Programme structure - Full-time MBA programme (with or without Exchange)

This 12-month MBA programme prepares you to re-enter the workforce quickly, equipped with sharper skills and a clearer direction for the path ahead.

Teaching model

Our full-time MBA programme follows a hybrid teaching model, blending face-to-face teaching with flexible online learning. This model has been developed in response to student feedback, which highlighted improvements in wellbeing, learning experience, and a sense of empowerment, enabling students to managing their own workload.

For compulsory courses, daily interactive 2-hour tutorials will be held in person, in small groups of up to 30 students. Additional course material will be delivered through online live sessions, pre-recorded videos, readings, case studies, and so on. This will give you the flexibility to engage with the additional course material in your own time.

When progressing to option courses, you will have the opportunity to tailor your learning based on your individual career goals. These option courses are typically delivered in week-long blocks, with in-person sessions every day for around 8 hours per day. Smaller class sizes in these modules allow for a more personalised and interactive teaching approach. If you choose to pursue the full-time MBA programme with international exchange, the delivery model may vary depending on the teaching structure of the partner institution.

This 12-month MBA programme also includes in-person components such as welcome week activities, team-building sessions, and community-building sessions. This will offer valuable opportunities to connect with faculty, and build a strong peer network.

Compulsory courses

Between September and March, all students complete 10 compulsory courses covering key business disciplines such as strategic leadership, professional development, finance, business transformation, strategic marketing, and operations improvement. From April onwards, students begin to customise their learning by selecting from a range of option courses aligned with their career goals, and working on their final management project.

Option courses or international exchange

Depending on the MBA pathway you choose, you will either undertake option courses in Edinburgh selected from our diverse catalogue of courses or participate in courses offered by one of our international exchange partners.

In both cases, you will have the opportunity to tailor your studies to your career interests, while also developing international management expertise and enhancing your cultural adaptability.

MBA management project

Towards the end of our 12-month MBA programme, you will complete a 7,500 word problem-solving assignment based on a real-world business challenge. This project can be tailored to align with your personal interests and career aspirations. For example, it may focus on an organisation you have previously worked with or one you hope to engage with in the future.

You will have the option to approach this assignment through one of three pathways: research, consultancy, or business plan. This will allow you to demonstrate your strategic thinking and practical application of MBA learning in a format that best suits your goals.

Past dissertations

Explore the variety of topics our past students have researched by browsing a selection of dissertation summaries from our full-time MBA programme postgraduates:

Dissertation executive summaries

• Full-time MBA
• With Exchange