As corporate governance is now an integral part of everyday business, the MSc Governance programme is designed to be relevant and attractive to a wide variety of candidates and job roles across different sectors.
The global financial crisis, corporate scandals and collapses, and public concern over the apparent lack of effective boards have all contributed to an explosion of interest in good governance practices. Lincoln's MSc Governance is structured with a focus on practical application in the business environment and aims to provide students with strong subject knowledge and the latest thinking in the world of governance, sustainability reporting, business ethics, organisational and board effectiveness, finance, law, and strategic thinking.
With corporations facing more risks and greater potential impacts of their activities on society, the issues of sustainability are more critical than ever. Sustainability is no longer about just risk and compliance, but innovation, opportunity, and how to achieve excellence in both sustainability and financial performance. This programme aims to develop a sound understanding of the processes and oversight that drive the highest standards of leadership, accountability, sustainability reporting, and ethical behaviour in business.
Accredited by The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland
Benefit from staff with professional experience
Explore real-world case studies in various contexts
Focus on ethical business practices
Complete a dissertation in a specialist area
Weekly contact hours on this programme may vary depending on the module options chosen and the stage of study. Hours of study may vary from term to term for both full and part-time students and can be spread throughout the week.
Postgraduate level study involves a significant proportion of independent study, exploring the material covered in lectures and seminars. As a general guide, for every hour spent in class, students are expected to spend at least three to four hours in independent study.
Although a proportion of the contact time will be spent in teaching, emphasis is also placed on the use of the student group as a resource for learning. The style of teaching will vary to reflect individual module objectives. The modules utilise methods of teaching and learning which are appropriate to Master's level study and effective collaborative learning such as debates, presentations, and report writing. There will also be group discussions of practical situations and problems, making extensive use of real-world case studies in national and international contexts, simulation materials, and where relevant, the students' own experiences.
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, contact hours, and our return to face-to-face teaching.
The way students will be assessed on this course will vary for each module. Formative assessments will be conducted whenever possible, aiming to prepare students for the assessment process and to provide developmental feedback to support their learning.
Formative assessments will not contribute towards a student's grade, but enables feedback on a continuous basis. Formative assessments may include in-class exercises, peer feedback, mock examinations, presentations, and debates. Summative assessments may include assignments, case-study reports, examinations, presentations, and reflections.
Master's students are expected to play an active role in their learning and the assessments are designed to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to meet the demands of contemporary organisations.
The University of Lincoln's policy on assessment feedback aims to ensure that academics will return in-course assessments to students promptly - usually within 15 working days of the submission date.
Postgraduate Funding Options
Tory Cliffe shares her experience studying MSc Governance part time.
Studying MSc Governance at Lincoln has been a fantastic experience. The course has been both exciting and challenging, and has provided me with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to pursue my ideal career in governance.
Michael Bann
MSc Governance
This programme is fully accredited by The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland (CGI UK&I). Students successfully completing this Master’s programme can be jointly awarded Graduate CGI UK&I status.
Graduates must demonstrate three years of relevant professional experience to qualify as a Chartered Secretary. CGI UK&I is also introducing the alternative designation, Chartered Governance Professional. Further details can be found on the CGI UK&I website.
Chartered status is the gold standard governance designation, recognised and valued by employers. Qualifying as a Chartered Governance Professional or Chartered Secretary demonstrates that you have developed the knowledge, skills, and experience to take on a job with significant and wide-ranging responsibilities.
The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland (CGI UK&I) is a chartered membership, professional body, and world-leading authority on governance, risk, and compliance. CGI UK&I supports its members in organisations of all sizes across all sectors of the economy, including large corporates, SMEs, the public sector, and charities.
The Business Ethics practical application element of this programme was designed with support of the Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) and aims to develop future business leaders, managers, senior finance officers, accountants, solicitors, or governance professionals who understand and appreciate the importance of going beyond numbers and supporting good ethical business practices to help companies to sustain long-term success.
Staff teaching on this programme are usually either professionally qualified accountants, lawyers, or governance practitioners with relevant industrial experience, or research specialists with wide research interests. In addition, students can benefit from external visiting speakers who are experts from the financial and business world.
Postgraduate Application Support
Applying for a postgraduate programme at Lincoln is easy. Find out more about the application process and what you'll need to complete on our How to Apply page. Here, you'll also be able to find out more about the entry requirements we accept and how to contact us for dedicated support during the process.
Applicants from all backgrounds are welcome to apply to be considered for the programme on an individual basis (subject to approval by the programme leader, if necessary followed by an interview).
The programme accommodates students with both relevant and non-relevant undergraduate degrees. Previous work experience is not required for the Standard route, but students are required to have a minimum 2:2 honours degree or equivalent, and at least grade C in GCSE Mathematics, or its equivalent.
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/ for information on equivalent qualifications.
Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/englishlanguagerequirements/.
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-session English and Academic Study Skills courses. https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/pre-sessionalenglishandacademicstudyskills/ . These specialist courses are designed to help students meet the English language requirements for their intended programme of study.
The MSc Governance is designed to appeal to a variety of applicants, including qualified professionals who might be interested in entry through Accelerated or Membership routes and in possible module exemptions based on relevant professional experience or qualifications. Applicants may be considered for partial credit on this degree in accordance with standard procedures of Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL). The entitlement to exemptions will be assessed on an individual basis. Applicants should make it clear in the application if they wish to apply for module exemptions, supporting their application with evidence. Please note that no exemptions can be granted once a student is enrolled to the programme.
Some indicative details are as follows (assessed on an individual basis):
- Standard route requires completion of all modules and does not require previous work experience or relevant degree.
- Accelerated route allows qualified accountants, auditors, lawyers, solicitors to apply for possible exemptions. Applicants should demonstrate a relevant qualification, significant work experience, and evidence of CPD activities.
- Accelerated route allows other applicants such as directors, governance professionals, secretaries with a relevant qualification or with more than five years' relevant experience (i.e. boardroom, governance, secretarial) to apply for possible exemptions.
- Membership route allows Associates and Fellows of CGI UK&I to enter the programme to obtain the MSc Governance degree with only taking two or three modules.
You will need to have funding in place for your studies before you arrive at the University. Our fees vary depending on the course, mode of study, and whether you are a UK or international student. You can view the breakdown of fees for this programme below.
The University offers a range of merit-based, subject-specific, and country-focused scholarships for UK and international students. To help support students from outside of the UK, we offer a number of international scholarships which range from £1,000 up to the value of 50 per cent of tuition fees. For full details and information about eligibility, visit our scholarships and bursaries pages.
Please note that students will be responsible for paying any professional membership or other administrative fees, if they choose to register with a professional body. With regard to the partnership between the University of Lincoln and the CGI UK&I, students will have the opportunity to register early with the CGI UK&I as a student member, while studying for their degree, and they will be responsible for the registration cost. Further details about the scheme, and the agreement between the University of Lincoln and the CGI UK&I, will be provided during the induction week.
The University provides students who enrol with a reading list for each module. The majority of core texts are available in the library however, copies are limited so students may prefer to purchase their own. Where they do so, they will be responsible for the cost. Printing may also be required.
Postgraduate Funding Options
Find out more about the optional available to support your postgraduate study, from Master's Loans to scholarship opportunities. You can also find out more about how to pay your fees and access support from our helpful advisors.
MSc Governance is designed to help students develop the knowledge and skills to compete effectively in the domestic and international labour markets, and support best governance practices within organisations. The programme aims to develop the knowledge, professional, management, and transferable skills that may be useful in a wide variety of job roles in governance, leadership, management, finance, accountancy, strategy, law, secretariat, or administration in the corporate, not-for-profit, and public sectors.
For more information about this course, please contact the Programme Leader.
Nicki Wood
nwood@lincoln.ac.uk
Lincoln International Business School works with students and organisations to enhance the contribution of business to society. For students, that means developing their business skills and knowledge to improve their career readiness.The University of Lincoln is a member of AACSB, a global nonprofit association connecting educators, students, and businesses to achieve a common goal: to create the next generation of great leaders.
To get a real feel for what it is like to study at the University of Lincoln, we hold a number of dedicated postgraduate events and activities throughout the year for you to take part in.
