MBA Global (with Professional Experience)

Entry requirements

A second-class honours degree (or equivalent, including professional qualifications), not necessarily in a business related subject.

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

Months of entry

January, May, September

Course content

Overview

Accelerate your career and take on the complexities of international business with this Global MBA programme, which includes an industry placement.

Explore a curriculum that merges global business strategy with insights into local market realities. You'll study subjects such as change management, innovation and creativity, and the global business landscape - and graduate prepared to lead in a dynamic international environment.

Throughout the course, you'll build a flexible and highly sought-after skill set that positions you for success in fast-growing sectors. You’ll also have the chance to tailor your degree with one of our specialist pathways:

• Sustainable Business Innovation through Design Thinking
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Transformation
• International Tourism and Hospitality Management
• Strategic Leadership in Healthcare
• Business Analytics

A business-related undergraduate degree isn’t required to apply. And with timetabled teaching concentrated into set days each week, you’ll have the flexibility to balance your studies with part-time work or independent study.

After your first year, you’ll undertake a professional placement to gain practical, real-world experience in a business setting. This valuable combination of academic learning and industry engagement will equip you with the confidence, insight and applied skills needed to make a meaningful impact in global business. If you'd prefer not to do an additional placement year as part of your studies, you could apply for our 1 year Global MBA instead.

Course highlights

• Apply global business concepts through hands-on, practical teaching and assessments grounded in real-world challenges
• Tailor your learning with a specialist pathway aligned to your interests, developed in collaboration with our expert research centres
• Gain valuable experience through an industry placement with either a single company or a mix of diverse organisations
• Learn from academics with backgrounds in multinational firms, agile start-ups and mission-driven non-profits
• Connect with local businesses and entrepreneurs in one of the UK’s most innovative and enterprising cities
• Graduate equipped for a broad range of roles in high-growth sectors, with a flexible skill set highly valued across industries

Exit awards

Depending on the modules you choose, you'll graduate with the following exit awards:

• MBA (Global)
• MBA Global (Sustainable Innovation through Design Thinking)
• MBA Global (Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation)
• MBA Global (International Tourism and Hospitality Management)
• MBA Global (Strategic Leadership in Healthcare)
• MBA Global (Business Analytics)

Please note, specialist pathways are available subject to sufficient demand. If a specialist pathway is not available, we will let you know as soon as possible and support you to choose an alternative.

Accreditation

The University of Portsmouth has earned business accreditation from the AACSB in recognition of the outstanding quality of its business and management education. Less than six percent of the world's schools offering business degree programs hold AACSB business accreditation.

*Who is this MBA Global course for? *

This MBA Global is designed for recent graduates and early-career professionals with pre-managerial work experience, and enables you to enhance your knowledge of global business and fast-track your career.

MBAs are widely considered and accorded the esteem of a prestigious professional degree globally. Reinforced by both our AACSB and CMI accreditation, and coupled with our integration of the PRME principles in designing the course, our MBA offers an engaging curriculum and learning experience to excel your career.

Graduates with limited business experience are also welcome to apply, as this programme is designed to offer as much practical support as possible to develop your ability to engage with, motivate, and contribute to teams, colleagues, and other stakeholders at all varied levels within the business.

Career development

As an MBA graduate, you'll have the skills to impact various fields and industries across the world. Your leadership, strategic thinking, and commitment to ethical business practices will enable you to contribute positively to economic, social, and environmental outcomes on both local and global scales.

Depending on your interests and experience, you could go on to work in areas like finance, consulting, technology, healthcare entrepreneurship, operations, human resources, or social responsibility.

MBA graduates are qualified for a wide range of job roles across various industries, thanks to their diverse skill set and business acumen. The specific job roles you do will depend on your experience and specialisms.

After completing your MBA degree, you could continue to become a chartered manager (CMI) or progress to DBA/ PhD level study.

MBA graduates could go on to be:

• General Manager/CEO
• Management Consultant
• Financial Analyst or Manager
• Marketing Manager
• Operations Manager
• Project Manager
• Supply Chain Manager
• Entrepreneur/Startup Founder
• Data Analyst/Manager
• Healthcare Administrator
• Real Estate Manager
• Nonprofit Manager
• Public Relations (PR) Manager
• Educational Administrator
• Telecommunications Manager

Placements

For your placement, you’ll have the option to work with an established company, or work on a consultancy basis with several real clients.

You’ll be supported by our expert Careers and Employability team throughout the process, so you can focus on securing the placement that's right for you. If you do not secure an industrial placement, you'll work with our placements team to organise an internal consultancy-based placement working with a number of client companies.

Career planning

During your course you'll have expert career support from our Careers and Employability Centre, your tutors and our Business and Law Career-Ready Programme. This support will continue for 5 years after you graduate.

If you have an ambition to start your own business, our Student Start-Up team can support your entrepreneurship journey. You’ll have opportunities to apply for funding opportunities, receive mentoring from our Entrepreneurs in Residence, and engage in virtual intentional exchanges with student business incubators at our partner Universities.

Career support

You'll benefit from:

• Networking events
• Regular emails from the Career Ready Programme sharing job opportunities, application tips and events
• Applied projects with companies such as IBM, Boeing and Hampshire County Council
• Workshops to enhance your employability skills
• Recruitment events including the Student and Graduate Opportunities Fair
• 1-to-1 appointments
• CV and cover letter advice
• Interview preparation and practice
• Support starting your own business