MBA
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Taught Masters
- Code
- F02
- Level
- Postgraduate
- Made up of
- 180 credit points
Description
This qualification is not available to new students. If you have any questions about your eligibility for this qualification please contact the Qualifications and Ceremonies Centre on +44(0) 1908 653003 or by email. If you are a new student, please see our new MBA (F61).
The internationally recognised MBA qualification is designed for practising managers aspiring to higher positions. The emphasis is on strategic analysis, interdisciplinary skills, intellectual stimulation and independent judgement. Within the broad framework of organisations, their external context and management, you will learn to use the knowledge to analyse, synthesise and evaluate a wide range of situations. Among these will be economic, environmental, social and technological change issues, corporate governance, markets and customers, managing resources and operations, financing organisations, management and development of people, developing information technologies for application in business and management within a global knowledge-based economy, and development of appropriate business policies and strategies within a changing context to meet stakeholder interests. The courses comprising the MBA are challenging. They assume that you already have some experiential knowledge acquired from managerial work.
The OU Business School is accredited internationally by the European Foundation for Management Development, through its EQUIS programme; by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB); and the MBA is accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA). The School is one of only 21 business schools worldwide to have achieved all three accreditations. Do not be concerned that this MBA does not appear in either the Financial Times or Wall Street Journal league tables. These tables are restricted to full-time study programmes, many students on which seek employment after they complete. The OU MBA does not qualify for these tables because it is for people studying part-time and already in a managerial position.
Planning your studies
All entrants to the MBA are expected to have organisational experience, some of it at a middle level of management or above. You must have a minimum of three years’ experience in a managerial, professional or technical role. Usually this means that you are at least 25 years old.
The MBA qualification is in two stages. You must expect to successfully complete Stage 1 before you enrol on Stage 2.
Stage 1
There are three routes through Stage 1.
Route 1 – if you already have a bachelors level qualification
To follow this route, you must have at least a bachelors level qualification from a recognised university or the equivalent. If you are eligible for this route, you can complete Stage 1 either by taking the Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration course B713 (now discontinued) or, if your qualification is in the business studies area, you can study the Professional Diploma in Management course B700 (now discontinued). Both B713 and B700 involve, on average, 600 hours of study over 12 months.
Route 2 – if you already hold the Professional Diploma in Management
If you have our Professional Diploma in Management (D64) you can count this as Stage 1 of the MBA. There is a 10 year maximum period within which all study towards the MBA must be completed; if you graduated from the Diploma some years ago, contact the Student Registration and Enquiry Service.
Route 3 – if you are experienced in managerial work
If you are experienced in managerial work but not eligible for Route 1 or 2, you can take our Professional Certificate in Management (C31), prior to entering Stage 1. When you complete that certificate, you are then eligible to study our Professional Diploma in Management (D64) as Stage 1 of the MBA. The Certificate followed by the Diploma will take two years.
If you need advice about entry to the programme, please ask our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Stage 2
Your first Stage 2 course must normally be Strategy (B820) . Once you have completed B820 you are then able to continue with the rest of Stage 2.
Courses
For this 180-point masters degree you require:
Stage 1 – 60 points from the following compulsory courses:
Subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued courses B700, B713, B730, B736, B800, BZX700, BZX713
Stage 2 – 60 points from the following compulsory courses:
| Postgraduate compulsory courses | Points | Next start |
|---|---|---|
|
30 | Nov 2010 |
|
30 | Nov 2010 |
Note: B830 should be taken after B820 and alongside or after the Stage 2 option courses below. It is possible to study an elective alongside both halves of B830, which takes 1 year, but this requires an average of 24-30 hours of study a week, which is not usually compatible with full-time work. A more typical pattern would be to take one elective on its own and the second alongside part of B830, thereby completing the MBA in 3 years of steady study.
And another 60 points taken from OU Business School courses or from masters level courses from other programmes listed below.
| Postgraduate optional courses | Points | Next start |
|---|---|---|
|
30 | Nov 2010 |
|
30 | Nov 2010 |
|
30 | Nov 2010 |
|
30 | Nov 2010 |
|
15 | Nov 2010 |
|
30 | Nov 2010 |
|
60 | Oct 2010 FINAL |
|
15 | Nov 2010 |
|
30 | Nov 2010 |
|
30 | May 2011 |
|
30 | Nov 2010 |
|
30 | Nov 2010 FINAL |
|
30 | Nov 2010 |
|
30 | May 2011 |
|
30 | Nov 2010 |
Or, subject to rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued courses B824, BZX824, B826, B890, E838 (60-point course but counts as only 30 points towards the MBA), T834*, T836, TUXX870
*T834 and T889 cannot both be counted towards this qualification
We cannot guarantee that the same selection of courses will continue to be available throughout your study period but we are committed to providing a suitable selection at all times.
* 60-point course but counts as only 30 points towards the MBA
N.B. Alternatively, you could study the 60-point course Strategic management in life sciences and healthcare (BS811) but your degree would be designated MBA (Life Sciences) (F38); or you could study the two 30-point courses Technology management: an integrative approach (T840) and Technology strategy (T846) but your degree would be designated MBA (Technology Management) (F03).
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
Credit for previous study elsewhere
If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution we may be able to give you credit for this study that you can count towards this Open University qualification. You can find out more on our Credit Transfer site. If you make a successful claim for transferred credit it may affect your choice of courses so you are advised to investigate this option as soon as possible.
From 1 January 2008, a maximum of 30 points credit transfer will be available. As Stage 1 comprises a single 60-point course, credit transfer will only be possible towards Stage 2, in the form of 30 points of course-related credit.
Credit transfer details for this qualification:
On completion
On successful completion of the required courses you will be awarded a Master of Business Administration and will be entitled to use the letters MBA (Open) after your name. You will have the option of being presented at a degree ceremony.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the Award Regulations and the Student Regulations.
Award Regulations
Student Regulations
The Student Regulations (including the Code of Practice for Student Assessment and the Code of Practice for Student Discipline) are available on our Policy Documents for Students website.
How to register
To register for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the course you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that course.
About this page
A postgraduate qualification.
Study explained
- Credit points
- - show how much study is required to complete a course or qualification. One credit point represents roughly 10 hours of study.
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- - find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.
- Study explained
- - all you need to know about studying with the OU.
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