NBS8130 : Management Consultancy Project
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Module Leader(s): Mrs Jo Clark
- Lecturer: Dr Peter Lamb
- Owning School: Newcastle University Business School
- Teaching Location: Mixed Location
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 3 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
Pathway A
To provide students with an understanding of the integration of the taught elements of the MBA course.
To illustrate how management theories relate to real world situations by conducting live consultancy projects.
This is a compulsory module, aimed at demonstrating the integration of the learning across all of the modules on the MBA and providing students with the opportunity to apply the theory they have learned to real projects.
Pathway B
As above, plus, in addition, ESSAM offers an opportunity to enhance international perspectives working with students from other institutions in the ESSAM consortium.
The purpose is to give participants:
• A real-life experience in working in a multi-cultural environment
• A European perspective
Pathway B, ESSAM, is a full time residential place at the ESSAM host institution summer school, lasting two full weeks. Attendance is required for the full duration of that programme.
Full ESSAM assessment offers 10 ECTS credits.
The Newcastle University MBA programme requires students to pass 5 ECTS credits on pathway B, equivalent to 10 module credits in the pathway A option.
Outline Of Syllabus
Pathway A:
• The Consultancy Process
• Introduction to the projects
• The role of the consultant
Practical consulting activity to include for example:
• Writing Proposals
• Interviewing
• Reporting
• Presenting
Pathway B:
As above, which is the ESSAM CORE - will combine a European focus on management issues and professional development. An integrated part of the core is a group project, which focuses on a real-life consultancy project with a local company.
PLUS - The electives of which each participant can choose one only.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 39:00 | 39:00 | Assessment Preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 70:00 | 70:00 | N/A |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 14 | 3:00 | 42:00 | Client' project research |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 2 | 3:00 | 6:00 | Understanding client briefs - PiP or Synchronous online |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Assessment preparation and formative feedback |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Dissertation/project related supervision | 14 | 3:00 | 42:00 | Guided consulting activity - Pip or synchronous online |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The live projects are group work designed to encourage you to diagnose and solve problems in real world situations, utilising and consolidating the knowledge gained across the MBA programme.
The workshops offer you the chance to meet client companies and understand a range of client project opportunities. These will be drawn from relevant challenge areas, such as sustainability, data/digital and/or in a global context
Learning and teaching, project supervision, focuses on supporting your teams in your work to deliver/address your client project brief.
Pathway B teaching methods align with pathway A, explained above, but are detailed in the ESSAM handbook timetable for the year. Two weeks full time attendance at the ESSAM host organisation, currently Glasgow University, Adam Smith Business School is required. It is also necessary to undertake all ESSAM components of assessment if you are selected for that pathway.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | 3 | M | 75 | Pathway A - Group Consultancy Report for company 4000 words the alternative is Pathway B - Individual written assignment core component 2000-3000 words, PLUS Individual written assignment elective component 2000-3000 words |
| Prof skill assessmnt | 3 | M | 25 | Pathway A - 30 minute group presentation to the company the alternative is the Pathway B - Group consultancy report and presentation 2000- 3000 words |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Presentation | 3 | M | Pathway A - Feedback discussion on proposals for presentation to corporate managers |
| Oral Presentation | 3 | M | Pathway B - Compulsory group presentation to client on final day of ESSAM |
| Essay | 3 | M | Pathway B - Individual elective written assignment, complusory for credit - 2000-3000 words |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Pathway A - The two elements being assessed, the delivery of a presentation to clients and the writing of a group report are two important elements in management consultancy.
They will also provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to integrate the many different elements of the MBA.
Formative feedback on skills, knowledge and process development is provided by the module leader and your client during regular meetings throughout the process.
Pathway B - Two reports are required based on the core and elective modules and a client report. One is an individual report based on learning from the core consultancy module experience. Also a short group report for the client the other is an essay based on the learning from the elective. This is also a requirement to pass the module.
The client consultancy presentation in pathway B is compulsory but assessed for formative feedback only.
If you are eligible for a second attempt, the resit will be any failed components and the resit calculation will be based upon the original module calculation.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NBS8130's Timetable