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MBA Executive

Start date
September 2024
Duration
2 Years hybrid
Course Type
Postgraduate, Continuing professional development, Taught
Fees
For 2024/25:
£26,250 - £1,875 per module

Get ready for the next step in your career. Whatever your sector, our Executive MBA will empower you to lead in the world of business. Flexible and practical, it’s designed to fit perfectly around your life and work.

Why Study the Birmingham MBA

An MBA will elevate your career. Ours nurtures responsible business leaders, preparing you for the next step in your career. Our Executive MBA will challenge you to reflect on your approach to responsible business and help you develop key skills for your future. 

What you learn

On our Executive MBA, you’ll grow your confidence and learn the latest business thinking: 

  • Build personal values and accountability through responsible, purposeful leadership 
  • Grow the analytical skills needed for smarter decision-making 
  • Carry out research, learning to analyse and integrate complex information 
  • Promote an ethical, inclusive, innovative and supportive culture to drive sustainable business improvement  
  • Engage in career development workshops led by consultants  

Our classes and seminars stimulate critical thinking and discussion. All to equip you with vital business skills, such as analysis, negotiation and synthesis. By working on case study assignments in small groups, you’ll link theory to practical situations, building your interpersonal and problem-solving skills.  

Our ‘Triple-crown’ accreditation

Our MBA programme is delivered by the Birmingham Business School, which is among just a handful of the business schools around the world that hold the gold standard of ‘triple-crown’ accreditation from the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), AMBA (Association of MBAs) and EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System).

logo's for aacsb amba equis

For me the MBA Executive programme delivers on four levels: value for money, flexibility, focus and the opportunity to develop a strong network of business contacts and friends. The programme fitted perfectly with my busy work and family life.

Mfon Whyte Oton, MBA Executive, Business Development, Multi-Materials Stewardship Board

Modules

Core modules

  • Accounting Accountability and Decision Making
  • Managerial Finance
  • Strategy in a Complex and Uncertain World
  • Marketing
  • Sustainable Operations
  • Understanding the Economy
  • People Management and Organisations
  • Global Perspectives in Responsible Business
  • Crisis and Resilience Management
  • Managing Reputation and Corporate Comms

You must choose ONE of the following. 

You must choose an additional 40 credits in total. When choosing the optional modules, you can also choose a specialism. There are three specialisms students can choose from: Marketing; International Business & Strategy; and Innovation & Business Transformation. These require a specific combination of optional modules. 

Marketing pathway: 

Students who wish to be awarded the Marketing pathway must choose at least two of the following modules (each worth 10 credits): 

Any remaining credits should be chosen from the full list of optional modules below (can include one from the immersive modules, unless global marketing consultancy: international residential has been chosen). 

International Business and Strategy pathway: 

Students who wish to be awarded the International Business and Strategy pathway must choose the following module: 

And at least one of the following modules: 

Any remaining credits should be chosen from the full list of optional modules below (can include one from the immersive modules). 

Innovation and Business Transformation pathway: 

Students who wish to be awarded the Innovation and Business Transformation pathway must choose the following modules: 

And at least one (and no more than one of the immersive modules) of the following modules: 

Any remaining credits should be chosen from the full list of optional modules below (which can include one from the immersive modules, unless international business experience: doing business in Mexico, doing business in the middle east, or the future for southeast Asia economies have been chosen). 

Optional modules if no specialism has been chosen: 

You must choose three or four from the following selection of modules as long as at least one is in your home location. Each module is worth 10 credits. 

Students who chose three options from the above can choose one of the following modules: 

Fees

Fees for  September 2024 are £26,250 or £1,875 per module.

Scholarships may also be available. International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government.

  • Questions about funding? Use our Student Help knowledge base to find the answer.

How To Apply

Before you submit your application, you should have the following supporting documents:

  • Evidence of your academic and/or professional qualifications
  • An up-to-date copy of your resume or CV
  • One academic reference, and one work related reference (if you don't have an academic reference, we will accept two work references)
  • Your personal statement, including why you wish to apply to the MBA course, why you have chosen to apply to the Birmingham MBA in particular, highlights of your career to date, examples of managerial responsibility, and your career aspirations for the future (maximum 2 pages)

Our Standard Requirements

  • A good Honours degree (or equivalent), or equivalent professional qualification 
  • Five years of work experience with evidence of extensive managerial experience or professional responsibility. Three years exceptional work experience meeting these criteria will also be considered 
  • IELTS 6.5 (with no less than 6.0 in any band); TOEFL IBT 88 (21 in Reading, 20 in Listening, 22 in Speaking and 21 in Writing); Pearson Academic Test of English 59 (in all four skills)

Please note we will also consider candidates without a first degree or professional qualification but with at least ten years’ work experience including significant managerial responsibility. 

International Requirements



International Students

IELTS 6.5 (with no less than 6.0 in any band).


  • IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band
  • TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 in Listening, 22 in Speaking and 21 in Writing
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) including online: PTE Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
  • Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced – minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component

If you are currently studying at a Chinese university, please view our specific entry requirements including our list of acceptable universities for further study at Birmingham.

Our Executive MBA is studied over two years, extendable up to four. Modules are run in a hybrid format with a blend of online learning blocks and residential long weekends. Students can choose to complete up to three modules across our Singapore and UK campus.

Key dates of on-campus activity

September 2024 to 5 January 2025

2 to 8 September 2024 Induction and welcome week

9 September to 27 October (4 to 6 October residential weekend) Accounting Accountability and Decision Making

28 October 2024 to 5 January 2025 (22 to 24 November 2024 residential weekend) Managerial Finance

6 January to 1 June 2025

6 January to 23 February 2025 (31 January to 2 February 2025 residential weekend) Strategy in a Complex and Uncertain World

24 February to 13 April 2025 (21 to 23 March 2025 residential weekend) Marketing

14 April to 1 June 2025 (9 to 11 May 2025 residential weekend) Sustainable Operations

2 June to 26 October 2025

02 June to 20 July 2025 (27 to 29 June 2025 residential weekend) Understanding the Economy

21 July to 07 September 2025 (15 to 17 August 2025 residential weekend) Electives - Choose one (subject to availability): Digital Marketing OR Entrepreneurship & Innovation

08 September to 26 October 2025 (3 to 5 October 2025 residential weekend) People Management and Organisations

27 October 2025 to 22 February 2026

27 October 2025 to 4 January 2026 (21 to 23 November 2025 residential weekend) Global Perspectives in Responsible Business

5 January to 22 February 2026 (30 January to 1 February 2026 residential weekend) Electives - Choose one (subject to availability): Change Management OR Fintech, Digital Finance and Blockchain

23 February to 31 May 2026

23 February to 12 April 2026 (20 to 22 March 2026 residential weekend) Crisis and Resilience Management

13 April to 31 May 2026 (8 to 10 May 2026 residential weekend) Managing Reputation and Corporate Comms Reputation 

Become a responsible business leader, feel confident you’ll succeed and be fully prepared to accelerate your career in global business. Our support and expertise will open up new opportunities, getting you ready for the world. 

Lifelong careers support 

From day one of your MBA, you can tap into the expertise of our career consultants. Whatever your short or long-term goals, our careers support will put you in the best position to achieve them. In fact, we’re one of the few business schools who offer lifelong support throughout your career. 

University-wide, our careers and employability team offer internships, careers fairs, support, access to bursaries and events with top UK employers, plus activities for start-ups and entrepreneurs. 

An international experience 

At Birmingham Business School, your experience will be truly multicultural. You’ll join a melting pot of diverse students on our campuses in Birmingham, Dubai and Singapore. Our MBAs include activities with global firms like IBM, Accenture, Capgemini, Deloitte, Mondelez, KPMG, Santander and HSBC. All creating an experience of rich global learning, international relationships and perspectives. 

Global alumni network 

Throughout your MBA, you’ll have many opportunities to learn directly from our alumni at top international companies. When you graduate, you’ll become part of the same alumni network, who can offer you further advice, support and expertise. 

Skills development 

Our Skills Development Consultant offers personal coaching to help you develop the soft skills of a top business leader. You could grow as a team leader and player, become a better communicator, a great negotiator or the kind of presenter who inspires an auditorium. From interview practice to industry networking events, we’ll help you develop the skills you need to achieve your professional career goals.