Master of Business Administration - MBA
Industry engagement is at the heart of our MBA, equipping you with the skills and experience to be both career ready and a future leader who can thrive in today's competitive business world. Our practical and immersive programme is focused on working directly with businesses, collaborating on real-world business challenges, and gaining invaluable insights through hands-on experience. You’ll develop advanced business expertise, sharpen your critical and creative thinking, and develop ethical, sustainable business practices - empowering you to progress with confidence in your business career and become a forward-thinking business leader ready to make an impact.
Month of entry
- September, January
Mode of study
- Full time
Fees for 2026/27 academic year
- UK - Full time £14,700 per year.
International - £18,200 per year.
Fees
Duration of study
- Full time: 1 year | 'With placement': +6–12 months
This course is no longer accepting applications from international students for the 2026/27 academic year.
Why study Master of Business Administration at Keele University?
About the course
From day one of our comprehensive MBA programme, you’ll collaborate directly with companies, gaining practical insights and refining your expertise to excel as a business leader. The MBA has a strong emphasis on strengthening your abilities to understand the ‘big picture’, think strategically and develop the abilities to solve complex, real-world problems whilst at the same time gaining hands-on knowledge and practical skills tailored to meet industry demands and ensure job readiness.
Business engagement opportunities include live projects such as developing marketing strategies for a start-up or undertaking financial analysis to support business expansion potential. As Keele Business School is based on a science and business park, you'll be able to interact with nearby organisations, including those based in our Smart Innovation Hub, which is also home to the Business School.
Explore the core principles of business operations and enhance your understanding by applying these concepts through hands-on collaboration with organisations. Your professional communication and negotiation skills will be developed, and you’ll focus on building your potential as an effective leader. This includes building the skills to set strategic direction, make informed decisions, and navigate complex business dynamics.
Learn to build, inspire, and lead diverse high performance teams by mastering organisational dynamics, strategic workforce planning, and fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture. You'll examine the importance of innovation and change within a digital age, and you’ll learn how to achieve excellence through managing operations, finance, marketing and addressing sustainability issues.
Our MBA offers three capstone project routes to further develop your practical work experience and skills. You could work on a consultancy project with an external company, use your entrepreneurial skills to create a strategic business proposal to solve a real industry challenge, or undertake a research project.
Course structure
If you choose the 'with Placement' route, you will complete a 6-12 month placement module after the taught element of your programme.
What you will study
The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods, as well as student voice. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.
Compulsory modules
Compulsory modules
Understanding Business Contexts and Initial Practical Experience (15 credits)
In this module, you will explore the core principles of business operations and strategic thinking, gaining a comprehensive understanding of business structures, functions, and the wider market context. Through direct engagement with real businesses, you will gain early exposure to practical environments and challenges. This module sets the foundation for your MBA study, helping you connect theoretical concepts to real-world applications and providing the essential context for the rest of your learning on the programme.
Advanced Business English Communication for Postgraduates (15 credits)
This highly practical module will build upon and complement your existing language skills by working on themes such as negotiating strategies and presenting visual information (Pecha Kucha). Revision of essential grammatical structures and functional areas of language as well as building a subject-specific bank of key words will provide you with the confidence to engage fluently and competently in a variety of business contexts.
Strategic Leadership for a Sustainable Business (30 credits)
Strategic Leadership for a Sustainable Business builds your potential as an effective leader with a strong ethical foundation, emphasising sustainable practices. This module focuses on strategic leadership skills that enable you to guide organisations responsibly while embedding sustainability into core strategies. Learn to set strategic direction, make informed decisions, and navigate complex business landscapes. Gain hands-on experience with negotiation and influencing strategies to engage stakeholders effectively and ensure you are prepared to lead with integrity, confidence, and a commitment to sustainable outcomes.
Innovation and Change Management in a Digital Age (30 credits)
Embrace the fast-paced world of digital transformation and innovation. This module equips you with the tools to manage and inspire change, foster creativity, and understand the impact of disruptive technologies on businesses. You’ll learn to balance innovation with sustainability and gain practical insights into creating environments that thrive on adaptability and continuous improvement.
Achieving Excellence through Managing Operations (30 credits)
Achieving Excellence through Managing Operations equips you with the skills needed to make informed strategic decisions and manage resources efficiently. This module covers key operational and marketing areas, including budgeting, financial modelling, supply chain management, and performance evaluation using both financial and non-financial metrics. You will learn to oversee procurement and align marketing strategies with operational goals to maximise efficiency and sustainability. Gain practical expertise in managing and promoting organisational processes to contribute to operational excellence and drive value throughout the organisation.
People and Culture: Building High-Performance Organisations (30 credits)
Discover what it takes to build and lead high-performing, diverse teams. This module focuses on organisational dynamics, strategic workforce planning, and fostering an inclusive culture. Develop the ability to motivate and guide teams, implement effective coaching and mentoring, and create an environment that values well-being and collaboration. This module prepares you to become a leader who inspires trust and resilience.
Capstone Project (30 credits)
Apply everything you’ve learned throughout your MBA in a comprehensive capstone project. Choose to work on a consultancy project with an external organisation or create a strategic business proposal to solve a real industry challenge. This hands-on project allows you to showcase your strategic thinking, leadership, and innovative problem-solving abilities, giving you a significant edge as you enter the professional world.
Entry requirements
The following section details our typical entry requirements for this course for a range of UK and international qualifications. If you don't see your qualifications listed, please contact us to find out if we can accept your qualifications.
Typical offer
Please ensure that you read the full entry requirements by selecting your qualifications from the dropdown menu below. This will include any subject specific, GCSE/Level 2 Maths, and English language requirements you may need.
Please select your country from the drop-down list below for the full entry requirement information
UK
Algeria
12/20 or Assez Bien degree in any subject or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Bahrain
Bachelor's degree with a minimum CGPA of 2.7/4.0 in any subject or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Bangladesh
60% in a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's in any subject from a public university or CGPA 2.8 in a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's in any subject from a private university or a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
We don’t accept degrees from certain universities, please see our Bangladesh Country Page for more information
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Canada
70% or C or a GPA of 2.5 in a degree (Ordinary or Honours) in any subject or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
China
70% in a degree in any subject or 65% in a degree in any subject from a '211' university or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Egypt
Bachelor degree from a Public or Private University with 65%/CGPA = 2.7/Good in any subject
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Ghana
Second class degree in any subject or a degree or a GPA of 2.5 level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Hong Kong
Bachelor's Honours degree with 2:2 or CGPA of 2.5 OR Bachelor Ordinary degree with a CGPA of 3.4 in any subject in any subject or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
India
55% or CGPA 6/10 in any degree of three years or longer or
a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Kenya
Second class degree in any subject or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Kuwait
Bachelor's degree with a minimum CGPA of 2.75/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 in any subject or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Nepal
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Nigeria
Second class degree in any subject or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Oman
Bachelor's degree with a minimum CGPA of 2.5/4.0 in any subject or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Pakistan
You will also need an English language qualification (see below)
Qatar
Bachelor's degree with a minimum CGPA of 2.75/4.0 in any subject or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
South Africa
Second class division 2 / 60% in a Bachelor's degree with Honours in any subject or Second class division 1 / 70% in an Ordinary Bachelor's degree in any subject or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Sri Lanka
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Turkey
A CGPA of 2.5/4.0 in a Bachelor degree (Lisans Diplomasi) in any subject or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
UAE
Bachelor's degree with a CGPA of 2.5/77%/B- in any subject or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Uganda
Second class degree in any subject or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
USA
Bachelor's degree with a minimum CGPA of 2.6 in any subject or a degree level professional qualification
or
five years demonstrated, relevant professional experience in management or leadership roles
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Zimbabwe
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Pre-Master's in Business
The Keele University International College offer a one semester Pre-Master's in Business programme for international students who do not meet the traditional entry requirements for a postgraduate business degree at Keele University.
Please visit the Keele University International College for more information on how to apply, entry requirements and course details.
English language requirements
All of our courses require an English language qualification or test. For most students, this requirement can be met with a 4 or C in GCSE English. Please see our English Language guidance pages for further details, including English language test information for international students. For those students who require an English language test, this course requires a test from Group G.
References
Normally, you will need to provide at least one academic reference to support your application unless you have been out of study longer than two years. If it has been more than two years since you last studied on a degree-level programme, you will normally need to provide an employment reference instead. For more information about Academic References, please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages.
Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose
Please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages for guidance on what to include in your personal statement.
Recognition of Prior Learning
The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process which enables applicants to receive recognition and formal credit for learning acquired in the past through formal study or work and life experiences.
RPL can also be requested for admission onto the start of a programme in lieu of the admission requirements. For more information, see our Recognition of Prior Learning web pages.
Professional qualifications and work experience
The majority of our courses will consider relevant work experience and/or professional qualifications at the appropriate level, as an alternative to an undergraduate degree for entry. The work experience should be for a sustained period and at a suitable level, based within a relevant sector to your chosen course.
Admissions staff will review your work experience and/or professional qualifications during the assessment of your application to ensure suitability in terms of relevancy, level and appropriate learning outcomes.
General information
The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the typical offer which would be made to candidates, along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate's application. For international students, find out how we work with approved agents as part of our admissions process.
Postgraduate funding and scholarshipsFees, funding and scholarships
Fees
2026/27 academic year
For start dates between September 2026 and July 2027.
| Type of study | Fees (per year) |
|---|---|
| UK - full time | £14,700 |
| International - full time | £18,200 |
2027/28 academic year
For start dates between September 2027 and July 2028.
| Type of study | Fees (per year) |
|---|---|
| UK - full time | £15,300 |
| International - full time | £21,800 |
For continuing students, fees will increase annually by RPIX, with a maximum cap of 5% per year.
Placements: The placement year fee for students on a 'with Placement' programme will be £1,955 for 2026/27 entrants and £2,010 for 2027/28 entrants.
Funding
Whether you're continuing from undergraduate study or returning to education, our dedicated financial support team is here to help.
Please note, if your course offers a January start date, the January 2026 start date falls in the 2025/26 academic year. Please see the tuition fees archive for the 2025/26 fees.
Planning your funding
It's important to plan carefully for your funding before you start your course. Please be aware that not all postgraduate courses and not all students are eligible for the UK government postgraduate loans and, in some cases, you would be expected to source alternative funding yourself. If you need support researching your funding options, please contact our financial support team.
Scholarships
To explore the different funding options and support available to you please refer to our postgraduate bursaries and scholarships webpages.
For continuing students, fees will increase annually by RPIX, with a maximum cap of 5% per year.
Scholarships
We know that understanding what support is available for postgraduate students is an important step in planning your future and we are committed to rewarding excellence and potential.
Visit our scholarships and bursaries webpage to find out more about our scholarships, including:
- Keele Global Scholarship – up to £5000 tuition fee discount for international students (2027/28)
- Keele Graduate Scholarship – up to £3000 tuition fee discount for home students (2027/28)
Terms and conditions apply.
Additional costs
Optional costs
There may be optional costs that students can choose to incur to enhance their learning experience. These are not required to complete the course. Details of these optional costs are outlined below to help you plan accordingly.
Students may also incur general expenses related to university study, such as for printing, textbooks and other materials. Students who undertake a placement may be responsible for additional costs, such as travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs. For further information, please refer to the additional costs information.
- travel/subsistence for client visits or business engagement you choose to undertake
- discretionary project expenses (e.g. travel for interviews, data purchase)
- optional UK/international study visits (including travel, accommodation, insurance)
- optional professional memberships/certifications, competitions, conferences, printing, and any premium software or equipment you elect to use are also at your own cost.
Funding or subsidies may occasionally be offered but are not guaranteed and may change vary from year to year. The School may amend or withdraw optional activities if needed necessary.
PRME Champions
Keele Business School is proud to have been selected for the 2026-2027 cohort of PRME Champions - a global collective of business and management schools who are dedicated to raising the bar for sustainable business education. Learn more about the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) Champions Programme: PRME Champions | UNPRME
Teaching, learning and assessment
How you'll be taught
This MBA is delivered primarily in person with most of the teaching taking place on Keele University campus and this is supplemented with web-based learning via the Keele Learning Environment (KLE). Some activities such as field trips or visits to organisations may occur off campus, giving your direct exposure to real work environments.
The programme is structured into eight week blocks enabling you to focus intensively on one module at a time. There are six weeks of teaching, followed by two weeks of support to help you prepare effectively for assessments. Your first module will introduce you to the fundamentals of business activity, giving you the foundation on which to progress to more advanced, specialist areas of management and leadership.
The culmination of the programme is the capstone project which allows you to integrate and apply what you’ve learnt on the programme and demonstrate your ability to lead and manage.
How you'll be assessed
You will be assessed using a wide variety of methods which reflect the breadth of the knowledge, skills and practical application you will have developed on the programme and includes both summative and formative assessments. These will be focused on authentic real-world business scenarios, problems and issues. Assessment methods may include case study analysis, strategic business reports and proposals, presentations and group projects and reflective journals and essays.
