Global Online MBA

Programme structure

On your Global Online MBA programme, you will undertake nine required modules, your choice of six electives, and a Capstone module. Each module typically includes a minimum of 24 hours of structured teaching (live teaching and online learning/support) and the remainder made up of guided online study, independent self-study and assessment preparation.

View our June 2027 timetable

Required modules

Your Global Online MBA study programme will feature nine required modules, which are designed to provide you with a solid foundation in management, business, and leadership. In addition to this, 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.

 

These modules are taught online and during your residential weeks at either WBS London (The Shard) or Warwick Business School (University of Warwick campus). Your required modules will be taught through a combination of bespoke authored text, lectures, seminars, plus group and networking activities.

Elective modules

As well as undertaking nine required modules you will choose six elective modules from a wide choice to customise your MBA and achieve your aims. You have the option to take five online and one-in person modules, or four online and two-in person modules, with a further in-person module available for an additional fee. Our face-to-face elective modules can be taken at either our Warwick campus, WBS London, or at one of our international partner institutions*. Please note that module availability may vary year-to-year depending on student demand and scheduling constraints.

 

*If selecting two in-person electives, one must be taken at Warwick campus or WBS London. An optional third face-to-face elective is available in Warwick, London, or an international location for an additional fee.

Two residential weeks

Face-to-face interaction is an essential element of our programme so you will take your learning offline for two residential weeks during the course.

 

You'll join us at either WBS London (The Shard), or Warwick Business School (University of Warwick campus), dependent on your preference. Our base at The Shard is set up for boardroom-style learning, while our campus location takes you out of your day-to-day and immerses you in the programme and wide University of Warwick ecosystem.

 

These intensive face-to-face periods of study will include the beginning of teaching for one module through lectures, case studies, seminars, group work and assessment briefings; provide an opportunity to network face-to-face with your cohort; and give you the chance to focus on yourself as a leader as well as provide the opportunity for careers and professional development support. Residential weeks typically run in March/April and September in your first year of study.

Capstone module

For your final Capstone module you'll choose either an Executive Leadership Reflection, Applied Project Track, Research Paper, or Strategic Consulting Project to bring all your learning together. This will give you the opportunity to showcase applied learning from your programme, focusing on addressing a practical or research problem relevant to today's business landscape.

Specialisms

Alongside the MBA’s core backbone of building all-round business acumen, you can choose to specialise your MBA within digital and AI, social and environmental sustainability, entrepreneurship, or healthcare by selecting certain electives and basing your Capstone project within your chosen area.

Please note that the module catalogue is subject to change for future years of study, as we evolve our courses in response to the latest developments in academia and industry.

Leadership

You will build an in-depth understanding of leadership by focusing on three complementary areas: leading self, leading others, and leading change.

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Operations Management

Examine how operations supports the long term competitiveness of an organisation. 

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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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Managing Digital Systems and AI

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

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Financial Management

Gain a grounding in the basic concepts of finance, developing your skills in financial planning and decision-making.

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Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship Strategy

Develop an integrated view of innovation and corporate entrepreneurship in different contexts.

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Marketing

Learn the fundamental concepts and theories of marketing that add value to an organisation, sustain that value, and can be analysed in their application in marketing practice.

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Organisational Behaviour

Build and develop analytical skills and undertake critical reflection on behaviour in organisations.

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Strategic Advantage

Develop critical understandings and insights about strategy and strategic management at the business unit level. 

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

AI for Business Leaders

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Analytics for Management

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Corporate Finance

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Creating Sustainable Organisations

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Economics of the Business Environment

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Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation

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Global Challenges for the Public Sector

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International Business

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Leading and Managing Change

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Managing People for the Future of Work

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Mergers and Acquisitions

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Sales Excellence

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Strategy and Practice

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The Economics of Wellbeing

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In addition to your residential weeks, you have the option to study up to two electives face-to-face. You have the option to take five online and one in-person, or four online and two in-person, with a further in-person module available for an additional fee. Our face-to-face electives can be taken at either our Warwick campus, WBS London, or at one of our international partner institutions*.

Module locations and availability may vary depending on student demand and scheduling constraints.

*If selecting two in-person electives, one must be taken at Warwick campus or WBS London.

Find out more about our face-to-face modules by clicking into the themes below.

International modules

Discover the international elective modules available on the Warwick Business School Global Online MBA. Enhance your global business acumen by tailoring your MBA with international experiences to achieve your career goals.

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Entrepreneurship modules

Develop your entrepreneurial mind-set.

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Digital modules

Uncover the trends, business models and strategies to help you thrive in the digital economy.

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ESG modules

Discover how you can improve your organisation's ESG performance and the importance of ESG in business.

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Finance and Accounting modules

Develop your knowledge of accounting and finance theory and learn how to apply it in practice.

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Global Business modules

Advance your approach to managing cross-cultural challenges.

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Healthcare modules

Delve deeper into the healthcare industry, from leading digital innovation to improving health systems.

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HRM & Corporate Responsibility modules modules

Learn how the relationships between performance, sustainability, and governance can lead to business success.

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Management & Leadership modules

Consider management and leadership through a range of lenses.

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Sales modules

Enhance your skills in sales strategy, sales performance optimisation, and sales leadership.

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Marketing modules

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

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Operations modules

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

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Strategy modules

Explore how to become a strategic leader and effectively execute strategies within your organisation.

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Capstone module

As a Global Online MBA participant, you'll have the opportunity to deliver real positive impact through your Capstone module. You have four options to choose from to complete this module; an Executive Leadership Reflection, an Applied Project Track, a Strategic Consulting Project or a Dissertation. If you choose to take the Digital and AI, Entrepreneurship, Healthcare or Social and Environmental Sustainability specialism, your Capstone module will focus in on your specialist area.

Executive Leadership Reflection

Designed for those in senior leadership roles, this capstone enables you to critically reflect on your leadership journey, integrating MBA theory with real-world experience. You will explore key leadership challenges, decisions and stakeholder relationships, evaluate your development, and identify future leadership goals through a reflective portfolio or structured narrative.

Applied Project Track

Apply your MBA learning to real-world contexts through one of four applied project pathways: Venture Creation, Industry Deep Dive, Social Impact Project, or Policy White Paper. You’ll develop practical and entrepreneurial skills, explore innovation and industry trends, and benefit from collaboration opportunities through WBS industry, alumni, and partner networks.

Strategic Consulting Project

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 during your MBA. 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.

Dissertation

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.

Previous participants have explored:

  • Driving improved operational performance in a high growth dynamic and high-tech environment for Williams Advanced Engineering
  • Business strategies for digital solutions for GE Healthcare
  • The future of mobility: What it means to be customer focused in sub-Saharan Africa for Ford Motor company
  • The future role of own brand products for the Co-op.

Alongside the MBA’s core backbone of building all-round business acumen, you can choose to specialise your MBA within digital and AI, social and environmental sustainability, entrepreneurship, or healthcare by selecting certain electives and basing your dissertation or strategic consulting project within your chosen area.

You will initially study your required modules, which are then followed by elective modules, at least two of which will be in your chosen specialism. You will also undertake your Capstone module in your chosen specialist area, supervised by an appropriate member of faculty. 

On completion, you will gain a letter of acknowledgement from the Dean of Warwick Business School to confirm your success in your chosen specialism.

Digital and AI specialism

Digital technologies, especially AI, are reshaping industries, business models, and leadership at unprecedented speed. This specialism will support managers and leaders from non-technical backgrounds who are looking to prepare for a digital-first future.

The specialism also strives to serve experienced practitioners, providing a platform to share insights, challenge assumptions, and reflect on how to navigate digital change differently in the future.

By choosing the Digital and AI specialism you will:

  • Be equipped with the concepts, jargon, evidence and examples to engage confidently in strategic debates about digital investment, adoption, and policy
  • Develop a mindset for engaging with frontier technologies, especially AI
  • Be prepared to lead digital transformation in an organisational context.

Complete at least two of the following modules:

  • Digital Frontiers (W)
  • Digital Transformation (L)
  • AI for Business Leaders (online)

Social and Environmental Sustainability specialism

This specialism will enable you to manage an organisation to achieve social and environmental goals as well as financial ones. Whatever sector you work in, from corporates and new ventures to non-profits and the public sector, the modules provide the skills you need to manage sustainably, whether you are a general manager, maintain another functional specialism or take a sustainability-specific role.

The specialism has a particular focus on sustainability transitions, for both organisations and the wider systems (food, clothing, transport and energy) within which they operate.

By choosing the Social and Environmental Sustainability specialism you will:

  • Have a toolset for leading a sustainability function, or equally for participating in the organisation’s transition towards sustainability
  • Advance your skills in creating social and environmental impact across diverse contexts through sustainable innovation and systems transformation
  • Understand in particular the carbon and energy transition engendered by the climate change challenge, and how to position an organisation within that transition.

Complete at least two of the following modules:

  • Creating Sustainable Organisations (L, online)
  • Leading Organisations: Performance, Stakeholders and Governance (W)
  • Leading & Harnessing Diversity (W)
  • Managing Sustainable Energy Transitions (W, SJTU)
  • Business & Sustainability (V)

The Capstone project can relate to any aspect of social and/or environmental sustainability.

Entrepreneurship specialism

This 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. 

By choosing the Entrepreneurship specialism you will: 

  • Develop your entrepreneurial mindset, attitude and skills to enable creative problem-solving in business 
  • Understand the main conceptual frameworks that have shaped research and practice on innovation and creativity 
  • Review the financial, control and investment opportunities faced by rapidly growing companies in entrepreneurial settings. 

Complete both of the following modules: 

  • Entrepreneurial Finance and Venture Capital (SF, W)
  • Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation (WL, online)

If you choose to take the Entrepreneurship specialism as part of your MBA, the Capstone module 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.

Alongside the Entrepreneurship specialism, you can also gain a wide range of support and advice on building your own venture, including access to the WBS Founders Hub at The Shard. Visit our Entrepreneurship at WBS webpages to find out more.

Healthcare specialism

This specialism will appeal to both clinical and healthcare management professionals across the healthcare sector, who are looking to develop both their general leadership capabilities, and their sector-specific understanding. 

Whether you’re a clinician on the frontline under increasing pressure to deliver effective results for patients, or a manager required to deliver efficient services under tight budgetary pressures, the modules can give you the skills and confidence you need to take on a healthcare leadership role. 

By choosing the Healthcare specialism you will: 

  • Deepen your knowledge of theories around health systems and apply critical thinking to strategic issues related to health organisations 
  • Build your leadership capabilities within the healthcare industry to implement change management initiatives 
  • Broaden your understanding of the growth in digital innovation in healthcare and consider key factors impacting on digital healthcare solutions. 

Complete at least two of the following modules:

  • Global Challenges for the Public Sector (L, online)
  • Improving Health Systems (L)
  • Strategic Leadership for the Healthcare Industry (W)

The modules listed in this section for each specialism are elective modules that are part of specialism requirements. 

Key
L - delivered at WBS London
W - delivered at Warwick campus
WL - delivered at both Warwick and WBS London
Online -  module can be studied online
SF - delivered in San Francisco, California, USA
SJTU - China-UK Low Carbon College, Shanghai Jiaotong University, China
V - delivered in Vancouver

Please note that these modules are illustrative and subject to change.

How we teach

Our cutting edge technology will ensure you feel fully connected and that you never miss anything, regardless of your schedule. Teaching primarily takes place via our bespoke online learning environment my.wbs, which houses our teaching materials, interactive spaces and our online classroom: wbsLive. Easy to use, my.wbs enables interaction in lectures, discussions and syndicate groups. It also allows you to test yourself, to access lessons and lecture recordings, submit assignments and to connect with other students and academics. 

Typically, each required module will consist of 24 hours of structured teaching (live and online learning/support), guided online study, independent self-study, and assessment preparation. Dependent on module, your learning could be assessed through a range of methods, which include individual assignment, group work, or online exam.

  • Face-to-face module - In addition to the residential weeks, the programme includes the option to take up to two face-to-face modules (only one to be with one of our international partner schools)
  • Teaching team - Each module has a teaching team of subject specialists to support you online. They will facilitate wbsLive sessions, moderate online discussions and make sure you are up-to-date with subject-relevant topical information
  • Study materials - You will receive tailor-made multimedia study materials with additional reading and resources. You will also have timetable live webinars throughout each module. You’ll also be able to access video interviews featuring our faculty and inspirational business leaders
  • Exclusive online business insights - Our interactive study materials are supplemented by free online access to business and management journals and the extensive University of Warwick library which includes business databases such as Mintel, Amadeus and Statista. 

Learning facilities 

Our online learning environment lets you take control of your learning, access webinars, participate in group work and communicate with your lecturers and Programme team. 

For each module, there is a dedicated welcome page with a text introduction and welcome video from the module leader providing you with an overview of which topics will be covered.  

Every module consists of five live sessions, some of which will be taught through SmartStage®, our immersive online learning environment. You'll also access nine lessons in your own time, which are delivered through a mixture of text, video, screencasts (audio over slideshow), activities, webinars and assessments. You can even test yourself with multiple choice quizzes and receive immediate feedback to keep your learning on track. You will also work with your group online. Additionally, for most modules, you will have access to the core textbook online (you will be given an ebook to be accessed via your digital bookshelf). Much of the online content is downloadable and can be viewed whilst travelling. 

my.wbs is built to be compatible with a wide range of types and size of device, all you will need is an internet connection and up-to-date browser versions to access learning materials. For the best experience our recommended computer specification is shown at https://warwick.ac.uk/compspec. my.wbs works well on any modern iOS or Android device.