Full-time MBA

Programme structure

You will study eight required modules, four elective modules of your choice, and have the option to undertake either a strategic consulting project or dissertation. Typically each module will consist of approximately 30 hours preparation and pre-reading, 30 hours of academic delivery and 40 hours writing the assignment(s). 

Required modules

Your Full-time MBA study programme will feature eight required modules, which are designed to provide you with a solid foundation in management, business, and leadership. We have integrated social and environmental sustainability across required modules, allowing you to address this complex, multidimensional subject from different angles depending on the discipline in which it is contextualised. In addition, you'll also have the option to study a non-credit foreign language module. 

Elective modules

Whether you’re interested in strategy, entrepreneurship, marketing, leadership, digital transformation or international business, we offer a range of elective modules to suit your needs. You will customise your MBA by choosing four elective modules to support you in achieving your aims. Please note that availability of modules and delivery modes of modules may vary.

 

To develop your global citizenship and broaden your horizons, one of your four electives will be a required overseas module at one of our partner institutions. These modules are all bespoke and designed specifically for WBS students, covering areas such as sustainability and digital innovation.

Strategic consulting project or dissertation

You will have the choice to undertake either a strategic consulting project or traditional dissertation.

 

The strategic consulting project focuses on practice and is based in an employment setting. You will work as part of a group on the project with 10% of your assessment being based on group work and 90% based on an individual consulting report. This is your opportunity to consolidate everything you have learnt and apply it to a real business. Academically, it tests your ability to apply your learning to real management issues. Professionally, it may well open the door to your next career move.

 

If you choose to undertake the dissertation option, although more academic with a focus on theory, it is still highly relevant in the world of business. It will demonstrate that you can assimilate your learning, take multiple perspectives on a business issue and explore your subject thoroughly.

Financial Management

This module will provide you with a good grounding in the basic concepts of finance.

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Innovation and Strategic Entrepreneurship

This module will introduce you to the main conceptual frameworks that have shaped research and practice on innovation and strategic entrepreneurship.

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LeadershipPlus

The LeadershipPlus module offers the opportunity to learn through experience, feedback and reflection about what you personally stand for as a leader.

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Corporate Reporting and Decision Making

This module will introduce you to the key management areas of management accounting and corporate reporting.

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Marketing

Gain a broad introduction to the marketing concept and the role of marketing in the modern organisation.

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Operations Management

Gain an understanding of the concepts underlying the production and operations function.

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Organisational Behaviour

Examine some of the key concepts and problems associated with the management of behaviour in organisations.

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Strategic Thinking

Learn to adopt a critical and innovative perspective on the general management dilemmas faced by executives in modern organisations. 

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Please note that availability of modules and delivery modes of modules may vary.

Finance & Accounting

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Management & Leadership

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ESG

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Digital

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Marketing

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Entrepreneurship

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Strategy

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Global Business

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International electives

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As a Full-time MBA participant, you will have the opportunity to deliver real positive impact through your strategic consulting project or traditional dissertation.

The strategic consulting project will see you working for a real organisation, alongside a small team of your peers, for 10 to 12 weeks over the summer period. The project will provide you with hands-on experience of consulting on a specific business challenge in an industrial, commercial or public sector organisation. Although you will be working as a team on the same client project, you will each answer a distinct research question for your individual consulting report, enabling you to put everything you have learnt into practice while offering the chance to network and showcase your individual talent. You will choose your own group to work with and we will support you in sourcing your project.

Alternatively, you can opt to undertake a dissertation. Although more academic with a focus on theory, it is still highly relevant in the world of business. It will demonstrate that you can assimilate your learning, take multiple perspectives on a business issue and explore your subject thoroughly. We will support you in sourcing your project.

If you choose to take the Entrepreneurship specialism as part of your MBA, the dissertation will give you the opportunity to dive deeply into a new business idea, tackle an existing issue or use the opportunity to help launch your own venture.

Organisations we have partnered with for consultancy projects include:

  • Barclays
  • EY
  • Finastra
  • GE Healthcare 
  • Holland & Barrett 
  • JLR
  • Microsoft
  • SAP 
  • Sony
  • Tangle Teezer 
  • Telefonica
  • West Midlands Growth Company
  • Unipart 
  • Williams F1 
  • Ziglu

Previous participants have explored:

  • Driving improved operational performance in a high growth dynamic and high-tech environment for Williams Advance Engineering
  • Business Strategies for Digital Solutions for GE Healthcare
  • Evaluating Tangle Teezer’s and competing brands’ marketing strategies in India
  • EY: What insights and IP can be informed by big data?

Specialise in Entrepreneurship

Alongside the MBA’s core backbone of building all-round business acumen, you can choose to focus your MBA within entrepreneurship by studying two of your elective modules and dissertation within this area. You will gain a letter of acknowledgement from the Dean of Warwick Business School to confirm your success in one of these specialised study areas. 

The entrepreneurship specialism will enable you to make calculated decisions between seizing opportunities and managing risk. Whether you want to set up your own business or develop your entrepreneurial mindset within a large corporate or an owner managed business, we will equip you with the innovative skills to find creative solutions to day-to-day problems. 

We offer many additional opportunities to support both our students’ and alumni entrepreneurial journeys, such as:

  • Monthly entrepreneurship clinics
  • Access to incubator and pre-accelerator programmes
  • A network of more than 3,400 entrepreneurs, student entrepreneurs and investors
  • Informative networking events
  • Mentoring programme.

Extend your studies abroad

You will have the opportunity to participate in the selective process to study overseas through our Partnership in International Management (PIM) membership and additional partner schools for a period of between two to four months after completing the Full-time MBA. PIM is a network of more than 60 business schools established over 30 years ago in order to promote MBA exchange between European and North American schools. Since then, it has become a global network of business schools that collaborate closely to further business education.   

We usually offer 25 places per year with specific schools within the PIM network with whom we have an agreement.    

Some of our Full-time MBA participants from the 2020-21 cohort completed exchanges at the following schools: Ross School of Business, Michigan, USA; ESADE Business School, Barcelona, Spain; McCombs School of Business, Texas, USA; Nova School of Business and Economics, Lisbon, Portugal; SDA Bocconi, Milan, Italy; Kelley School of Business, Indiana, USA; Kenan Flagler Business School, Carolina, USA; Australian Graduate School of Management, Sydney, Australia; Melbourne Business School, Melbourne, Australia; Aalto University School of Business, Helsinki, Finland; Schulich School of Business, Toronto, Canada.

If your application is successful, the exchange will typically take place from the September after completing your Full-time MBA. 

If you are successful in gaining a place at a partner business school, the modules taken at the exchange business school will not count towards credit for your Warwick MBA but you will receive a form of transcript from the host school. 

No tuition fees are payable for exchanges, but successful candidates should be aware that they must pay travel, accommodation, any visa processing costs, an administrative and extension of registration fee and other personal costs incurred during their visit. 

How we teach

We take a creative approach to teaching, using film, drama, business simulation software and role play on different modules during the course. This allows you to apply your learning to real life scenarios, try out new leadership techniques and generate creative responses to challenges. By building your leadership and management skills you can increase your confidence and prepare for any scenario. 

Syndicate group work is an essential part of the Full-time MBA, allowing you to perfect your presentation and negotiation skills. You will be part of the same group for the entirety of your required modules and will become part of different groups as you undertake your electives. Learning with and from your peers is one of the most enriching aspects of our MBA, not only do you develop your knowledge in various subjects, but it also exposes you to people from different nationalities and cultures, building your global business experience and professional network. 

Throughout 12 intensive months, our careers team will guide you through your leadership development that is integrated into your timetable. You’ll participate in workshops such as Client Persuasion skills, Effective Presentations, Diversity and Culture in Global Business and Impactful Applications and Interviews and have access to unlimited one-to-one coaching, all of which enhance and develop your professional skills in a challenging and supportive environment. In addition, when you come to write your final consultancy project you will be allocated an academic within the same subject area to provide the most appropriate support and guidance.

Learning facilities 

At WBS we have a dedicated MBA study space which includes a lecture theatre, seminar rooms, individual and group work areas as well as a lounge with refreshment facilities which are available during term-time.  

Spread over five floors, the Library houses 1.2 million printed volumes and 13 kilometres of archives. Every year they add around 1.1 km of stock. Over 30,000 electronic journals are currently received and more than 56,000 electronic books. The Library houses various workspaces enabling group and private study. 

Where modules have a core text book, you will have access to it online via your VitalSource digital bookshelf, providing you with immediate access. 

Whilst studying for your MBA, we make it easy for you to network with other students through our bespoke online learning environment, my.wbs.