The Brighton MBA (PGCert PGDip)

Course in brief

At Brighton we cultivate entrepreneurial thinkers. Designed for professionals who wish to advance their career or to pursue their own business ideas, our MBA programme can be studied in full-time, part-time and block formats. It will develop your leadership potential in your chosen field, cultivating the analytical skills and entrepreneurial thinking needed to turn business challenges into opportunities.

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

Accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the only chartered professional body in the field of management and leadership, you will 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

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)

Book your open day place

Apply online

Please make sure that you meet the entry requirements before applying. If you have any questions the course team will be happy to help.

Apply now for your place

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 2018. They should be used as a general guide.

We operate a flexible admissions policy – this means that you could receive a lower conditional offer than the typical offer, informed by our assessment of your complementary non-academic achievements and experiences. For courses that require interview or portfolio review, this may also be considered in the level of any conditional offer that follows if your application is successful.

Degree and experience
At least three years management or professional experience, plus a degree or equivalent professional qualification. Those with at least five years management or professional experience do not need a degree or equivalent qualification.

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

For non-native speakers of English
In order to benefit from, contribute to and enjoy the course, a good command of spoken and written English language is required. If English is not your first language, you will need English language proficiency equivalent to an overall IELTS score of at least 6.5, with 6.0 in the written test and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

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 equivalencies

International equivalencies by country

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.

Course in detail

Course structure

You can study our MBA or International MBA on a full or part-time basis. On the full-time course you will study eight core modules and one option module. These can be completed in any order. Core modules bring together managers from all of our MBA specialisms, giving you a shared learning experience.

Part-time and flexible study

Our full-time MBA takes a year to complete (typically three sessions per week over one year) but it can also be studied in blocks, or on a part-time basis. When studying in the block format modules can be taken in any order to suit your interests, apart from the final module.

The course is flexible so you can choose to study via a combination of evening classes and weekly blocks, depending on your specific needs.

Part-time study allows you to apply the tools, theories and techniques learnt during the course to your workplace, bringing an immediate benefit to your organisation.It is possible to complete the program in one year, but most students spread the workload over three years.

Should your circumstances change, you may suspend your studies and restart at a later date. This course has multiple start dates throughout the year.

Core modules will give you thorough knowledge in each key business discipline. You will then have the opportunity to tailor your MBA through a choice of specialisms and option modules.

If you want a more flexible approach, you can also sign up for one module at a time and build your qualification as you go, exiting with a Postgraduate Certificate in Management, with a Postgraduate Diploma in Management, or an MBA.

Part-time students can choose the order in which they study their modules – to benefit their organisation’s specific needs. When studying for the MBA and International MBA you can also tailor your degree through your choice of option modules.

Please email postgrad.business@brighton.ac.uk for further information.

Syllabus

Core modules will introduce you to various aspects of general management.

You will choose from a host of optional modules which will allow you to tailor your qualification to your ambitions.

Core modules

Accounting and Performance Management
Developing International Strategic and Change Capabilities
Information Systems, Operations and Process Management
Economics for Management
International Strategy
Marketing and Communications
Managing Innovation
Managing People and Organisations

International study visit

Your international study visit to a European organisation will take place in the autumn or spring terms.

Option module subjects include:

Behavioural Economics
Economics
Entrepreneurship
Financial Markets
Human Resource Management
Information Technology
Operations Management
Marketing Strategy

International study visit

Your international study visit to a European organisation gives you the opportunity to develop your international perspective.

You will experience live case studies and meet senior managers while engaging institutions such as Belfast City Council (Belfast, Northern Ireland), Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne (Epernay, France) and European Commission (Brussels, Belgium).

Read more about the trip from one of our students.

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

CMI Strategic Diploma

Graduate with dual awards: an MBA and a CMI Strategic Diploma

The Brighton MBA is accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). All graduates gain dual awards – both an MBA and a CMI Strategic Diploma in Management and Leadership.

Having the CMI Strategic Diploma as well as an MBA from Brighton makes a powerful statement about your standards and determination to continue to develop your management skills.

The CMI is the only chartered professional body in the UK dedicated to promoting the highest standards in management and leadership excellence. Our partnership with the CMI helps to keep our courses relevant to the workplace and enhance your employability.

IoD membership

We offer all of our masters students free Institute of Directors (IoD) membership. Membership provides you with access to IoD events, mentoring, forums, crowd funding and work placement opportunities.

The IoD network provides opportunities to learn from director-level business people. These are influential people who can really help develop your career.

The IoD is the UK's longest running organisation for business leaders. It encourages entrepreneurial activity and promotes responsible business practice for the benefit of the business community and society as a whole.

Learning support

Experienced, professionally qualified lecturers and small class sizes will ensure your learning needs are supported.

Online learning tools and libraries also ensure academic journals, e-books, business articles and other resources are available to you 24/7, both for use at the university and at home.

You will have access to our Careers Service, including CV checking, mock interviews and advice on setting up your own business.

Staff profile

Tove Sorensen-Bentham, Course Leader
Tove's areas of interest are leadership, change, strategy for the public services and parternship working.

Before joining Brighton Business School, she worked as a senior manager in various public and third sector organisations in both Denmark and the UK.

Tove also worked as expert advisor to the British government on capacity building and leadership development in Kurdistan, Nigeria, Somaliland and overseas territories.

Careers and employability

An MBA is an internationally recognised passport to a successful management career. It takes into account all the major aspects of business.

In a recent study by the Association of MBAs, those surveyed were earning, on average, 33% more immediately after their MBA, 92% more 3–5 years later and 151% more 6–10 years after graduation. Both in the short- and long-term, an MBA can be considered a solid investment.

The University of Brighton has been producing high-quality MBA graduates for over 25 years.

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

Careers advice and support
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.

Careers counsellor
The Business School's career development advisor, Christina Keiller is available to help you to write your CV, prepare for interviews and plan your career. She also works closely with tutors to ensure that our courses teach vocational skills as well as academic ones.

Entrepreneurship network
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.

Mentoring scheme
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.

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (full-time) 15,500 GBP

International (full-time) 18,360 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.

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2018–19.

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- 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.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. 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. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

Forward-thinking and welcoming, the city of Brighton & Hove is a community of creative and diverse people who share values like sustainability and inclusivity – just like its university.

Miles of pebble beaches, hundreds of bars, restaurants and clubs, a packed calendar of culture, music and sport and great independent and high street shopping attract visitors from all over the world. By the end of your course you’ll still be finding new things to enjoy about the city.

The Brighton Festival, England’s largest arts festival, takes place every May – as does the Great Escape Europe’s leading industry showcase for new music, 300 bands perform over three days at venues across the city. Major events celebrate Pride, digital culture, cinema, photography, food and the winter solstice. Our own Brighton Graduate show is a highlight, turning the university into the largest exhibition space in the south east as we celebrate the outstanding creativity of our students.

As a student here you’ll have a unique opportunity to experience what the city has to offer. Volunteering and placement opportunities enable you to play your part in the events, organisations and communities that make Brighton such a compelling place to be.

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...

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Accommodation

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

We have halls of residence across the city in Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

Eligible students can apply for any of these options. Find out if you are eligible…
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 rooms 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 catered and are located on campus.

We also offer Unihomes and Unilets, student houses that we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. This option provides the most choice and flexibility and can work particularly well when you’re balancing learning with placements and other commitments.

There’s plenty of support if you choose private rented accommodation. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. And we run our housemates service over the summer for students, new and returning, looking for a place to live.

Find out more on our accommodation webpages.

Moulsecoomb Place accommodation close to the Moulsecoomb campus

Student in the Moulsecoomb Place hall of residence

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Moulsecoomb campus map

Find out more

Book your open day place

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

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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 organization 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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