A Masters in Business Administration or MBA is a comprehensive qualification that combines all you learn under an MSc and an MA and develops key leadership skills for a management position later. It is usually a one year programme but most extend to a two-year programme that includes work placement opportunities. You may choose to specialise in one aspect of business later in the course, but you cover fundamental modules that take you through operations, management, philosophy, and finance – typically focused on international business and global management challenges.

You also have access to networking opportunities and connections within new industries. After your MBA, no matter where in the world you end up, you will most likely come across UK MBA alumni in your work sphere. If you are looking for versatility that will take you into any and every industry, an MBA could be for you.

The average fees at a mid-range university are about £16,000 but higher-ranked universities can shoot upward of £60,000. Not to worry as there are a range of scholarships available to MBA students here. 

Why not just study for an MSc?

Universities also offer Masters of Science (MSc) and Masters of Art (MA) courses at postgraduate level. You may wonder how this differs from an MBA. An MSc provides technical training focused on one aspect, such as finance, accounting, or management. It looks more into the theory of business and business practices; hence you are not required to have any work experience to do an MSc course. If you are looking into specialising in a field of business, or starting your own business in the future, an MSc would deliver more appropriate content.

Where in the UK should I study?

While the MBA is available from most countries, the UK hosts students, lecturers, and work opportunities sourced from all around the globe. Pursuing your MBA in the UK improves your credentials, broadens your horizons, and creates a limitless space for your academic and career growth.

Top 5 UK Universities for MBA are:

1.       University of Cambridge (Judge Business School)

2.       London Business School (LBS)

3.       The University of Manchester (Alliance Manchester Business School)

4.       University of Oxford (Saïd Business School)

5.       City, University of London (Cass Business School)

Source: Financial Times (FT) Global MBA Rankings 2017 

While it is commonly required that you have a minimum of 3-5 years of work experience, the following list of UK universities have exempted this requirement for its applicants to MBA course(s): 

Anglia Ruskin University

University of Bedfordshire

Coventry University

University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN)

Liverpool John Moores

University of Northampton

University of Sunderland

University of Swansea

University of East London

Instead, you will have to display the minimum academic requirements; generally involving a 2:2 on your Bachelor's degree, minimum IELTS score 5.5 and GMAT score above 600. These requirements vary across universities and MBA courses in specific streams. For details on MBA requirements for particular universities, follow this link.

What can I do with my MBA?

Gain connections to an extensive network - Your experience at university doesn't stay at university. The friends and acquaintances you've met through your MBA will be future leaders in the business world, just like yourself. Although you may walk different pathways into different industries or put your MBA to work at different levels of the step ladder, you're all part of the same globalised society after all. Keeping in contact and sharing business news, opportunities, and ideas once in a while would be beneficial to both parties.

Start a business - Put your skills to the test and start a business from the ground up, then sustain it. You may have an interest in the arts, or food and beverage, or just about anything; with your own business, you're the boss, you get to have an outlet for that passion inside you. A start-up requires you to have knowledge and business acumen in every detail from operations to administration to philosophy. You may even forge a partnership with a fellow MBA course mate.

Corporate upgrade - The most frequented route, most MBA graduates (re-)enter the work force at management level and they are highly sought-after. If you had work placements during your course, you will have had a taster of the general corporate atmosphere. If you had prior work experience in the same company, you may find yourself promoted to higher positions. Your new position comes with the expectations that your MBA brings greater productivity and efficiency, maybe even new ways of business practices, to your team and company.

Freelance work - The riskier route, but here you've got an opportunity be a consultant, mentor, coach, or do some one-off contract jobs in all kinds of industries. This may help you build inter-industry skills and give you a niche ability few will have.

All of the above - You may well try to do them all. Maybe you'll find yourself in freelance work at the end of your MBA, then starting your own business later on. Maybe you've gotten promotion after promotion but want to challenge yourself, so you link up with that classmate back in university to see what they're up to and find out they've started a new business and need a partner. In whichever order you do them, you'll see the skills you gained from your MBA at work in different capacities.