Business Administration, Master of (Online Learning) MBA

Due to the flexible nature of this programme, it is an excellent way for those with professional or family commitments to study a fully online MBA.

With the Edinburgh online MBA you’ll benefit from world-class teaching, delivered entirely online. Join a supportive, global class and study with them throughout the programme.

Most of the programme content is available to access in your own time. In addition, we know our students value the experience and diverse perspectives their MBA class bring to their learning, so you’ll also have some live online tutorials where you can interact with your class.

Our part-time online programme runs for 2 years and 9 months enabling you to confidently balance other commitments and learn in a supported way.

Our virtual learning environment has been fully tailored for the Online MBA, enabling you to communicate with our highly qualified teaching staff and your classmates from the comfort of your own home or workplace.

Technical requirements

You will need access to a computer, the internet, and a fully up-to-date web browser. IT support is available to any student in the event of technical difficulties. See the following pages for information on checking your setup and IT support:

Technical requirements for online learning

Scheduling your studies

You will need to set aside approximately 10 to 15 hours of time per week for reading, viewing lectures, tutorials, and assignments. This is an average and may vary slightly depending on the course and also when assignments are due.

Each course will typically include:

• 16 hours of pre-recorded lectures which you can work through at your own pace.
• 4 live tutorials. Although some courses may differ slightly, we schedule tutorials on a Wednesday 12pm to 2pm UK time wherever possible.

Format

You will learn through a mix of online methods, including recorded video lectures, self-directed and guided reading, and a range of interactive, live online tutorial and discussion activities. You will be able to watch the lectures at a time that suits you, as well as being able to participate in live, interactive tutorials at specific points during each course. You will be part of a vibrant and supportive virtual community with social and networking opportunities throughout the programme.

This programme is delivered online through Learn, one of the virtual online learning platforms that we use at the University of Edinburgh. Learn provides access to course materials, assignments, grades, feedback, lecture recordings, resource lists, and much more. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure they can access this and have a stable internet connection to participate in the interactive elements of the programme.

• About Learn

Resources and Support

Our online students not only have access to Edinburgh’s excellent resources, but also become part of a supportive online community, bringing together students from around the world. Students are also supported by a dedicated MBA team, providing pastoral support with academic support provided by faculty and the Director of MBA Programmes.

Assessments

The majority of assessments are individual assignments, with a mix of traditional essay, reflective pieces and case study analysis being common methods. There are a limited number of group assignments throughout the programme, to help you build your network and work in teams.

The online MBA is delivered part-time with entry points twice a year.

The programme takes 2 years 9 months to complete and combines academic study with practical application. This is achieved both in the classroom through case studies, but also via consultancy-style projects with external organisations to broaden participants’ insights into alternative business models and approaches.

Compulsory courses include:

• Accounting
• Data and Analytics for Leaders
• Digital Transformation
• Finance
• Operations Improvement
• Organising for Effectiveness
• Professional Development Programme
• Strategic Human Resource Management
• Strategic Leadership – includes group consultancy project
• Strategic Marketing
• Understanding Economies

The Professional Development programme which is included as part of the core courses, is designed specifically to help enhance interpersonal and leadership skills. Unlike some other MBA programmes, we have made this a credit-bearing element in recognition of the importance of this as part of our students’ development journey. In addition to the core courses, you will be required to select two option courses. Your studies will culminate in a major Capstone Project.

Find out more about compulsory and option courses:

Online MBA programme structure

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

You will develop an integrated understanding of the essential aspects of business and leadership skills as well as the development of specialist knowledge through the choice of option courses and MBA Capstone project research.

You will learn about core management and business disciplines as a preparation for progression into leadership roles. The focus is on the application and integration of new and previous knowledge as well as understanding the underlying theoretical frameworks.

Participants will also learn considerably from their respective student colleagues and from the practical application of theory to real life business problems encountered during the MBA. Effective interpersonal skills are also important and a Professional Development Programme complements the taught courses.

Specific educational aims are to:

• enable all participants to recognise, understand and apply the language and theory of the field of business, management and leadership
• foster an ability to critically analyse, synthesise and solve complex unstructured business problems
• encourage strategic, holistic and cross-discipline thinking
• encourage an aptitude for business improvement, innovation and entrepreneurial action
• encourage a global mind-set, which demonstrates sensitivity to the implications of differences in culture and context
• encourage the sharing of experiences to enhance the benefits of collaborative learning
• instil a sense of ethical decision-making and a commitment to the long-run welfare of both organisations and the communities that they serve
• encourage participants to value diversity and equality in management and leadership
• develop higher-order interpersonal skills to contribute to effective leadership

We anticipate graduate destinations to be aligned with executive and strategic roles across a wide range of industries and sectors.

As part of the MBA programme you will engage with the professional development programme that is designed explicitly to support participants in their pursuit of promotion or new careers. We also offer career focused coaching which will further support you in your career journey.

The employment market is highly competitive, but the Edinburgh MBA is distinctive and will provide participants with a competitive edge.

• Career development on the Online MBA programme

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 11 July 2024.

Before applying for the online MBA programme, please consider our minimum entry requirements, which include academic qualifications, managerial work experience and English language requirements.

• Important points to note when applying for this programme

Professional experience requirement

At least three years' work experience in a managerial role.

Experience can be from any industry, including the public sector, charitable organisations or the arts.

Managerial experience encompasses many efforts you may already be undertaking. It is not defined by having "manager" in your job title or by having direct reports (although you may, of course, have both). Management is any project, initiative, remit, or task (either permanent or ad hoc) where you are responsible for guiding the resources, teams, or individuals to a final goal. Some roles are designed around a management function. Others take on managerial responsibilities on a case-by-case basis. Whatever your role, we want to see these managerial responsibilities highlighted in your CV.

Minimum academic requirement

UK 2:1 honours degree in any subject, or an equivalent overseas qualification.

If you do not meet the minimum academic requirement, you may still be considered if:

• you have professional qualifications with substantial work experience; or

• you do not hold a degree or professional qualifications but you have a very strong employment record demonstrating a high degree of responsibility.

If you do not meet the minimum academic requirement, we may require you to complete the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), which is an internationally-recognised assessment of analytical, numerical and verbal reasoning. If we require you to take GMAT, we would require a score of 600 as a minimum to qualify for our MBA programmes, or 555 under the Focus edition. This equates to a performance in the 51st percentile under each format.*

We will accept results from the GMAT Online exam.

• Official GMAT Exam website

*(Revised 24 October 2023 to provide equivalencies for the GMAT Focus edition.)

Students from China

This degree is Band D.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 59 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Deposit Payment

Applicants receiving an offer of admission, either conditional or unconditional, will be asked to pay a deposit of £1,500 within 28 days of the initial offer to secure your place on the programme.

The fee does not include the cost of textbooks for core and option courses so you should budget an additional amount for this required expenditure.

As this is an online programme you will also require, and need to budget for, relevant IT equipment and broadband internet in order to pursue your studies.

See the programme website for more information on fees and deposits:

• Online MBA fees and other costs

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s government loan schemes.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK Government and other external fundings

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities on the University of Edinburgh website:

• Search for funding

Tuition fee discounts

We offer a 10% discount on postgraduate tuition fees for alumni who have graduated with an undergraduate degree from the University of Edinburgh.

We also offer a 10% discount on postgraduate tuition fees for students who have previously matriculated on a "Visiting Programme" as an undergraduate student and completed a minimum of one semester of study at the University of Edinburgh.

The Scholarship and Student Funding site provides a list of programmes not covered by the discount scheme.

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding