Portsmouth Business School

The Portsmouth MBA

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a globally recognised programme that encapsulates the educational requirements of senior and executive level management. Whilst it includes typical business subjects such as finance, operations management and marketing, the core themes which run through the whole programme are strategy and leadership.

An MBA is a practical management guide as well as a passport to enhanced professional effectiveness. We offer one of the longest-running programmes in the UK and it is specifically designed to support your career by developing your strategic and decision-making capabilities and giving you the underpinning knowledge necessary for leadership roles.

The Portsmouth MBA is an intellectually stimulating, challenging and rewarding executive programme which can have a dramatic effect on your life.  It is accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and this provides an important external assurance of the quality, standards and reputation of the programme.

Two formats

Our MBA is delivered in two formats to accommodate different timescales and personal circumstances. Both programmes follow the same general approach. Some UK-specific aspects, such as UK law, have been replaced with a more international focus on the MBA International. The MBA International attracts students from all over the world, whilst the part time on-campus MBA Executive route attracts senior managers in the UK.

Executive MBA (part-time)

This is intended for course members employed in management positions who wish to study on a part-time basis. We have recently restructured our Executive MBA to better suit the needs of busy professionals in full-time employment.  Our programme has eight teaching blocks in each year of which three are a week long (Monday to Saturday) and five are over two days (Friday and Saturday).  Your total attendance commitment is approximately 30 days in each year.

International MBA (full-time)

This is intended for course members who take time out of their management careers to study on a full-time basis. The MBA International is studied full-time over a period of one year.  It also includes a Development Centre activity, two residential elements and Master Classes.

Recent graduate of the International MBA Sarah Khalel says:

'I undertook the MBA programme in order re-energise my career and widen my options. One of the principal benefits of the course for me was the course structure and its emphasis on integrating the academic discipline with practical application through the consultancy project, master classes and hot topic seminars.

‘Furthermore, mixing with people from other cultures has helped me to discover a new way of thinking. Consequently, my perspective of the work environment has changed enormously. Without doubt the knowledge and experience I gained on the MBA forms a key part of my ability to deliver in any role that I will hold in the future.

‘Having completed the course I am left to reflect that I wish I had begun the MBA sooner in my career and taken advantage of the greater confidence that I feel the course has given me'.

Key features include:

Applied problem solving

The Portsmouth MBA directly addresses contemporary business issues and is structured to develop your strategic abilities through a process of applied problem solving. Integrated problems and real cases are explored, together with issues of strategy, change and leadership. The Group Consultancy Project allows course members to apply their acquired knowledge and skills to 'live' issues faced by host organisations.

Extensive involvement with real business issues

We have strong links with both public and private sector organisations - for education, consultancy and knowledge transfer. Evening Hot Topic seminars encourage the exchange of ideas and present opportunities to network with managers from outside the University and with MBA Alumni. The MBA programme also involves talks by visiting speakers on topical themes and organisational visits by course members. As well as helping to ensure that the development of our courses continues to meet the needs of employing organisations, these links also encourage direct collaboration on specific project opportunities.

We also have strong ties with the Institute of Directors which awards an annual prize to Portsmouth MBA graduates. We are proud that the University of Portsmouth is one of only a handful of Universities to be recognised as an Accredited Centre for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (and has been for over 26 years).

The Master Class Conference

An extensive series of Master Classes, structured as six-hour sessions and delivered by specialist presenters, cover a range of topical issues faced by today’s professional managers. These bring inspiring ideas, fresh perspectives and on-going value back to the workplace.

International in outlook

The School offers an international and multicultural environment with staff and students from over 20 countries. MBA course members are drawn to Portsmouth from all parts of the globe and provide a rich cultural context to the learning process. Through collaborative group work and debate, members learn to embrace diversity and build upon the strengths of all team members. This adds to the excitement and relevance of the teaching, research and consultancy. We never underestimate the quality of our MBA students and the richness of their own experiences in adding to the value of the teaching. The differing perspectives brought to the learning process and discussion groups are more than enlightening; they are critical to the value of the programme.

You are given full support throughout your time at Portsmouth. Our specialist MBA staff are well known for their friendly, professional, and knowledgeable approach and we provide personal tutors for all MBA participants.

Our emphasis on individual attention means that we will do our best to advise and support you at every step.