MBA Master of Business Administration (top-up)

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

No matter what part of industry or commerce you work in, studying our MBA (top-up) course will deepen your critical understanding of the problems and challenges facing enterprises and organisations and equip you with the analytical and critical faculties to identify potential solutions. As a graduate, you'll possess an overview of key business practices and further skills in areas such as operational management, marketing, strategic planning and accounting.

An MBA is often a route to promotion or a career change. Companies in every industry around the world seek out business and management professionals with an MBA. Every business, from tiny start-ups to large companies, needs someone with experience and the necessary education to support common business processes like accounting, finance, human resources, marketing, public relations, sales, and management.

What can I do with this qualification?

Alternative career options

Graduates can also use this qualification as a stepping-stone into various other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate. Some possibilities include:

• Hotel and leisure management
• Public relations
• Financial management
• Information systems
• Market research analysis
• Product management
• Health policy and information
• Purchasing
• Teaching and education
• Media (TV, film, online, newspaper, magazine)
• Advertising
• Self-employment
• Logistics
• Banking
• Auditing and quality assurance
• Project management
• Risk and insurance

After successfully completing your MBA programme, you may apply for membership of the Chartered Management Institute. Please note that terms and conditions apply. More details are available from http://www.managers.org.uk/

Home/EU Fees

Home students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Home fee of £4,320 for the academic year 2025/26.

International Fees

Overseas students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Overseas fee of £7,778 for the academic year 2025/26.

Bursaries

Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.

Important note regarding tuition fees: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

Home Undergraduate Tuition Fee Adjustment

The tuition fee applicable to the first year of your programme of study is confirmed in your offer letter. The tuition fee set is based on the regulations and guidance in force at the time of offer but remains subject to adjustment in accordance with any government-approved inflationary increase. The University reserves the right to amend tuition fees for all years of study, including the first year, by no more than the maximum increase permitted under legislation and regulatory guidance issued by the UK Government and the Office for Students.

Where such increases are approved, they will not exceed the rate of inflation, as measured by an appropriate index such as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), or any successor measure specified by government. The University will apply any adjustment consistently across affected student cohorts and will give reasonable notice to students of any confirmed change to the published fee before the start of the relevant academic year.

This approach ensures that tuition fees remain compliant with applicable legislation, proportionate to inflationary changes, and consistent with government policy linking permitted fee uplifts to the maintenance of high-quality education and outcomes. For more information, please refer to the government guidance at: gov.uk – Universities to deliver better outcomes in return for full fees.

Postgraduate and International Tuition Fee Adjustment

The tuition fee applicable to the first year of your programme of study is confirmed in your offer letter. The University reserves the right to amend tuition fees for subsequent years of study in accordance with its Course Fees Policy. Where such increases are approved, they will not exceed the rate of inflation, as measured by an appropriate index such as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), or any successor measure specified by government. The University will apply any adjustment consistently across affected student cohorts and will give reasonable notice to students of any confirmed change to the published fee before the start of the relevant academic year.

We take a blended learning approach, combining face-to-face sessions with online and practical work as appropriate. You can expect a range of learning and teaching methods, including face-to-face or online lectures, seminars, tutorials, discussion groups, guest speakers and master classes. We'll expect you to devote a significant amount of time to guided independent study. This can include, for example, general background reading, online activities, assessment work and preparation for sessions.

The Bolton MBA fosters an independent learning culture and offers a rewarding yet challenging learning experience. Our assessment strategy facilitates real-world learning and authentic assessment that serves several functions. The obvious and primary function is to evaluate your achievement. However, assessment also helps you organise and develop your learning. We'll provide feedback to help you understand your strengths and weaknesses.

Assessments fall into two general categories: formative and summative. Formative assessments don't contribute to your overall module grade. However, they are an integral part of a module's learning strategy, so you are required to complete them. They will be marked, and you'll receive feedback on your level of achievement. Summative assessments, on the other hand, are activities for which the marks will contribute to your overall module grade. You'll also receive feedback on these assessments so you can see what you've done well and where you can improve.

We employ many different forms of assessment, such as coursework, reports, case studies, oral presentations, research proposals and an extended project.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

• Leadership and Management
• Strategy
• Professional Project

Assessment methods

Level	Assessment method
Level 1	Coursework 100%

Learning Activities

Level	Activity
Level 1	Guided independent study 80% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 20%

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.