Postgraduate

MBA

On this page

• Description
• Planning your studies
• Courses
• Learning outcomes
• Credit for previous study elsewhere
• On completion
• Regulations
• How to register

Description

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.

If you are particularly interested in public services and governmental organisations, you may wish to consider our Master of Public Administration (F44). Having said that, the MBA has been completed by many people with such interests. Other alternatives to this general MBA are our MBA (Technology Management) (F03) and MBA (Life Sciences) (F38).

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. Further details are set out under Approved Minimum Entry Requirements below. If you are eligible for this route, you can complete Stage 1 either by taking the Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration course, Fundamentals of senior management (B713) or, if your qualification is in the business studies area, you can study the Professional Diploma in Management course Managing performance and change (B700) (see under Approved Minimum Entry Requirements below for more about which course you are eligible for given your qualifications). 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:

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued courses B730, B736, B800

Stage 2 – 60 points from the following compulsory courses:

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.

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:

• Essential Information Sheets - MBA

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.

Approved minimum entry requirements

Route 2 entry for the MBA via the Professional Diploma in Management or another postgraduate qualification relating to business is explained under Planning your studies above.

The higher education awards and professional qualifications listed below meet the Route 1 entry requirements; some that contain postgraduate study may entitle you to credit transfer for part of your MBA (see Credit for previous study elsewhere). If you are not eligible for either of these routes, then you can still embark on a study programme leading to the MBA via Route 3 (see Planning your studies).

Awards from higher education institutions (including the OU)

A bachelors or masters degree from a university or other recognised degree awarding body.

*N.B. if your degree specialism or major is in business studies, management or a closely related discipline, you can choose B700 for Stage 1. If not, then you should choose B713 for Stage 1.

Your degree must be at least equivalent to a bachelors degree from an English, Welsh or Northern Irish university. For further information please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.

Awards from professional bodies

Professional qualifications, Accountancy

*Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA, FCCA)
*Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (ACMA, FCMA)
*Chartered Institute of Public Finance Accountants (CPFA)
*Institute of Chartered Accountants (England & Wales) (ACA, FCA)
*Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland (CA)
*Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ireland (ACA)
Chartered accountant or certified public accountant members of one of the Institutes of Chartered Accountants in Australia (CA), Canada (CA), Malaysia (CA), New Zealand (CA) or South Africa (CA), or Institutes of Certified Public Accountants of America (CPA), Australia (CPA), Hong Kong (CPA), Malaysia (CPA) or Singapore (CPA).

Professional qualifications, Engineering

The equivalent of Chartered Engineer (CEng) or Incorporated Engineer (IEng) members of bodies in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States of America that are signatories to the Washington Accord (see www.washingtonaccord.org).

Note: It is recognised that members of various bodies (e.g. Institution of Mechanical Engineers MIMechE, British Computer Society MBCS) do hold the above qualification. However, what is important is the holding of one of the above qualifications rather than being a member of a particular body.

Professional Qualifications, Other in the UK and Ireland

Army Office Training (Junior Officer) Training and Education Scheme Parts 1 and 2
Chartered Building Societies Institute (ACBSI, FCBSI)
*Chartered Institute of Bankers (ACIB, FCIB)
*Chartered Institute of Bankers of Scotland (MCIBS – not ACIBS)
Chartered Institute of Building (MCIB, FCIB)
*Chartered Institute of Marketing (MCInstM, FCInstM)
*Chartered Institute of Marketing, Professional or Postgraduate – Diploma (see note)
*Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) (see note)
Chartered Institute of Transport (MCIT, FCIT)
Chartered Insurance Institute (ACII)
Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (MCSP)
Institute of Actuaries (AIA, FIA)
Institute of Biology (MIBIOL)
Institute of Bio Medical Science (FIBMS)
Institute of Data Processing Management Graduate Diploma (IDPM)
*Institute of Marketing, Ireland - Graduateship
Institute of Medical Laboratory Scientists – Associate (AIMLS)
Institute of Physics – Member (MInstP)
Institute of Production Control – Member (MIPC)
Institute of Industrial Managers – Associate Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma (ADIIM, PDIIM)
Law Society
Library Association (ALA)
*Plassey Management Centre Diploma in Management
*Police Senior Command Course
*Professional Diploma of the Hotel, Catering and Institutional Management Association (post 1990 syllabus)
*RAF Officer Training – Officers’ Command Course, Individual Studies Course and Basic Staff Course
Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA)
Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (ARICS)
Royal Society of Chemistry (GRSC)
Royal Town Planning Institute – Member (MRTPI)

Holders of items in the above professional qualifications list marked * may choose between courses B700 and B713 as the Stage 1 course for this masters degree. Otherwise, the choice is restricted to B713 on the grounds that you have not studied sufficient business and management at undergraduate level.

If you hold a qualification that is not on the list but that you believe is at bachelor level, you are advised to bring this to the attention of our Student Registration & Enquiry Service with full details. The OU Business School Masters Programme Committee is responsible for judging whether applicants’ qualifications meet the requirements for admission to any award.

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

• Introduction to the Award Regulations
• General Award Regulations
• Master of Business Administration

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 in Business and Management.

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