MBA (Life Sciences)
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Taught Masters
- Code
- F38
- Level
- Postgraduate
- Made up of
- 180 credit points
Description
Please note that this qualification is no longer available to new entrants.
A leading edge MBA qualification designed for the Life Sciences and Health universe, from pharmaceuticals and biotechnology industries through to the broad environment of healthcare provision. It is directed towards strategic decision-makers and those who have the potential to move into strategic positions and, crucially, those who want to equip themselves to influence future directions in these areas. It will consider such strategic issues as research and funding priorities, patient life style changes, optimal resource utilisation and risk management.
Specifically, the programme is intended to contribute to the professional education of potential future leaders and managers working in the broad universe of patient care by equipping them with:
- organisational and environmental analytical skills
- strategic thinking capabilities
- an ability to facilitate creative and innovative approaches
- an ability to manage knowledge in the most effective way
- skills critically to evaluate future strategic opportunities
- skills to deal with emergent challenges facing the environment.
The OU Business School is accredited internationally by the European Foundation for Management Development, through its EQUIS programme; and by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
Planning your studies
All entrants to the MBA (Life Sciences) 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 (Life Sciences) 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 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 (Life Sciences). There is a 10 year maximum period within which all study towards the MBA (Life Sciences) 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 (Life Sciences). 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 be Strategy (B820). Once you have completed B820 you are then able to continue with the rest of Stage 2, comprising Making a difference (B830) and the discontinued BS811.
If you qualify for this award on 1 January 2010 or later, then you must have passed the courses required during a period not exceeding ten years. If you fail or withdraw from a course you are allowed to retake it once. We cannot guarantee that the same programme of courses will continue to be available throughout your study period but we are committed to providing suitable equivalent courses at all times.
Your MBA qualification must include at least 60 credit points from OU courses that have not been counted in any other OU qualification you have been awarded.
Courses
For this 180-point masters degree you require:
Stage 1 – 60 points from the following compulsory courses:
| Postgraduate compulsory courses | Points | Next start |
|---|---|---|
|
60 | May 2010 |
| or | ||
|
60 | May 2010 |
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued courses B730, B736, B800
Stage 2 – 120 points from the following compulsory courses:
| Postgraduate compulsory courses | Points | Next start |
|---|---|---|
|
30 | May 2010 |
|
30 | May 2010 |
And the discontinued course BS811.
Note: B830 should be taken after B820 and alongside or after BS811.
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 postgraduate or masters level at another higher education institution or with a professional body we may be able to give you credit 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 MBA (Life Sciences), entitling to use the letters MBA Life Sciences (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 (Life Sciences) via the Professional Diploma in Management or another postgraduate qualification relating to business is explained under Planning you 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. In those countries, these are commonly referred to as bachelors degrees with honours or honours degrees, as distinct from foundation degrees, ordinary degrees and pass degrees. They comprise at least 360 CATS points at undergraduate level, of which at least 120 must be at or above undergraduate level 3, and would normally involve a minimum of 3 years of equivalent full-time study. (N.B. This specification is based in the Bologna agreement regarding 3 years of full-time higher education study giving rise to a bachelors qualification). The following is a list of degree names recognised as bachelors level or above in European jurisdictions other than England, Wales and Northern Ireland:
AUSTRIA
Diplomstudium/Magister
BELGIUM
Licencie/Licentiaat/Ingenieur Industriel/Industrieel Ingenieur
CZECH REPUBLIC
Magister
DENMARK
Candidatus Philosophiae (CandPhil)
Candidatus Magisterii
Magisterkonferens (Magister Artium/Magister Scientiarum)
FINLAND
Until 1996:
Kandidaatti/Kandidat (Ekonomi, Diplomi-insinööri, Arkkitehti, Lisensiaatti, Proviisori) (N.B.: course lasts longer than 3 years)
Licentiate (Lisensiaatti/Licenciat)
New system implemented from 1993 to 1996:
Maisteri/magister (5 years)
FRANCE
Maîtrise
Diplôme d’Ingénieur/Magistere
GERMANY
Diplom/Erstes Staatsexamen/Magister Artium
Staatsprüfung/Lizentiat
GREECE
Ptychion (Bachelor degree) awarded by an AEI
HUNGARY
Egyetemi Oklevel
IRELAND
Bachelors
Masters
ITALY
Diploma di Laurea
LIECHTENSTEIN
Mag Phil from the International Academy for Philosophy
NETHERLANDS
Doctoraal
NORWAY
Candidatus Magisteri
Candidatus Realium, Candidatus Philologiae
POLAND
Magister
PORTUGAL
Licenciado/Diploma do ciclo especial/DESE
SCOTLAND
Bachelors
Masters
SLOVAKIA
Magister/Inzinier (formerly Absolvent Vysoké Skoly)/Professional title
SLOVENIA
Univerzitetna ali visokošolska diploma
SPAIN
Licenciado/Titulo de Ingeniero/Titulo de Arquitecto
SWEDEN
Masters degree/Magisterexamen
SWITZERLAND
Diplom/Diplôme/Lizentiat/Licence/Staat sdiplom/Diplom d’Etat
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 qualification, 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
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
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