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Want A Career In Consulting? Lancaster University Is Placing MBAs Into Jobs At Deloitte, PwC, EY

An innovative curriculum is helping MBA students at Lancaster University—like Alex, Chotima, and James—start new careers in consulting

Alex Kanonis knew he wanted a career change. Working in consumer goods in London, he wanted to return home to Greece and make the switch into consulting.

To do so, he knew doing an MBA at a top-ranked business school was his best bet. Still today, consulting is one of the most sought-after career destinations for MBA students. Big-name management consulting firms—like Bain & Company—hire hundreds of MBA graduates each year.

Alex chose to return to his alma mater and pursue a one-year, full-time MBA from Lancaster University Management School—ranked number one in the world for corporate strategy by the Financial Times. He got a £10,000 scholarship ($13,000)—the Lancaster MBA costs £30,500 ($40,000).

During the final two months of his degree, he was placed on a consulting project, with Peer Consulting in London, as part of the Lancaster MBA’s Corporate Challenge. The project champion was a Lancaster alum who had worked at EY for a number of years. Through him, Alex was able to get his resume to the right people and secure a job interview.

Alex completed his MBA in September 2017. In December, he joined EY as a senior consultant based in Athens.

alex-kanosis

“I wouldn’t have got the interview without the network of Lancaster,” he says. “In 2016, two million people applied to EY, of which 13,000 got an interview—that’s under 1%. I would have never got it on my own.”

Why is the Lancaster MBA good for consulting? “It emphasizes personal development a lot,” Alex continues. “Other MBAs are like a production line. You get in, learn about finance, and then go on to a $100,000 job.

“Lancaster is much more about developing a critical way of thinking, and problem solving, and that’s what consultancy is all about.”

While Lancaster MBAs enjoy a range of careers options after graduation, the program provides an especially fertile training ground for future consultants, with MBA grads landing jobs at top consulting firms like Deloitte, EY, and PwC.

The Lancaster MBA—led by Peter Lenney, who Alex singles out as his most influential professor alongside accounting and finance professor David Murphy—is broken up by four action-learning challenges—including the final, six-week Corporate Challenge—where students apply their learnings to solve real-life business problems for real firms.

The program’s unique Mindful Manager module gives students the chance for introspection—to question their own thinking and experience—with trips to the Lake District complemented by leadership coaching from former Pepsi and Saatchi & Saatchi CEO Kevin Roberts.

Alex, who’s currently working on a project restructuring the supply chain of a clothes manufacturer, says the MBA helps him, even today. “A lot of the things we did throughout the course have an actual application in day-to-day business.”

Chotima Kasemphaibulsuk, a 2016 Lancaster MBA grad-turned-management consultant working for a big-name multinational in Thailand, agrees.

She cites Lancaster MBA’s Corporate Challenge—where she worked as a management consultant on a project for Microsoft—and the Business Management Challenge—where her team won a business simulation with the highest share price company on the virtual stock exchange—which she says gave her the practical skills to succeed.

Chotima also went on a European exchange to the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, which broadened her knowledge of the European market.

“My MBA provided me with the knowledge and inspiration to become a management consultant,” she says.

“The Lancaster MBA didn’t only teach me about business. It quickly improved my confidence speaking English; I gained leadership and management skills; and I grew my network,” Chotima continues. “I’ve applied everything I’ve learned working in consulting.”

James Manning, a current MBA student in the middle of a consulting project with Grant Thornton, hopes to find a job in strategy consulting after graduation.

james-manning

For James, like Alex and Chotima, the Lancaster MBA is the perfect launch-pad. The MBA’s modules—he highlights the top-ranked strategy module led by ex-PwC partner David Pettifer—combine to provide comprehensive training for anyone considering a career in consulting.

“When you think about the role of a consultant and where they are intended to add value, you think about criticality, impartiality, and strategic thinking,” he says. “The Lancaster MBA is designed to sharpen all of these skills.

“My thinking has definitely sharpened in the past 12 months,” he continues. “I can now see opportunity where I once could not. I’m able to analyze situations far more thoroughly and I’m able to build and present far more persuasive arguments.

Lancaster MBA has given me the tools and the confidence to position myself as a consultant in the jobs market.”

Student Reviews

Lancaster University Management School

Jesse

Verified

28/09/2018

An exceptional educational establishment in the North West of England.

This university has been a fantastic life experience as well as a great academic one. I first decided to go to Lancaster University Management School due to its exceptional business education facilities and have not been disappointed. I recommend the university to anybody that wants to put themselves in a strong position for a career upon graduation.

Student

Verified

24/11/2022

On Campus

Student Ambassador

Overall, the instruction is decent, however it also depends on your department. The people are friendly, in my opinion. The sporting events are enjoyable, and there is a good sense of community. Although the city is quite remote, it is nonetheless attractive.

Student

Verified

3/08/2020

Lancaster University honest review

The education system in the university is excellent especially that of the Management School. The campus has great facilities for students to study and live in a relaxed manner. The students can engage in various activities through the socities.

Student

Verified

17/06/2020

Great opportunities to think beyond

Lancaster University provides a lot of good opportunities to think beyond.There Entrepreneurship in residence program helps students to meet and seek guidance about entrepreneurship and the challenges.Their Work in progress program help to fabricate your startup idea and further to pitch to the potential investors.Apart from that there are lot of programs like Enactus, guest lectures and guidance from seniors to help and shape your career needs. They provide lot of opportunities to shape up your employability skills.

Student

Verified

9/10/2020

On Campus

A top university in the UK for management science!

If you’re interested in management science studies, Lancaster University is one of the top universities in the UK. The faculty is renowned and have a sterling reputation for research in management science. Candidates specifically interested in Forecasting would find the Centre for Marketing Analytics and Forecasting especially relevant to their field. Besides, the ROI is good as the overall cost compared to other universities is less.

Student

Verified

10/04/2019

Great university for academia – not great for 'entrepreneurs'

Please keep in mind that my review is nuanced by my expectations of an Entrepreneurship degree :) I came to Lancaster University because it was one of the top universities to have a course in Entrepreneurship. After 4 years in this degree, my most valuable experience has been my placement and not the actual course. The course is heavily focused on impractical elements, which is a bit odd for an Entrepreneurship degree. There are some modules that involve hands-on work but the faculty support for such things has not been great. My course also involved a lot of teamwork which has been fantastic and really prepared me when it comes to dealing with the diversity of opinions. In terms of career prospects, the management school does A LOT to host events, workshops and support sessions to help you build up your employability skills. Although, I wish there was more acknowledgement of SMEs/startups as a viable career option. The entrepreneurship team which is meant to support budding businesses is really stepping up their game with tons of guest speakers, workshops and pitching opportunities. The location is a concern if you're not in STEM, Law or Accounting and Finance. Business requires networking with the broader community. However, for Lancaster students, the best bet is a trip down to Manchester or London. On the flip side, living in Lancaster is much cheaper! Overall, if the purpose of your university experience is to receive top academic education and have great facilities at your disposal, Lancaster is a great choice. But if you want to be in business and entrepreneurship, I would look elsewhere.