Online MBA

Year 1

Compulsory courses

• Accounting
• Strategic Marketing
• Understanding Economies
• Operations Improvement
• Strategic Human Resource Management
• Strategic Leadership Part 1
• Professional Development

Year 2

Compulsory courses

• Finance
• Business Transformation in the Digital Age
• Data and Analytics for Leaders
• Organising for Effectiveness
• Strategic Leadership Part 2
• Professional Development (continuing)

Year 3

Capstone Project

A problem-solving assignment where students offer a critique of why an organisation faces a particular problem and a theory-driven solution.
Choose a total of 60 credits.

Choose 1

• MBA Capstone
• Capstone Project

Elective courses

Choose 2 or 3

• International Business Strategy
• Marketing Communications and Branding
• Negotiations
• Supply Chain Management

Additional Features

• 24/7 discussion forums
• Alumni support
• Comprehensive 'Return to Study' induction
• LinkedIn/CV review and access to university career resources
• Live business practitioner engagement
• Live one-to-one coaching
• Virtual social and keeping connected meet-ups
• Virtual speakers

*We will notify applicants of any changes to the programme structure and courses no later than 2 months before entrants start year 1 of the programme. We cannot guarantee that all option courses will run each year especially given that this programme lasts three years. Amendments may therefore happen after this date.

The content of individual courses and the programme for any given degree are under constant academic review in light of current circumstances and may change from time to time, with some programmes and courses being modified, discontinued, or replaced.

Due to high demand, we cannot guarantee students a place on the optional course of their preference. Equally, if there is not enough interest in a given year for an option course then it may not be viable for us to run that particular option course. Some combinations of option courses may not be possible due to scheduling constraints.

Core and elective courses

Full programme details, including all available core and elective courses can be found on the University Degree Programme Tables website.

Not only is the Business School part of a world-renowned University, but it also holds accreditations from AMBA, AACSB, and EQUIS. Triple Accreditation underscores the quality of everything we do and has been awarded by the three most influential business accreditation bodies. The following rankings apply to our Full-time MBA.

Full-time MBA rankings

• 3rd in the UK for overall satisfaction, 2024 FT Global MBA Rankings
• 58th 2025 QS Global MBA Rankings
• 4th globally for Diversity score in 2025 QS Global MBA Rankings
• 79.5 Return on Investment score, QS 2025 Global MBA Rankings

Students will develop an integrated understanding of the essential aspects of business and leadership skills as well as the development of specialist knowledge through the choice of option courses and MBA Capstone project research.

Students will learn about core management and business disciplines as a preparation for progression into leadership roles. The focus is on the application and integration of new and previous knowledge as well as understanding the underlying theoretical frameworks. Participants will also learn considerably from their respective student colleagues and the practical application of theory to real-life business problems encountered during the MBA. Effective interpersonal skills are also important and a Professional Development Programme complements the taught courses.

Specific educational aims are to:

• Enable all participants to recognise, understand and apply the language and theory of the field of business, management and leadership.
• Foster an ability to critically analyse, synthesise and solve complex unstructured business problems.
• Encourage strategic, holistic and cross-discipline thinking.
• Encourage an aptitude for business improvement, innovation and entrepreneurial action.
• Encourage a global mindset, which demonstrates sensitivity to the implications of differences in culture and context.
• Encourage the sharing of experiences to enhance the benefits of collaborative learning.
• Instil a sense of ethical decision-making and a commitment to the long-run welfare of both organisations and the communities that they serve.
• Encourage participants to value diversity and equality in management and leadership.
• Develop higher-order interpersonal skills to contribute to effective leadership.

Professional Development

Professional Development represents one of our three pillars and encompasses both the training in skills that make strategic leaders more effective, as well as personalised coaching to help you develop your career strategy.

Professional Development is a for-credit course, an unusual distinction in MBA programmes, and a sign of how seriously we take your skills development. This online skills development-based course is designed to help you enhance your leadership capability and professional competence. The focus is on developing strong employability skills and your ability to successfully pitch for promotion or apply to new senior executive roles in a range of organisations.

Professional Development provides you with an opportunity to reflect upon your own personal strengths and development needs. You will gain increased self-awareness through developing a better understanding of yourself as an individual, team player, leader, manager, and learner. We use a range of online diagnostic tools to help facilitate this process.

Pre-recorded lectures and online tutorials will enable you to put your learning directly into practice back in your workplace.

The course includes opportunities to further develop your skills in:

• Communicating with Impact
• Developing your emotional intelligence
• Influencing with confidence
• Managing conflict
• Teamwork and Belbin theory
• Leading high-performance teams
• Skills and awareness in productive conversations and giving feedback
• Understanding your strengths

Coaching

The University of Edinburgh Business School has embraced a coaching culture that underpins all of our professional development activities. Our coaching programme is designed to offer you a tailored, personalised experience responsive to your individual needs.

As online MBA students, you will have the opportunity to engage in two personal development-coaching sessions focused on taking ownership of your goals and achieving your personal potential.

Career development

The most effective career strategy is one you develop and own, one that is custom-built for your needs.

We anticipate graduate destinations to be aligned with executive and strategic roles across a wide range of industries and sectors.

As part of the MBA programme, participants will engage with the professional development programme, designed explicitly to support participants in their pursuit of promotion or new careers. We also offer career-focused coaching which will further support you in your career journey.

The employment market is highly competitive, but the Edinburgh MBA is distinctive and will provide participants with a competitive edge.

Career development services

• 24/7 discussion forums
• Access to the University’s central careers service
• Alumni connections and mentoring
• Career Coaching
• Live business practitioner engagement
• MBA-specific job platforms
• Virtual guest speakers

Alumni connections

Access a powerful and warm network of nearly 19,000 alumni worldwide. This network of Business School alumni opens up candidates who see the value of a global network in every sector.

Once you have your career strategy built, and your narrative was written, we can help you connect with alumni in your area of interest.