Masters of Business Administration (MBA)

Programme overview

If you are an ambitious, purpose-driven leader ready to shape the future, this is the MBA for you.

Designed to build the judgement, confidence and capability needed to lead through uncertainty, disruption and change, the programme will challenge you to broaden your perspective, accelerate your development and strengthen your leadership impact.

You’ll gain a deep understanding of strategy, finance, innovation, analytics, customer value, people and responsible management, while learning to connect insight across functions, systems and organisations. Through real-world case studies and organisational challenges, you’ll learn to identify patterns, challenge assumptions, navigate risk and make confident decisions with strategic foresight.

As AI and emerging technologies reshape industries and societies, you’ll explore how their potential can be harnessed to drive innovation, growth and competitive advantage. Just as importantly, you’ll develop the critical judgement to interpret their outputs, understand their limitations and lead responsibly in an increasingly technology-enabled world.

Creativity is valued and encouraged. You’ll frame problems differently, uncover new opportunities, and develop innovative, practical and impactful solutions. By combining analytical rigour with creative thinking, you’ll be equipped to turn your ideas into purposeful action.

Learning with professionals from a diverse range of roles, sectors and cultures will expose you to new perspectives and ways of working. Through leadership development, mentoring and career support, you’ll strengthen your self-awareness, adaptability and influence.

Your MBA culminates in the Accelerator Project – a substantial organisational, consultancy, entrepreneurial or strategic assignment that enables you to apply your learning to a real-world challenge.

By the end of the programme, you’ll have an advanced portfolio of management, leadership and interpersonal capabilities and be ready to lead with confidence across commercial, public, third-sector and entrepreneurial environments.

Our MBA is AMBA-accredited and delivered by Cardiff Business School, an AACSB-accredited institution.

Tuition fees

Please note that this is a two-year, part-time programme. Tuition fees listed are for each year of the programme and are fixed for the course duration. Fees are paid on an annual basis, with the option to pay in instalments spread across the year. Please refer to our tuition fee policy for details.

Entry requirements

To be considered for an offer for this two-year part-time postgraduate degree programme, you will need to meet all of the entry requirements. Your application will not be progressed if the information and evidence listed are not provided.

• A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 (with no component below 6.0) or an equivalent proof of English proficiency such as TOEFL or the Cardiff University English Language Test. If you have alternative acceptable evidence, such as an undergraduate degree studied in the UK, please supply this in place of an IELTS.
• The equivalent of a 2:1 UK honours undergraduate degree, or relevant professional experience^*. If your degree certificate or result is pending, please upload any interim transcripts or provisional certificates.
• A reference from your employer and/or previous employers to evidence that you have three years of relevant work experience. References should be signed, dated and less than six months old at the time you submit your application.
• An up-to-date CV which includes your full academic and work history.

We will review your application, and if you meet the entry requirements, we will invite you to an online interview to establish your level of work experience, your aptitude for the programme, and your motivation. If you satisfy these requirements at interview, you will be made an offer.

Teaching

This part-time MBA uses an active, immersive, and applied approach to learning, tailored to fit alongside your professional commitments. We believe effective learning happens when you engage with challenging ideas and experiences, making sense of them individually, with peers, and alongside academics and practitioners.

The programme is structured to focus on one module at a time, using a flexible blended delivery model. You will start each module with live synchronous online kick-off sessions, followed by structured asynchronous online study (1–2 hours per day) to build foundational knowledge independently. This online learning is complemented by targeted, intensive in-person campus blocks where you gather with your cohort for full-day interactive workshops, seminars, simulations, and Leadership Spine sessions.

You’ll be taught by academics from across Cardiff Business School, whose teaching is informed by research, professional practice, and contemporary business challenges across strategy, leadership, finance, marketing, analytics, innovation, entrepreneurship, people management, and responsible business. Insights from practitioners and guest speakers enrich both the online and in-person elements. Collaborating with a diverse cohort of experienced working professionals allows you to immediately apply course concepts to your current role, test assumptions, and bring real-world workplace challenges into classroom discussions.

Your learning culminates in the MBA Accelerator Project, where you independently apply knowledge and skills from across the programme to resolve a significant strategic, organisational, consultancy, or entrepreneurial challenge in your own organisation or broader sector. Your learning culminates in the MBA Accelerator Project, where you’ll independently apply knowledge and skills from across the programme to a significant strategic, organisational, consultancy or entrepreneurial challenge.

Teaching staff will be available to support you throughout your studies. All students will be allocated a personal tutor, a member of the academic staff who will provide pastoral support and academic advice during your course.

Modules

Year one (40 ECTS)

Stage two (50 ECTS)

Optional modules (select one)