Master of Business Administration

Intro

• Opportunity to study in part-time or full-time mode
• Flexibility to undertake more specialist study
• Management skills workshop course

The MBA is the recognised qualification that the world’s practising and aspiring managers want to acquire as part of their career advancement.  Our fully modularised course covers the key strategic areas of management and business that all organisations need to be successful and competitive.  Our MBA is designed for practising managers who wish to improve their management understanding and skills, and for potential managers among graduates from any discipline who wish to acquire a theoretical and practical understanding of business and management to prepare them for a successful managerial career.

The MBA can be studied over one, two or three years.  Students will combine core and option modules and may either opt for the general MBA or for a specialist pathway.  The one year full-time MBA runs for 12 calendar months from September to August.  Students study a mix of core and option modules and complete a dissertation or report in their third term.

Applicants for the two year part-time MBA may start in September or January.  This route is attractive to those who wish to combine work and study, or those who may feel that their command of English or the consolidation of their knowledge would benefit from a more extended study period.

The three year flexible MBA enables applicants to start in September or January.  This route is particularly attractive to busy managers who wish to combine work and study over a longer period of time. This route also allows the opportunity to acquire the MBA qualification with minimal disruption to their working week.

What you study

The MBA covers the main functions of business and management, a choice of options enabling specialisation in an area of interest to be studied in depth, skills development workshops to enhance transferable skills, and the completion of a report or dissertation.

You will have the opportunity to study for a general MBA or to specialise in the management of the Biotechnology industry, Energy and Petroleum, Corporate Finance, Human Resource Management, Marketing, or Sports Development. 

Each of these pathways takes as its focus a particular field or functional area of management, and consists of two specialist modules, thereby allowing a student to undertake a deeper study of that aspect of management.  In addition, the dissertation topic should reflect the nature of the chosen pathway.  The award of the degree will show the named pathway specialisation, for example Master of Business Administration (Marketing). 

Specialist MBAs
Once you have completed the first semester of study, you may decide to specialise in a subject of your interest. To do this, you will choose a pathway focusing on a particular field or functional area of management. Your dissertation research will also reflect the nature of your chosen specialism.

The current pathways from which you can choose are:

• Corporate Finance, covers the major issues involved in making corporate investment and financing decisions.
• Human Resource Management, provides an advanced understanding of the practical theoretical aspects underpinning the process of employment relationships.
• Marketing, examining marketing in theory and practice by examining in detail some key aspects of managing marketing operations, particularly in the context of an increasingly globalised market economy.
• Biotechnology, provides opportunities for students to develop the necessary skills to resolve both technical and managerial problems in the biotechnology sector, and successful completion of the core programme, two specialist modules, and a dissertation in biotechnology will allow you to graduate with a Master of Business Administration (Biotechnology).
• Energy & Petroleum, this pathway aims to give students an understanding of the economics and accounting principles applicable to the energy sector.Sports Development, this pathway provides an underpinning in sports policy and strategic planning and development that graduates need in order to become sports managers.

How you learn
The MBA is taught by a multi-disciplinary team of academic and professional staff using a variety of methods ranging from lectures, seminars, case studies, simulations, group work, video discussions and individually assessed assignments.  Throughout the course, our teaching and learning methods emphasise student participation, self-directed study and the use of other interactive means of delivery through small group discussions, workshops and student-led presentations.  The course is designed to allow participants to learn with and from each other, as well as from directed lectures and seminars.

How you are assessed
Assessment throughout the course emphasises the role of learning and development of both team and individual analytical and reporting skills, using a variety of assessment methods including case reports, group work, individual research assignments and formal examinations.

Entry routes

Applicants should have:

• A good Honours or equivalent degree in any discipline, or an equivalent professional qualification (for example ACCA, CIMA, CIPDGrd, or CEng)
• Relevant work experience (normally three years)
• Two supporting references, at least one of which should be academic
• Applications will also be considered from outstanding candidates who do not have the normal academic qualifications but who have achieved considerable work experience in management

Applicants with professional qualifications such as the Chartered Management Institute Executive Diploma or the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) may qualify for entry with advanced standing.

Candidates who do not have relevant managerial work experience but who achieved previous outstanding academic results and professional vocational qualifications may also be considered for admission.

MBA applicants are not required to submit a GMAT score but it may be provided as supporting evidence by applicants who do not meet the normal MBA admission criteria.

Overseas/EU
All applicants are required to provide certified proof of competence in English Language and the University's minimum requirements are listed here

Course content