus a careers video library and one-to-one coaching. 

WBS Master’s graduates have gone on to work at the likes of Goldman Sachs, KPMG and PwC, with the University of Warwick ranked fourth in the UK most targeted by leading employers according to the 2025 High Fliers Report. 

Applications are now open for the new and revised courses, with the programmes forming part the School’s ongoing efforts to ensure its Master’s portfolio remains relevant to the needs of students and businesses alike. 

Alex Stremme, Professor of Finance and Associate Dean (Postgraduate Finance Programmes), said: “We have redesigned our finance courses to keep pace with the changing needs of the global financial sector.  

“By combining academic rigour with practical, industry-relevant skills, we're preparing graduates for careers that may look very different from those that existed even a few years ago.

"As a school for the Change Makers, our teaching is helping bold thinkers turn their ambition into action."

Discover Warwick Business School's Change Makers.