Master of Business Administration

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Accredited by:

This course is delivered by the AACSB-accredited Business School, an accreditation which places us within the top institutions globally for business degrees. Less than 5% of business schools worldwide have attained this hallmark of excellence which recognises a focus on excellence in all areas, including teaching and student learning.

The Bournemouth MBA is our flagship course designed to enable you to take your career to the next level and to operate as a global leader with realistic appreciation of the business ecosystem.

You will develop comprehensive knowledge and skills in business and management, and enhance your understanding of the people behaviour and attitudes, to become an effective, independent and credible leader. Your managerial skills will be enhanced through a series of master-classes, guest lectures from industry speakers, case studies and consultancy work with real business clients.

In addition short internship opportunities are available as part of the course, enabling you to add practical context to your learning experience. You’ll have the opportunity to choose one of several electives before undertaking a consultancy or research project in the final stage.

The Bournemouth MBA is dual accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) which means when you complete your studies you’ll have your MBA qualification and a CMI qualification. You will also receive a complimentary CMI membership for the duration of your qualification with BU. Find out more.

“By being part of such an international university I have developed crosscultural skill that are very important in my current job. This looks good on my CV and has definitely helped me to get my current job.”
Marit van Asten, graduate from the Netherlands, now working for PepsiCo as a supply chain analyst

All statistics shown throughout this page are taken from Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) and BU institutional data.

For September 2019 entry: In order to take advantage of new approaches to learning and teaching, as well as developments in industry to benefit our students we regularly review all of our courses.

This course is currently going through this process and we will update this page in March 2019 to give you full information about what we will be offering once the review process has concluded.

Image description — Executive Business Centre

Key information

Next start date:

September 2019, September 2020

Location:

Bournemouth University, Lansdowne Campus

Duration:

1 year full-time

Accreditations:

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), The Chartered Management Institute (CMI), The Chartered Insurance Institute

Required subjects:

All subjects considered

Entry requirements:

For 2019 entry: A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 in any subject and at least 1 year of relevant work experience, however applicants with less experience may be invited to inverview. For more information see our full entry requirements.

International entry requirements:

If English is not your first language you'll need IELTS (Academic) 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in writing and 5.5 in speaking, listening and reading. For more information see our full entry requirements. For more information see our full entry requirements.

Course details

The MBA is made up of eight units and a consultancy or research project. Seven units from the core programme will be taken by all MBA professionals.

Download the programme specification (pdf 296kb)

Core units

Personal & Professional Development: A non-credit bearing unit to help you develop the self-awareness, skills, behaviours and competences you'll need to be an effective, independent and credible professional for the global business environment. A variety of distinct subject matters are covered, including personal and professional development. Emerging management topics are explored in master-classes from internal and external academics and practitioners. This unit runs throughout the duration of the course.
Accounting & Financial Management: Gain the skills and understanding you'll need for Analysing accounting and other financial data for performance evaluation, decision-making and risk analysis. These skills provide a robust foundation for managerial action and are essential for consultancy, research and organisational analysis.
Contemporary Issues in the Global Business Environment: Explore a range of contemporary issues affecting businesses internally and through developments in the macroeconomic environment. The roles government policy and international trade play in shaping the global business environment will be examined. The issues impacting sustainable business will also be explored, and you'll develop strategic management and leadership skills to a high level in a global business context.
Strategic Applied Marketing: The concepts and principles underpinning the marketing process, covering the macro environment in which marketers operate. This unit develops and improves the range of skills marketers need to work effectively in the marketing environment, with an international perspective.
Performance Management & Analytics: Develop your numeracy and quantitative skills to support decision-making and to evaluate and outline opportunities for improving organisational performance and management.
Leadership & Organisational Behaviour: Evaluate group and team building, development, dynamics, emergent leadership and performance.
Strategic Management: You'll study this unit from a general manager's perspective, considering the realities and practices of managing to maximise an organisation's performance. The unit analyses what drives an organisation’s performance and identifies external and internal changes that affect this. Other important issues such as leadership, globalisation, innovation, entrepreneurship and strategy practice are explored. The ultimate aim of this unit is to offer a balance between strategy theories and their application to real-life situations so analysis leads to forming a strategy, which is then executed by the organisation's management.

Elective units (choose one)

Entrepreneurial Management: Here, you'll examine the nature of strategy and strategic management in entrepreneurial ventures. There's a particular focus on growth strategies and managing the consequences of growth, and on strategic management style and managerial activities for coping with the challenges facing entrepreneurial ventures, especially alternative competitive advantage-seeking behaviour. Another focus of the unit is on management actions for controlling growth in the venture, and you'll have the opportunity to gain a practical appreciation of controlling mechanisms and growth obstacles.
Advanced Marketing: Evaluate emerging themes impacting the marketing industry and assess their significance for a specific sector or industry. You'll be expected to develop understanding at a strategic marketing level, and to relate your knowledge to the themes identified whilst understanding the ever-evolving nature of these themes. Your responses should reflect contemporary marketing practice and new developments, showing innovation and creative thinking. You'll improve skills you'll need to work effectively in the marketing environment, and develop understanding from a global perspective.
Global Economic Challenges: An introduction to economic theory as it applies to specific areas of applied economics. This will show how economic theories and techniques can be used to address many important issues facing humanity.
Financial Services: Gain managerial skills and knowledge for working in the financial services sector. There's a focus on regulation and marketing in this sector. You'll work constructively and responsibly as a manager in financial services regulatory parameters, and develop and evaluate marketing strategies.
Business in New Media Environments: To a point, every sector of the economy is touched by the influence of computer communication technologies. This unit aims to help you understand and chart the future of this influence. You'll be given an overview of academic research and theory on new media environments, and be expected to gain a deeper understanding of the socio-economic transformations and new kinds of behaviour anticipated by electronic media. Another aim of this unit is to apply these understandings to developing managerial competencies, including researching and evaluating market trends.

Please note that elective units require minimum numbers in order to run and may change in view of latest industry developments.

Option units (choose one)

Consultancy: Develop an understanding of the principles and practice of consultancy. This will equip you with techniques and skills to work in a team in completing a consultancy project.
Research Project: An opportunity to complete a substantial piece of self-managed research in an area of business that interests you. You'll negotiate your subject and project presentation with a supervisor allocated to you by the MBA Director. You will have the option to undertake a short internship as part of the course, subject to you finding appropriate experience. This will allow you to add practical context to your learning experience.

Programme specification

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry. If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

Your application

What we’re looking for

For Masters of Business Administration we are looking for applicants who:

Are looking to focus their knowledge and skills on key business concepts and disciplines
Can connect theory to practical application to use in day-to-day business operations
Have current knowledge in concerns and issues facing businesses.

At least one year of relevant work experience is required, however if you do not have the required qualifications we would encourage you to apply as each application will be considered on its individual merit. Applicants with less than one year of work experience may be invited to a Skype or face-to-face interview with the MBA Director. Social enterprise, volunteering or entrepreneurial experience may also be considered.

Selection methods

We’ll be selecting the candidates for this course by looking at their applications. For that reason, make sure your application really stands out from the crowd, and leave us in no doubt as to why you should be joining BU.

You could be invited to an interview with that MBA Director that could be via Skype or in person. For more information, take a look at our postgraduate how to apply pages.

How and when to apply

There is no application deadline for this course. However, if you will need a visa to come to the UK to study, think carefully about the length of time it will take for your visa application to be processed and make sure your visa will be ready in time for the beginning of your course.

Click the green ‘Apply now’ button to submit your application free of charge online through myHub, our application portal. You will create your own myHub account so that you can track the progress of your application. Don’t forget to save your application as you go; you can return to it at as many times as you want before you submit it. For more information visit our How to apply section.

Entry requirements

General entry requirements

A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 in any subject and at least 1 year of relevant work experience, however applicants with less experience may be invited to interview.

If you lack the formal academic qualifications needed to enter a postgraduate or post-experience degree, there are several alternative routes to follow - some based on experience. Contact the Future Students Enquiry Team for more information.

International entry requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

IELTS (Academic) 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in writing and 5.5 in speaking, listening and reading, or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

Bournemouth University International College offers a number of pre-sessional English and preparatory programmes to prepare international students for postgraduate study at BU. Admission to the degree is guaranteed on successful completion of your course to the required level.

You can also find further details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our postgraduate entry requirements page.

Careers

With academic expertise drawn upon from across BU’s Faculties, our MBA is constantly evolving to ensure it remains at the forefront of change and advancement in all sectors. This course provides you with a springboard for developing a managerial career.

Typical starting job roles

Industries worked in

Further study

Costs and fees

You can find full information about the deposits required and how to pay your fees in our postgraduate fees and funding section, including details of the new Postgraduate Loans Scheme, offering up to £10,000 of support (subject to fee status).

All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and are per year. Fees quoted are for tuition only unless stated otherwise. Your tuition fees will be the same for each year of your course.

No hidden extras

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

One set of study-related consumables such as a memory stick/ DVD
Materials for laboratory and field-based teaching activity
Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement
A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service
The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme
Disability and additional learning support
The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills
24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Costs of living and other expenses you need to consider

Additional cost

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website.
Optional fieldwork travel, outdoor wear and footwear (where applicable)
Text books, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of text books and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shops stock a wide range of stationery supplies on both campuses.

Repeat units

Deposits

International (non-EU) students need to pay a non-refundable £2,000 deposit to secure their place on a postgraduate course. You will need to pay your deposit by the date stated in your offer letter. The remainder of your fee will be payable on registration/enrolment. There are two exceptions to the non-refundable rule on the deposit:

You fail to meet the academic or English requirements of your offer
You are refused a visa to enter the UK, provided the reason for the refusal is not a fraudulent application.

Financial help available from BU

Deposits

Our staff

On this course you will be taught by staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This could include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners and research students, many of whom are actively engaged in research and/or professional practice which is integrated into the teaching of this course. Please note that teaching staff can change.

Dr Milena Bobeva – MBA Director

Dr Bobeva is a key advocate of education innovation through staff-student collaboration and Technology Enhanced Learning. Her subject expertise is multidisciplinary, with a key focus on system analysis, business process improvement, blended and e-learning, and performance management. For more than 15 years Milena has actively adopted real-life project-based learning and the use of contemporary information and communication technologies for documenting and marketing the outcomes of student work.

View Dr Milena Bobeva’s staff profile

Professor Dean Patton – Professor of Entrepreneurship and Director of the Centre for Enterprise

Professor Patton has worked in the field of entrepreneurship and small firms for some three decades, involved in both the research and the teaching of the subject. His recent research has been closely aligned to government policy that is aimed at developing the knowledge-based economy and the commercialisation of research ideas.

Dean is also on the Board of Trustees/Directors for the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) and on the editorial board of Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, the International Small Business Journal and the International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research.

View Professor Dean Patton’s staff profile

Professor Allan Webster – Professor of Economics

Professor Webster has spent periods of employment as an associate director of an economic consultancy firm and in government. He has advised governments in a large number of emerging economies through consultancy projects funded by, amongst others, the World Bank, the European Union and the UN Development Programme.

Countries which he has advised include Abu Dhabi, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Cameroon, Kazakhstan, Namibia and Trinidad and Tobago. His research interests are in the interaction between trade and FDI on the one hand and labour markets on the other. In recent years this has include labour market aspects of tourism.

View Professor Allan Webster’s staff profile

Dr Julie Robson – Senior Principal Academic

Dr Robson specialises in financial services marketing with a career in the insurance industry, where she worked in a range of management roles including marketing, new product development and research. More recently Julie's research has been extended to include marketing within the banking, insurance, broker and Islamic finance sectors.

Julie is on the editorial board of the International Journal of Bank Marketing and is currently chair of the Qualifications Examination and Assessments Committee of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) and a past President of the Bournemouth Insurance Institute.

View Dr Julie Robson’s staff profile

Dr Phyllis Alexander – Principal Lecturer and the Head of Education and Professional Practice

Dr Alexander joined BU in 2007, following a successful twenty-year career as a US Certified Public Accountant. Her professional experiences included general accounting and auditing services with a medium-sized public accounting firm followed by international tax consultancy services with a ‘Big 4’ accounting firm.

She remains an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New Jersey Society of CPAs. Phyllis’ research interests include aspects of personal tax equity and efficiency, financial analysis, environmental reporting and taxation and corporate governance.

View Dr Phyllis Alexander’s staff profile

Dr Gbola Gbadamosi – Principal Academic

Dr Gbadamosi brings international teaching and research experience in Organisational Behaviour and HRM. His background is diverse (from five countries and the UNDP), inclusive of collaborative research and consultancy work in Europe, Asia and Africa. He is interested in multi-methods research approach having used a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods in his works.

View Dr Gbola Gbadamosi’s staff profile

Dr Donald Nordberg – Associate Professor of Strategy and Corporate Governance

For many years Don was a news correspondent and editorial executive at Reuters, living in Germany, Switzerland, the United States and the UK and working on assignment in many countries around world. As Financial Editor, he led development of news services designed for financial institutions, before becoming News Editor for the Western hemisphere and Vice President of Reuters America.

His business career involved strategy consulting work for companies including United Business Media, Dow Jones, Hemscott and National Westminster Bank. Don then became an academic, teaching strategic management, corporate governance and international business.

View Dr Donald Nordberg’s staff profile

Deborah Taylor – Organisational Behaviour and Leadership Lecturer

Course changes

Changes in 2016

Date	Changes to this course
18/06/2018	Where the change was made: Entry requirements Change: The entry requirements have been reduced from a 2:1 to a 2:2 Previous text: A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:1 in any subject, or equivalent and at least 1 year of relevant work experience, however applicants with less experience may be invited to inverview.
19/05/2016	Where the change was made: Duration, delivery method Change: 2 years part-time (blended learning, on-campus and online) option is suspended for 2016 and 2017 entries
26/02/2016	Where the change was made: Course details Change: Elective unit change. Removal of the unit Industrial Economics and addition of the unit Global Economic Challenges Previous text: Industrial Economics: Develop your understanding of firm conduct and performance in various market structures. You'll be introduced to a traditional microeconomic analysis of firms and markets, with a focus on imperfect competition and government intervention. You'll also examine more recent developments in this area including pricing, game and firm theory. The unit will also develop your ability to analyse various business practices, such as pricing, advertising and innovation, with reference to the latest research.
26/02/2016	Where the change was made: Course details Change: Removal of elective unit, Business Law and Intellectual Property Previous text: Business Law & Intellectual Property: Develop your understanding of the commercial legal framework and context in which business operates. You'll evaluate the impact of legal regulation, procedure and practice on business management.

Master of Business Administration

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Accredited by:

Key information

Next start date:

Location:

Duration:

Accreditations:

Required subjects:

Entry requirements:

International entry requirements:

Related courses

Our stories

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Read Master’s student Lauren’s guide to the local area

Planning your future

Course details

Core units

Elective units (choose one)

Option units (choose one)

Programme specification

Your application

What we’re looking for

Selection methods

How and when to apply

Entry requirements

General entry requirements

International entry requirements

Careers

Typical starting job roles

Industries worked in

Further study

Costs and fees

No hidden extras

Costs of living and other expenses you need to consider

Repeat units

Deposits

Financial help available from BU

Deposits

Our staff

Dr Milena Bobeva – MBA Director

Professor Dean Patton – Professor of Entrepreneurship and Director of the Centre for Enterprise

Professor Allan Webster – Professor of Economics

Dr Julie Robson – Senior Principal Academic

Dr Phyllis Alexander – Principal Lecturer and the Head of Education and Professional Practice

Dr Gbola Gbadamosi – Principal Academic

Dr Donald Nordberg – Associate Professor of Strategy and Corporate Governance

Deborah Taylor – Organisational Behaviour and Leadership Lecturer

Course changes

Changes in 2016