An international centre for CSR training

Nottingham University Business School has become one of the first in the UK to offer an advanced Corporate Social Responsibility education. Dr. Sophia Taylor, External Relations Manager of the International Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility (ICCSR) outlines the advantages of the new course.


Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become prominent in the language and strategy of business. Governments and international governmental organisations are increasingly encouraging CSR and forming CSR partnerships.

CSR is more than just an academic idea. It raises a whole range of questions about business practice. Recently, CSR guidelines and standards have been designed to assist organisations in turning the concepts of CSR into practice; however, what constitutes ‘responsible’ practice can be highly problematic.

It may depend on the nature of the organisation concerned, its sector, its products and processes, and its stakeholders (owners, employees, customers, suppliers and neighbours). It can be difficult for organisations to know how and why they should adopt socially responsible practice, and which practices to adopt.

The ICCSR contributes to addressing these questions through its research, as well as through teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses under the broad headings of:

  • The theory and nature of CSR.
  • CSR in a national, international and regional context.

  • Sustainable development and environmental management.

  • Current issues in CSR.

  • Organisations and morality.

    MBA in Corporate Social Responsibility

    Nottingham University Business School’s MBA in Corporate Social Responsibility is the first and only MBA of its kind in the UK. Launched in 2003, the programme has proved very popular and has attracted managers from around the world.

    The MBA in CSR is a unique programme, combining advanced teaching and learning in management with state of the art thinking in corporate social responsibility.

    The purpose of the course is to provide students with a practical overview of the drivers and implications of CSR. A series of specialist modules complement the core MBA curriculum, providing business managers with a balanced view of business practice and business impacts.

    There is a large choice of elective modules, including Economic Crime and Corporate Governance and Social Accountability, as well as modules such as Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital from the School’s other MBA programmes.

    Professor Andy Crane, Director of the MBA in CSR said, “In the complex, global, multi-stakeholder marketplace of today, the old dictum of ‘business as usual’ no longer applies. Forward thinking managers increasingly recognise that they have to meet social and ethical responsibilities across their business. This pioneering new course helps them to integrate these challenges with the very latest in management theory and practice.”

    The MBA in CSR enables students to:

  • Study organisations, including private, public, and not-for-profit organisations, their management, and the changing external environment in which they operate.

  • Critically evaluate at an advanced level the core business disciplines, while applying business ethics and corporate social responsibility issues across all management disciplines.

  • Develop a career in business and management.

  • Develop the capacity for lifelong learning in global business and to enhance personal development.


    A recent graduate of the CSR MBA, Maggie Byron, said, “The MBA in CSR offered an ideal combination of practical business training and specialist education in CSR. The course covered everything from accounting and finance to business ethics, and the variety of courses available is excellent. I was surprised by the number of nationalities on the course, and feel that my formal MBA education has been supplemented with an informal (and invaluable) cultural experience.”

    The MBA in CSR programme consists of a set of core subjects, a menu of optional courses, and a dissertation or group project. To provide students with the opportunity to carry out applied research for their dissertation, students can also take part in the internship programme, which aims to match students with external organisations.

    Internships with a range of companies and organisations are usually available. Companies that have recently provided internship places include; BMW, GUS plc, FTSE 4 Good, Business in the Community, Experian, The Civil Aviation Authority, Lafarge Cement, and Rolls Royce.

    A small number of scholarships for the MBA in CSR are available for 2005-2006 entry.

    MA in Corporate Social Responsibility

    The Business School’s MA in Corporate Social Responsibility programme is designed to provide students with an in-depth understanding of CSR issues. This MA course is more suited to recent graduates looking for additional training in preparation for a career in an area associated with CSR, and is appropriate for any student who is looking for a specialist CSR education.

    Dr Wendy Chapple, Director of the MA says, “The MA in CSR is a rigorous postgraduate programme. Students are exposed to leading international teachers and practitioners in the field of CSR, and are encouraged to develop critical research of their own.”

    The course structure enables students to examine the underlying concepts and perspectives of CSR, and their national and global ramifications, in some depth.

    The MA in CSR contains: Business Ethics; Corporate Social Responsibility in Global Context; Managing Stakeholder Relations; Research Methods; Social and Environmental Accountability; and Strategies for Corporate Social Responsibility.

    The course includes the opportunity for independent research, as a dissertation makes up a third of the course. MA students who want to carry out applied research can also take part in the internship programme, which aims to match students with external organisations.

    A small number of scholarships for the MA in CSR are available for 2005-2006 entry.

    Nottingham University Business School

    Nottingham University Business School is a leading centre for management education. It ranks among the UK’s top ten – the 2005 Times Good University Guide ranks it seventh out of 98 UK management schools – and it is highly rated for its teaching.

    The School boasts superb facilities at the University’s modern Jubilee Campus, which was opened in September 1999. The campus offers the latest in sustainable architectural design and all students benefit from state-of-the-art technology and excellent facilities, including on-site accommodation, restaurants, library and computing centre.

    In 2004, a second new building was opened on the Jubilee Campus for the MBA programmes, with a dedicated Business Library, additional lecture theatres, seminar rooms, MBA common room and resource room, computer labs, MBA breakout rooms, and a comfortable cafe.

    All MBA programmes are accredited by AMBA, the Association of MBAs and are available on a full-time and part-time basis. CSR modules can also be taken as part of the Business School’s Executive MBA programme.

    “The ICCSR has become an internationally recognised leader in CSR research,” Professor Jeremy Moon, Director of the ICCSR concluded. “It is known particularly for its international, inter-disciplinary, and multi-stakeholder approach.”

    The International Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility was founded in 2002. It has established an international reputation for its teaching programmes and for the quality of its academic research.

    For more information about Nottingham University Business School or the ICCSR, please contact: iccsr@nottingham.ac.uk, or alternatively visit: www.nottingham.ac.uk/business/iccsr,
    or email the MBA office mba@nottingham.ac.uk

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