Master of Business Administration MBA – 2023 entry

Key information

Start date: September 2023

Study mode and duration
Full-time: 1 year
Part-time: 2 years

Why choose this course

Our full-time MBA and executive (part-time) MBA courses offer a transformational learning experience. The Surrey MBA will do more than enhance your career prospects; it will change the way you think. This is achieved through the interplay of theory and practice, with learning supported by up-to-date management theory and engagement with industry practitioners.

To reflect best practice in the business world, our course is integrative and inter-disciplinary. Our modules are connected in meaningful ways, allowing you to cross-pollinate content from across the wider MBA experience. With a digital, agile and entrepreneurial approach, you’ll leave prepared to lead the way in a rapidly changing business world.

MBA students in classroom

Find out more about the MBA experience

What you will study

We believe that truly successful careers are fuelled by visionary leadership, a profound sense of responsibility, and the ability to create and develop innovative and sustainable opportunities. These principles are fundamental to the Surrey MBA experience, which provides a careful balance between theory and practice, in preparation for the realities of the modern business landscape.

Our full-time MBA and executive (part-time) MBA courses are highly relevant for anyone looking to develop their career and leadership capability with their current employer, or to broaden their skills and connections with a view to making a transition or starting something new.

Please be aware: the course content and modules listed for this course are subject to change for the 2023/24 academic year, whilst we undertake a curriculum design review. Please contact the programme leader if you have any queries about the course.

Discover more

Find out why you should choose Surrey for your MBA, explore our student success stories and book onto a taster event. For all enquiries, contact us:

Study and work abroad

International study tour

Our optional two-week international study tour gives you a unique opportunity to learn first-hand about international business. You will travel to a selected international destination, take part in company visits, and be lectured by top international academics at partner universities. In addition to learning, you will also have the opportunity to explore your destination's top attractions and landmarks.

Our previous tours have seen our students travelling to Beijing, China.

Previous company visits included:

  • Baidu
  • Intel
  • Microsoft.

Lecture topics included:

  • Chinese brand marketing
  • Consumer behaviour in China
  • Entrepreneurship and investments
  • Strategic management of corporations of the internet era in China.

Professional recognition

MBA - Association of MBAs (AMBA)
Accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA).

MBA - Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Careers and graduate prospects

We offer careers information, advice and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University. Our graduates have lifetime access to Surrey Pathfinder, our online portal for appointment and events bookings, jobs, placements and interactive development tools.

Personal careers adviser

As part of this course, you will have access to professional coaching and careers experts to provide you with support that is tailored to your individual requirements. From the moment you start with us, you will be connected with a careers advisor who will provide direction in a number of areas, such as:

  • Professional positioning training, including advice on the MBA job market, developing a positioning strategy, CV building and online networking
  • Professional positioning in person including interview preparation, group dynamics and assessment, pitching yourself and presentations
  • Professional positioning on paper
  • Mock interviews
  • Mock assessments
  • One-to-one coaching throughout the MBA.

Mentoring scheme

As part of the MBA programme, we will pair you with a mentor relevant to your sector, profession and personality. Our mentors are experienced executives, CEOs and leaders from technology, engineering, marketing, business and the third sector industries, among others. As your relationship grows, so will your understanding and confidence in discussing and applying real examples from the business world.

Lunchtime webinars

We host regular lunchtime webinars with guest speakers from our network. These events give you the opportunity to connect with global business professionals in an open and informal environment.

Each session allows you to network and gain valuable insight and practical advice from our speakers, bringing real life experience and practical relevance to a dynamic learning environment.

Workshops

In addition to your course content, we offer a range of workshops designed to help you flourish both personally and professionally. With subjects ranging from strategic leadership to negotiation skills, you can expect to increase your self-confidence, discover new strengths and develop personal resilience. These workshops will give you the opportunity to create professional connections – gathered from fellow students, mentors, guest speakers and visiting professors – giving you a wealth of useful contacts.

Alumni support

As an MBA graduate you will benefit from ongoing careers support both from the University of Surrey and the Association of MBAs (AMBA). Our strong networks and programme of social events and continuing professional development opportunities will help you to develop your career well into the future.

Alumni benefits

  • Membership to the Association of MBAs (AMBA) with benefits including a jobs portal, knowledge updates and continuing professional development (CPD) events, including an accelerated route into the CIMA professional qualification.
  • Membership to the Surrey MBA alumni network, including a regular schedule of networking events and lectures, access to our LinkedIn group and alumni updates through our Forever Surrey MBA newsletters.
  • Membership to the local branch of Institute of Directors and access to Surrey Chambers of Commerce events.
  • A range of volunteering opportunities, including becoming an international or UK MBA ambassador, being a guest speaker, attending MBA fairs and events and becoming a Surrey Connect mentor to support other students.

Modules

Modules listed are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that modules may be subject to teaching availability, student demand and/or class size caps.

The University operates a credit framework for all taught programmes based on a 15-credit tariff. Modules can be either 15, 30, 45, 75 and 120 credits, and additionally for some masters dissertations, 90 credits.

The structure of our programmes follows clear educational aims that are tailored to each programme. These are all outlined in the programme specifications which include further details such as the learning outcomes:

Timetable

  • Our 12-month full-time MBA course runs to a standard timetable, with classes and other extracurricular activities scheduled on weekdays during term time
  • Our 24-month executive (part-time) MBA course takes place across 17 weekends each year, based at Horsley Towers, in East Horsley, Surrey. Please note, this is a non-residential course.

Your timetable will become available to you prior to the start of each academic year. View our Code of practice for the scheduling of teaching and assessment (PDF).

Contact hours

Contact hours can vary across our modules. Full details of the contact hours for each module are available from the University of Surrey's module catalogue. See the modules section for more information.

Entry requirements

Full-time MBA

A minimum of a 2:2 UK honours degree, or a recognised equivalent international qualification.

You must also have at least three years postgraduate experience in a managerial role to apply. Candidates without a degree or less than 2:2 will be referred to the MBA Programme Director, as they may be accepted under exceptional circumstances where work experience is deemed to make up for the lack of academic qualification.

Executive (part-time) MBA

A minimum of a 2:2 UK honours degree, or a recognised equivalent international qualification.

You must also have at least five years postgraduate experience in a managerial role to apply. Candidates without a degree or less than 2:2 will be referred to the MBA Programme Director, as they may be accepted under exceptional circumstances where work experience is deemed to make up for the lack of academic qualification.

Do I meet the requirements for this course?

We require you to submit a full application so that we can formally assess whether you meet the criteria published. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide an outcome based on an enquiry (via email, webform enquiry, phone or live chat).

International entry requirements by country

English language requirements

IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each element.

View the other English language qualifications that we accept.

If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.

Selection process

Applications for the MBA will be sent to the MBA office for review. Those that meet minimum entry requirements will be invited for interview with the MBA Director or MBA Development Officer. The interview can be conducted in person or via Skype. This is an opportunity for the applicant to talk about why they want to do an MBA and ask any questions they may have. Once the interview is completed the application will be reviewed by the MBA Director who will make a final decision.

Credit transfer

The University of Surrey recognises that many students enter their higher education course with valuable knowledge and skills developed through a range of professional, vocational and community contexts. If your experience exceeds the typical requirements for entry to the programme, a process called recognition of prior learning (RPL) may allow you to enter your course at a point appropriate to your previous learning and experience. If you can demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for specific modules through your previous learning, it may be possible to exempt you from those modules, and for you to be awarded credit based on your previous qualifications/experience. There are restrictions on RPL for some courses and fees may be payable for certain claims.

In some cases, prior knowledge and skills may allow applicants to join the start of a course without meeting the formal entry requirements.

Please see our code transfer and recognition of prior learning guide (PDF) and recognition of prior learning and prior credit web page for further information. Please email Admissions (admissions@surrey.ac.uk) with any queries.

Fees per year

Start date: September 2023

Full-time - 1 year

UK
£26,900
Overseas
£26,900

Part-time - 2 years

UK
£26,900
Overseas
£26,900

Please note:

  • These fees apply to students commencing study in the academic year 2023-24 only. Fees for new starters are reviewed annually
  • If you are on a two-year full-time MFA programme, or a two-year or three-year part-time masters programme (excluding modular/self-paced/distance learning), the annual fee is payable in Year 1 and Year 2 of the programme
  • Annual fees will increase by 4% for each subsequent year of study, rounded up to the nearest £100, subject to any overriding applicable legislative requirements.

View the list of fees for all postgraduate taught courses.

Payment schedule

  • Students in receipt of a tuition fee loan: Will have their fees paid by the Student Loans Company in line with their schedule
  • International students, or UK/EU students who have not taken out a tuition fee loan: Are required to pay their fees either in full at the beginning of the programme or in two instalments as follows:
    • 50% payable 10 days after the invoice date (expected to be early October of each academic year)
    • 50% in January of the same academic year.

The exact date(s) will be detailed on invoices. Students on certain part-time programmes, where fees are paid on a modular or stage basis, are not eligible to pay their fees by instalment.

  • If you are sponsored: You will provide us with valid sponsorship information that covers the period of your study.

Additional costs

There are optional costs associated with this course:

  • Optional international study tour – approx. £2,500
  • Optional textbook purchases – costs vary.

Funding

You may be able to borrow money to help pay your tuition fees and support you with your living costs. Find out more about postgraduate student finance.

Sponsorship

Many employers are willing to sponsor their staff to undertake an MBA. The benefits for employers can be substantial and it’s worth discussing sponsorship with your organisation. Sponsors may be able to support paying all your tuition fees or just a percentage - we are happy to receive fee payments from more than one source.

How to apply

1. Make an application

You can apply for our full-time and executive (part-time) courses through our application portal (see the 'apply online' section above). 

View our application checklist (PDF) for full details of the documents you will need to supply to complete your application and our CV writing guidelines (PDF).

If you any of your supporting documents are under 2MB, you can upload them along with your application form. If they are larger than this, please email them to us at admissions@surrey.ac.uk or post them to us at the following address:

Admissions Team
Floor 5
Duke of Kent Building
University of Surrey
Guildford
Surrey
GU2 7XH.

Please also indicate in your application whether you wish to be considered for a scholarship.

2. Interview

Once you have made an application, you will receive an acknowledgement that this has been received. We will aim to contact all eligible applicants for an interview (face-to-face, Skype or telephone) within ten days of receiving an application.

If you have indicated that you wish to be considered for scholarship, we will also assess your eligibility during the same interview.

3. Offer and confirmation

If you are successful at interview, you will receive an offer to study with us along with confirmation as to whether we are granting you a scholarship. This offer will be sent by email and in the application portal. We ask that you confirm and accept your place electronically within 28 days of an offer.

Admission information

Our postgraduate admissions policy* provides the basis for admissions practice across the University and gives a framework for how we encourage, consider applications and admit students. You can also read our postgraduate applicant guidance.

Terms and conditions

When you accept an offer of a place at the University of Surrey, you are agreeing to comply with our Charter, Statutes, Ordinances, Policies, Regulations and our terms and conditions. These terms and conditions are provided in two stages: first when we make an offer and second when students who have accepted their offers register to study at the University. View our offer terms and conditions and our registration terms and conditions (PDF) for the 2022/2023 academic year as a guide as to what to expect.

Please note: the offer terms and conditions and registration terms and conditions which you will be asked to agree to may be different from those detailed in the examples. Our offer terms and conditions will generally be available in the September of the calendar year prior to the year in which you begin your studies. Our registration terms and conditions will be available at the start of each academic year and will vary to take into account specifics of your course and changes for the specific academic year.

Disclaimer

This online prospectus has been prepared and published in advance of the academic year to which it applies. The University of Surrey has used its reasonable efforts to ensure that the information is accurate at the time of publishing but changes (for example, to course content or additional costs) may occur given the interval between publishing and commencement of the course. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply for a course with us. Read our full disclaimer.

Course location and contact details

Campus location

Stag Hill

Stag Hill is the University's main campus and where the majority of our courses are taught. 

University of Surrey Admissions

Contact Admissions Team

Address

University of Surrey
Guildford
Surrey GU2 7XH