Program Overview

Senior Leader MBA

Overview

The Senior Leader Apprenticeship is a 22-month programme which encompasses the strategic skills required of a senior leader. It explores leadership and leader identity and what that means to each individual in the context of their organisation. The programme will then harness the knowledge and skills that will allow a leader to develop and sustain high-performance working through their people by encompassing those important soft skills. The University of Sunderland Senior Leader Apprenticeship incorporates an MBA qualification with no additional fees.

Why us?

• As well as being highly academically qualified, tutors have all had direct experience of working with work-based learners and have all held senior management and leadership positions
• This course is dual accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). After successful completion, you will receive additional qualifications, including a certificate from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education and a Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice. Alongside this, you will also gain Chartered Manager status
• The University of Sunderland's apprenticeship provision has been rated good by Ofsted (July 2024)
• We are experienced in delivering work-based learning programmes
• Businesses can develop their talent pipeline and also ensure effective succession planning
• We are one of the most inclusive universities with a track record of enabling access
• The University of Sunderland is 1st in the North East for how well our courses develop the knowledge and skills needed for the future. (National Student Survey, 2024)

Course structure

The programme is work based and, as such, there is a strong element of work-based learning and project work.

You will be taught via:

• Scheduled teaching activities: Lectures, workshops and guest speakers
• Personal: Coaching for enhanced learning, development and performance
• Professional development: Tripartite meetings
• Peer Learning: Action Learning sets
• Independent Learning: Reading, reflection, research, data analysis, engaging in VLE discussions, assessment preparation.

Year 1

• Leadership and Leader Identity (30 credits)
  • Consider your leader identity, exploring your values, motives and goals for enhancing your strategic leadership capabilities in a fast changing and increasingly digital workplace. Develop intra and interpersonal awareness through critical reflection, reflexivity and evaluate your leadership style in terms of your impact on others and the organisational context for sustainable and digital practice. Consider the individual leader and undertake a critical and evaluative self-analysis of your personal and professional development as a strategic leader in context.
• Strategic Leadership and Entrepreneurship (30 credits)
  • Study key themes associated with sustainable strategic leadership and management across organisational contexts incorporating both digital and face to face working environments. Critically explore approaches and appraise contemporary perspectives designed to organise for high performance in an uncertain environment. Develop an understanding of, assess and analyse the roles that strategic leaders play in formulating, implementing and evaluating strategy in a range of organisational contexts. Consider how to apply the principles and techniques of strategic leadership.
• Developing Collaborative High Performing Cultures (30 credits)
  • Explore aspects related to organisational development, performance and sustainability in a digital world. Consider strategic planning for functional areas within organisations that contribute to organisational performance and sustainability. Develop your understanding of the strategic aspects of performance management and sustaining organisations. Enhance your ability to analyse financial data, evaluate financial proposals and develop performance enhancement plans which support organisational sustainability.

Year 2

• Innovation and Change Management (30 credits)
  • Study key themes associated with innovation and change management that encourage and support organisations to perform successfully in dynamic and digital environments to ensure sustainability. Develop your ability to set a clear agenda for innovation and change that encourages collaboration with key stakeholders. Develop skills of critical thinking and decision making through the use of data and information. Identify and demonstrate your ability to use analytical tools to monitor the progress and effect of innovation and change on the organisation.
• Strategic Business Research Project (60 credits)
  • Undertake a substantial Strategic Business Research Project that brings together elements of the learning from across the programme and evidence your accumulated knowledge and understanding of strategic management and leadership and its application to support a digitally sustainable organisation. Develop the knowledge and skills related to planning and conducting a research project from both a theoretical and practical perspective. Construct a portfolio of evidence highlighting and reflecting on examples of learning, its application and impact which will focus on critical incident analysis and personal development planning and evaluation.
• End Point Assessment (0 credits)
  • Assessment method 1: Strategic business proposal, presentation with questioning
  • Assessment method 2: Professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence

Facilities

You will be taught on a modern and vibrant campus with a riverside view. There is a dedicated Faculty Librarian and IT support.

Entry requirements

• We don’t currently display entry requirements for Ireland. Please contact the Student Admin team.
• The programme is work-based and, as such, is subject to learners being employed full-time in a management position.
• It is expected that participants will have a first degree or at least three years of management experience, or significant experience and a substantial record of achievement in business and leadership. All applicants will need at least one employer reference covering the last three years of work.
• Apprentices who begin their training at age 19 or older are no longer required to achieve English and Maths qualifications to complete their apprenticeship. Employers now have the discretion to determine whether these qualifications are necessary for their apprentices' roles. They may choose to include them as an entry requirement or integrate them into the training programme if considered relevant.

Fees and finance

• Larger organisations can use their apprenticeship levy and government top-up to pay tuition and professional fees of higher and degree apprenticeships. For smaller employers, the government pays 95%, with the remainder co-invested by the business.
• For a discussion around your specific requirements please call or email.

Career ready

This course is designed for anyone moving into, or operating in, a senior management role. The course will help you to flourish in your current senior management position or help you achieve the management position you desire including General Manager, Senior Manager, Section Leader, Executive, Director, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Information Officer roles.