The Manchester Global Executive MBA

Once you've been offered a place on our MBA programme and paid a reservation fee, you have full access to our Manchester MBA Preparation course.

This online course will help you to reacquaint yourself with key study skills, how to go about writing academic assignments and most importantly, what 'Learning by Doing' really means.

You'll have the opportunity to:

• Rediscover key study skills
• Prepare to start your MBA modules by undertaking Business Essentials in 'Marketing' and 'Operations Management', 'Accounting', 'Corporate Finance', 'Cultural Economy and Financialisaton', and 'Economics'
• Meet the teams that will be supporting you throughout your MBA
• Write and receive feedback on a 'practice' MBA essay.

The voluntary course takes around 15 hours in total and you can complete it at your own pace. There are lots of opportunities to apply your skills and new knowledge throughout.

Contemporary businesses face two major transition challenges:

1. To re-evaluate the purpose of the firm in the 21st century and transition to a stakeholder value-driven firm
2. How to re-design the business model in global transition to a net zero economy.

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) is the formal tool that companies use to manage these two transitions. On this course, we cover why these two major transitions are happening by covering concepts and analytical tools such as:

• Financialisation
• Shareholder value maximisation
• Corporate governance
• Firm purpose.

Then we analyse the rise of ESG as a mechanism for firms to achieve social and environmental responsibility and to transition to a net zero economy.

In this core course, you'll examine the field of organisational behaviour, evaluating questions such as:

• Why have contemporary management practices and organisational forms been adopted?
• What is their effect on people's behaviour?

You'll learn how to respond to contemporary management and organisational challenges, by applying the latest research, ideas, frameworks and practical case studies.

This course is delivered through a four-day workshop in Singapore and online learning. It will provide you with key knowledge about operations management and marketing.

We'll encourage you to consider the interactions and potential tensions between these areas, and to critically evaluate the application of theory to real-life contexts. You'll also work in multinational groups to develop solutions to marketing and operations management challenges.

This course is delivered through:

• A 3-day in-person workshop
• Three 3-hour live virtual workshops at different times throughout the term
• Online learning.

The course will introduce you to the two main areas of accounting:

• Financial accounting
• Management accounting.

We'll introduce you to the content, role and usefulness of financial reports. You'll then learn how to interpret, analyse and understand financial information. Alongside this, you'll develop an understanding of the theories, techniques and practices of management and cost accounting.

You'll also explore the design of management accounting and control systems.

This course is delivered through a four-day workshop in Manchester and online learning.

The interdisciplinary course will help you develop a cutting-edge approach to strategy and competition that is fit for purpose in today’s changing business environment. You'll explore key areas of interest, such as:

• Competition
• Global instability
• The sharing economy
• Technology disruption
• Traditional, dominant schools of thought.

The course will blend theory and practice, with an emphasis on teamwork and real-time case analysis.

This course is delivered through a three-day workshop in Dubai and online learning.

It will boost your understanding of ecommerce, allowing you to deal with rapid changes in technology and business practices.

As well as studying core economic and internet market theory, you'll consider the effects of technology and Artificial Intelligence on key industries such as:

• Advertising
• Financial markets
• Insurance
• Healthcare
• Venture capital
• Retail.

You'll also learn how to design new platform firms and develop strategies to take traditional corporations into the digital age.

This course is delivered through:

• Two workshops in Manchester - these will take three days in total
• A workplace application
• Online learning.

Today's senior executives are increasingly required to be more reflective about:

• Their own practice - for example, their responsibilities
• Their decision making in situations that are uncertain and complex.

Applying this dual perspective to senior managerial practice, this inquiry-based course will help you explore aspects of your own practice - for example, senior managers' responsibilities. The course will enrich your practical knowledge and skills for cultivating a more reflective approach to decision-making.

You can choose two electives. Each elective is delivered through:

• A three-day workshop (minimum) in Dubai, Hong Kong, Manchester, Shanghai or Singapore
• Online learning.

Elective courses are your opportunity to gain more expertise in an area of your choice or explore a new field of interest. Choose electives tailored to your interests and career goals, and combine electives to create your own pathway - for example, in marketing, digital business or finance.

Our suite of electives is continuously refreshed to ensure it balances traditional core business principles with current and emerging topics such as fintech, sustainability and data science.

You can attend workshop residentials for electives at any of our global centres: Dubai, Hong Kong, Manchester, Shanghai and Singapore. This gives you more opportunities to widen your international network and business perspectives.

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, focusing 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 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.
• 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, emphasizing 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, empowering you 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, honing 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, equipping you with 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.

Elective courses vary in length and availability. Some electives are only delivered once per year, which may affect the options available to you.

To give you added flexibility, we offer some electives that are entirely online or that include longer/shorter face-to-face workshops.

This project is delivered through a one-day workshop in Manchester and group work. It takes six months in total to complete.

You'll collaborate on a live, interdisciplinary business project, for a sponsoring 'client' organisation, potentially from the not-for-profit or social value sector. Organisations are normally student-sourced, with the final approval of client organisation and project scope choices by the course unit director, to ensure you have a viable project.

Guided by a supervisor, your team will develop a strategic plan, leveraging insights and models from your MBA coursework, to address real-world business challenges.

This project culminates in a professional presentation and report, delivering actionable recommendations to your client and showcasing the depth of your learning and expertise.

GEMBA+ is a suite of extra-curricular experiences that will help you:

• Define your goals
• Enhance your interpersonal skills
• Build your corporate connections
• Raise your profile across the world.

Running in parallel with the academic programme, GEMBA+ activities are not credit bearing. They are designed to give you targeted support and motivation to help you through the MBA and beyond. The Global Executive MBA includes a number of exclusive options:

Supporting professional discussions

Our team are on hand to facilitate introductions to senior alumni to enhance your learning and career progression. Drawn from our extensive network of business contacts from across the world, they'll work with you to:

• Define your goals
• Build your confidence
• Increase your global corporate contacts.

Next-level networking

To help you make those vital global business connections, our Global Careers Service and Alumni Relations team offer a range of extra events exclusively for GEMBA students. These include a welcome dinner, guest speaker and networking events, and visits to high profile global organisations.

In addition to the above, you'll also have access to the MBA+ extracurricular activities that we offer across all our part-time MBA programmes, including:

• Online careers seminars
• Employability sessions
• Careers guidance
• Alumni introductions
• Alumni socials
• Alumni speaker events
• Alumni groups, and more.

Most courses include an intensive, three-day workshop residential.

In the first year of the course, you'll attend four core workshop residentials in Manchester, Dubai and Hong Kong. You can then choose your own electives at any of our global centres for the remainder of the course.

Workshop dates for January 2025 intake

Specific dates for September 2025 onwards will be added to this page when confirmed.