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MBA Executive

Start date
Flexible – entry is possible at two points during the year
Duration
2.5–4.5 years part-time
Course Type
Postgraduate, Continuing professional development, Taught
Fees
For 2023/24:
£32,580 - £2,715 per module (UK and international students)
(Fees are liable to increase in subsequent years)
My Birmingham MBA Experience

Flexible and practical, the Executive MBA is designed to fit in with existing career commitments, enabling managers across a range of industries and sectors to want to boost their career prospects.

Each taught module is delivered in an intensive four-day block spread over one long weekend. Modules are offered at six points during the academic year and you can complete the course in a minimum of two-and-a-half-years and a maximum of four-and-a-half years. The programme will equip you to move into more senior management positions, either in your own organisation or moving elsewhere.

Why study this course?

  • Ranked #97 in the Financial Times Top 100 Full-time MBA for 2023.
  • Ranked #29 for Career Progression in the Financial Times Full-Time MBA 2023. The programme will equip you to move into more senior management positions, either in your own organisation or moving elsewhere.
  • The 4th most targeted university of top UK employers (High Fliers Research 2022).
  • Ranked #31 for value for money in the Financial Times 2023 for the full-time MBA. A flexible payment scheme allows you to break down tuition fee payments on a modular basis, meaning you can 'pay as you study'.
  • Modular delivery over long weekends (Friday to Monday) limits the impact of study on your work commitments.
  • Birmingham Business School holds triple-crown accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS).
  • It is in the top 50 in Europe in the QS Global MBA rankings 2023
  • Birmingham Business School is the UK’s oldest business school, bringing more than 100 years of innovative teaching and research.
  • The University of Birmingham is a member of the Russell Group, an organisation of the UK’s top 24 research-led universities.
  • The University of Birmingham is also a member of Universitas 21, the leading global network of research-intensive universities.

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

Unless indicated otherwise the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2023.

Compulsory modules

Optional modules

You must choose 5 optional modules.

Executive MBA students are also permitted to take up to three modules from our other MBA programmes delivered online, at the University of Birmingham or via Singapore Institute of Management.

When the taught modules have been completed, an MBA Dissertation must be completed to fulfil the requirements for the award of the degree. The subject of the dissertation can be related to your work environment or to an area of interest to your employer, which may encourage them to support you with time for study or financial assistance.

MBA Executive (UK) Module Dates 2023/24

Month Date Module
September 2023

Friday - Monday
8 - 11 September 2023 

Core: Accounting and Finance

 

Friday - Monday
15 - 18 September 2023

Elective: Management of Change

November 2023

9 November 2023

Induction – November intake

 

Friday - Monday
10 - 13 November 2023

Core: Strategy 

 

Friday - Monday
17 - 20 November 2023

Elective:  Entrepreneurship & Innovation
January 2024

Friday - Monday
12 - 15 January 2024

Core: Responsible Business

 

Friday - Monday
26 - 29 January 2024

Elective: Advanced Leadership

March 2024

Friday - Monday
8 - 11 March 2024

Elective: Advanced Strategy 

 

14 March 2024

Induction – March intake 

 

Friday - Monday
15 - 18 March 2024

Core: International Business 
 

Friday - Monday
22 - 25 March 2024

Elective:  Project Management 
May 2024

Friday - Monday
10 - 13 May 2024

Core: Operations Management 

 

Friday – Monday
17 - 20 May 2024

Elective: Corporate Communications 

July 2024

Friday - Monday
5 - 8 July 2024

Elective: Service Operations Management 

 

Friday - Monday
12 – 15 July 2024

Core: Marketing

 

Friday - Monday
19 – 22 July 2024

Elective: Strategic Procurement & Supplier Management

Please note these dates/modules are provisional and therefore subject to change.


Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

Fees

View more details on The Birmingham MBA Fees.

Scholarships and studentships

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

1 July 2023 is the application deadline for international students applying through the student route who wish to study in the United Kingdom. We are not able to consider applications for 2023 made after this date. The deadline for Home students is 31 August 2023.

When clicking on the Apply Now button you will be directed to an application specifically designed for the programme you wish to apply for where you will create an account with the University application system and submit your application and supporting documents online. Further information regarding how to apply online can be found on the How to apply pages

Apply online

Our Standard Requirements

In order to be accepted onto the Executive MBA, you must possess:

  • A good Honours degree (or equivalent), or equivalent professional qualification
  • Five years work experience with evidence of extensive managerial experience or professional responsibility. Three years exceptional work experience meeting this 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.

Your Executive MBA programme

You will take twelve taught modules, take part in a Dissertation Skills Workshop and submit a research or company-based project. The Executive MBA programme will equip graduates to move into more senior management positions either in their own organisation or elsewhere. As a research-led School, the latest thinking and techniques are rapidly incorporated into our teaching to keep you at the cutting edge of the world of business.

Cross-Cultural Management skills are developed in a variety of workshops and Issues in Global Competitiveness are the focus of a specialist series of seminars. Researching and writing a project develops skills in information gathering, analysis and report writing. A supporting programme of consultant delivered career-development workshops allow you to reflect on the impact of what you have learnt on your future career development.

Learn from business leaders

On the Executive MBA programme we deliver a series of industrial seminars, given by outside speakers from industry and commerce which provides contemporary ‘real world’ perspectives on the business environment. Often these speakers are Birmingham MBA alumni who can lend their perspective on how the course helped them to develop their career.

As part of the Executive MBA, classes and seminars supplement lectures, where fuller analysis and discussion takes place and important business skills, such as analysis, argument and synthesis, can be developed. Case studies are used as a means of relating theory to practical situations and students will often work in small groups with other students on assignments designed to develop problem solving and interpersonal skills.

The Birmingham MBA Deloitte Consultancy Challenge

One of the unique aspects of the Birmingham MBA is the opportunity to apply to take part on the Birmingham MBA Deloitte Consultancy Challenge. This is a week-long intensive consultancy training programme delivered exclusively at Birmingham by Deloitte, one of the world’s leading and most prominent financial services firms. Those who take part receive direct training and feedback from a range of Deloitte personnel right through to partner level.

Note: numbers are necessarily limited because of the practical nature of the challenge, and the high degree of interaction with Deloitte, so participants are chosen through an application process in the spring semester.  

See the Challenge in action and hear our students and Deloitte partners talk about the experience.

 

From the start of your MBA, you can request bespoke advice from our career consultants. Through one-to-one coaching, our industry experienced consultants will work with you to clarify your aspirations, helping you to develop a winning employment strategy to take you to the next level in your career.

Group and individual activities to enhance your skills

Throughout your MBA, you will have the opportunity to be involved in group and individual activities aimed at helping you develop the skills and techniques to support you to achieve your career goals. Some examples of the activities that you can undertake include online industry specific networking events, Distinguished Leaders alumni seminars and interview skills practice.

Skills coaching

Employers and managers aren’t just looking for great qualifications. They want to see high-quality personal skills too, such as team working, leadership, presentation, negotiation and interpersonal skills. Our Skills Development Consultant offers individual appointments to help you shape and hone these qualities.

Alumni engagement and professional networks

During your MBA, you will have the opportunity to engage with alumni working at top international companies. Our MBAs have participated in a range of activities with companies such as IBM, Accenture, Capgemini, Deloitte, Mondelez, KPMG, Santander and HSBC.

BBS Careers and Careers Network

As a Birmingham Business School student, you will benefit from two award-winning Careers teams.  

Careers Network is the University of Birmingham careers and employability team offering: career fairs, employer events with top firms across the UK, start-up and entrepreneurial activities, and support. Internships and bursaries are also available exclusively to University of Birmingham students.   

BBS Careers is a dedicated service for Birmingham Business School students. The team provides guidance, support, and work experience opportunities, tailored to business school students, to help you succeed during and after university. We offer workshops, alumni and employer events, and 1-to-1 consultations. These will help you to develop your skills and learn how to submit high-quality internship and graduate applications.  

BBS Careers is one of a few, if not the only business school career service to offer life-long support.  

We are here to support you! 

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