Programme overview
Join the community of learners at New Zealand’s most innovative university and leading business school.
The Master of Business Development is designed for early- to mid-career professionals engaged in business development. You will gain knowledge and expertise in business development while building practical skills and capabilities in your chosen specialisation, positioning you to take the next step in your career.
Business development focuses on expanding the business by:
- Developing new products or services
- Modifying or enhancing existing products or services
- Entering new markets
- Partnering or developing strategic alliances
This programme offers a choice of specialisations from:
- Innovation and Product Management
- Technology Commercialisation (launching in 2022)
You will sharpen your knowledge and skills in customer insight, market assessment and translating business-to-technical requirements. You will also study the latest trends in sustainable product management, resource allocation, developing business cases, monitoring product performance and many other topics.
Study this programme online
The programme will be offered online through Auckland Online. You will be immersed in a rich, flexible and interactive learning environment that is designed to help you to learn and to develop professional skills in business development.
Programme structure
Courses are delivered over 10-week quarters, with any final examinations held in week 11.
Each 15-point course requires 150 learning hours. You should expect to undertake 150 hours of course-related activities over the 10 teaching weeks; i.e., about 15 hours per week.
Course-related activities will include a range of activities, including individual and group-based work, assignments, readings, seminars, discussion groups, problem clinics. There will be a mix of online synchronous and asynchronous delivery. There will normally be no more than three hours a week of synchronous activities.
180 points: Taught
You will complete 180 points part-time, comprising ten 15-point courses and a 30-point capstone project. You can choose to enrol in 15 or 30 points per quarter to accommodate your other commitments.
Part I: Perspectives on business development
Part I sets the scene for how your role in business development links to and works with the wider organisation and its markets. You will gain the knowledge, skills and language to work effectively across an organisation.
Requirement:*
60 points (four courses) from:
- Managing in a Changing World (BUSDEV 711)
- Financial Management (BUSDEV 712)
- Sustainable Value Chains (BUSDEV 713)
- Managing Creativity and People (BUSDEV 714)
- Contemporary Marketing (BUSDEV 715)
Part II: Specialisation
Part II allows students to focus on the specialisation of Innovation and Product Management. It consists of 60 points (four courses). Refer to the specialisation section on this page to view the course schedule.
Part III: Capstone and applied project
The programme culminates with a capstone applied project in business development delivered through an interdisciplinary team. Before undertaking the project, you will complete two courses designed to build your capabilities in managing yourself, your team, and collaborative projects.
Requirement:*
60 points:
- Personal and Team Leadership (BUSDEV 780)
- Managing Collaborative Projects (BUSDEV 781)
- Capstone Project (BUSDEV 782A)
- Capstone Project (BUSDEV 782B)
120-points: Taught
Graduates of relevant bachelors honours degrees or the Postgraduate Diploma in Business from this University with a GPA of 4.0 or higher may be eligible to enter at Part 2 and complete a 120-point pathway.
You will complete 120 points comprising six 15-point courses and a 30-point capstone project. These will include 60 points in Part II and 60 points in Part III including the capstone project.
* Note: All courses are 15 points each. The Capstone Project consists of BUSDEV 782A and BUSDEV 782B, equivalent to 30 points.
You'll also need to meet other requirements, including time limits and total points limits. See Postgraduate enrolment.
Sample programme structure
180 points: Taught - Note: This is a sample structure only for the Innovation and Product Management specialisation.
Part 1 60 points
-
- Code:
- BUSDEV 711
- Name:
- Business in a Changing World
- Type:
- Core taught
- Points:
- 15 pts
-
- Code:
- BUSDEV 712
- Name:
- Financial Management
- Type:
- Core taught
- Points:
- 15 pts
-
- Code:
- BUSDEV 713
- Name:
- Sustainable Value Chains
- Type:
- Core taught
- Points:
- 15 pts
-
- Code:
- BUSDEV 715
- Name:
- Contemporary Marketing
- Type:
- Core taught
- Points:
- 15 pts
Part 2 60 points
-
- Code:
- BUSDEV 721
- Name:
- Innovation Management and Strategy
- Type:
- Specialisation course
- Points:
- 15 pts
-
- Code:
- BUSDEV 722
- Name:
- New Product Development Processes
- Type:
- Specialisation course
- Points:
- 15 pts
-
- Code:
- BUSDEV 723
- Name:
- Product Management
- Type:
- Specialisation course
- Points:
- 15 pts
-
- Code:
- BUSDEV 724
- Name:
- Designing for Sustainability
- Type:
- Specialisation course
- Points:
- 15 pts
Part 3 60 points
-
- Code:
- BUSDEV 780
- Name:
- Personal and Team Leadership
- Type:
- Compulsory core course
- Points:
- 15 pts
-
- Code:
- BUSDEV 781
- Name:
- Managing Collaborative Projects
- Type:
- Compulsory core course
- Points:
- 15 pts
-
- Code:
- BUSDEV 782
- Name:
- Capstone Project
- Type:
- Research project
- Points:
- 30 pts
Where could this programme take you?
Graduates will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to undertake more business development-orientated work or a full business development role, and to advance from a purely functionalist or specialist role.
Jobs related to this programme
- Business Owner-Manager
- Entrepreneur
- Innovation Manager
- Lead Scientist/Researcher/Engineer
- Product Development/NPD Manager
- Product Management Consultant
Student career planning service
Once you become a student at the University, you can get help with planning and developing your career from Career Development and Employability Services.
Experience the University

Business Development is about growing the business
Learn about business development issues and how these affect customers and markets and undertake a real-word business development project.
Do you need help?
Can’t find the answer in AskAuckland?
Need to speak to someone?
You can phone us directly.
- Auckland
- 923 5025
- Outside Auckland
- 0800 61 62 63
- International
- +64 9 373 7513