MBA

Level of study:

Postgraduate degree

Tuition fees 2020/21:

UK/EU – £8,000

International – £13,000 (London), £11,500 (Birmingham)

Entry requirements:

A 2:2 (second class) honours degree, or equivalent. Applicants would normally have 2 years’ relevant work experience.

English language requirements:

IELTS 6.0 with no component less than 5.5, or equivalent

Other English language tests are accepted, click here to find out more.

Mode of study:

Full-time - daytime, or evening and weekend

Duration:

1 year

Assessment method:

Coursework (may include class tests)

Student finance:

Available

Location:

London and Birmingham

Start dates:

January, September

Application deadline:

UK/EU: TBC

UK based International students: TBC

International: TBC

Response to Covid-19 – Updates for September 2020 intake: In the London and Birmingham branch campuses this Autumn, we plan to offer the opportunity to engage in some small group face-to-face teaching and other activities in London and Birmingham campuses, continuing to follow social distancing measures as required. This will be in addition to live online learning activities. Our plans are based on public health advice and robust risk assessments and will be regularly reviewed and updated in that context. More information about our response to Covid-19 and FAQs are available here.

*Please note: The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is due for revalidation in summer 2020. Changes to the programme, including to the course content and modules, are anticipated. Please refer to the course pages on our website for the most up-to-date and accurate information. In the event of any changes we will notify applicants quickly and update the website at the earliest opportunity.

About this course

The MBA is a general management course aimed at aspiring and established middle managers from a range of business sectors.

This programme is also available as MBA with Advanced Practice, which includes either an internship or project.

The course has been designed to account for current (local, regional and international) market trends and has recently been updated to provide additional flexibility, choice and the opportunity and to help apply taught management skills.

The overall objective of this course is to educate and develop individuals as managers and business specialists, adding value through an integrated, applied and critical understanding of management and organisations, as well as the development of professional, transferable and intellectual skills that are essential for successful general and strategic management in private, public and third sector organisations.

Students will have the opportunity to develop knowledge, skills and insight in the following areas:

Develop multidisciplinary and international perspectives, concepts and issues in the major management disciplines
Gain an understanding of relevant toolkits and techniques for analysing business and management issues
Cultivate the ability to analyse, synthesise and apply knowledge and understanding to solve management problems critically, rationally and rigorously
Gain an appreciation and application of contemporary management and information systems to aid strategic decision making in business and management
Develop an appreciation of appetite and responsibility for lifelong learning and personal development
Develop skills for leadership and transformational roles in business in the changing external context within which they are likely to operate
Develop strategic thinking, innovation and entrepreneurial skills
Improve interpersonal and group-working skills

Teaching methods

You will be taught using a wide variety of teaching methods across the modules including lectures and seminars, totaling around 12 hours per week. In addition to your time in class, you will also be expected to engage in approximately 30 hours of self-study time per week.

You’ll be taught by experienced lecturers who will bring practical business related experience into the classroom to enable students to understand how business works in the real world.

You will have access to Blackboard, our online learning environment, where you can access module resources and reading lists that will assist your preparation for classes and self-study.

Evening and weekend study

One of our study options available for UK and EU nationals includes evenings and weekends. This study option offers exactly the same levels of student support and the ability to balance your full-time studies with your personal life. Find out more about evening and weekend study options here.

Assessment

You will be assessed by coursework, including assignments, group assignments, presentations and class tests.

Careers and progression

The course places a strong focus on enhancing the employment prospects of its graduates. Previous Ulster University alumni have secured positions within large multinational organisations such as Diageo, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte and KPMG as well as small to medium-sized enterprises. Others have used the programme as a valuable springboard to gain a thorough understanding of business and management principles before starting up their own business.

Modules

All modules are core.

Level 7 MSc Workshop – 0 credits

This module aims to review and enhance participants’ existing academic writing skills in contexts relevant to the modules it complements. It will also introduce skills and frameworks specific to postgraduate study, with weekly opportunities for participants to transfer these elements to their own assignments and to obtain feedback on their progression. As it provides the skills required to succeed in all written assignments, this module is compulsory

Marketing – 15 credits

This Marketing module focuses on the challenges management faces in developing and implementing both a marketing philosophy and successful marketing programmes.

The critical importance of marketing arises from its role as the boundary function between the organisation and the marketplace. Changes in the market require changes from the company; changes made by the company create changes in the market. Marketing is concerned with managing this ever-changing relationship.

Accounting and Finance – 15 credits

The overall aim of the module is to introduce you to the key areas of financial and management accounting.

To achieve this, you will be exposed to some numerical calculations during the module. However, there will be significant emphasis passed on understanding the issues around the numbers and the context within which they are set. In particular, the assessment for the module will strike a balance between calculation, interpretation and discussion.

In summary, whilst it is not intended to equip you with a detailed knowledge to enable you to pursue a career in accounting, the module aims to take you to a point where you are capable of engaging in intelligent discussion with financial experts and to be able to grasp the big picture rather than get lost in the detail.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship – 15 credits

Innovation and entrepreneurship are important drivers for value creation in modern economies. A central idea for both disciplines is the identification, evaluation and exploitation of opportunities. This module presents a contemporary exploration of the nature of innovation and entrepreneurship whilst also providing you with an opportunity to examine emerging sources of innovation in either a sector or organisational context.

Economics and the Business Environment – 15 credits

This module examines the internal and external environments within which firms must operate and helps managers to audit their business environment so as to establish a strategic approach to their business activity. It introduces managers to the principles of economics as they apply to the business environment and aims to enhance managers understanding of, and ability to adapt to, changes in the environments in which it operates.

Managing People in the Organisation – 15 credits

This module aims to enable you to develop knowledge and understanding of individual and group behaviour within organisations, and the core areas of Human Resource Management, and to be able to apply this knowledge and understanding in a range of organisational settings.

Operations Management – 15 credits

In the dynamic environment in which businesses operate the importance of business improvement cannot be ignored. Customer focus through streamlining of value chains is imperative. It presents challenges in terms of how we classify, relate to and manage the internal and external chain of customers. The ability to remove costs, optimise value creation, understand the competencies, and effectively reconfigure the organisation in the context of a continuous improvement philosophy is crucial.

Leadership and Change – 15 credits

This module will give you the knowledge and skills to be an effective leader. You will consider the key theories of leadership and consider their application in the context of leading organisational change.

Management Studies and Research Methods – 15 credits

The module seeks to expose you of business development and innovation to the range of research methods, consultancy skills, and project management techniques available. You will acquire appropriate knowledge and understanding of the various research and project management methodologies for the purposes of developing an applied project proposal and project plan in preparation for undertaking their business project.

Digital Transformation – 15 credits

This module aims to provide you with an understanding of digital transformation in a range of organisational contexts. On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

assess how digital technologies can disrupt industries by transforming industry value chains
patterns of demand and competitive pressures
understand how digital technologies and frameworks can be applied in a digital transformation strategy
understand the organisational and people capabilities required to support and implement a digital transformation strategy
and critically evaluate current practice and theory on digital transformation.

Strategy – 15 credits

This module is designed to introduce you to the key concepts in business strategy.

On successful completion of this module you will:

have an in-depth knowledge of strategy
be able to conduct a strategic analysis of an organisation, its environment, and its future strategic options
understand the fundamentals of formulating an international strategy
appreciate some of the key issues associated with strategy implementation
critically evaluate current theory and practice on strategy

Business Project – 30 credits

The core aim of the business project is that you should investigate an important issue to business. It is expected that you will demonstrate an understanding of practical, ethical and strategic issues within your chosen area. The research should be work-based and it is expected that the subject and design will be such that you will normally be working with primary, as well as secondary data. The total process seeks to develop and test your conceptual and analytical ability, to enhance both your work related abilities and to prepare you for further research studies.

The course information displayed on this page is correct for the academic year 2019/20. We aim to run the course as advertised however, changes may be necessary due to updates to the curriculum (due to academic or industry developments), student demand or UK compliance reasons.

Entry requirements

Applicants must hold at least:

A 2:2 (second class) honours degree or International equivalent
In addition, applicants would normally have 2 years’ relevant work experience

In exceptional circumstances, if you do not meet the entry requirements above but have substantial and significant experiential learning, you may be able to apply as a non-standard applicant.

Check your country-specific entry requirements.

If you do not meet the academic entry requirements, you may be eligible to study our Graduate Certificate programme.

If you are unsure whether your qualifications meet the entry requirements, please contact us and one of our team will contact you to discuss your options.

English language requirements

Applicants must satisfy our general entry requirements as well as meeting specific requirements.

You will need to provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE grade 4 – previously grade C – or equivalent).

The general entry requirements are any of the following:

IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5, or equivalent
HKDSE English Language – Grade 4 overall with no less than 3 in any of the 4 sub skills
Indian Standard XII English – Minimum of 70% (in Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) or Indian Certificate in Secondary Education (ICSE) only)
WAEC – C6

If you do not have the required IELTS, you may be eligible to study on our Pre-Sessional programmes.

If you have IELTS 5.5, with a maximum one score of 5.0, you may be eligible to study on our Pre-Sessional Standard programme.

If you have IELTS 5.0, with a maximum one score of 4.5, you may be eligible to study on our Pre-Sessional Plus programme.

Tuition fees for 2020/21

UK/EU students:

£8,000

This course is eligible for the postgraduate government loan, for more information, please contact us.

Please note that for UK/EU students who are financing their studies through the postgraduate loan, you will be required to make a deposit payment of £250 at enrolment, this amount will be deducted from the total tuition fee. This does not apply to progressing students who are currently studying at undergraduate level with us.

International students:

London: £13,000
Birmingham: £11,500

Please note that the fees outlined are for your tuition only and do not include the cost of any course books that you may choose to purchase, stationery, accommodation etc. As an Ulster University London and Birmingham branch campus student you will also have access to our on campus libraries and a range of e-learning resources.

The modules you will study may require you to purchase additional course textbooks and you should be prepared to buy some additional texts, we recommend allowing an additional £400 for the duration of your course.

What does my tuition pay for?

Your teaching in class – this includes seminars, lectures and tutorials
Access to facilities including computers, Wi-Fi, printers, lockers, multi-faith rooms, quiet study space and social areas. To learn more about available facilities please visit our London or Birmingham branch campus pages
Our library service – both on-campus and an extensive online catalogue of resources
Careers and Employability Service which provides help with CVs, applications and interview preparation through workshops, drop-ins and 1-2-1 appointments
The ACE Team (Academic Community of Excellence) who are here to support you with your studies and assignments
Students Activities Association (SAA) – who organise events on campus, discounted sightseeing trips and help students create and run societies

Scholarships and discounts

For self-funding students, we offer a range of scholarships and early payment fee discounts, you can find out more here.

How to find out more

To find out more about this course, we recommend that you complete our enquiry form and one of our team will contact you to discuss your options.

How to apply

UK/EU and International students can apply directly to study the MBA via our online application form below.

If you’re not sure or have any questions about studying with us, please contact us and one of our team will be able to help.

Master of Business Administration