Master of Business Administration (MBA Global) including specialist pathways

The programme is made up of three stages – Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and MBA. To achieve the MBA qualification, you will complete 180 credits in total.

Among the course’s distinctive features is the mentoring and coaching support we provide. We have embedded two support modules into the programme – Transforming Personal Skills and Career Coaching and Mentoring – that will enhance your employability. They help you reflect on your strengths and progress while supporting your long-term career planning and professional development.

The programme begins with three core 20-credit modules for all MBA students:

• Strategic and Financial Performance Management – an opportunity for you to critically analyse and process the financial data provided by information systems so that it can be applied to strategic planning. This module also explores the role of performance measurement systems within an organisation and how the accounting and finance function can be used in the effective and timely management of performance.

• Critical Perspectives in Strategic Leadership and Management – honing your understanding of the principal areas of strategic management and leadership practices emanating from business research and development. This module takes a holistic view of how managers formulate, implement and evaluate strategies and policies that respond to changes in both the internal and external business environment and deliver sustainable competitive advantage.

• Global Strategic Operations, Markets and Resources – an introduction to the holistic nature of operations, markets and resources. This module approaches the subject from a strategic perspective, demonstrating how the long-term vision of an organisation can be understood, implemented and realised. This can only be possible through the appreciation of effective business operations, clear understanding of market position and relations with the market, and clarity on resource availability.

You will progress to three 20-credit modules. All students take the following module:

• Business Research Methods and Data Analysis – reflecting how managers need to conduct business research in a systematic and objective manner to assess new opportunities or future strategies. This module prepares you for your dissertation or corporate placement project. It brings your knowledge of your own professional practice together with the skills to investigate issues of professional concern. You will pursue your research interests, address workplace problems and report on your findings.

MBA Global students also take:

• Risk Management in a Global Context – providing a critical analysis of the management of risks within the global business environment, and how effective management can lead to successful performance. Using a variety of live and historic case studies, you will consider risk identification strategies, risk analysis approaches, and the management of risks.

• Global Supply Chain Management and Logistics – taking an in-depth look at the increasing need for managing the global supply chain effectively. This aspect of an organisation is seen as a ‘strategic asset’ which can improve efficiency, customer satisfaction and financial results. As a consequence, managing the supply chain is key in terms of how an organisation performs to meet its goals and strategy.

Whichever pathway you take, you will conclude your MBA studies with either a traditional dissertation or a Corporate Placement Project (CPP). Both are worth 60 credits.

For the CPP, you can specialise in an area that reflects your current role, professional interests and career aspirations. You will investigate and resolve a real management challenge within your organisation – bringing significant benefits to your employer before you have even finished your studies.

Recent CPP examples include:

• Exploring the possible impact of a global pandemic on a multinational organisation’s IT services and recommending ways of building organisational resilience
• Developing business continuity exercises and testing for a regional public sector housing provider
• Assessing how Industry 4.0 technology and processes could transform a regional manufacturer’s warehouse management operations and supply chain
• Devising an online social media marketing and promotion presence to support a leading regional provider of high-end hospitality and events

The programme begins with three core 20-credit modules for all MBA students:

• Strategic and Financial Performance Management – an opportunity for you to critically analyse and process the financial data provided by information systems so that it can be applied to strategic planning. This module also explores the role of performance measurement systems within an organisation and how the accounting and finance function can be used in the effective and timely management of performance.

• Critical Perspectives in Strategic Leadership and Management – honing your understanding of the principal areas of strategic management and leadership practices emanating from business research and development. This module takes a holistic view of how managers formulate, implement and evaluate strategies and policies that respond to changes in both the internal and external business environment and deliver sustainable competitive advantage.

• Global Strategic Operations, Markets and Resources – an introduction to the holistic nature of operations, markets and resources. This module approaches the subject from a strategic perspective, demonstrating how the long-term vision of an organisation can be understood, implemented and realised. This can only be possible through the appreciation of effective business operations, clear understanding of market position and relations with the market, and clarity on resource availability.

You will progress to three 20-credit modules. All students take the following module:

• Business Research Methods and Data Analysis – reflecting how managers need to conduct business research in a systematic and objective manner to assess new opportunities or future strategies. This module prepares you for your dissertation or corporate placement project. It brings your knowledge of your own professional practice together with the skills to investigate issues of professional concern. You will pursue your research interests, address workplace problems and report on your findings.

MBA Global Finance students also take:

• International Finance – covering the way the global financial system functions and exploring international sources of finance and suitable investment opportunities. This module enables you to form a critical awareness of the risks associated with international trade, and to examine how fluctuations in exchange rates affect a business.

• Mergers and Acquisitions – a module which integrates a wide range of business functions, concepts and theories. As part of an organisation’s strategic plan, mergers and acquisitions have a long-term focus. This module therefore provides you with a strategic perspective on the management of finance and in particular the use of mergers and acquisitions in business strategy.

Whichever pathway you take, you will conclude your MBA studies with either a traditional dissertation or a Corporate Placement Project (CPP). Both are worth 60 credits.

For the CPP, you can specialise in an area that reflects your current role, professional interests and career aspirations. You will investigate and resolve a real management challenge within your organisation – bringing significant benefits to your employer before you have even finished your studies.

Recent CPP examples include:

• Exploring the possible impact of a global pandemic on a multinational organisation’s IT services and recommending ways of building organisational resilience
• Developing business continuity exercises and testing for a regional public sector housing provider
• Assessing how Industry 4.0 technology and processes could transform a regional manufacturer’s warehouse management operations and supply chain
• Devising an online social media marketing and promotion presence to support a leading regional provider of high-end hospitality and events

The programme begins with three core 20-credit modules for all MBA students:

• Strategic and Financial Performance Management – an opportunity for you to critically analyse and process the financial data provided by information systems so that it can be applied to strategic planning. This module also explores the role of performance measurement systems within an organisation and how the accounting and finance function can be used in the effective and timely management of performance.

• Critical Perspectives in Strategic Leadership and Management – honing your understanding of the principal areas of strategic management and leadership practices emanating from business research and development. This module takes a holistic view of how managers formulate, implement and evaluate strategies and policies that respond to changes in both the internal and external business environment and deliver sustainable competitive advantage.

• Global Strategic Operations, Markets and Resources – an introduction to the holistic nature of operations, markets and resources. This module approaches the subject from a strategic perspective, demonstrating how the long-term vision of an organisation can be understood, implemented and realised. This can only be possible through the appreciation of effective business operations, clear understanding of market position and relations with the market, and clarity on resource availability.

You will progress to three 20-credit modules. All students take the following module:

• Business Research Methods and Data Analysis – reflecting how managers need to conduct business research in a systematic and objective manner to assess new opportunities or future strategies. This module prepares you for your dissertation or corporate placement project. It brings your knowledge of your own professional practice together with the skills to investigate issues of professional concern. You will pursue your research interests, address workplace problems and report on your findings.

MBA Global Hospitality Management students also take:

• Service Improvement and Business Performance in Hospitality – building on and challenging your knowledge of hospitality operations management, including the design of products, services, networks and facilities. Bridging the gap between theory and current practice, you will identify how a hospitality business should organise and structure its processes to improve productivity and make innovation happen. You will also become skilled in evaluating operational plans and the impact they have on business performance.

• The Global Hospitality Experience – exploring current industry trends and their impact on the customer experience. This module looks at the challenges involved in satisfying complex customer demands and providing service improvements at a time when managers are under increasing pressure to ensure business operation efficiency. You will enhance your understanding of service quality and customer satisfaction – and how they can be measured – in the customer-focused, people-oriented global hospitality industry.

Whichever pathway you take, you will conclude your MBA studies with either a traditional dissertation or a Corporate Placement Project (CPP). Both are worth 60 credits.

For the CPP, you can specialise in an area that reflects your current role, professional interests and career aspirations. You will investigate and resolve a real management challenge within your organisation – bringing significant benefits to your employer before you have even finished your studies.

Recent CPP examples include:

• Exploring the possible impact of a global pandemic on a multinational organisation’s IT services and recommending ways of building organisational resilience
• Developing business continuity exercises and testing for a regional public sector housing provider
• Assessing how Industry 4.0 technology and processes could transform a regional manufacturer’s warehouse management operations and supply chain
• Devising an online social media marketing and promotion presence to support a leading regional provider of high-end hospitality and events