'The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is the most popular business qualification, drawing students from countries across the world. At any one time there are about 12,000 international students studying full‑time for an MBA at UK institutions'
There are many UK institutions offering MBAs. The Association of MBAs provides a list of accredited providers in the UK and around the world. It’s also a good idea to research your chosen institution’s global reputation and its links with industry. Ask to see the career profiles of alumni and take note of the opportunities that former students have had since graduating. For example, what salaries do they now earn? This is an excellent way of discovering just how successful an institution’s graduates have been.
You can choose from hundreds of programmes ranging from general MBA courses to those tailored to particular careers, such as:
- agribusiness
- business and finance
- oil and gas
- construction
- health
- hospitality
- transport
- technology.
The links that many MBA courses have with industry help ensure that they are relevant to future employment.
The structure of an UK MBA course
The Association of MBAs categorises the courses it accredits into full-time, part-time, distance/open learning, modular and blended – the latter offering a mix of classroom and online learning. It provides information about each accredited programme, including whether the institution can deliver it through a local provider in your own country. The structure of MBA courses varies from institution to institution, but you will find that most courses follow a standard format, with three distinct stages:
- Stage 1
A general (or core) programme to give you an introduction to a broad subject area (for example, finance, economics, marketing, human resources or business strategy).
- Stage 2
Electives, where you are able to choose those areas that interest you most. These may be drawn from options such as corporate responsibility, innovation, employment relations or entrepreneurship.
- Stage 3
Entry requirements
Master of Business Administration (MBA) courses usually require a UK undergraduate degree or equivalent, or a professional qualification. Most MBA courses also require two or three years’ management experience, and possibly also a good score in the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
You can search for MBA courses using the Education UK Search tool, to the top-right of this website.
My experience: Nikhil Lavanian (India)
