Course description
Suitable for experienced, ambitious managers from the commercial, public and not-for-profit sectors, who want to move from a specialist to a more general management role, or to accelerate or change their career.
Takes you on to accelerated career advancement. Cranfield alumni include directors of international companies, chief executives of major charities, owners of multimillion-dollar businesses, and heads of government departments.
You will be taught by people who understand the problems of translating theory into practice. Most of the faculty have managerial experience, a strength reinforced by our close links with outside organisations through consultancy, sponsored research and teaching on executive development programmes. Many of our academics are world leaders in their field.
Course description
On the Cranfield MBA, students learn about leading academic thinking, the latest management applications and approaches to implementing improvement and change. We believe that, alongside the theory, our emphasis on personal and professional development is essential for students’ future success. Knowing what to do is very different from making things happen and we work with students to build their effectiveness as leaders and managers.
During the MBA students develop:
* leadership skills and an understanding of a wide range of management techniques
* an understanding of the main functional areas of management
* an understanding of the importance of strategy, cross-function working and managing core business processes
* an awareness of the global environment within which organisations operate, including cultural, political and ethical issues
* the ability to identify, analyse and implement appropriate conclusions for complex problems
* an awareness of their personal strengths, weaknesses and preferences
* confidence in working with others, and an ability to argue and present coherently and persuasively influence.
Course content
The first part of the MBA involves an intense and diverse curriculum of 13 core business modules. They include a Personal and Professional Development module unique to Cranfield that combines organisational processes and communication with team building and career planning.
In part two, students apply their knowledge to real situations through electives offered within integrated themes based around critical management disciplines such as leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship and globalisation.
Students also take part in a one-week international study tour, and the programme ends with a student-organised and delivered conference, enabling them to demonstrate their development and learning at Cranfield.
“The emphasis on personal and professional development, presentation and communication skills, as well as leadership, has proved invaluable in my new role. It is the confidence that you get at Cranfield which helps you to keep cool and take the right decisions in difficult situations.”
Rudi Hausladen, MBA 2006, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Swisslog
Class profile
With an average age of 33 and around nine years of work experience, students come from a wide range of backgrounds and job functions. Our approach to learning, with its emphasis on learning in teams, case studies and interactive lectures, draws widely on the experience and skills of the students.
Career success
There are 11 people in the school’s Career Development Service, including four business psychologists. Their support is integrated into the core programme, and includes a unique, three-day Leadership Assessment Centre and individual executive coaching. This support helped 97% of the most recent graduating class find jobs within three months of completing their studies.
Modules:
Core modules
* Accounting
* Business Law
* Economics of Organisations and Strategy
* Financial Management
* Macroeconomics and Business Environment
* Managing Information Technologies
* Operations and Supply Chain
* Organisational Behaviour and Personal and Professional Development
* People Management
* Project Management Introduction
* Strategic Decision Sciences
* Strategic Management
* Strategic Marketing
Elective themed modules
Students choose the equivalent of five major elective themed modules. Two minor themes can be selected in place of a major theme.
Major modules
* Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation
* Globalisation and Society
* Implementing and Leading Change
* Integrating Finance with Business Management
* Leadership and Top Management Skills
* Managing Strategic Innovation
* Minor modules
* Aligning IT to the Business
* Aligning Marketing and Supply Chain Strategy
* International Strategy
* Investment and Risk Management
* Managing International Mergers and Acquisitions
* Programme and Project Management
* Sales and Key Account Management
