MBA Full-time

The Aston MBA will encourage you to think like an entrepreneurial leader from the start, challenging you at every stage, to personally and professionally develop, through a highly practical, experiential approach to learning. 

This is not just a course. This is a new perspective to enhance your future career. 

How will my skills develop?

You will approach complex challenges through real-world business problems that you will be tasked with solving. You will think like a business leader, working through challenges by understanding how different functions interact in order to identify solutions for both big and small organisations. 

This means, you will cover a broad range of business topics through a hands-on learning experience, equipping yourself with an extensive understanding of how businesses operate in today’s fiercely competitive global commercial environment. 

You will discover cutting-edge leadership concepts and frameworks, and put them into practice with applied exercises and real-life business projects. You will develop your ability to inspire and lead enterprises, and be a force for positive change within organisations. 

Working independently as well as part of a team, you will identify where your skills need to develop in order for you to personally and professionally develop. You will be exposed to team coaching principles, developing your own personal development plan, as well as have plenty of opportunities to network with, and hear from, industry leaders.

How will this help my career?

We’ll help you to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and master the art of critical analysis and strategic thinking. This will allow you to perceive opportunities and overcome complex commercial challenges. 

You will also study the Aston Edge, our personal development module, which which help to build your self-confidence, develop essential soft skills, and develop your career development plan, helping you to achieve your professional goals. Throughout the programme you will also engage with employers, guest speakers, and careers and networking event activity.

Your teaching will be delivered by a highly-regarded teaching faculty, which is made up of leading academics and experienced professionals. Our teaching philosophy is based on putting business principles into practice, meaning you will learn through a series of applied, task-based activities. 

You will also build your MBA around your own aspirations. This means you will get to choose the modules that best suit your interests and career goals and you will even shape your Final Project to suit you. This could be a consulting project tackling a real business issue, a dissertation, or setting up a new business, researching a market, developing a strategic plan and a business launch. All of these options build on your learning through your MBA and are great opportunities to demonstrate your skills, whether you’re looking to lead your own business, or further progress in a specific industry or organisation. 

All of this creates a rewarding learning experience that will transform you and your career. 

What makes the Aston MBA experience so unique?

The Aston MBA has been designed and will be delivered based on the following principles:

• Participant development: We will develop ambitious, entrepreneurial, confident and responsible leaders of the future. 
   
• The learning experience: This will be built on a foundation of innovative, applied, integrative and authentic teaching practices
   
• The curriculum: This will be strategically focused, flexible and reflective of the challenges and opportunities of global enterprise. 
   
• The learning environment: We will build an environment where inclusion, difference and collaboration are both understood and valued. 
   
• Thought leadership: We will strive to recognise and address the trends and issues that will have real impact on global enterprise and leadership in the future.

Links to industry

At Aston you will benefit from our strong relationships with the business community, from start-ups to leading international forms, across many industry sectors.

We’ve worked closely with our partners to help shape our MBA programme. This has helped us to ensure that you’re well prepared for the challenges of modern-day business. It also gives employers confidence that they can recruit highly skilled graduate who can become future leaders in business.

Our graduates have secured high profile roles with leading international firms across a variety of sectors, including investment banking, management consultancy, manufacturing and rail transport. Recent graduates have been successful in securing positions with blue-chip companies, such as Morgan Stanley, KPMG, Standard Chartered Bank and Amcor. Thanks to our Aston Alumni network, you will have the chance to connect with these former graduates in a range of professions.

Study abroad opportunities

A wide, but alternative, range of study abroad options will be available for January starts. If you are an international student, your visa will still be valid until the end of May the year following your entry date. 

The Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway

We partnership with some of the world's most highly ranked business schools.

Start your global career 

If you plan to study your MBA with Aston, a second degree is yours for the taking. 

All Aston Business School students can apply to undertake a second Master degree as part of our Exchange Partnership Pathway. In addition to the ambition to study overseas, you will need to have successfully completed the first year of your studies at Aston. In our partnership with these prestigious institutions we have acknowledged the quality of each other’s degrees.

This means that, when you go overseas, you will already have credits from Aston Business School towards the degree that you choose to study overseas. Apart from an administration fee of £1,250, there are no additional tuition fees to pay if you are selected to study at one of our partner Business Schools. Please note however that places are limited, subject to availability and an application process and the final decision is made by the partner).

We partner with some of the world’s leaders in business education to offer the Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway. Each school shares Aston’s philosophy for employability and offers courses that reflect the needs of industry.  The Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway is similar to an exchange opportunity, but you’ll spend an additional year at one of our partner institutions and, if successful, will graduate with a second masters degree.

You will deepen your learning and demonstrate dedication to your subject area whilst also embracing a new culture. You will deepen your learning and demonstrate dedication to your subject area whilst also embracing a new culture. The Exchange Partnership Second Degree Pathway is offered in collaboration with institutions across the globe. See more information about our partner institutions. 

Trips and visits

You will do much of your learning out of the classroom. At Aston we take students to visit companies and gain first-hand insights in a business setting.

Thanks to our close partnerships across the business community, our MBAs have had the opportunity to spend time with prestigious companies, such as Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, Amazon and Aston Villa Football Club, as well as a number of small to medium-sized enterprises in order to appreciate the challenges faced by smaller firms.

You will also benefit from inspiring guest lectures from top executives and experts across various business sectors. They will impart valuable insights from industry, helping to enhance your commercial understanding. These are also a fantastic opportunity to network and make new professional contacts.

Each year we take our full-time MBA students for a one-week residential to a partner school in Europe. This trip gives you the chance to explore the history and culture of the city, attend lectures at our partner institution, network with your fellow MBAs, and visit local multinational organisations, to give you real business insight. Please note, that international visits are subject to the availability of our partner schools, risk assessment based on the University’s risk assessment policy and guidelines and foreign travel advice at the time of planning.

Modules

The Aston Full-Time MBA is made up of nine core modules, one elective module, a business project and The Aston Edge professional development programme. The course is taught over a 12 month period.

Term 1

Term 1 Theme - Leading Teams and Projects

Our core modules will equip you with a thorough knowledge of the key business and management issues needed in modern business.

Core Modules

• Measuring and Enhancing Financial Performance
  This module will improve your understanding of assessing the financial health of a business. Through a state of the art business simulation, you will work in teams making financial decisions for your shared business while competing against your peers. This simulation is an engaging way to put theory into practice.
   
• Creating and Delivering Customer Value
  You will learn and put into practice the key concepts and theories of marketing strategy and management, including how to research and understand customer behaviour, innovation for global markets, and how to interpret data to develop marketing strategies.
   
• Crafting Strategy
  You will learn to link strategy theory and practice to develop your skills as a strategic, innovative and entrepreneurial thinker and doer. You will also develop your understanding of how to use financial analysis for strategic decision-making. This module is split into two parts, the first half focuses on understanding strategies whilst the second half looks and entrepreneurship and innovation.
   
• Personal Leadership Focus
  This module commences in Term 1 and runs throughout all terms.
   
• The Aston Edge/Leadership Development
  This module commences in Term 1 and runs throughout all terms.

Term 2

Term 2 Theme - Leading Enterprises

Our core modules will equip you with a thorough knowledge of the key business and management issues needed in modern business.

Core modules

• Designing and Managing Operations, Systems and Processes
  We’ll introduce you to new techniques for achieving operational efficiency and teach you how to put them into practice with visits to local organisations such as Jaguar Land Rover and Cadbury.
   
• Developing an Innovative and Entrepreneurial Mindset
  This module explores how entrepreneurship and innovation create value. Entrepreneurship is the process through which knowledge and creativity shape new ways of delivering these products and services either through new organisations or by revitalisation or reformation of existing ones.
   
• Managing Responsible Organisations
  You will develop a broad knowledge of topics such as globalisation, cultural differences, global brands, fair trade, social responsibility and philanthropy from a business perspective.
   
• Personal Leadership Focus
  This module commences in Term 1 and runs throughout all terms.
   
• The Aston Edge/Leadership Development
  This module commences in Term 1 and runs throughout all terms.

Term 3

• In term 3 you will undertake one optional module.  You will select one module from the following optional modules.  Please note that optional module selection process takes place during Term 1.

  Optional modules

• International Business
• International Marketing Management
• Advanced Strategy
• International Finance
• E-Business Strategy
• Services Innovation

• In addition, you will continue with the following core modules:

• Personal Leadership Focus
  This module commences in Term 1 and runs throughout all terms.
   
• The Aston Edge/Leadership Development
  This module commences in Term 1 and runs throughout all terms.

Term 4

Business Project

The course concludes with a major business project * that gives you the opportunity to design your own learning experience to fit your own area of interest. This project acts as a springboard for your future career and as such, you can complete it in a number of ways:

•    Consultancy project on behalf of a client or your organisation
•    Business plan for your own business
•    Industry/themed research project
•    Internship (UK or overseas) and extended organisation-based project.

*Project type is subject to availability.

In addition you will conclude the following core modules:

Personal Leadership Focus
This module commences in Term 1 and runs throughout all terms.

The Aston Edge/Leadership Development
This module commences in Term 1 and runs throughout all terms.

The Aston Edge

A personal leadership development programme which runs throughout the MBA course, The Aston Edge is designed to develop leadership capabilities as well as key soft skills that are highly sought-after by employers.

Delivered through a series of dynamic, engaging leadership workshops and seminars with high profile guest speakers, this module will help you approach and overcome real-world business challenges. You will also gain exposure to ground-breaking faculty work in the areas of leadership, ethics, enterprise and innovation.
The workshops will be held on a variety of thought-provoking topics, such as:

• Becoming an architect of leading strategic change
• Emotional intelligence and intercultural awareness
• Managing conflict
• Leading in volatility, uncertainty and ambiguity
• Managing innovation and entrepreneurship.
   

The Aston Edge also helps you to achieve your career aspirations. Our MBA careers consultant will support you in creating a personal and career development plan. This will be used to identify a series of development activities for you to undertake, allowing you to take control and enhance your career prospects.
 

Learn more 

Entry requirements

For direct enrolment onto the Aston MBA programme, you will need one of the following:

•    A UK honours degree, minimum Lower Second Class (2:2)

•    Equivalent overseas degree recognised by Aston University.


As well as:

• At least five years relevant professional work experience by the time you start your programme.

• An official academic transcript of your grades (in English)

• Two references – preferably one from an academic referee, the other from your current or previous employer (Two professional references may be accepted from applicants with substantial work experience).

• A degree-level professional qualification.

Interviews: Successful applicants will be required to attend an online interview as part of the application process.

International

If you are an international student, you will require:

•  An official academic transcript, with an official English translation of your university grades.

English language requirements can be found here.

Extensive work experience

We accept applications from candidates with extensive work experience who have not completed a graduate qualification.

We take a holistic approach in evaluating applications. If you would like to get a better idea before applying, you are welcome to contact one of our MBA advisers for an informal discussion. 

The information contained on this website details the typical entry requirements for this course for the most commonly offered qualifications. Applicants with alternative qualifications may wish to enquire with the relevant admissions teams prior to application whether or not their qualifications are deemed acceptable. For less commonly encountered qualifications this will be judged on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the academic admissions tutor.

The Aston MBA is delivered using a range of innovative and practical teaching practices, whereby you will learn about all the aspects of business through holistic company challenges that impact different business functions. This means, you will get a more realistic, hands-on learning experience. 

You will learn through participation, with your contact time consisting of active, task-based learning. From guest lectures by top executives to practical activities, business simulation exercises to real-life consultancy projects, this hands-on experience ensures a rich and rewarding learning experience. 

A key feature of The Aston MBA is the focus on teamwork and effective collaboration. You will work as part of a group throughout the year on a number of projects. We work with each group, offering specialist coaching and support to help you improve and become a high performing team. These group projects replicate real-life working environments, providing suitable experience and helping to develop your teamwork skills. 

We use a range of authentic assessment methods to help to prepare you for tasks you may encounter in the workplace. You will undertake business activities, including business simulation exercises, compiling project plans and presenting recommendations for consulting projects, pitching for funding from investors and reviewing performance and positioning of organisations. You will also carry out a practical, in-depth business project for your final assessment. The Aston Edge and Personal Leadership Focus modules require personal, critical reflection exercises, which can be hugely rewarding and help to develop your self-awareness. .

International students

Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students on many of our postgraduate programmes. Students from over 120 different countries chose to study with us every year and Aston is not only a great place to study, based in the centre of Birmingham it’s also a great place to live.
 

Post-study work visa

Aston University welcomed the creation of a new immigration route which will enable international students to remain in the UK for two years after they have completed their studies, in order to find work. The new post-study work visa will apply to international students starting undergraduate and postgraduate courses from 2020 at universities with a track record of compliance with immigration policy.

Find out more about the post-study work visa.

Aston Full-time MBA fees

Payment of tuition fees

You can pay your fees in full at the beginning of the programme, or choose to pay in three termly instalments of 50% (term 1), 25% (term 2), and 25% (term 3). Please note your fees will vary depending on which scholarships you have been awarded.

MBA deposit payment

When you accept your place onto the Aston MBA you will be required to pay a £3,000 deposit. This sum will be deducted from your total tuition fee amount upon enrolment.

UK postgraduate loans

If you're thinking about studying a postgraduate course with us, you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan to help with course fees and living costs. Find out more here.

Further information

Tuition fees for students are reviewed annually and may increase in subsequent years in line with inflation linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) to take account of the University’s increased costs of delivering the programme.  Any such increase shall always be in accordance with the law. When undertaking a placement year a placement year fee applies.

More information on fees and funding

Scholarships

At Aston University we are committed to supporting the most talented and hardworking students to achieve their potential by providing a range of scholarships to help lower tuition and living costs. Find out more about our MBA scholarships here.

Cost shouldn't limit your career aspirations, which is why we are delighted to offer all Aston graduates (including exchange students) a 20% loyalty scholarship in standard taught MA, MSc and Full-time MBA course fees.

This means that as an Aston graduate applying to our Full-Time MBA course, you could save...

As an Aston graduate, you will automatically qualify. For more information visit our webpage.

Whilst investment banking and management consultancy have long been regarded as typical MBA careers, the list of companies who now hire MBA graduates is extensive.

Recent graduates

Roles that our recent MBA Graduates have gone into include:

• Wealth Advisory Associate with Morgan Stanley, USA
• Investment Banking Analyst with PrimeStreet Advisory, Thailand
• Corporate HR Director with Amcor, Switzerland
• Tax Manager with KPMG, Saudia Arabia
• Credit Analyst with Standard Chartered Bank, Nigeria
• Head of Employee engagement with Chiltern Railways, London
• Business Analyst with CNSI, India.

Aston University was recognised as the 'Best University Placement Service'.

The Careers and Placements team at Aston University won the 'Best University Placement Service' category at the National Undergraduate Employability (NUE) Awards 2022. This was achieved by launching Virtual Employability Festivals and recognising the power of peer-to-peer communication by pairing 500 students looking for placements with 500 students who had completed placements.

Why study an MBA at Aston Business School?

Not only to we have a world leading business school and highly rated research output, but our industry links have not only shaped our MBA programme, but enhance your experience throughout. You will get real business challenges to tackle, guest lectures, networking opportunities and a skillset that is relevant and in demand across sectors.  

The Aston MBA is unique because you will be taught through innovative and practical ways that will really develop your entrepreneurial mindset, leadership qualities and skills at working as part of, and leading, a team. 

What kind of career will I develop with an MBA?

Whether you want to lead your own start-up, excel in your current organisation, or propel your career in a new direction, the Aston MBA will equip you with the personal and professional skills, knowledge and confidence to establish a rewarding and successful career path. 

Our MBA is tailored to what you need, both personally and professionally. As well as elective modules to choose from, you can also tailor your Final Project to best suit your goals. We also work with you to develop your own personal development and career plan and you will gain a breadth of experiences including team coaching principles. This will really help you to progress over the duration of the MBA. 

All of this combined means that you will shape our MBA to best suit your personal and professional plans and we will help you to achieve your goals whilst you develop on the course. 

Why choose to study with Aston Business School?

Aston Business School are part of an elite group of business schools thanks to our triple accreditation from AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA. We can help to enhance your career prospects, boost your earning potential and set you on the pathway for a successful, rewarding career.  

Aston University is renowned for its excellence in teaching and research and the employability of our graduates. At Aston Business School we are committed to innovative approaches to teaching and education. We are dedicated to providing the students with a competitive advantage in the jobs market by delivering the knowledge students need to pursue the many career tracks available to them with a background in international business. Teaching on the course is informed by our world-class scholars and provides you with a deep understanding and skills for conducting business in a global scale. At Aston University, we aim to prepare the students for the real world challenges. There are plenty of opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience and apply their knowledge in real-life situations by engaging in live projects and internships. 

When do I need to select my optional module?

You will select your optional module during term 1.