Master of Business Administration

Our internationally accredited MBA offers you - whether you are a leader, manager, specialist, or entrepreneur - a transformative learning experience aimed at turning you into an exceptional decision-maker, strategic thinker, effective communicator, and steward of society. The MBA is still the most widely recognised business management degree in the world.

If your career path is pointing towards senior management and leadership roles, this MBA will help you to take on these responsibilities. We feel so strongly about leadership development that this module spans the entire two-year programme. Our MBA also focuses on quantitative skills, contemporary decision-making skills, strategy, cross-cultural skills, digital enterprise management, and gaining a global perspective with unique African contextualisation. In addition, you will attend an International Study Module (various destinations) at a business school abroad.

• Two formats: Choose between the blended learning format (attend class on campus or online) and the modular format (blocks of on-campus classes spread over time). Both formats allow you to study while you work.
• Four options: Choose the Generalist MBA or one of these streams: Managing International Organisations, Health Care Leadership or Project Portfolio Management.

What else makes our MBA stand out?

• Our MBA is about #KeepLearning and helping you prepare yourself for senior-level positions, taking on more responsibilities as a responsible leader, and acquiring the thinking frameworks and capabilities you need to remain relevant in an ever-changing world.
• The International Study Module (various options) at an overseas business school offers you a global perspective that supports the other elements of the MBA.
• Collaborative learning – where students learn from each other – is another key feature of our MBA. The unique knowledge of each student adds depth to collaborative learning.
• Our digital and physical environments are aligned with the standards of world-class business education. We support our students via touch points such as the Career Leadership Office, Admissions Office, Academic Administration, International Affairs Office, and Alumni Relations Office.

Time management

You need to be aware of the time demand of MBA studies and you need to arrange study time with your employer and family beforehand. A rough guideline: For every 1 hour spent in class, you need to set aside 3 hours for preparation and self-study (reading, assignments, group work, etc.). The MBA has around 520 contact hours, which makes prioritisation critical.

Optional: Exchange studies abroad

MBA students who have performed well during their first year can choose to complete part of their studies at one of our overseas partner schools. This will enable you to earn credits towards your MBA by doing a module or summer school abroad.

Four MBA options: General, MIO, HCL and PPM

We offer a general MBA stream, for those who want to manage the functional areas of any business at the senior management level, and three focal-area MBAs, for those who want domain expertise at the senior management level:

• The MBA with generalist modules can be applied at the senior management level in businesses ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups to multinational corporations in any business sector.
• The MBA stream with modules in Managing International Organisations (MIO) can be applied in international organisations like the UN, global development agencies, foundations and development finance institutions.
• The MBA stream with modules in Health Care Leadership (HCL) can be applied in the public and private healthcare industry. It is aimed at professionals who want to understand the principles of clinical governance and health care specific challenges in the African context to maximise their impact in the healthcare sector. HPCSA-registered professionals will earn 60 CPD points.
• The MBA streamwith modules in Project Portfolio Management (PPM) can be applied in any industry to ensure the successful delivery of a portfolio of projects in a competitive environment based on a thorough understanding of the business management of project portfolios.

The stream-specific modules of the MBA MIO, MBA HCL and MBA PPM are offered during the second year of enrolment in the Blended Learning format, irrespective of the format chosen for the first year of study (i.e. modular or blended learning).

All students will graduate with an MBA from Stellenbosch University. If the student followed a focal area – i.e. Health Care Leadership, Management of International Organisations, or Project Portfolio Management – this will be displayed on their MBA degree certificates.