The Brighton MBA (PGCert PGDip)

Intro

The Brighton MBA is designed for professionals who wish to advance their career or to pursue their own business ideas. You will develop your potential in your chosen field, cultivating the analytical skills and entrepreneurial thinking needed to turn business challenges into opportunities.

Accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the only chartered professional body in the field of management and leadership, you can graduate with a degree as well as the CMI's Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership.

During your studies, you will benefit from free membership of both the Institute of Directors and the Chartered Management Institute. Our partnership with professional associations ensures the Brighton MBA remains relevant to the needs of today's business practitioners.

This course is part of our wider MBA programme.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Full-time 1 year

Part-time 2–3 years

January and September start dates

Accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI)

The University of Brighton is ranked as a top 5 university for world-leading research impact in business and management studies (REF 2014)

Apply online

Please review the entry requirements carefully and if you have any questions do get in touch with us.

Apply now for your place

Course content

Course structure

Case studies and professional work-based projects enable you to apply your new skills to the benefit of employers. Guest speakers, industry visits and attending core modules provide a wider perspective and exposure to different cultures as experiences are shared.

It is possible to complete the part-time course in two years, but most students spread the workload over three years.

Core modules

Managing People and Organisations
Marketing and Communication
Finance Accounting and Performance Management
Leadership with Ethics
Information Systems, Operations and Process Management
Research Methods and Strategic Change
Managing in an Uncertain Environment
Developing International Strategic and Change Capabilities (one-to-one supervision)

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Flexible study

Our MBA programme has been developed so that you can choose to complete your MBA full-time, part-time or a combination of online and taught (blended learning). When studying in the block taught format, modules can be taken in any order to suit your interests, apart from the final module.

You can also choose to start your MBA in January or September.

Industrial study visit

The optional study visit to an organisation gives you the opportunity to experience live case studies and meet senior managers whilst engaging with institutions. Previously, students have visited Belfast City Council, Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne (Epernay, France) and the European Commission in Brussels.

Interviewing managers at Steelcase, designers of workplaces of the future.

Staff profile

Dr Charlotte Meierdirk
Charlotte is the course leader for the MBA. Before joining the University of Brighton she was course leader for a Management and Education MSc and Business Education PGCE at a neighbouring university. Whilst lecturing at the university she was a director of a company selling educational resources.

Before completing her first master’s degree she spent 10 years teaching at secondary and tertiary level and was Head of Business at a FE College. Charlotte specialises in the areas of reflective practice, reflexivity, changing identities, social theory and professionalism.

Our latest news

Watch graduation 2019 live

It’s nearly time for the final University of Brighton graduation ceremony for our amazing Brighton Business School graduates, the hall is bustling with activity and there are some incredibly proud family and friends in the audience.

Increasing business acumen with a Brighton MBA: Andrea Masala

We recently caught up with Andrea Masala, a Product Manager for Dover Precision Components, who studied a part-time MBA with us, graduating in 2017.

Ten ways to get on top of your overloaded email inbox that actually work

Most of us are addicted to email, some estimates say we spend nearly five and a half hours each weekday checking it.

Conference examines working life

We are all set to host the ninth annual Art of Management Organisation conference, focusing on the word ‘performance’ as a catalyst to explore and understand the complexity of working life.

Careers

Career prospects

Successfully completing an MBA can lead to a better salary, improved professional reputation and a large network of business contacts.

A recent study by FT.com found that of those surveyed, MBA graduates gained salary increases of between 44% and 182%. Both in the short-term and long-term, an MBA can be considered a solid investment.

Employers of our MBA graduates include Total Oil Marine (UK), Fuji Bank (Japan), Price Waterhouse (Beijing), Ericsson (Sweden), Proton Cars (Malaysia), Hewlett Packard (Germany), Microsoft (Mexico) and PepsiCo (India).

Sponsors of our part-time students include Lloyds TSB, American Express, Police and Fire Services, Health Trusts, the Body Shop, TRANSCO and BOC Edwards.

Accreditations

Accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), this course progresses you towards Chartered Manager status – the highest level that can be achieved in the management profession.

All students successfully completing the Brighton MBA and who have passed the qualifying modules will have completed the study required for the Chartered Management Institution’s Level 7 Diploma in Management and Leadership.

You can apply to the CMI to buy the certificate at the current cost but will not need to sit their exams.

You will also be eligible for membership of the Institute of Directors, the longest running organisation for professional leaders in the UK. Membership provides you with access to the resources and the opportunity to network with leaders and executives.

Benefit to your organisation

Organisations are increasingly looking to recruit employees with MBAs, or use MBAs to develop existing staff to the benefit of the organisation.

Benefits to organisations for employing MBA graduates

Increases a company’s capacity to develop and support its leaders leading to improved performance.
Builds the competencies of employees for greater contribution and impact on the organisation and its goals.
Supports talent development and enhances career opportunities.
Gives the employee a greater appreciation of the global workings of their organisation.
Nurtures fresh insights through reflection with peers in other industries.

Careers advice

Careers Service
Our Careers Service provides help and advice from the very start of your studies, on subjects including careers counselling sessions, CV checking, mock interviews and advice on setting up your own business. Find out more on our careers service website.

Mentoring
Momentum is our award-winning mentoring scheme. It pairs students with professionals who wish to share their experience. Students and their mentors meet regularly to exchange ideas. The scheme helps students to develop new skills and enhance their career prospects.

Starting your own business

Beepurple is the university’s entrepreneurship support network. They offer free support for any student or graduate with their business ideas, freelance plan or social enterprise project.

Beepurple run events throughout the academic year, designed to equip you with skills that will improve your employability and help you grow a successful business.

By taking part in beepurple activities, you will meet like-minded people, hear how other recent graduates have set up their own businesses and gain key enterprise skills that will help you stand out from the crowd.

For more information visit beepurple.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course if you wish to begin studying with us in 2020. They should be used as a general guide.

Degree and experience
At least three years management or professional experience, plus a degree or equivalent professional qualification. If you have considerable management experience but no first degree, contact us at business@brighton.ac.uk.

Graduate Management Admissions Test
Our MBA programmes do not require the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), though if you have taken the GMAT a good score can strengthen your application.

English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out more about the other English qualifications that we accept.

International students whose language skills do not match the IELTS scores set out here should consider applying for this course through the Extended Masters programme at the university's Language Institute.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language institute

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Fees

Course fees

UK/EU (full-time) 16,344 GBP

International (full-time) 19,116 GBP

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included, while studying a course in Brighton Business School are listed here.

Students who choose to take an optional placement will have travel and living expenses. The cost of this depends on where and how long your placement is.
Some courses include optional field trips for which the school pays – you may incur minimal costs such as for food and drink and should budget up to £15.
You will be required to buy textbooks and should budget up to £150.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2020–21.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location

Local area

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy - as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus. Subjects taught here include architecture, business, computing, construction, engineering, geography, product design, law and pharmacy.

On campus you will find professional-standard facilities including a flight simulator, trading room, design and digital media suites and specialist research laboratories, alongside the library, student centre, a nursery, fitness facilities and Students’ Union. There are excellent public transport links.

The Big Build
A major transformation of our Moulsecoomb campus began in summer 2018. By the time the Big Build is complete, there’ll be new halls of residence, academic building, and Students’ Union and fitness facilities – all created with sustainability, inclusivity and community in mind.

As the development grows it will provide many exciting learning opportunities for our students, ranging from live projects, placements and internships with the companies involved to guest lectures and site visits. Find out more...

Accommodation

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Looking for clearing accommodation? Accommodation is available, we can help you find your home from home.

All eligible students applying for 2020 are guaranteed an offer of university-managed accommodation.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
Moulsecoomb campus is linked to Varley Park and Moulsecoomb Place halls
- Varley Park offers a mix of room and catering options. Varley Park is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent, and there’s a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.
- Moulsecoomb Place halls are all catered and are located right on campus.

Unihomes and unilets
Unihomes and unilets are student houses that we let to our students on behalf of private landlords. This option can work particularly well when you’re balancing learning with placements and other commitments. We have unihomes and unilet properties at locations across the city.

Starting in 2019 and looking for accommodation advice? Find out more about our accommodation options.

Private renting
There's plenty of support if you opt for private rented accommodation. This is an option which offers choice and flexibility – enabling you to choose where you live and who with. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. This lists accommodation offered by landlords who have signed up to our code of standards. Every summer we provide online events and resources, as well as other advice services, for students looking for a place to live and people to share with.

Modern accommodation at nearby Varley Halls

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Students eating at the Hub

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Moulsecoomb campus map

Our students

Gillian Jackson

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Joe Morecroft

"I really enjoyed the marketing course. The lecturer was great, and the case studies chosen were really interesting – I would thoroughly enjoy and look forward to Monday evenings!"

Joe Morecroft, Brighton MBA student (part-time)

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Michael Schnuppe

Head of Sales and Marketing, The Great Shutter Co – the UK's largest distributor of plantation shutters.

After his MBA, Mark was able to complete an evaluation and overhaul of the company’s strategy as a premier brand, implement a new set of marketing collateral, reorient the sales approach, develop a network of nine franchises, and design the CRM system for John Lewis.

Indranil Chaudhury

Indranil completed his MBA and became Director – Business Development and Project Management of Global Market Development Corporation (Canada). This is a start-up organisation created with the idea of setting up new businesses with global reach.

Maya Bankovich

Maya is now Managing Consultant at PA Consulting Group, responsible for leading business transformation programmes in Project Management Practice. After completing her MBA she took up a position at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a Senior Manager – Finance Consulting, then as Cost Transformation Director at BT.

Xuedan Zhang

Xuedan completed her MBA to become Managing Director at Lok Ant Ltd. The company is an OEM/ODM manufacturer, as well doing export and import trade between China and Europe. The company’s products include knitted fashions, lingerie, ladies’ dresses, and fashion accessories.

Michael Morgan

"To say that my experience and learning was of the highest order is to underplay what I was fortunate enough to be a part of. The course has changed my life. I am now looking at business on a corporate level and working in the change management team at an investment bank in the city of London. This opportunity would never have presented itself to me without the University of Brighton and the MBA.

"The lecturers that were core to my course were always there for me, supporting and cajoling, sometimes even scolding me but always with my best intentions at heart. Without them I would never have made it through the MBA. My respect for all of them is beyond words.

"I have now been able to use my knowledge in a work-based environment and feel grateful to the University of Brighton for the grounding they gave me. I now have a great understanding of the frameworks within which I work and am able to make a contribution on all fronts."

Giampaolo Burgio

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