• Postgraduate

Masters in Business Administration (MBA) MBA

Overview

Overview

This MBA degree course has been designed to support your career progression, preparing you to carry out managerial roles successfully or to build your own business.  You will study with a cohort of experienced professionals drawn from a range of industries, building your network and giving you insights into best practice.

You will explore issues that have a significant impact within organisations by working with others and building on both personal individual experiences and comparing and contrasting with your cohort members. You will carry out projects and assignments designed to help you critique and apply the theories, tools and techniques you learn.

Much of the learning is developed through the establishment of collaborative learning communities of programme participants and tutors and you will become part of that community of learning. Your understanding is developed around the key skills, processes and practices of business, leadership and management.

You can choose to study this course on a day-release basis to help you balance your studies with other commitments. Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice.

Extended Masters and Enhanced Extended Masters options

If you have an undergraduate degree but do not meet the entry criteria for this course, you may qualify for our Extended Masters or Enhanced Extended Masters courses.

These courses feature four specially designed modules which will improve your academic and English skills. Once completed you can progress directly onto the regular Masters course. See below for more information.

Female students working during a lecture

Select your desired study option, then pick a start date to see relevant course information:

Study options:
We support flexible study by offering some of our courses part-time or via distance learning. To give you real world experience before you graduate, we also offer some courses with a placement or internship. All available options are listed here. Your choices may affect some details of your course, such as the duration and cost per year. Please re-check the details on this page if you change your selection.

Start date:

If your desired start date is not available, try selecting a different study option.

Why study Masters in Business Administration (MBA) with us?

Why study Masters in Business Administration (MBA) with us?

What our students say…

My course has given me much enjoyment and has already helped me in my job. Generally, the teachers are very friendly, helpful and motivational. The Claude Littner Business School is very good and I've made many good friends.

Francisco Sousa
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50% of the world's top 300 companies are located within 15 miles of our campus
Industry focused teaching
Graphic advising on-site Macs and PC Labs
Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice
Course detail & modules

Course detail & modules

Our MBA is designed for graduates and business professionals. The course has been carefully mapped to ensure that you build business acumen and critical thinking to gain a competitive edge. 

In a vibrant and supportive environment, you will develop professionally by combining your intellectual, analytical, strategic and critical thinking skills with your drive and ambition. This will help you to begin or progress in your chosen business career, or to change career direction.

You will improve your effectiveness as a manager and leader, transforming your prospects for managerial careers as well as developing your entrepreneurial skill.

This industry-focused course has been designed with direct input from employers, large and small, from both public and private sectors. You will gain a broad overview of international management and business issues, with the choice of optional modules and a personal dissertation to suit your career aims.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice.

Extended Masters and Enhanced Extended Masters

Our Extended Masters and Enhanced Extended Masters courses are intended for students who already have an undergraduate degree but don't meet the entry requirements to study for a Masters degree.

Over a full-time semester, you will study four modules specially designed to improve your academic and English language skills:

  • Advanced Study Skills
  • Critical Thinking, Analysis and Evaluation
  • Statistics
  • English (Business English on the Enhanced course)

Once completed, you will progress directly onto the core Masters course.

What's the difference between an Extended Masters and an Enhanced Extended Masters? The Enhanced Extended Masters is similar to the Extended Masters but with a greater focus on improving your English skills. It also includes a Business English module which will allow you to gain a full understanding of this critical subject area.

For more information on our Extended Masters and Enhanced Extended Masters, please visit our Extended Masters courses page.

Compulsory modules

  • Management Skills for Executives

    The range of required executive skills has grown in scope; both hard and soft requirements have expanded. In today’s complex and digitally connected world, traditional leadership styles become less tenable. The ability to demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, communication and negotiation skills, inspire action, have a strong level of self-awareness, tech-understanding, deep familiarity with financial issues, political savviness and a reputation for ethical conduct will help you to advance into a more strategic role.

    This module enables you to incorporate broader strategic considerations into your management decisions. It provides you the tools and insight to think and act strategically and engage in progressive leadership. The use of real-life example reinforces your understanding of key principles. 

  • Leading People and Teams

    In a dynamic market economy, which is characterized by technical innovation, short product life cycles, seasonal and cyclical fluctuations and changes in consumer preferences, the personal management cannot restrict itself to responding to these challenges. It must actively and proactively optimize the personnel deployment by anticipating and preparing of future staffing needs in terms of quantity and quality.  

    Teamwork is an answer to the new demands of the market: Innovation, globalisation, quality improvement and customer orientation. Teamwork is a way to deal with the increasing complexity that overwhelms the individual specialised employee.

    This module will help you to increase your awareness of the latest thinking regarding strategic workforce management, develop your skills to lead individual employees and teams in varying situations and to face future challenges with confidence.

    You will explore how to build a team, improve teamwork and collaboration and manage critical team processes; you will debate some of the best ways to bind the productive potential of teams and how to mitigate the risks and traps of teamwork. It includes: self-awareness, reflection on your experience and received peer feedback; understand team dynamics and inspire confidence in others; combining academic rigour with practical relevance

  • Strategy and Innovation

    Strategic management decisions are the cornerstone of every organisation, be they private businesses, public sector organisations or not-for-profit charities. Faced with constant technological disruption, managers now must make decisions in an uncertain and complex environment. They must rapidly re-evaluate strategic priorities in order to remain competitive and profitable; it requires managers to be able to connect data to strategy. Strategic analysis and predictive frameworks enable managers to spot potential opportunities and threats and make better decisions faster. By making the right decision, managers can drive innovation and position their company for long-term success.

    This module enables you to further optimise your strategic decision-making abilities. It helps deepen your knowledge of strategic planning, governance and control. The module focuses on a close integration of theoretical and professional practice content and, being able to grasp knowledge and skills in dealing with complex decision situation and decision problems in connection with practice-oriented problems.

  • Financial Management for Decision Makers

    Financial literacy is essential for every manager in order to review financial statements, to get a complete picture of the financial health of the organisation and to have a good understanding of how financial decisions impact on the value of the organisation. Particularly, managers need to understand the balance sheet, profit and loss account and cash flow statement. By being financial literate, managers can contribute more fully and with more confidence to strategic decision making.

    This module provides basic financial principals and covers financial management tools necessary for decision making. It enables you to find relevant information, assess and recognise financial risk in advance, evaluate and choose investment projects that maximise company value. It helps you to understand ratios, performance metrics, investment decisions and business valuation principles.

  • Global Marketing and Digital Business

    The speed with which global marketers have to adjust their strategies is increasing significantly. Everything gets more digital and mobile and technology innovations are happening faster and faster. Driven by digital transformation and globalisation, competitive pressures continue to increase for all size of businesses. This requires marketers always keep track of new online marketing channels and trends to stay competitive.

    This module helps you to gain proficiency in digital marketing in a global environment. It enables you to make informed decision on a range of marketing tools including content management, social media, email marketing/marketing automation, campaign management, analytics and Search Engine optimisation; to plan, implement and measure the impact of digital strategies suited to today’s global customers and to find meaning in global user behaviour.

  • Critical Inquiry into Sector Analysis

    Research impacts our daily life; people now enjoy things not possible a few years ago. Research is a way to understand and act on complexities of various issues people or businesses are facing. Research results in predictions, theories and many principles and this way it comes up with conclusions.

    A student-initiated and student-conducted research project is undertaken with the intent to get deep into the chosen topic, contribute knowledge in the chosen field/subject and improve student’s academic performance. Understanding the role of research further helps in the decision-making process required of managers in any industry.

    This module provides an opportunity to establish or advance your understanding of research through critical exploration of a wide range of research related topics including research methodology, research design, data collection and analysis, research integrity and responsibility.

  • MBA Project

    During the module you will work on:

    • planning a research project
    • research questions
    • methodology
    • practical considerations
    • critical literature review and correct referencing
    • research question(s) and research objective(s)
    • primary and Secondary research
    • research paradigm
    • elements of research design
    • data collection methods and research ethics
    • quantitative and qualitative data analysis and presentation of findings
    • drawing up meaningful conclusions.

    You will also undertake independent learning which includes time engaged with essential and further reading materials, revision, research activity, case study and assignment preparation and completion. Finally, you will reflect on your own experience and reviewing topics and applicability to real-world settings.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

You should have an honours degree (2:2 or above) from a UK university or equivalent. You should also have a minimum of two years relevant postgraduate work experience. All applications are considered individually. 

Find out more about our processes for recognising previous experience

Extended Masters Degree

To study the Extended Masters programme you will need:

  • a Bachelor's degree
  • international students need to meet our English language requirements of IELTS 6.5 or above and a minimum of 5.5 for each of the individual components (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening).
Enhanced Extended Masters Degree

To study the Enhanced Extended Masters programme you will need:

  • a Bachelor's degree
  • international students must meet our English language requirements at IELTS 6.0 or above, and a minimum of 5.5 for each of the individual components (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening).

Please note: If you qualify for a regular Masters, you will not be accepted on the Extended Masters or Enhanced Extended Masters course.

6.5 IELTS or above

You need to meet our English language requirement of 6.5 overall score for IELTS, with a minimum of 5.5 for each of the 4 individual components (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening). Visit our English language requirements page for information on other English language tests we accept.

You also need academic qualifications at the same level as UK applicants. In some countries where teaching is in English, we may accept local qualifications. Check for local equivalents.

We offer pre-sessional English language courses if you do not meet these requirements. Find out more about our English Language courses.

Extended Masters Degree

To study the Extended Masters programme you will need:

  • a Bachelor's degree
  • international students need to meet our English language requirements of IELTS 6.5 or above and a minimum of 5.5 for each of the individual components (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening).
Enhanced Extended Masters Degree

To study the Enhanced Extended Masters programme you will need:

  • a Bachelor's degree
  • international students must meet our English language requirements at IELTS 6.0 or above, and a minimum of 5.5 for each of the individual components (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening).

Please note: If you qualify for a regular Masters, you will not be accepted on the Extended Masters or Enhanced Extended Masters course.

Fees & funding

Fees & funding

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You will need to pay the fee above for each academic year of your course. Payment is due at the start of each year.

If you have chosen to study for an 'Extended Masters', or an internship option, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.

Government regulation does affect your fees, so what you pay may go up in future. For example, government regulation around future inflation may increase your course fees.

If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

Funding your studies

If you are studying a Masters course you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Loan, this may help contribute towards your course fees and living costs.

Additional funding is available to some types of students, such as disabled students or those with dependants.

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries, including awards for specific subjects. Awards for business students are also on offer. 

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You will need to pay the fee above for each academic year of your course. Payment is due at the start of each year.

If you have chosen to study for an 'Extended Masters', or an internship option, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.

Government regulation does affect your fees, so what you pay may go up in future. For example, government regulation around future inflation may increase your course fees.

If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

International students - funding your studies

We offer scholarships for international students including International Ambassador Scholarships. 

Further information about funding and financial support for international students is available from the UK Council for International Student Affairs.

 

Teaching staff

Teaching staff

Man with dark hair and moustache, wearing a beige suit and striped tie.

Dr Washington Machokoto

Washington is a Senior Lecturer in Business and Management at the Claude Littner Business School. His responsibilities include MBA Course Leader and leading several modules, including Principles of Management, Strategic Management, Business Ethics and Business Ethics in Action. Before joining the University of West London in September 2020, Washington worked at Activate Learning, Reading College, teaching on apprenticeship programmes up to level 5 and managing research projects for more than two years. Washington has experience in developing teaching material, module reviews and assessments, and also supporting students.

Washington is a Senior Lecturer in Business and Management at the Claude Littner Business School. His responsibilities include MBA Course Leader and leading several modules, including Principles of Management, Strategic Management, Business Ethics and Business Ethics in Action. Before joining the University of West London in September 2020, Washington worked at Activate Learning, Reading College, teaching on apprenticeship programmes up to level 5 and managing research projects for more than two years. Washington has experience in developing teaching material, module reviews and assessments, and also supporting students.

Study & career progression

Study & career progression

A group walking down the stairs in an office building

Once you graduate, you could decide to set up your own business, progress to senior management, or start over in a fresh sector that interests you. 

Many of our postgraduates now successfully run their own business. Others have moved on to work with companies such as: 

  • Citibank
  • Accenture
  • GlaxoSmithKline
  • NHS Trusts
  • BBC
  • Yahoo
  • Continental Tyres
  • The Times India
  • Jarvis Hotels
  • The Guardian.

Your MBA also qualifies you for doctorate study, where you can specialise in a business area that interests you or explore something new.

How to apply

How to apply

Important notes for applicants

Disclaimer

*Modern universities - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992.

**The National Student Survey 2022 and 2023 - Based on an average of all 27 questions. Excludes specialist institutions.

Testimonials - our students or former students provided all of our testimonials - often a student from the course but sometimes another student. For example, the testimonial often comes from another UWL student when the course is new.

Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.

Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming. In some cases a new Course Leader has joined the University since the video was filmed.

Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route we would like to advise you that if a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, this is to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.