Hi I am from India having 4 years of software development experience. I would like to do masters in engineering/technology management in UK. I currently hold offers from these 5 universities (Birmingham , Leicester , York , Cardiff , Loughborough). Could anyone please suggest me which one to choose depending on the university and employability.

Birmingham. 

Goals? "Employability" is rather vague. Where do you want to work? What industry / function?

Goals? "Employability" is rather vague. Where do you want to work? What industry / function?

I imagine you are looking at the Birmingham AEMP. Unlike most such programmes, teaching is delivered by the business school and it brings in PM concepts from wider areas (such as construction, where PM techniques are most developed). IT's very strong. 

Are you looking to work in the UK? Is it likely that someone a foreigner with four years of work experience would be hired for a managerial position leading business analysis teams? I say that as someone with a masters in business systems analysis.... surely team leaders have much deeper experience?

[Edited by Duncan on Dec 11, 2020]

I agree with Duncan. It is quite a jump to go from a technical role as a software developer to a BA role which uses some very different skills. I've managed a team of BAs and suggest you would need a minimum of 5 years business analysis experience as a BA and Senior BA to lead a team. I don't think a masters by itself is going to close that gap for you without significant extra work experience. 

I wouldn't agree that a masters is required for such a role either. Building experience of working on different projects and across a broad range of technology enabled change projects would be a better path. You could look at alternative BA qualifications like the Foundation, Practitioner and Professional BA certificates from BCS (Chartered Institute of IT). I recruited several BAs over the summer in the UK and most had these types of qualifications, not masters degrees.

Bear in mind that if you want to work in the UK, there is a real glut of people with business analysis skills in the market currently. 

One other thought - with your technical background, if you do have an interest in business then you should consider a Product Owner role as well as one in business analysis. There is a lot of demand for the former and longer term it might be a better career bet.

One other thought - with your technical background, if you do have an interest in business then you should consider a Product Owner role as well as one in business analysis. There is a lot of demand for the former and longer term it might be a better career bet.

I agree with Duncan. It is quite a jump to go from a technical role as a software developer to a BA role which uses some very different skills. I've managed a team of BAs and suggest you would need a minimum of 5 years business analysis experience as a BA and Senior BA to lead a team. I don't think a masters by itself is going to close that gap for you without significant extra work experience. 

I wouldn't agree that a masters is required for such a role either. Building experience of working on different projects and across a broad range of technology enabled change projects would be a better path. You could look at alternative BA qualifications like the Foundation, Practitioner and Professional BA certificates from BCS (Chartered Institute of IT). I recruited several BAs over the summer in the UK and most had these types of qualifications, not masters degrees.

Bear in mind that if you want to work in the UK, there is a real glut of people with business analysis skills in the market currently.