Overview
Our Executive MBA will give you the strategic, financial and people skills you’ll need to progress and perform effectively at senior levels.
The programme combines management theory with real business application; from day one you’ll be able to apply new knowledge and skills in your workplace. You will develop a broad foundation of knowledge in core modules, and focus your studies around a particular sector or discipline in elective modules.
The flexibility of our MBA gives you options to study in Bradford, Dubai, Toulouse (one module) and online through Distance Learning. All modes use the same platform but deliver it in different ways to maximise impact. This provides you with excellent and lasting networking opportunities both during and after your MBA.
Our Executive weekend teaching format provides you with a period of concentrated study that has minimal impact on your career. If you are unable to make a weekend you can study the module online, anywhere in the world.
Our refreshed MBA has been designed with your future employability in mind and we continue to work with major employers on our MBA Advisory Board and International Advisory Board to ensure our syllabus deals with contemporary issues.
We also offer a Senior Leader Masters' Apprenticeship through our Degree Apprenticeship scheme. If you are an organisation looking to make the most of your Apprenticeship Levy and upskill your workforce, find out more about Degree Apprenticeships at the University of Bradford.
Professional accreditation
We are proud to be in an elite group of business schools to hold the triple accreditations of Equis, AMBA and AACSB, often referred to as the "triple-crown".
Our School of Management MBA courses have been endorsed by the NHS Leadership Academy to deliver the NHS Master's in Business Administration (MBA) programme, as announced in a speech by the Secretary of State in 2016.
Learning and assessment
Teaching for the core is available as block teaching over a weekend. Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 9am – 6pm. The weekends are spaced a minimum of five weeks apart, going up to 9 weeks in some instances. This is to accommodate Easter, Christmas and Bank Holidays.
The majority of modules are available online. This means that if you are unable to make a weekend you can study the module online instead, thus providing you with greater flexibility.
Assessment is mainly by a 4,000 word assignment for the core, and a 2,000 word assignment for the electives. The Management Project is 15,000 words. Additionally there are formative assignments and multiple-choice questionnaires that help develop your confidence and familiarity with the subject matter, without contributing a mark towards your final mark.
Career support
An online career development programme is available to you which covers:
- Understanding and identifying your skills
- Leveraging your MBA
- Selling yourself in a CV
- How to use LinkedIn, to get a job
- How to get a job you love?
- Networking for Career Success
- Presenting a Professional Image
- Success at Interviews
Additionally, if you are unavailable to come to campus we conduct individualised online coaching sessions.
AWS Academy program from Amazon Web Services (AWS)
The School of Management has joined the prestigious worldwide AWS Academy program from Amazon Web Services (AWS). All students will be given an opportunity to enhance their employability skills, helping to make them ready for the world of work.
AWS Academy is a global program that provides educational institutions with access to cloud computing content to support student learning in a competitive digital workplace. As a member of the AWS Academy, the University of Bradford will help students become proficient and certified in the use of AWS technologies and ready to join the dynamic cloud IT workforce.
All learners will have the opportunity to seek professional certification with the skills gained through AWS Academy content, delivered by University staff that are AWS Academy accredited.
Career Booster
During your time studying at the Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences you will have the opportunity to take part in our distinctive career booster programme throughout the duration of your course. The programme is designed to equip you with the necessary skills and graduate attributes to be job-ready when seeking employment with leading innovative organisations.
The Career Booster Programme offers you the opportunity to gain certificates in:
- The European Computer Driving License (ECDL) - the benchmark for digital literacy
- Sage 50 Accounting and Sage 50 Payroll - training that will allow you to develop leading accounting and payroll software skills
- Project Manager Professional certificates - giving you the edge when seeking to become a Certified Project Manager
- Big Data analysis and reporting skills - using Software and Services (SAS) that will lead to certification.
In addition, the programme will also include activities to promote teamwork, confidence, communication and many other skills sought by employers.
Developing a portfolio of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Certificates will demonstrate to employers that you are not only ambitious but also take responsibility for your own professional development.
Career prospects
An MBA is an opportunity to either change career direction or consolidate experience then return and progress in a previous industry or job. The Financial Times Global MBA rankings show that, on average, 20% of alumni achieve board-level positions within three years of graduation.
On completion of the programme participants go into a wide variety of functions and sectors, including IT/Telecoms, Finance & Banking and Industry being amongst the most popular.
Study support
All the material is available online. This includes a study book, lecture slides, audio and video.
In addition to the face-to-face teaching, four online tutorials are available after the weekend module. These will normally be led by the lecturer who conducted the module.
Additionally we have an Effective Learning Service that will assist you in areas such as critical thinking and referencing.
Research
The programme curriculum is based on research of current managerial and business issues, and is centred around our four main research areas:
- Accounting, finance and economics
- People, organisation and entrepreneurship
- Logistics, supply chain and technology
- International business, marketing and branding