MBA programme content
The Lancaster full-time MBA combines academic taught modules with three action-based consultancy interventions, one in each term of the programme. These are complemented by two key strands focusing on personal development: the Mindful Manager and the MBA Career Management Programme, both running throughout the full year.
Induction Programme
Two weeks with an intensive focus on skills and careers. The Induction programme is designed to help you develop successful working relationships with your colleagues and understand what actions are needed to achieve a successful academic and career outcome from your MBA investment.
Core modules
A series of compulsory modules run throughout the first two terms. Those in the Autumn Term are designed to give a thorough grounding for the whole of the Lancaster MBA, providing essential knowledge and skills in areas which may be entirely new to you, or a welcome refresher in more familiar areas. Drawing on this knowledge you also undertake the first of your consultancy projects: the New Venture Challenge.
The Spring Term modules have a broadly strategic perspective and cover Business Economics, Human Resource Management, Strategic Management, Managing IT in Organisations, Global Society and Responsible Management and Leading Change.
“My project was to develop a future marketing strategy for Solaris. With multiple stakeholders, SSM tools were invaluable in ‘making sense of’ and prioritising a varied range of activities and aims. Drawing from my all round learning on the MBA course, I could produce balanced recommendations to tackle fundamental issues and it’s been very satisfying to see positive results from the past year’s efforts, particularly in what is an unfamiliar sector for me.”
David Duff (UK), MBA 2005
The Spring Term also brings you the second of the programme's consultancy interventions. This four-week period has three key parts: an introduction to the consultancy tool-kit, the Consultancy Challenge and a related module on Leading Change. On the Consultancy Challenge, you work in teams on client-based projects to analyse a problem situation and propose how it might be managed.
In early summer International Business in Context takes you out of the UK on a study tour to explore issues in an emerging economy.
Electives
You select three assessed electives and can take a limited number of additional electives on a non-assessed basis. This gives you scope to broaden your expertise without the need to undertake formal assessment.
Corporate Challenge
This third MBA consulting project, which runs for six weeks from early June, is, for many, the climax to the programme. The Corporate Challenge gives you the chance to undertake a consultancy assignment for a global company, although you can also choose other forms of final project such as an internship or a desk-based research project.
Career Management Programme
The Career Management Programme runs throughout the entire year, with regular presentations and talks, practical workshops and individual careers consultations for all students.
