Strathclyde Business School postgraduates pave the way for future trailblazers

The Herald Scotland

15-05-2025

UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE For those wishing to change career, a PG degree can offer a way of broadening knowledge and demonstrating commitment to a new sector of work (Image: Colin Mearns) This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald.
Looking to boost your career or switch paths? A postgraduate degree at Strathclyde Business School – Scotland's triple-accredited, award-winning institution – offers world-class teaching, industry connections, and flexible study options to help you stand out
If you want to find a way to advance in your career or change career paths then a postgraduate course could be the answer – and might end up being the best investment you could make in yourself.
Doing a postgraduate degree is a way of enhancing your employability, providing an edge over other job applicants and demonstrating advanced skills and knowledge. It can potentially increase earnings as it shows your ambition and commitment to your present position.
And for those wishing to change career, a PG degree can offer a way of broadening knowledge and demonstrating commitment to a new sector of work.
All else being equal then, a PG qualification could really make your CV stand out.
Returning to academic studies also offers other benefits aside from academic knowledge such as access to guest speakers and experts from industry, a range of career services on hand and networking opportunities with peers, both local and international.
It's well worth researching potential courses and what business schools can offer in terms of postgraduate qualifications before making your final decision. Accreditation is a key factor in assessing the quality of potential courses.
Strathclyde Business School is one business school which holds triple accreditation and was in fact the first in Scotland to gain the coveted triple accreditation from international accrediting bodies AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB.
These international accreditations demonstrate that the business school in question has met rigorous standards set by these bodies and signifies that it adheres to stringent quality standards in its teaching, student support services, research and societal impact.
Strathclyde also has Small Business Charter accreditation which recognises the business school's world-class support for scaling Scottish firms through innovation, internationalisation and leadership. Again, SBS was the first in Scotland to gain this accreditation. SBS also holds department accreditations from organisations such as CIPD, CIMA, ICAS and the British Psychological Society and is recognised by the Institute of Hospitality for its hospitality and tourism programmes.
A business school that holds its own when judged against its peers may also be a consideration – SBS programmes such as the MBA, EMBA and MSc Finance have regularly featured in rankings from the Financial Times and most recently was ranked in Tier One of the latest CEO magazine ranking of MBAs and was ranked 18th in the world for its Global EMBA programme.
Strathclyde's Accounting & Finance Department recently won a competitive UK-wide award in the AGCAS Academic Employability Awards in the 'Technology for Employability' category for its finance simulation bootcamp run in association with AmplifyME – Strathclyde was the only Scottish institution to win an award.
The bootcamp is available to Master's students and receives excellent feedback each year from participants.
The University was ranked as the second top university in Scotland in the StudentCrowd 2025 league table, based on thousands of verified student reviews which recognise Strathclyde's student support services, campus facilities and helpful staff.
Strathclyde has also had a number of Times Higher Education (THE) awards. Known as the 'Oscars' of Higher Education, Strathclyde has, since 2011, been named University of the Year twice, Entrepreneurial University of the Year and Business School of the Year.
(Image: Above, Executive MBA graduate Jamie Culpan, founder of STAX Feed Solutions)
The Daily Mail also named Strathclyde Scottish University of the Year in its inaugural University Awards in 2023 and last year Strathclyde retained its top 10 position in the newspaper's ranking of UK universities.
The most important aspect of a business school though is, of course, its programmes. SBS offers programmes with options that cover accounting and finance, economics, sustainability, climate change, project management, data analytics, human resource management, occupational psychology, digital marketing and international management, as well as the renowned and pioneering MBA programme which can be studied full time or part time – and there are part time options too for other programmes which means work and study can be done alongside each other – there's no need to give up the day job!
The University Careers Service has a number of specialised staff who look after business school students – and the MBA programme has its very own careers team who can help with any aspect of career concerns as well as offering an annual – and very highly regarded – MBA Careers Conference.
One SBS graduate, Jamie Culpan – who did the part time MBA and graduated in 2024 – is now pursuing his entrepreneurial venture STAX Feed Solutions – a sustainable animal feed.
He recently travelled to Silicon Valley to take part in StartupGrind Global and was the only Scottish company exhibiting this year.
He said: 'I'm so proud to be a Strathclyder. The energy, support and network here are phenomenal.'
Another SBS graduate, Sarah Shepherd, did the MSc in Occupational Psychology and said: 'The course was brilliant and academically stimulating – a great mixture of academic learning and practical application.
'The focus on the workplace landscape as it is today and where it is heading helps students feel what they are learning is useful to go out into the workplace. The course also invites expert speakers in to talk to the students. This is brilliant as it inspires career paths and is a great chance to network with professionals in the field.'
To find out more about the programmes on offer, visit www.strath.ac.uk/business/postgraduate and to read more from students and staff, visit the SBS blog page www.sbs.strath.ac.uk/blogs/sbs/
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Executive Education courses support business growth
STRATHCLYDE Business School offers a range of courses which are specific to the SME context to ensure that the learning is right for both the individual and their business.
These courses are designed to ensure minimal time away from the workplace alongside maximum learning benefit.
Strathclyde's executive education portfolio is recognised by the Small Business Charter Award which SBS has held since 2014 – this award recognises the business school's work in supporting start-ups and small businesses though expert advice, training and support.
One such executive programmes is the Help to Grow programme – this is a UK-wide 12 week programme which is funded by the UK Government to encourage business growth. Participants can look forward to building their capabilities in areas such as leadership, innovation, digital adoption, employee engagement, marketing and financial management.
he UK Government funding means costs are kept to an absolute minimum and it is just £750 for the programme which also offers 10 hours of individual mentoring from an experienced business owner to support you and your growth plan.
Strathclyde's successful Growth Advantage Progamme (GAP) was launched in 2015 and fully utilises Strathclyde's distinctive approach towards executive education and development which creates impact in those businesses which take part.
(Image: All three Growth programmes provide skills, knowledge and practical tools)
GAP is aimed at managing directors or chief executives of established businesses with real growth ambitions. Over 100 companies have taken part in the programme; from a wide range of sectors and including companies started from scratch, acquired and multi-general family businesses, they all have one thing in common – a desire to grow.
The programme uses action learning with a focus on tool kits and practical take-aways to support the learning and growth ambitions which can be immediately applied in the workplace.
Another programme aimed at ambitious businesses and their leaders in Strathclyde's SME Growth Programme portfolio is the Scottish Impact Investor Readiness Programme which is offered in partnership with the Scottish National Investment Bank.
This programme seeks to encourage ambitious Scotland-based businesses and their leaders to think about their societal impact and how to integrate this into their business growth strategy.
With investment from strategic partners, fees for this full programme – which should cost £7500 – are just £750.
All three of these Growth programmes provide new skills, knowledge and practical tools as well as offering a new peer network featuring other impact and growth-focused organisations.
For more information on our Executive Education offering, email [e-mail] or visit www.strath.ac.uk/business/seed/growingyoursme/
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