An MBA is a globally-recognised qualification that was established in the USA in the 1900s. Today, this qualification can be studied all over the world either full-time or via part-time online or blended learning.

The MBA curriculum is designed to help you understand the global business environment and study key areas of business and management, including:

• Finance
• Operations
• Marketing
• Strategy
• Accounting.

This gives you the well-rounded knowledge you need to take on senior positions or start your own company. An MBA also helps you develop crucial skills for succeeding in an uncertain world, such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, confidence and creativity.

Alongside core courses, a typical MBA curriculum allows you to specialise in your areas of interest, with opportunities such as:

• Business projects
• International study
• Internships
• Electives courses.

This is complemented by focused career support, guest speaker and networking events, and social activities.

MBA degrees attract very talented, ambitious and international cohorts. This provides great opportunities for working collaboratively, building a network and developing cross-cultural understanding.

An MBA from a world-class institution such as Alliance Manchester Business School, The University of Manchester is recognised around the world.

Rankings and accreditations are one way to guarantee the quality of an MBA programme. Alliance MBS holds triple accreditation from all three major MBA accrediting bodies - only a small group of business schools globally have this.

We're also ranked 5th in the UK and in the top 46th globally by the 2023 Financial Times Global MBA Ranking.

There are many reasons to study an MBA, which make it an extremely popular qualification around the world. Some of the most popular reasons are:

• Faster career progression in your current company or industry
• Identify future opportunities
• Gain new skills and knowledge
• Improve existing skills and knowledge
• Reach a more senior position more quickly
• Get a higher salary
• Gain the necessary qualification for some positions, particularly in the USA
• Boost your CV with a globally-recognised qualification
• Meet like-minded people
• Switch careers, for example industry, job function or location - or all three
• Make new business connections from around the world
• Start your own business
• Build global business knowledge by exploring business cultures in different global regions
• Challenge yourself.

Yes, an MBA is a master's degree - MBA stands for Master of Business Administration.

An MBA is a specific type of Master's degree that gives you skills and knowledge in many areas of business and management.

Master's degrees are often more specialised, so you can become an expert in one area such as accounting, occupational psychology or business analytics. However, there are also more general options, for example MSc Management.

Master's and MBA qualifications are recognised around the world, but an MBA is particularly well-regarded and widely-recognised as a 'stamp of approval' for senior leadership and board positions.

Age and experience

In the UK, an MBA is aimed at candidates with professional experience. Applicants for the Manchester MBA need at least 3 years of management experience and strong career progression. This means you'll be studying with an experienced and diverse class who you can learn from.

Master's students are typically 21-24 years old and come straight from an undergraduate degree, although some applicants have work experience.

Study format

Master's degrees are often studied full-time on-campus, although there is a growing range of online and blended learning options. An MBA can be studied full-time or part-time while you continue to work anywhere in the world.

Fees

Our Master's courses start at £12,500 for home students, but can cost up to £31,000 for courses such as accounting.

Our MBA degrees range from £28,500 to £65,000, but the return on investment is potentially huge. For example, our MBA graduates typically enjoy an average 101% salary increase within three years of graduation (Financial Times 2021).

A range of scholarships and funding options are available for MBA and Master's degrees. For example, Alliance MBS offers MBA scholarships, 20% alumni discount, and loans through our partner, Lendwise.

Career support

Many companies have structured MBA hiring and internship programmes. For both MBA and Master's, business schools have strong links with corporate recruiters and offer excellent career support for students, such as:

• Internships
• Work placements
• Career workshops
• Career consultations
• Recruitment events.

Assessment

Our MBA degrees are assessed through live business projects and ongoing assessments. In an MBA, there are no exams or dissertation.

Alliance MBS Master's degrees are typically assessed through a mix of:

• Exams
• Presentation
• Group projects
• Course work
• A dissertation.

An MBA is an excellent investment that will benefit your career in many ways. Graduates secure senior positions all over the world in different industries. An MBA can also help you change career completely, relocate to a new country or start your own business.

Having an MBA degree can boost your future earning potential significantly. Our MBA graduates typically enjoy a 108% salary increase three years after graduating, with an average salary of £140,238 (Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2021).

You don't need to have a business-related degree to study an MBA. Our MBA students hold degrees in many different subjects and have experience across a range of industries, from medicine to media.