The Manchester Full-time MBA
Transform your career with the Manchester Full-time MBA
We're ranked 5th in the UK in the Financial Times Global MBA Rankings 2024.
Dive into real-world consultancy projects from day one, experience cutting-edge courses with embedded ESG, and learn directly from our renowned in-house faculty. With the flexibility to shape the programme around your goals, you’ll be equipped to lead with confidence and make an impact wherever your ambitions take you.
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Fees
- £49,000 - scholarships available
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Duration
- 15 or 18 months
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Location
- Manchester
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Start date
- September 2025
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Applied learning
The Manchester MBA offers a unique opportunity to apply what you've learnt in the classroom to real-life scenarios. You'll work under realistic conditions, and get live client experience to develop your knowledge and skills in a number of key areas.
150 hours of live client experience
This live consultancy project with a not-for-profit organisation is your first practical task. Learn more about the Social Impact Project from staff, students and previous consultancy clients in the video below:
The Social Impact Project will broaden your perspective and put you in new and challenging environments. It's your first opportunity to work in a multinational team with fellow students - giving you a good introduction to consultancy with real, demanding clients.
Example Social Impact Project clients include:
- Action for Sustainable Living
- After Adoption
- Age Concern
- Air Ambulance
- Big Life Group
- Foundation for Peace
- Henshaws Society for Blind People
- Intensive Care Society
- National Football Museum
- National Trust
- People's History Museum
- Prison Advice and Care Trust
- Royal Commonwealth Society
- Victim Support
- YMCA.
This simulated project will develop your knowledge of business analysis, UK mergers and acquisitions, strategy, accounting and finance. It will also test your negotiation skills.
What to expect
Your team will act as the acquisitions function of a major corporation. You'll analyse the company and its markets, formulate an acquisition growth strategy, value the company and select an acquisition. Next, you'll formulate and negotiate a merger. Will the board of directors, represented by AMBS faculty, accept your deal?
200 hours of live client experience
The Commercial Business Consultancy Project builds on your learnings from the Social Impact Project and involves working with an external client to solve a real-life business issue. Clients range from start-ups to local SMEs and multinational corporations.
What to expect
You'll work under realistic consultancy conditions and will gain experience in:
- Bidding against other teams
- Managing a project
- Delivering a solution to tight timescales and budgets.
You'll be expected to deliver practical and actionable recommendations that will have a genuine impact on your client's business. Although the companies are based in the UK, many of the projects have an international dimension. This project will prepare you for the International Business Consultancy Project.
You'll have the opportunity to bid for a range of clients across many industries. Recent clients include:
Start-ups
- AI Wind: Technology
- Behind Bars: Design
- Biramis: Consulting
- Canine Academy: Training
- Centre for Community Finance Europe: Financial services
- Env Friendly: Technology
- Klick Technology: Furniture
- Life 1000: Biotechnology
- Liverpool ChiroChem: Chemicals
- Music in Mind: Music
- Owen Drew: Retail
- Plastic Circular: Environmental
- PlayDale: Manufacturing
- SA Systems: Technology
- Victor Mobile: Telecommunications.
SMEs
- AD Aero: Aerospace
- Brompton Bikes: Manufacturing
- GB Partnerships: Property development
- iPortalis: Software
- My Digital Accounts: Software
- Platinum Stairlifts: Manufacturing
- Property Alliance Group: Property development
- Sofa: Retail
- Swann Group: Engineering
- TalkTalk: Telecommunications
- Travis Perkins: Retail.
Multinationals
- KPMG: Professional services
- Cisco: Technology.
550 hours of live client experience
The International Business Project (IBP) gives MBAs the chance to act as consultants for businesses with a complex international challenge or opportunity.
Learn more about the project, including a previous collaboration between MBA students and Manchester-based LAD Bible Group in the video below:
Build your own team, evaluate a list of exciting global briefs across diverse industries, then pitch your recommendations to clients as you compete with other MBA teams during a dynamic bidding process.
What to expect from the project
Your group will take on a piece of professional international consultancy for a live client. This will utilise and challenge your global outlook and give you access to senior executives from diverse organisations.
The IBP is your chance to apply everything you've learned and prove yourself in a high-pressure, high-risk business challenge.
You'll have the opportunity to bid for a range of clients across many industries. Recent clients in the IBP include:
Multinationals
- AO.com: E-commerce
- American Tower: Telecommunications
- AstraZeneca: Pharmaceuticals
- Ascendal: Transport
- BASF: Chemicals
- BP: Oil and gas
- Callcredit: Information services
- Cipla: Pharmaceuticals
- DCC Energy: Energy
- Gerdau: Manufacturing
- GSK: Pharmaceuticals
- Grupo Bimbo: Manufacturing
- Hilti: Construction
- Ishida: Manufacturing
- Landmark Group: Retail
- Lycamobile: Telecommunications
- Mastercard: Financial Services
- Nichols Vimto: Manufacturing
- Roche: Healthcare
- Siemens: Electronics
- W L Gore: Manufacturing
- Victrex: Manufacturing.
SMEs
- M&I Materials: Manufacturing
- My Digital Accounts: Software
- Steamaco: Software
- Stephenson Group: Chemicals
- TrakGlobal: Information technology.
Startups
- Air Black Box: Software
- Graphene Innovation Centre: Materials
- Manchester Innovation Factory: Innovation.
Core courses
You'll complete six core courses as part of your Full-time MBA. The courses are designed to give you well-rounded experience across critical business functions.
This course explores two critical challenges facing contemporary businesses: to redefine the purpose of the firm in the 21st century, transitioning to a stakeholder value-driven model and to redesign business models for a global net zero economy.
What you'll learn
- Understand how companies use environmental, social and governance (ESG) to manage these two transitions
- Understand the drivers behind these transitions, including concepts like financialisation, shareholder value maximisation, corporate governance, and firm purpose
- Analyse how ESG frameworks support firms to transition to achieve social and environmental responsibility
- Examine how ESG helps companies to transition to a net zero economy.
This course equips you with the knowledge and tools to lead organisations through these transformative global challenges.
You'll explore organisational behaviour and how to address leadership and organisational challenges effectively.
What you'll learn
- Evaluate contemporary leadership practices and organisational forms
- Explore how these practices influence people's behaviour in organisations
- Understand key organisational dynamics through cutting-edge research and ideas
- Apply practical frameworks and case studies to address real-world leadership challenges
- Develop critical thinking skills to navigate and lead in complex organisational environments.
This course provides the tools and knowledge to excel in modern leadership roles.
This course will develop your decision-making knowledge and skills by exploring the complex reality of decision processes in management situations and practising various frameworks and tools to enrich your ability at navigating and orchestrating decision-making in real situations.
It also includes guest speaker presentations about their experiences and reflections on decision-making in practice.
What you'll learn
- Develop a more scientific understanding of decision-making in practice
- Learn how to interpret and navigate complex decision situations with confidence
- Learn how to orchestrate group decision processes with the help of practical frameworks
- Develop advanced decision-making knowledge and skills for your future career
- Gain insights from experienced leaders about their experiences of decision-making.
This course will develop your ability to navigate complex decision situations and lead group decision processes with confidence in preparation for your future career.
This course introduces you to key concepts in accounting and corporate finance. It equips you to analyse financial information and make strategic decisions that drive success.
What you'll learn
Accounting:
- Understand financial and management accounting, including their role in decision-making
- Explore how financial reports provide insights into an organisation's performance and strategy
- Learn how cost configurations support strategic decisions, from inventory evaluation to product profitability.
Corporate finance:
- Master techniques for sound investment and financing decisions
- Understand how financial decisions impact a firm's value in capital markets.
You'll develop the skills to analyse financial data and make strategic decisions that align with organisational goals and market dynamics.
This course combines theories of strategy with practical applications, equipping you to analyse complex business environments and craft effective strategies.
What you'll learn
- Industry analysis: understand industry drivers, market dynamics, and the impact of technological advancements
- Strategic design perspective: develop growth-focused, sustainable, and resilient strategies
- Real-world case studies: explore how successful companies implement strategic initiatives
- Data-driven approach: use analytics to guide decisions and validate strategies
- Multidisciplinary perspectives: draw on insights from management, strategy, and organisational economics to create comprehensive solutions.
This course is designed for ambitious MBA students aiming to become strategic leaders in today's dynamic business landscape.
This course bridges marketing and operations, exploring how these functions work together to drive corporate value.
What you'll learn
- Market and segment selection and analysis
- Competitor analysis and positioning
- Design and delivery of operations
- Management of supply chains
- Communicating value to customers and suppliers.
This course provides you with the opportunity to critically evaluate the application of theory to real-life contexts and to develop solutions to marketing and operations management challenges.
Tailor your journey
You can customise your MBA to suit you - with options to choose the length of your programme and some of your courses. You'll also get real-world experience with opportunities for internships and a study tour.
Build an MBA that suits your personal goals and interests. You'll also have the opportunity to undertake a personal project in your area of choice.
18-month MBA
July to August
Choose from:
- An internship and 1 International Elective or
- 2 International Electives.
September to December
Choose from:
- 1 International Elective and 1 Global Study Tour or
- 2 International Electives
15-month MBA
September to December
- 1 International Elective from January-June.
July to August
Choose from:
- An internship and 1 International Elective or
- 2 International Electives.
Whether you're 100% clear about your future plans or intend to change direction, a 10-12 week internship gives you the opportunity to test drive a new organisation, industry, job function or location.
Working closely with our dedicated careers team, our MBAs secure internships with a broad range of organisations, from multinationals to startups. Some organisations our interns have worked with include:
- Amazon Launch
- Amazon Operations
- American Express
- CDC Group
- Citi
- Credit Suisse
- Curzon
- GSK
- Hilti
- Johnson & Johnson
- Microsoft
- NHS
- PA Consulting
- TalkTalk
- Travis Perkins.
We continuously update our MBA curriculum to ensure it delivers the skills that employers are looking for. Our range of electives has always included forward-looking subjects, such as disruptive technologies and big data, alongside more traditional options.
Current electives
- Big Data Analytics
You'll be introduced to Big Data Analytics theory and applications, exploring essential tools, techniques, and case studies that show how organisations leverage big data for decision-making, strategy, and competitive advantage. - Business to Business Marketing
This six-month Business-to-Business (B2B) Marketing course equips participants with insights into the unique dynamics of B2B marketing beyond traditional models. It focuses on real-world applications of segmentation, targeting, and positioning. - Corporate News and Shareholder Value
Explore how corporate announcements impact stock prices and shareholder value - using tools like the efficient market hypothesis and event study methodology to analyse market reactions to events like mergers and ESG news, with hands-on case studies and research. - Digital Economy: Platforms AI and the Firm
Examine how AI and machine learning are transforming business operations. Focus on practical applications to leverage AI's strengths, address its limitations, and create value across industries like finance, healthcare, and retail. - Digital Marketing Strategy
You'll cover digital marketing strategies for B2B and B2C, focusing on social media, search engines, and data-driven approaches, with shared learning paths in AI and Big Data. - Engaging Human Talent
Gain strategic insights into attracting, developing, and engaging talent for organisational growth, integrating human resource practices with broader strategy through real-world examples and debates. - Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management
Entrepreneurship drives economic growth, creating jobs and fostering large business development. This elective hones skills essential for managing the entrepreneurial lifecycle - from recognising opportunities and crafting creative concepts to building innovative business models. - Exploring Decision Making in Practice
This elective provides practical tools to enhance decision-making skills, especially in group settings. Moving beyond textbook methods, it draws on insights from social psychology and behavioural economics to help managers navigate real-world, collaborative decision-making effectively. - Fintech, Digital Banking and Blockchain
Explore FinTech, digital banking, blockchain, and AI in finance, with case studies on innovation and digital transformation. Tackle a hands-on 'digital banking challenge' by designing and pitching a mock banking app. - International Business Strategy
This elective covers strategic management of multinational corporations, emphasising resources, capabilities, and cultural impacts on competitiveness to tackle real-world international management challenges. - Leading Business Projects
Gain a holistic understanding of driving strategic change through project design, leadership, and delivery, equipping you to lead impactful projects that align with broader goals like the UN SDGs. - Managing Disruptive Technologies
Explore how disruptive technologies like digital platforms and blockchain reshape business models, empowering leaders to recognize and respond to potential industry shifts for career advancement. - Negotiation Skills
Master essential negotiation skills through practical techniques and strategies. Learn how to navigate diverse business situations and achieve strategic goals with confidence. - Platform Ecosystem Strategy
Discover how digital technology reshapes strategy, from traditional approaches to innovative platform ecosystems, preparing you to lead in a world where digital platforms redefine competitive advantage. - Practical Investing
Gain hands-on experience in investing through practical simulations, client role-plays, and insights from seasoned industry professionals. You'll cover investment strategies, market dynamics, and client-focused portfolio creation to prepare you for real-world success in today's financial industry. - Strategic Financial Analysis
Engage in an intensive, hands-on elective that bridges strategy and finance through real company cases. Hone your ability to make sound business judgments, analyse financial information, and craft compelling corporate narratives amidst uncertainty. - Strategic Supply Chain Management
Learn to master strategic supply chain management to reduce costs, manage risks, and drive innovation. Build essential skills to optimise supplier relationships and enhance organisational value. - Sustainable and Socially Responsible Business
Examine key drivers and metrics impacting sustainable business practices, with tools and case studies to build socially responsible strategies that address environmental and societal challenges. - Venture Capital and Private Equity
Gain a practical understanding of Venture Capital and Private Equity, exploring key financial concepts and applying knowledge to real case studies. Take on roles as investors, company managers, and advisors to navigate investment and exit strategies. - Work Psychology for Managerial Success - this elective is offered until January 2026.
This course explores key psychological skills for managerial success, focusing on self-management, leadership, and career strategies to help students apply these insights to their own career goals.
We deliver our MBA electives through a blended learning format. Each course includes an intensive workshop residency (usually three days) where you can network and study with senior candidates from our Global MBA programmes. This is supplemented by online learning and self-study.
We deliver workshop residencies for MBA international electives across our international centres:
- Dubai
- Hong Kong
- Manchester
- Shanghai
- Singapore.
The Personal Project is an opportunity to work on a self-selected business project, either through:
- Primary research for a sponsoring 'client' company - you'll need to find the company yourself
- Desk research, working with a supervisor for guidance.
The project suits students who have a particular business interest or an entrepreneurial idea they want to research in depth. Previous examples include:
- Conducting market analysis, defining customer demographics and industry trends for a gift accessory venture.
- Investigating the food supply chain and opportunity to commercialise 'waste' products.
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Conducting market analysis, defining customer demographics and industry trends for a gift accessory venture.
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Investigating the food supply chain and opportunity to commercialise 'waste' products.
MBA+
MBA+ is a suite of activities designed to help you get the most out of your Manchester experience, including career support, competitions, alumni and social events.
We're proud of our graduates and the successes they achieve year after year. You'll get tailored career support throughout your MBA journey, starting before you even arrive in Manchester.
Our support includes:
- Weekly career skills workshops - these are scheduled during your core academic programme
- Sessions with external specialist career practitioners
- Unlimited individual meetings with our experienced Senior Careers Consultants
- On-campus recruitment activities including guest speakers, industry experts and company recruitment presentations
- Networking events in London and Manchester
- Student clubs
- Events focusing on entrepreneurship and women in business
- Practice interviews.
We also encourage you to work on your own initiatives and ideas, to develop your business networks and validate your plans.
Throughout the MBA, we encourage you to participate in business competitions around the globe, and we cover costs for several of these. A great asset to your CV, competitions are a chance to showcase your talent, challenge yourself and test your ideas.
Key competitions include:
- Alliance MBS Case Competition
- Climate Investment Challenge
- European Business Plan Competition
- Financial Times MBA Quiz
- International Finance Competition
- International Healthcare Case Competition
- Rotterdam Private Equity Competition
- Sustainable Venture Capital Investment Competition
- University of Manchester Venture Out and Venture Further entrepreneurship competitions
- Venture Capital Investment Competition.
From the moment you join our programme, you become a lifelong member of our alumni network. This thriving community includes over 70,000 ambitious professionals from diverse backgrounds, spread across 182 countries.
As an MBA, you're in good company - around 25% of all AMBS alumni are MBA graduates.
Through the alumni community you can network with business professionals, make contacts overseas and build relationships that will last a lifetime. You'll also be invited to join a range of activities, including:
- Networking events
- Seminars
- Socials
- Regional and special interest groups.
From sports clubs to social events, there are lots of opportunities to immerse yourself in life beyond the classroom. You can find out more about life as a Manchester MBA student.
Course Timeline
You can speed up — or slow down
our MBA at two points in the programme.
Swipe to view
Year 1
Sep-Nov
Dec-Feb
Mar-May
Jun-Aug
Year 2
Sep-Nov
Dec-Feb
Induction
- Three-week induction
- Practical sessions on living and working in the UK
- Meet staff and students
- Start your personalised career journey
Core courses
You will study:
- Leading Global Transitions
- Leading People and Organisations
- Exploring Management Decision-Making
- Business Accounting and Finance
- Strategy and Competition
- Operationalising and Communicating Value
Consultancy projects (a)
During the first year of the programme, you will undertake 3 consultancy projects:
- Social Impact Project
- Mergers and Acquisitions Project
- Commercial Business Consultancy Project
Consultancy projects (b)
During the final months of the programme, you will undertake your final consultancy project:
- International Business Consultancy Project
Internship | electives | study tours
You'll have the opportunity to tailor your journey with:
- A 10-12 week internship
- International electives
- A global study tour
A thriving, supportive global community
Throughout your MBA, you'll have access to personal career support, an international alumni network, electives at five global centres, internship opportunities and more.
Plus, you'll join a diverse community of MBA students from around the world and make connections for life. Study at one of the UK's most popular universities, at the heart of one of the UK's most exciting cities.
Class age range: 24-41
Average years of experience: 7
30 nationalities
41% female students
We are a triple accredited school
Take the next steps
Start your application for the Full-time MBA
Take the next steps