Postgraduate study
Edinburgh: Extraordinary futures await.

Executive Master of Business Administration MBA

Awards: MBA

Study modes: Part-time

Funding opportunities

This flagship programme is designed to fit around work so you can build your capability for incisive analysis, innovation, and strategic leadership, and support your progression into senior leadership roles. The Executive MBA is a taught programme delivered by experienced internal and visiting faculty, and complemented by guest practitioner speakers from industry and the professions. Over 28 months, the Executive MBA combines short intensive bursts of classroom interaction with online support.

Successful businesses in the future will be those that can confidently and capably steer a path through a world characterised by intense competition, rapid technological development, and economic turbulence.

Businesses need leaders who can think and act strategically in this volatile environment, managing the risk and challenges involved, but also spotting and seizing opportunities for efficiency, innovation and new business models. Businesses also need leaders who will act responsibly in delivering value to all stakeholders.

What will I learn?

The Edinburgh MBA will prepare you to progress with confidence into leadership roles in this new world.

On the programme we will deepen your understanding of:

  • how businesses and markets work
  • how value is created through innovation and marketing
  • how strategies are crafted
  • how value is delivered efficiently and effectively
  • how businesses are financed
  • how performance is measured
  • how organisations should be governed, managed and led through change

We will develop your ability to think strategically and beyond disciplinary silos. Successful leadership also requires accomplished interpersonal skills to bring about change in organisations. Through coaching and skills training, we will work with participants to understand their leadership strengths and weaknesses and provide support for improvement.

The programme is delivered in a modular format. The main taught part of the programme is delivered over 21 months, followed by completion of a Capstone Project. Participants will complete the full programme within 28 months.

Year One: Essential skills for strategic leadership

In year one, students study courses in major disciplines; this is the foundation upon which the whole MBA is built.

Year Two: Driving strategic change

In Year 2 learning about strategy also becomes a central feature of the programme. You will study core and option courses to enable you to customise your learning.

MBA Capstone Project

The conclusion of the programme, the MBA Capstone project, brings the two years' learning together in a piece of work unique to each student.

When teaching takes place

The design of the modules reflects consideration given to the balance between participant and employer investment and maintaining work-life balance.

  • Most core courses will be delivered over Friday to Saturday once a month, but some courses are delivered in full working week blocks.
  • There are six of these week-long sessions across the two-year programme.
  • Please refer to the Programme Structure for details of the full working week blocks.
  • All option courses are also taught as full working week blocks, in essence Monday to Friday.
  • Once per month there will also be a three-hour online session using a virtual learning environment.

The Executive MBA is primarily delivered in a classroom format, but learning is supported by extensive electronic resources and the opportunity to discuss ideas and concepts with colleagues and tutors through regular discussion forums.

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.

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MBABusiness Administration28 MonthsPart-timeProgramme structure 2023/24

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

The MBA will also enable you to engage in a Professional Development programme that includes personal diagnostics, career planning and skills enhancement designed explicitly to support you in your pursuit of promotion or a new career.

These requirements are for entry in December 2024 and requirements for future academic years may differ. Before applying for the Executive 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

Normally five years' substantive work experience in a managerial or supervisory position. Experience can be from any industry, including the public sector, charitable organisations or the arts.

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.

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

Students from China

This degree is Band D.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

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:

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).

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:

Deposit

You will need to pay this deposit within 28 days of receiving your offer of admission (either unconditional or conditional).

  • £1,500 (this contributes towards your tuition fees)

Additional programme costs

In addition to tuition fees, you will pay for:

  • your texts for elective courses
  • Capstone Project expenses
  • travel to and from the University
  • accommodation during your studies
  • any travel involved in completing courses or exchanges as part the programme

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

Living costs

You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.

Tuition fees

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MBABusiness Administration28 MonthsPart-timeTuition fees
  • University of Edinburgh Business School
  • 29 Buccleuch Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9JS
Programme start date Application deadline
2 December 2024 25 November 2024

We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible. We may consider late applications if we have places available, but you should contact the relevant Admissions Office for advice first.

You must submit one reference with your application.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Further information

  • University of Edinburgh Business School
  • 29 Buccleuch Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9JS