The York Management School, UK, has research-led quality teaching based on influential scholarship, international profile and strong links with businesses to develop intellectual, entrepreneurial and employable graduates.

Offering an MSc in global marketing, social, ethical and digital marketing and brand management it veritably stands apart.

The course is different from other marketing masters in its specific global orientation within marketing and its cohort-specific and research-informed teaching.

Excerpts from an interview with Fernando Fastos, a member of the marketing group and the centre for evolution of global business and institutions at the University of York:

Q With the management degree becoming the most sought after in recent years, how does the York Management School stand apart in its approach from the rest?

We are a management school embedded within social science traditions. All students learn a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods and are trained in critical thinking, comparative analysis and evaluative skills. The core identity of the school is rooted in a commitment to social responsibility, sustainability and ethical practice. Both in terms of teaching and research, the school reflects a multidisciplinary approach. Staff training, backgrounds, and expertise crosses subject boundaries, including history, sociology, economics, politics, mathematics, earth sciences, the arts and humanities. The ethical commitment infuses teaching across all programmes both undergraduate and postgraduate. We share a commitment to promoting human security at all levels and in all contexts.

Q What are the eligibility criteria for application? Are there any particular preferences of the school or is it open to all?

We are looking for graduates with a first class degree from Indian institutions (with an average score of at least 60 per cent, although we do accept scores of 55 per cent from reputable universities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Bangalore or Pune). For candidates taking the Ielts exam, we require an overall score of 6.5 (with at least a 6.5 in writing and at least a 6 in all the other components). Students who have completed their entire undergraduate degree in English and are still studying or have graduated within the past two years can submit a medium of instruction letter to us, which is likely to exempt them from taking an English language test.

Q On a global forum, where marketing is concerned, how competitive does it make the students to face the financial deluge post completion of the course?

We are happy to see that our graduates have left us to join companies like Unilever, Anheuser-Bush, eBay, and Accenture in Europe and Asia among a range of many others. Interested applicants can access a list of our graduates with links to their LinkedIn profiles at: https://www.york.ac.uk/management/ta ught-masters/programmes/global-marketing/msc_global_marketing_alumni/. That list represents evidence that our programme supports the students' career aspirations in a range of industries and roles within marketing.

Q How well is it accessible for Indian students? What is the ratio of Indians being a part of this prestigious institution?

Indian students choose York for the quality of our academic departments, the unparalleled student support as well as the safe and welcoming campus and city environment. At the moment, we have 40 Indian students on campus, studying a variety of degrees across all our academic departments.

Q Being reputed as an age old establishment, how has it kept up with the changing times? What is the gender scenario?

One of the ways in which we have done is by developing new degrees reflecting such changes, like the MSc in global marketing and BSc marketing, which were only launched in the academic years 2013-14 and 2016-17 respectively. We did so in recognition of the importance that management at the global level has in today's world. We have an almost equal proportion of male and female students on campus.

Q What should the aspirants look for ward to in terms of placement?

We have a dedicated in-house careers and employability team that delivers a practical programme of support. It is designed to help students make informed decisions as well as providing them with the knowledge and skills required to optimise their future success. Examples of careers support are sessions on CV development and interview preparation and student can always book one-on- one session with experts to received personalised advice.