MBA, MBA
Introduction
The MBA is our on campus MBA programme. It is focused on the real needs of business and is designed to provide you with an opportunity to develop your understanding of the knowledge and skills required to succeed in today’s evermore challenging business world.
Study Information
Study Options
- Learning Mode
- On Campus Learning
- Degree Qualification
- MBA
- Duration
- 12 months or 24 months
- Study Mode
- Full Time or Part Time
- Start Month
- September or January
An MBA is the most popular professional degree programme in the world. The University of Aberdeen MBA is a globally recognised qualification designed to develop your leadership skills, underpinned by practical and theoretical knowledge. It offers you the opportunity to formally recognise your business expertise and will take you to the next level in terms of career progression, earnings potential and job satisfaction. In short, our MBA will provide you with the credentials needed to compete against the best.
Our MBA is not all about business dogma, it’s refreshingly different. Our programme encourages you to challenge the way business is done, and find new, more effective, more creative ways of doing it. Our MBA attracts many talented people from different industries, from all over the world. In this way, you’ll be able to learn from your peers, share ideas, create professional networks and make friendships that last well beyond the academic experience.
- Qualification
- MBA
- Duration
- 12 months
- Learning Mode
- On Campus
- Study Mode
- Full Time
- Start Month
- January
Stage 1
Compulsory Courses
- Strategic Marketing (BU5553)
-
15 Credit Points
The course aims to provide participants with a critical understanding of the nature and articulation of the marketing function within modern organisations, and an appreciation of the relative contribution of specific marketing tools to the development of a market orientation.
On completion of the course students will be able to:
1. Critique the key principles and concepts of marketing.
2. Evaluate the role of marketing to modern organisations in private and public sectors.
3. Understand the integration of the marketing function with other organisational functions.
4. Assess the role of identified marketing techniques
- Managing People at Work (BU5554)
-
15 Credit Points
Whether you are intending to manage other people or be responsible for HR functions in a company, this course is intended for you.
You will learn the theories that are the basis for good practice, the skills that are required to put them across and the employment law which governs what we are expected to achieve with our people
This course is run by tutors who have been experienced managers themselves and it will prepare you to pursue a career in management confident and competent to carry out what is expected of you
- The Leadership Challenge (BU5584)
-
15 Credit Points
This course provides an opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of your own leadership behaviour. Through workshops, group activities and discussions we investigate how personality, past experience, current situations and culture shape the way each of us behave in a leadership role. Using this information as a starting point we then explore how different leadership theories and approaches can be used as frameworks for developing a deeper understanding of leadership behaviour. You will also have an opportunity to try out a range of practical tools and techniques to assist you in the development of your own approach to leadership.
- Managing Change (BU555A)
-
15 Credit Points
The concepts of change and innovation have never been more topical, especially given the commercial context of fierce business competition, shorter product life cycles and more demanding customers. Increasingly, long-term commercial success is based on an ability to manage change, to act creatively and to promote innovation; These processes interconnect and overlap and often present major challenges to modern organizations; We address these issues through providing detailed case illustrations ranging from the workplace to the wider business market. Learning is encouraged through interaction, reading, investigation, video and case analysis, and critical discussion.
- Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5506)
-
This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 5-6 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across a number of weeks.
Topics include orientation overview, equality and diversity, health, safety and cyber security and how to make the most of your time at university in relation to careers and employability.
Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Enhanced Transcript as ‘Achieved’.
Stage 2
Compulsory Courses
- New Venture Creation (BU5940)
-
15 Credit Points
The aim of this course is to equip students with an understanding of key aspects of new venture creation, including business planning, pitching new ideas to investors and managing growth. This is a capstone course, by bringing together a range of different concepts.
- Strategic Financial Analysis (BU5946)
-
15 Credit Points
Inanalysis: A framework for analysis Accounting ratio analysis Common size analysis Stock market ratios Credit ratings Z scores Forecasting: A framework for forecasting Parameter estimation Financial forecasting models Issues in analysis: The links between the stock market and accounting International accounting issuestroduction to accounting: Key accounting concepts Financial reporting Financial statements Financial
- Business Negotiation Skills for Professionals (BU593N)
-
15 Credit Points
This course will help to highlight, in a variety of business and non-business contexts: i) the various real-life ways in which managers’ subtle, highly sophisticated and socially organized communicative actions have a significant impact on the perceptions and performance of the employee groups/teams they supervise and work with; and ii) what communicative methods managers can employ to more effectively relay information to, obtain feedback from, motivate, persuade and, more generally, enhance the performance of their staff teams.
Optional Courses
Plus:
- Supply Chain Management (BU5965)
-
15 Credit Points
The Supply Chain Management course aims to provide delegates with a broad understanding of supply chain management and how it relates to the energy industry. Completing the course participants will: Understand how supply chains can be effectively designed and controlled in a range of circumstances; be able to evaluate approaches to the management and development of the supply chain; and discuss the characteristics of contemporary supply chains and assess their contribution to organisational effectiveness.
- Digital Marketing (BU5991)
-
15 Credit Points
The course provides both a strategic orientation and tactical orientation:
Strategic:
§ How to align digital strategy with a wider business strategy
§ The value that (internal and external) research and analytics can bring to digital marketing decisions
Tactical:
§ Assess the quality of any website based on a range of important measures
§ Benchmark a website’s performance against online competitors
§ Investigate the potential of a business idea for a given market sector
§ Present digital marketing research and advice to a generalist audience
§ Understand the potential commercial value of social media
§ Interpret onsite analytics in support of business objectives
Stage 3
Compulsory Courses
- Business Economics (BU5021)
-
15 Credit Points
This course focuses on the economics of business allowing students to understand the economics that underlie a whole host of business issues. The course will cover the functioning of markets, consumer behaviour, pricing, production and costing problems, monopoly and the business implications of inflation, economic growth and economic policy.
- Accounting and Finance for Managers (BU5026)
-
15 Credit Points
The fact that money (and understanding money) really matters in business and all managers need to understand issues like cashflow and profit might depress you, but it is true. Financial viability of customers? Deciding on the likely financial viability of a project? Reporting to shareholders about performance? Does the word “sustainable” appear in a finance dictionary? All questions we will try and address.
- Business Strategy (BU5048)
-
15 Credit Points
Business Strategy covers a broad range of topics that come under the general heading of “Business Strategy” / “Strategic Management”. The course introduces participants to concepts, frameworks and models that are useful in providing explanations of how companies operate with respect to goal setting, understanding their competitive landscape, assessing opportunities, managing own capabilities, coordinating their activities with other companies, and competing to create value for customers. The course is interactive in nature, applying a learning-by-doing method involving students taking on roles as part of a series of simulation exercises.
- Operations and Project Management (BU5064)
-
15 Credit Points
The focus of this course is not people but processes, not outside the organisation but within. Operations transform materials, information and customers to create goods and services using staff and facilities. We study process types and focus particularly on projects. We see how capacity and inventory reconcile demand and output and explore location, supply chains, quality, risk and resilience. About 40% of the course is on projects and project-management techniques. Prepare for both critical discussion of theory and application (operationalisation), including calculation.
Programme Fees
| Fee category | Cost |
|---|---|
| All Students | £28,600 |
| Tuition Fees for 2023/24 Academic Year |
- Qualification
- MBA
- Duration
- 24 months
- Learning Mode
- On Campus
- Study Mode
- Part Time
- Start Month
- September
Year 1
Students undertake a programme of study as agreed with the programme leader, taking up to 30
credit points per semester (90 credit points per year of study).
Students completing only 60 credits may leave with a PgCert. Students completing 120 credits may leave with a PgDip. Students completing 180 credits leave with an MBA.
Compulsory Courses
In year one, students undertake 30 credits (2 courses) from stage 1 courses (BU5021, BU5026, BU5048, BU5064), 30 credits from stage 2 courses (BU5553, BU5554, BU555A, BU5584) and 30 credits from stage 3 courses (BU5946, BU5948, BU5965, BU5991). In addition, they take PD5006 (Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen). Courses taken in year 1 cannot be taken again in year 2.
- Business Economics (BU5021)
-
15 Credit Points
This course focuses on the economics of business allowing students to understand the economics that underlie a whole host of business issues. The course will cover the functioning of markets, consumer behaviour, pricing, production and costing problems, monopoly and the business implications of inflation, economic growth and economic policy.
- Accounting and Finance for Managers (BU5026)
-
15 Credit Points
The fact that money (and understanding money) really matters in business and all managers need to understand issues like cashflow and profit might depress you, but it is true. Financial viability of customers? Deciding on the likely financial viability of a project? Reporting to shareholders about performance? Does the word “sustainable” appear in a finance dictionary? All questions we will try and address.
- Business Strategy (BU5048)
-
15 Credit Points
Business Strategy covers a broad range of topics that come under the general heading of “Business Strategy” / “Strategic Management”. The course introduces participants to concepts, frameworks and models that are useful in providing explanations of how companies operate with respect to goal setting, understanding their competitive landscape, assessing opportunities, managing own capabilities, coordinating their activities with other companies, and competing to create value for customers. The course is interactive in nature, applying a learning-by-doing method involving students taking on roles as part of a series of simulation exercises.
- Operations and Project Management (BU5064)
-
15 Credit Points
The focus of this course is not people but processes, not outside the organisation but within. Operations transform materials, information and customers to create goods and services using staff and facilities. We study process types and focus particularly on projects. We see how capacity and inventory reconcile demand and output and explore location, supply chains, quality, risk and resilience. About 40% of the course is on projects and project-management techniques. Prepare for both critical discussion of theory and application (operationalisation), including calculation.
- Strategic Marketing (BU5553)
-
15 Credit Points
The course aims to provide participants with a critical understanding of the nature and articulation of the marketing function within modern organisations, and an appreciation of the relative contribution of specific marketing tools to the development of a market orientation.
On completion of the course students will be able to:
1. Critique the key principles and concepts of marketing.
2. Evaluate the role of marketing to modern organisations in private and public sectors.
3. Understand the integration of the marketing function with other organisational functions.
4. Assess the role of identified marketing techniques
- Managing People at Work (BU5554)
-
15 Credit Points
Whether you are intending to manage other people or be responsible for HR functions in a company, this course is intended for you.
You will learn the theories that are the basis for good practice, the skills that are required to put them across and the employment law which governs what we are expected to achieve with our people
This course is run by tutors who have been experienced managers themselves and it will prepare you to pursue a career in management confident and competent to carry out what is expected of you
- Managing Change (BU555A)
-
15 Credit Points
The concepts of change and innovation have never been more topical, especially given the commercial context of fierce business competition, shorter product life cycles and more demanding customers. Increasingly, long-term commercial success is based on an ability to manage change, to act creatively and to promote innovation; These processes interconnect and overlap and often present major challenges to modern organizations; We address these issues through providing detailed case illustrations ranging from the workplace to the wider business market. Learning is encouraged through interaction, reading, investigation, video and case analysis, and critical discussion.
- The Leadership Challenge (BU5584)
-
15 Credit Points
This course provides an opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of your own leadership behaviour. Through workshops, group activities and discussions we investigate how personality, past experience, current situations and culture shape the way each of us behave in a leadership role. Using this information as a starting point we then explore how different leadership theories and approaches can be used as frameworks for developing a deeper understanding of leadership behaviour. You will also have an opportunity to try out a range of practical tools and techniques to assist you in the development of your own approach to leadership.
- Strategic Financial Analysis (BU5946)
-
15 Credit Points
Inanalysis: A framework for analysis Accounting ratio analysis Common size analysis Stock market ratios Credit ratings Z scores Forecasting: A framework for forecasting Parameter estimation Financial forecasting models Issues in analysis: The links between the stock market and accounting International accounting issuestroduction to accounting: Key accounting concepts Financial reporting Financial statements Financial
- Talking to Teams (BU5948)
- Supply Chain Management (BU5965)
-
15 Credit Points
The Supply Chain Management course aims to provide delegates with a broad understanding of supply chain management and how it relates to the energy industry. Completing the course participants will: Understand how supply chains can be effectively designed and controlled in a range of circumstances; be able to evaluate approaches to the management and development of the supply chain; and discuss the characteristics of contemporary supply chains and assess their contribution to organisational effectiveness.
- Digital Marketing (BU5991)
-
15 Credit Points
The course provides both a strategic orientation and tactical orientation:
Strategic:
§ How to align digital strategy with a wider business strategy
§ The value that (internal and external) research and analytics can bring to digital marketing decisions
Tactical:
§ Assess the quality of any website based on a range of important measures
§ Benchmark a website’s performance against online competitors
§ Investigate the potential of a business idea for a given market sector
§ Present digital marketing research and advice to a generalist audience
§ Understand the potential commercial value of social media
§ Interpret onsite analytics in support of business objectives
Year 2
Compulsory Courses
In year 2, students must take BU5940 New Venture Creation. In addition, students undertake 30 credits (2 courses) from stage 1 courses (BU5021, BU5026, BU5048, BU5064), 30 credits from stage 2 courses (BU5553, BU5554, BU555A, BU5584) and 15 credits from stage 3 courses (BU5946, BU5948, BU5965, BU5991). Courses taken in year 1 cannot be taken again in year 2.
- New Venture Creation (BU5940)
-
15 Credit Points
The aim of this course is to equip students with an understanding of key aspects of new venture creation, including business planning, pitching new ideas to investors and managing growth. This is a capstone course, by bringing together a range of different concepts.
- Business Economics (BU5021)
-
15 Credit Points
This course focuses on the economics of business allowing students to understand the economics that underlie a whole host of business issues. The course will cover the functioning of markets, consumer behaviour, pricing, production and costing problems, monopoly and the business implications of inflation, economic growth and economic policy.
- Accounting and Finance for Managers (BU5026)
-
15 Credit Points
The fact that money (and understanding money) really matters in business and all managers need to understand issues like cashflow and profit might depress you, but it is true. Financial viability of customers? Deciding on the likely financial viability of a project? Reporting to shareholders about performance? Does the word “sustainable” appear in a finance dictionary? All questions we will try and address.
- Business Strategy (BU5048)
-
15 Credit Points
Business Strategy covers a broad range of topics that come under the general heading of “Business Strategy” / “Strategic Management”. The course introduces participants to concepts, frameworks and models that are useful in providing explanations of how companies operate with respect to goal setting, understanding their competitive landscape, assessing opportunities, managing own capabilities, coordinating their activities with other companies, and competing to create value for customers. The course is interactive in nature, applying a learning-by-doing method involving students taking on roles as part of a series of simulation exercises.
- Operations and Project Management (BU5064)
-
15 Credit Points
The focus of this course is not people but processes, not outside the organisation but within. Operations transform materials, information and customers to create goods and services using staff and facilities. We study process types and focus particularly on projects. We see how capacity and inventory reconcile demand and output and explore location, supply chains, quality, risk and resilience. About 40% of the course is on projects and project-management techniques. Prepare for both critical discussion of theory and application (operationalisation), including calculation.
- Strategic Marketing (BU5553)
-
15 Credit Points
The course aims to provide participants with a critical understanding of the nature and articulation of the marketing function within modern organisations, and an appreciation of the relative contribution of specific marketing tools to the development of a market orientation.
On completion of the course students will be able to:
1. Critique the key principles and concepts of marketing.
2. Evaluate the role of marketing to modern organisations in private and public sectors.
3. Understand the integration of the marketing function with other organisational functions.
4. Assess the role of identified marketing techniques
- Managing People at Work (BU5554)
-
15 Credit Points
Whether you are intending to manage other people or be responsible for HR functions in a company, this course is intended for you.
You will learn the theories that are the basis for good practice, the skills that are required to put them across and the employment law which governs what we are expected to achieve with our people
This course is run by tutors who have been experienced managers themselves and it will prepare you to pursue a career in management confident and competent to carry out what is expected of you
- The Leadership Challenge (BU5584)
-
15 Credit Points
This course provides an opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of your own leadership behaviour. Through workshops, group activities and discussions we investigate how personality, past experience, current situations and culture shape the way each of us behave in a leadership role. Using this information as a starting point we then explore how different leadership theories and approaches can be used as frameworks for developing a deeper understanding of leadership behaviour. You will also have an opportunity to try out a range of practical tools and techniques to assist you in the development of your own approach to leadership.
- Strategic Financial Analysis (BU5946)
-
15 Credit Points
Inanalysis: A framework for analysis Accounting ratio analysis Common size analysis Stock market ratios Credit ratings Z scores Forecasting: A framework for forecasting Parameter estimation Financial forecasting models Issues in analysis: The links between the stock market and accounting International accounting issuestroduction to accounting: Key accounting concepts Financial reporting Financial statements Financial
- Talking to Teams (BU5948)
- Supply Chain Management (BU5965)
-
15 Credit Points
The Supply Chain Management course aims to provide delegates with a broad understanding of supply chain management and how it relates to the energy industry. Completing the course participants will: Understand how supply chains can be effectively designed and controlled in a range of circumstances; be able to evaluate approaches to the management and development of the supply chain; and discuss the characteristics of contemporary supply chains and assess their contribution to organisational effectiveness.
- Digital Marketing (BU5991)
-
15 Credit Points
The course provides both a strategic orientation and tactical orientation:
Strategic:
§ How to align digital strategy with a wider business strategy
§ The value that (internal and external) research and analytics can bring to digital marketing decisions
Tactical:
§ Assess the quality of any website based on a range of important measures
§ Benchmark a website’s performance against online competitors
§ Investigate the potential of a business idea for a given market sector
§ Present digital marketing research and advice to a generalist audience
§ Understand the potential commercial value of social media
§ Interpret onsite analytics in support of business objectives
- Managing Change (BU555A)
-
15 Credit Points
The concepts of change and innovation have never been more topical, especially given the commercial context of fierce business competition, shorter product life cycles and more demanding customers. Increasingly, long-term commercial success is based on an ability to manage change, to act creatively and to promote innovation; These processes interconnect and overlap and often present major challenges to modern organizations; We address these issues through providing detailed case illustrations ranging from the workplace to the wider business market. Learning is encouraged through interaction, reading, investigation, video and case analysis, and critical discussion.
Optional Courses
Programme Fees
| Fee category | Cost |
|---|---|
| All Students | £2,385 |
| Tuition Fees for 2023/24 Academic Year The fee for this programme is charged on a modular basis. The fee quoted is the charge per 15 credits. |
- Qualification
- MBA
- Duration
- 24 months
- Learning Mode
- On Campus
- Study Mode
- Part Time
- Start Month
- January
Year 1
Students undertake a programme of study as agreed with the programme leader, taking up to 30 credit points per semester (90 credit points per year of study).
Compulsory Courses
Up to 30 credit points from:
- BU5553 Strategic Marketing (15 credit points)
- BU5554 Managing People at Work (15 credit points)
- BU555A Managing Change (15 credit points)
- BU5584 The Leadership Challenge (15 credit points)
Plus up to 30 credit points from the following:
- BU5946 Strategic Financial Analysis (15 credit points)
- BU5948 Talking to Teams (15 credit points)
- BU5965 Supply Chain Management (15 credit points) or BU5991 Digital Marketing (15 credit points)
- Strategic Marketing (BU5553)
-
15 Credit Points
The course aims to provide participants with a critical understanding of the nature and articulation of the marketing function within modern organisations, and an appreciation of the relative contribution of specific marketing tools to the development of a market orientation.
On completion of the course students will be able to:
1. Critique the key principles and concepts of marketing.
2. Evaluate the role of marketing to modern organisations in private and public sectors.
3. Understand the integration of the marketing function with other organisational functions.
4. Assess the role of identified marketing techniques
- Managing People at Work (BU5554)
-
15 Credit Points
Whether you are intending to manage other people or be responsible for HR functions in a company, this course is intended for you.
You will learn the theories that are the basis for good practice, the skills that are required to put them across and the employment law which governs what we are expected to achieve with our people
This course is run by tutors who have been experienced managers themselves and it will prepare you to pursue a career in management confident and competent to carry out what is expected of you
- The Leadership Challenge (BU5584)
-
15 Credit Points
This course provides an opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of your own leadership behaviour. Through workshops, group activities and discussions we investigate how personality, past experience, current situations and culture shape the way each of us behave in a leadership role. Using this information as a starting point we then explore how different leadership theories and approaches can be used as frameworks for developing a deeper understanding of leadership behaviour. You will also have an opportunity to try out a range of practical tools and techniques to assist you in the development of your own approach to leadership.
- Managing Change (BU555A)
-
15 Credit Points
The concepts of change and innovation have never been more topical, especially given the commercial context of fierce business competition, shorter product life cycles and more demanding customers. Increasingly, long-term commercial success is based on an ability to manage change, to act creatively and to promote innovation; These processes interconnect and overlap and often present major challenges to modern organizations; We address these issues through providing detailed case illustrations ranging from the workplace to the wider business market. Learning is encouraged through interaction, reading, investigation, video and case analysis, and critical discussion.
- Strategic Financial Analysis (BU5946)
-
15 Credit Points
Introduction to accounting: Key accounting concepts Financial reporting Financial statements Financial analysis: A framework for analysis Accounting ratio analysis Common size analysis Stock market ratios Credit ratings Z scores Forecasting: A framework for forecasting Parameter estimation Financial forecasting models Issues in analysis: The links between the stock market and accounting International accounting issues
- Talking to Teams (BU5948)
-
15 Credit Points
This course will help to highlight, in a variety of business and non-business contexts: i) the various real-life ways in which managers’ subtle, highly sophisticated and socially organized communicative actions have a significant impact on the perceptions and performance of the employee groups/teams they supervise and work with; and ii) what communicative methods managers can employ to more effectively relay information to, obtain feedback from, motivate, persuade and, more generally, enhance the performance of their staff teams.
- Supply Chain Management (BU5965)
-
15 Credit Points
The Supply Chain Management course aims to provide delegates with a broad understanding of supply chain management and how it relates to the energy industry. Completing the course participants will: Understand how supply chains can be effectively designed and controlled in a range of circumstances; be able to evaluate approaches to the management and development of the supply chain; and discuss the characteristics of contemporary supply chains and assess their contribution to organisational effectiveness.
- Digital Marketing (BU5991)
-
15 Credit Points
The course provides both a strategic orientation and tactical orientation:
Strategic:
§ How to align digital strategy with a wider business strategy
§ The value that (internal and external) research and analytics can bring to digital marketing decisions
Tactical:
§ Assess the quality of any website based on a range of important measures
§ Benchmark a website’s performance against online competitors
§ Investigate the potential of a business idea for a given market sector
§ Present digital marketing research and advice to a generalist audience
§ Understand the potential commercial value of social media
§ Interpret onsite analytics in support of business objectives
Year 2
All students must take the following:
- BU5940 New Venture Creation (15 credit points)
Compulsory Courses
Plus up to 30 credit points from the following:
- BU5021 Business Economics (15 credit points)
- BU5026 Accounting and Finance for Managers
- BU5048 Business Strategy (15 credit points)
- BU5064 Operations and Project Management (15 credit points)
Plus up to 30 credit points from the following (courses taken in previous years cannot be taken again):
- BU5553 Strategic Marketing (15 credit points)
- BU5554 Managing People at Work (15 credit points)
- BU555A Managing Change (15 credit points)
- BU5584 The Leadership Challenge (15 credit points)
Plus up to 30 credit points from the following:
- BU5946 Strategic Financial Analysis (15 credit points)
- BU5948 Talking to Teams (15 credit points)
- BU5965 Supply Chain Management (15 credit points)
- BU5991 Digital Marketing (15 credit points)
- BU506A Work-based Project (Semester 1) (30 credit points)
- BU556A Work-based project (Semester 2) (30 credit points)
- BU5969 Work Based Project (Summer Semester) (30 credit points)
- New Venture Creation (BU5940)
-
15 Credit Points
The aim of this course is to equip students with an understanding of key aspects of new venture creation, including business planning, pitching new ideas to investors and managing growth. This is a capstone course, by bringing together a range of different concepts.
- Business Economics (BU5021)
-
15 Credit Points
This course focuses on the economics of business allowing students to understand the economics that underlie a whole host of business issues. The course will cover the functioning of markets, consumer behaviour, pricing, production and costing problems, monopoly and the business implications of inflation, economic growth and economic policy.
- Accounting and Finance for Managers (BU5026)
-
15 Credit Points
The fact that money (and understanding money) really matters in business and all managers need to understand issues like cashflow and profit might depress you, but it is true. Financial viability of customers? Deciding on the likely financial viability of a project? Reporting to shareholders about performance? Does the word “sustainable” appear in a finance dictionary? All questions we will try and address.
- Business Strategy (BU5048)
-
15 Credit Points
Business Strategy covers a broad range of topics that come under the general heading of “Business Strategy” / “Strategic Management”. The course introduces participants to concepts, frameworks and models that are useful in providing explanations of how companies operate with respect to goal setting, understanding their competitive landscape, assessing opportunities, managing own capabilities, coordinating their activities with other companies, and competing to create value for customers. The course is interactive in nature, applying a learning-by-doing method involving students taking on roles as part of a series of simulation exercises.
- Operations and Project Management (BU5064)
-
15 Credit Points
The focus of this course is not people but processes, not outside the organisation but within. Operations transform materials, information and customers to create goods and services using staff and facilities. We study process types and focus particularly on projects. We see how capacity and inventory reconcile demand and output and explore location, supply chains, quality, risk and resilience. About 40% of the course is on projects and project-management techniques. Prepare for both critical discussion of theory and application (operationalisation), including calculation.
- Strategic Marketing (BU5553)
-
15 Credit Points
The course aims to provide participants with a critical understanding of the nature and articulation of the marketing function within modern organisations, and an appreciation of the relative contribution of specific marketing tools to the development of a market orientation.
On completion of the course students will be able to:
1. Critique the key principles and concepts of marketing.
2. Evaluate the role of marketing to modern organisations in private and public sectors.
3. Understand the integration of the marketing function with other organisational functions.
4. Assess the role of identified marketing techniques
- Managing People at Work (BU5554)
-
15 Credit Points
Whether you are intending to manage other people or be responsible for HR functions in a company, this course is intended for you.
You will learn the theories that are the basis for good practice, the skills that are required to put them across and the employment law which governs what we are expected to achieve with our people
This course is run by tutors who have been experienced managers themselves and it will prepare you to pursue a career in management confident and competent to carry out what is expected of you
- Managing Change (BU555A)
-
15 Credit Points
The concepts of change and innovation have never been more topical, especially given the commercial context of fierce business competition, shorter product life cycles and more demanding customers. Increasingly, long-term commercial success is based on an ability to manage change, to act creatively and to promote innovation; These processes interconnect and overlap and often present major challenges to modern organizations; We address these issues through providing detailed case illustrations ranging from the workplace to the wider business market. Learning is encouraged through interaction, reading, investigation, video and case analysis, and critical discussion.
- The Leadership Challenge (BU5584)
-
15 Credit Points
This course provides an opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of your own leadership behaviour. Through workshops, group activities and discussions we investigate how personality, past experience, current situations and culture shape the way each of us behave in a leadership role. Using this information as a starting point we then explore how different leadership theories and approaches can be used as frameworks for developing a deeper understanding of leadership behaviour. You will also have an opportunity to try out a range of practical tools and techniques to assist you in the development of your own approach to leadership.
- Strategic Financial Analysis (BU5946)
-
15 Credit Points
Introduction to accounting: Key accounting concepts Financial reporting Financial statements Financial analysis: A framework for analysis Accounting ratio analysis Common size analysis Stock market ratios Credit ratings Z scores Forecasting: A framework for forecasting Parameter estimation Financial forecasting models Issues in analysis: The links between the stock market and accounting International accounting issues
- Supply Chain Management (BU5965)
-
15 Credit Points
The Supply Chain Management course aims to provide delegates with a broad understanding of supply chain management and how it relates to the energy industry. Completing the course participants will: Understand how supply chains can be effectively designed and controlled in a range of circumstances; be able to evaluate approaches to the management and development of the supply chain; and discuss the characteristics of contemporary supply chains and assess their contribution to organisational effectiveness.
- Work Based Project (BU506A)
-
30 Credit Points
This credit bearing course is offered to part-time students on the MBA and MBA (Energy Management) programmes an opportunity to conduct an in-depth investigation and to improve practice through a capstone action-learning project.
- Work Based Project (BU556A)
-
30 Credit Points
This credit bearing course is offered to part-time students on the MBA and MBA (Energy Management) programmes an opportunity to conduct an in-depth investigation and to improve practice through a capstone action-learning project.
- Work Based Project (BU5969)
-
30 Credit Points
This credit bearing course is offered to part-time students on the MBA and MBA (Energy Management) programmes an opportunity to conduct an in-depth investigation and to improve practice through a capstone action-learning project.
- Talking to Teams (BU5948)
-
15 Credit Points
This course will help to highlight, in a variety of business and non-business contexts: i) the various real-life ways in which managers’ subtle, highly sophisticated and socially organized communicative actions have a significant impact on the perceptions and performance of the employee groups/teams they supervise and work with; and ii) what communicative methods managers can employ to more effectively relay information to, obtain feedback from, motivate, persuade and, more generally, enhance the performance of their staff teams.
- Digital Marketing (BU5991)
-
15 Credit Points
The course provides both a strategic orientation and tactical orientation:
Strategic:
§ How to align digital strategy with a wider business strategy
§ The value that (internal and external) research and analytics can bring to digital marketing decisions
Tactical:
§ Assess the quality of any website based on a range of important measures
§ Benchmark a website’s performance against online competitors
§ Investigate the potential of a business idea for a given market sector
§ Present digital marketing research and advice to a generalist audience
§ Understand the potential commercial value of social media
§ Interpret onsite analytics in support of business objectives
Optional Courses
- Work Based Project (BU506A)
-
30 Credit Points
This credit bearing course is offered to part-time students on the MBA and MBA (Energy Management) programmes an opportunity to conduct an in-depth investigation and to improve practice through a capstone action-learning project.
- Work Based Project (BU556A)
-
30 Credit Points
This credit bearing course is offered to part-time students on the MBA and MBA (Energy Management) programmes an opportunity to conduct an in-depth investigation and to improve practice through a capstone action-learning project.
- Work Based Project (BU5969)
-
30 Credit Points
This credit bearing course is offered to part-time students on the MBA and MBA (Energy Management) programmes an opportunity to conduct an in-depth investigation and to improve practice through a capstone action-learning project.
Year 3
Compulsory Courses
Up to 30 credit points from the following (courses taken in previous years cannot be taken again):
- Business Economics (BU5021)
-
15 Credit Points
This course focuses on the economics of business allowing students to understand the economics that underlie a whole host of business issues. The course will cover the functioning of markets, consumer behaviour, pricing, production and costing problems, monopoly and the business implications of inflation, economic growth and economic policy.
- Accounting and Finance for Managers (BU5026)
-
15 Credit Points
The fact that money (and understanding money) really matters in business and all managers need to understand issues like cashflow and profit might depress you, but it is true. Financial viability of customers? Deciding on the likely financial viability of a project? Reporting to shareholders about performance? Does the word “sustainable” appear in a finance dictionary? All questions we will try and address.
- Business Strategy (BU5048)
-
15 Credit Points
Business Strategy covers a broad range of topics that come under the general heading of “Business Strategy” / “Strategic Management”. The course introduces participants to concepts, frameworks and models that are useful in providing explanations of how companies operate with respect to goal setting, understanding their competitive landscape, assessing opportunities, managing own capabilities, coordinating their activities with other companies, and competing to create value for customers. The course is interactive in nature, applying a learning-by-doing method involving students taking on roles as part of a series of simulation exercises.
- Operations and Project Management (BU5064)
-
15 Credit Points
The focus of this course is not people but processes, not outside the organisation but within. Operations transform materials, information and customers to create goods and services using staff and facilities. We study process types and focus particularly on projects. We see how capacity and inventory reconcile demand and output and explore location, supply chains, quality, risk and resilience. About 40% of the course is on projects and project-management techniques. Prepare for both critical discussion of theory and application (operationalisation), including calculation.
Programme Fees
| Fee category | Cost |
|---|---|
| All Students | £2,385 |
| Tuition Fees for 2023/24 Academic Year The fee for this programme is charged on a modular basis. The fee quoted is the charge per 15 credits. |
- Qualification
- MBA
- Duration
- 12 months
- Learning Mode
- On Campus
- Study Mode
- Full Time
- Start Month
- September
Stage 1
Students completing only stage 1 (4 months) may leave with a PgCert. Students completing stages 1 and 2 (9 months) may leave with a PgDip. Students completing all three stages (12 months) leave with an MBA.
Compulsory Courses
- Business Economics (BU5021)
-
15 Credit Points
This course focuses on the economics of business allowing students to understand the economics that underlie a whole host of business issues. The course will cover the functioning of markets, consumer behaviour, pricing, production and costing problems, monopoly and the business implications of inflation, economic growth and economic policy.
- Accounting and Finance for Managers (BU5026)
-
15 Credit Points
The fact that money (and understanding money) really matters in business and all managers need to understand issues like cashflow and profit might depress you, but it is true. Financial viability of customers? Deciding on the likely financial viability of a project? Reporting to shareholders about performance? Does the word “sustainable” appear in a finance dictionary? All questions we will try and address.
- Business Strategy (BU5048)
-
15 Credit Points
Business Strategy covers a broad range of topics that come under the general heading of “Business Strategy” / “Strategic Management”. The course introduces participants to concepts, frameworks and models that are useful in providing explanations of how companies operate with respect to goal setting, understanding their competitive landscape, assessing opportunities, managing own capabilities, coordinating their activities with other companies, and competing to create value for customers. The course is interactive in nature, applying a learning-by-doing method involving students taking on roles as part of a series of simulation exercises.
- Operations and Project Management (BU5064)
-
15 Credit Points
The focus of this course is not people but processes, not outside the organisation but within. Operations transform materials, information and customers to create goods and services using staff and facilities. We study process types and focus particularly on projects. We see how capacity and inventory reconcile demand and output and explore location, supply chains, quality, risk and resilience. About 40% of the course is on projects and project-management techniques. Prepare for both critical discussion of theory and application (operationalisation), including calculation.
- Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5006)
-
This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 5-6 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across a number of weeks.
Topics include orientation overview, equality and diversity, health, safety and cyber security and how to make the most of your time at university in relation to careers and employability.
Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Enhanced Transcript as ‘Achieved’.
Stage 2
Compulsory Courses
- Strategic Marketing (BU5553)
-
15 Credit Points
The course aims to provide participants with a critical understanding of the nature and articulation of the marketing function within modern organisations, and an appreciation of the relative contribution of specific marketing tools to the development of a market orientation.
On completion of the course students will be able to:
1. Critique the key principles and concepts of marketing.
2. Evaluate the role of marketing to modern organisations in private and public sectors.
3. Understand the integration of the marketing function with other organisational functions.
4. Assess the role of identified marketing techniques
- Managing People at Work (BU5554)
-
15 Credit Points
Whether you are intending to manage other people or be responsible for HR functions in a company, this course is intended for you.
You will learn the theories that are the basis for good practice, the skills that are required to put them across and the employment law which governs what we are expected to achieve with our people
This course is run by tutors who have been experienced managers themselves and it will prepare you to pursue a career in management confident and competent to carry out what is expected of you
- The Leadership Challenge (BU5584)
-
15 Credit Points
This course provides an opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of your own leadership behaviour. Through workshops, group activities and discussions we investigate how personality, past experience, current situations and culture shape the way each of us behave in a leadership role. Using this information as a starting point we then explore how different leadership theories and approaches can be used as frameworks for developing a deeper understanding of leadership behaviour. You will also have an opportunity to try out a range of practical tools and techniques to assist you in the development of your own approach to leadership.
- Managing Change (BU555A)
-
15 Credit Points
The concepts of change and innovation have never been more topical, especially given the commercial context of fierce business competition, shorter product life cycles and more demanding customers. Increasingly, long-term commercial success is based on an ability to manage change, to act creatively and to promote innovation; These processes interconnect and overlap and often present major challenges to modern organizations; We address these issues through providing detailed case illustrations ranging from the workplace to the wider business market. Learning is encouraged through interaction, reading, investigation, video and case analysis, and critical discussion.
Stage 3
Compulsory Courses
- New Venture Creation (BU5940)
-
15 Credit Points
The aim of this course is to equip students with an understanding of key aspects of new venture creation, including business planning, pitching new ideas to investors and managing growth. This is a capstone course, by bringing together a range of different concepts.
- Strategic Financial Analysis (BU5946)
-
15 Credit Points
Inanalysis: A framework for analysis Accounting ratio analysis Common size analysis Stock market ratios Credit ratings Z scores Forecasting: A framework for forecasting Parameter estimation Financial forecasting models Issues in analysis: The links between the stock market and accounting International accounting issuestroduction to accounting: Key accounting concepts Financial reporting Financial statements Financial
- Business Negotiation Skills for Professionals (BU593N)
-
15 Credit Points
This course will help to highlight, in a variety of business and non-business contexts: i) the various real-life ways in which managers’ subtle, highly sophisticated and socially organized communicative actions have a significant impact on the perceptions and performance of the employee groups/teams they supervise and work with; and ii) what communicative methods managers can employ to more effectively relay information to, obtain feedback from, motivate, persuade and, more generally, enhance the performance of their staff teams.
Optional Courses
Plus:
- Supply Chain Management (BU5965)
-
15 Credit Points
The Supply Chain Management course aims to provide delegates with a broad understanding of supply chain management and how it relates to the energy industry. Completing the course participants will: Understand how supply chains can be effectively designed and controlled in a range of circumstances; be able to evaluate approaches to the management and development of the supply chain; and discuss the characteristics of contemporary supply chains and assess their contribution to organisational effectiveness.
- Digital Marketing (BU5991)
-
15 Credit Points
The course provides both a strategic orientation and tactical orientation:
Strategic:
§ How to align digital strategy with a wider business strategy
§ The value that (internal and external) research and analytics can bring to digital marketing decisions
Tactical:
§ Assess the quality of any website based on a range of important measures
§ Benchmark a website’s performance against online competitors
§ Investigate the potential of a business idea for a given market sector
§ Present digital marketing research and advice to a generalist audience
§ Understand the potential commercial value of social media
§ Interpret onsite analytics in support of business objectives
Programme Fees
| Fee category | Cost |
|---|---|
| All Students | £28,600 |
| Tuition Fees for 2023/24 Academic Year |
Available Programmes of Study
- MBA
-
MBA
Qualification Duration Learning Mode Study Mode Start MonthMBA 12 months On Campus Learning Full Time January MoreMBA 24 months On Campus Learning Part Time September MoreMBA 24 months On Campus Learning Part Time January MoreMBA 12 months On Campus Learning Full Time September More
We will endeavour to make all course options available; however, these may be subject to timetabling and other constraints. Please see our InfoHub pages for further information.
Related Programmes
You may also be interested in the following related postgraduate degree programmes.
Fee Information
International Applicants
Further Information about tuition fees and the cost of living in Aberdeen
Additional Fee Information
- Fees for individual programmes can be viewed in the Programmes section above.
- In exceptional circumstances there may be additional fees associated with specialist courses, for example field trips. Any additional fees for a course can be found in our Catalogue of Courses.
- For more information about tuition fees for this programme, including payment plans and our refund policy, please visit our InfoHub Tuition Fees page.
Funding Opportunities
The University of Aberdeen provides an Alumni Discount Scheme:
The University of Aberdeen is very pleased to offer a 20% discount on postgraduate tuition fees for all alumni who have graduated with a degree from the University of Aberdeen. More Information can be found here.
Scholarships
Eligible self-funded international Masters students will receive the Aberdeen Global Scholarship. Visit our Funding Database to find out more and see our full range of scholarships.
How You'll Study
The MBA programme consists of a stimulating mix of lectures, tutorials, seminars, case studies, fieldwork and business simulations, which are further supported by on-line forums and additional learning materials. All our modules are assessed entirely by coursework – there are no exams – so you will be required to produce reports, briefing notes, presentations and reflective journals. Together these will build up into a personalised portfolio of experience – tangible proof that you’ve acquired key business skills and knowledge and something we know that prospective employers find very useful.
Learning Methods
- Field Work
- Group Projects
- Individual Projects
- Lectures
- Research
- Seminars
- Tutorials
Assessment Methods
- Just like industry, we don’t run our programmes around exams – in fact there are no exams, just intensive real-world learning that helps you gain relevant knowledge, quickly and effectively.
- All assessments are done by a portfolio of work-based assignments.
- We’re talking about powerful knowledge that will stay with you and make you more marketable within industry long after you’ve completed the MBA.
Why Study MBA?
Although the programme is aimed at working professionals, with significant business experience, there is still a lot to learn. We will explore both the practical and theoretical aspects of business, broadening and deepening your knowledge – and focusing on powerful business insights – many of them from newly emerging business models that will shape tomorrow. This course will help you to:
• Learn how to manage and motivate successful teams and organisations
• Understand how data drives better decision-making and management
• Develop a strong skillset in strategy formulation and implementation
• Focus on your personal development: communication skills, leadership style
• Tailor your MBA to specialist subject areas such as HR, finance or marketing
Students studying MSc International Business Management can fast track to the MBA (IBM Graduate Pathway) upon successful completion of the IBM programme.
Interested in this programme?
Call +44 (0)1224 272090 Email study@abdn.ac.uk Enquire Now Using an online form Next Steps Find out how to applyEntry Requirements
Qualifications
The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.
Open to graduates from any discipline, this programme does not require business or management study to be completed at undergraduate level.
This programme is for you if you have a minimum of TWO years post-degree work experience; a track record of professional achievement and a good first degree (equivalent to a British second-class Honours degree) or above in any discipline.
The Programme Director may consider applicants with non-standard qualifications. If you have non-standard qualifications and extensive work experience, please ensure to enclose a complete CV and detailed work references.
Please enter your country to view country-specific entry requirements.
English Language Requirements
To study for a Postgraduate Taught degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:
IELTS Academic:
OVERALL - 6.5 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 6.0; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
TOEFL iBT:
OVERALL - 90 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 21; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
PTE Academic:
OVERALL - 62 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency:
OVERALL - 176 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 169; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169
Read more about specific English Language requirements here.
Document Requirements
You will be required to supply the following documentation with your application as proof you meet the entry requirements of this degree programme. If you have not yet completed your current programme of study, then you can still apply and you can provide your Degree Certificate at a later date.
- CV
- an up-to-date CV/Resumé
- Degree Transcript
- a full transcript showing all the subjects you studied and the marks you have achieved in your degree(s) (original & official English translation)
- Personal Statement
- a detailed personal statement explaining your motivation for this particular programme
International Applicants
Careers
MBA graduates are in high demand worldwide and the average salary of an MBA graduate is over £80,000 according to the Association of MBAs. Our Alumni have enjoyed much success with recent graduates going on to work in organisations such as Accenture, Bank of Scotland, Centrica, KPMG, Shell and Standard Chartered Bank.
Industry Links
Our business connections mean we provide opportunities to network with, present to, brainstorm with and do work for industry, including:
- The chance to have your work seen by eminent members of your profession.
- ‘Live’ projects for and site visits to prestigious companies or institutions.
- Project work and workshops with visiting lecturers and industry specialists.
Accreditation
Our MBA is accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). CMI is the only chartered professional body in the UK dedicated to promoting the highest standards in management and leadership excellence. Students who complete degree programmes that are CMI accredited will graduate with a professional qualification and be a member of the CMI
This degree holds accreditation from
What our Alumni Say
Martina Ezike
Martina Ezike
- Job Details
- Chief Executive
- Graduated 2009
The course was well structured with lecturers who were committed to developing and mentoring future managers and leaders
Martina Ezike
Martina Ezike
- Job Details
- Chief Executive
- Graduated 2009
The course was well structured with lecturers who were committed to developing and mentoring future managers and leaders.
Our Experts
- Programme Leader
- Professor Pervaiz Akhtar
Information About Staff Changes
You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. Staff changes will occur from time to time; please see our InfoHub pages for further information.
Facilities
- 24 hour access to our online Learning Support provided via our Virtual Learning environment MyAberdeen.
- Membership of the University Library, learning materials including access to core text books.
- Access to international networking and continuing professional development.
- Join our business societies such as the Entrepreneurial Society.
- Access to the Internet via the university computer.
- Access to all campus facilities.
Sir Duncan Rice Library
The University’s award winning Sir Duncan Rice Library is listed in the “Top 20 spellbinding University libraries in the World”. It contains over a million volumes, more than 300,000 e-books and 21,000 journals.
Find out moreVirtual Learning environment MyAberdeen
This the University’s virtual learning environment. This is where you will find learning materials and resources associated with your courses and where you will be notified of any announcements about your courses or the University.
Get in Touch
Contact Details
- Address
-
Business School
University of Aberdeen
MacRobert Building
King Street
Aberdeen
AB24 3FX