Pre-Masters in Business, Economics, Accounting and Finance (3-Terms), Leading to Master of Science in Plant Biotechnology and Enterprise Study Group - Durham University International Study Centre - Queens Campus, UK

Pre-Masters In Business, Economics, Accounting and Finance (3-Terms)
The Pre-Masters in Business, Economics, Accounting and Finance prepares you for a fantastic range of progression degrees at Durham University, upon completing the programme with the required grades. You will join the programme for two or three terms, depending on your academic qualifications and level of English language.

Who is this programme for?
This programme is for international students looking to study a Masters degree in business, economics, accounting or finance at Durham University.

• Improve your academic and English language skills needed for entry to your chosen Masters degree.
• Shape a successful career in your specialist area and develop the analytical and practical skills employers value.
• Gain a grounding in academic terminology, concepts and research methods needed for a Masters in business, economics or finance.
• Develop your ability to think critically and take your knowledge, skills and career to the next level.
• Immerse yourself in the UK education system ready to succeed at a world-class university. 

What will you study?
You will study core modules, which cover general skills, and designated modules that relate to your progression degree. This means your Pre-Masters programme will be tailored to the specific needs of your chosen degree.

Core modules

• Academic English Skills
• Advanced Academic Writing and Critical Reading
• Quantitative Skills*
• Advanced Research Methods in Business

When you complete the Pre-Masters in Business, Economics, Accounting and Finance, and achieve the required grades, you can progress to MSc - Plant Biotechnology and Enterprise at Durham University.

Leading to: Plant Biotechnology and Enterprise MSc

One of the principal challenges that our society faces is the need for increased agricultural productivity via improved crop protection and plant biotechnology. The number of novel crop protection and biotech products registered in the EU has been decreasing over the last 10 years. This is, in part, due to a sector covered by a reduced number of companies, a difficult legislative environment, and the lack of professionals with skills and specific knowledge. Given the quality of the UK Plant-science research and education system, the socio-economical context and the increase in global warming-associated natural catastrophes, there has never been a more important time to train new scientists in plant biotechnology, to underpin economic growth.

Most of the Biosciences graduates finish their degree with limited practical and experimental skills, and the practical knowledge required for translating their ideas into commercial products. Furthermore, due to the rapidly evolving nature of the biosciences field, employers seek graduates with transferable skills beyond those established in their first degree. To fulfill this curriculum gap and to improve the employability and business development know-how of home and overseas bioscientists, academics at the DU Biosciences department have designed a postgraduate taught course in Plant Biotechnology & Enterprise.

The programme consists of five compulsory taught modules (80 credits) and a research project (100 credits). Three of the five taught modules have been explicitly designed for this program and two further modules are inter-disciplinary. Holistically they aim to provide exceptional theoretical subject-specific content and transferable knowledge and skills. The “Bioinformatics and Data science” module, shared with the PGT in Data Science, will provide fundamental knowledge of, and practical skills in, the computational and statistical analysis of big-data. The “Innovation and Enterprise in Plant Biotechnology” module is jointly run with the Durham Business School and introduces students to the key theories of innovation and how these can be applied to individual plant biotechnology research projects. The research project builds on material covered in the taught modules and will provide practical and experimental knowledge and skills.