Master of Business Administration (MBA) drafted

Program Overview

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This accredited full-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at the University of Southampton will give you the confidence to stand out in the fast-moving business world. You'll learn to think strategically and gain essential management skills. You'll graduate with the knowledge to lead people and organisations to face the challenges of sustainability, innovation and change in today’s volatile business environment.

You'll learn from experts whose research directly informs the course content. Our academics will show you how to apply the latest thinking to real business problems through:

business research

‘live’ client consultancy

company visits

international study trips

exposure to senior business leaders

Highlights of the course include:

a study trip to the Netherlands and Belgium

a 'live' international consultancy project in an emerging market country

a business project with industry clients

a leadership development programme (learn more in the

careers section

)

a brand new study suite

exclusively for MBA students

The programme includes 2 overseas trips: a study trip to the Netherlands and Belgium, and a 'live' project in an international location. They'll give you opportunities to apply your learning to practical business situations.

You’ll graduate with a wide range of business skills, the confidence to tackle problems and lead organisational change, and experience of working in an international, cross-cultural team. Our students come from a variety of professional backgrounds and many return to their sector with a view to taking on roles with greater managerial, strategic or leadership responsibilities.

Course lead

Your course leader is

Peter Rodgers

, Professor of Strategy and International Management and MBA Director. His research focuses on informality within state-business relations, non-market strategies and entrepreneurship. His work is published in leading business journals across the world.

Dr Swarna Prasad

is the MBA Programme Manager. Dr Prasad's research focuses on sustainable transport, sustainable social enterprise and business. She has has recently won an academic student award for 'Best pastoral support'.

Dr Rob Angell

is Deputy-Director of the MBA. His research includes product and package design, food retailing and exploring new forms of advertising. A market researcher by training Dr Angell has worked on long term projects in China and the US.

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Related pathways

You'll choose 1 of 3 pathways on this course:

Generalist: Choose this pathway if you want to gain a broad overview of modern business and management, with skills you'll be able to apply to many different business situations.

Entrepreneurship: Choose this pathway if you want to develop your own business or focus on new product development. You'll gain key management skills and explore entrepreneurship in established organisations.

Maritime: Choose this pathway if you work, or want to work, in the maritime sector. This is ideal if you're a maritime industry consultant, if you're moving into the maritime sector from another industry, or if you're a sea-based professional moving to a shore-based role.

Program Outline

This is a full-time master’s course. You’ll study for 12 months, from September to the following September.

The course takes place in 3 stages:

Mastering fundamentals (semester 1): You’ll develop expertise in key business and management skills through core modules.

Mastering complexity (semester 2): You’ll build on your learning and develop more complex skills through core modules. You’ll also choose your optional modules.

Mastering business (over the summer): You’ll work independently to research and write a business project about a sector and organisation of your choice. You’ll have the chance to work with a real business client for this research project. You’ll have one-to-one meetings with your supervisor to discuss progress.

Semester 1 overview

This is the ‘mastering fundamentals’ stage.

You’ll learn about people management, accounting, marketing, operations, corporate finance and the global business environment.

At the end of semester 1, as part of the Global Business Environment module, you’ll go on a study trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. This will help you learn about the realities of operating global businesses in Europe and how trade is conducted with the rest of the world.

Businesses we have visited include:

DAF Trucks

Medtronics

Q-Park

the Wijn Kasteel Genoels Elderen

Watch our YouTube video about the study trip

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Semester 2 overview

This is the ‘mastering complexity’ stage.

You’ll learn about strategy and decision-making, business analytics and risk, leadership, sustainability, innovation and change.

At the end of semester 2, as part of the Leading Sustainability, Innovation and Change module, you’ll take part in a ‘live’ international consultancy project with a client company.

Our clients are innovative companies who want to grow their businesses internationally. They come from various sectors, including:

media

oil and gas

financial services

pharmaceuticals

We’ll assign you to an MBA project team and you’ll work on a strategic issue for a local client company in Brazil.

Want more detail?

See all the modules in the course.