Business Administration (online)

Entry requirements

• A minimum of three (preferably five) years relevant work experience since graduation of a managerial nature.
• An Upper Second Class Bachelor Degree or international equivalent.

Months of entry

April, September

Course content

The Durham MBA (Online) will enhance your key business and leadership capabilities to enable you to achieve your career aspirations whilst you continue in full-time employment, so you can apply what you learn directly into the organisation you work for.

The international diversity of our students, alumni and faculty will give you the ability to network virtually with people from across the world, and from a wide-range of business sectors. You will be able to enhance your global business experience through the optional International Business in Context module.

The programme, which runs over two academic years, has been developed to reflect the modern realities of an energetic corporate and commercial environment and equip you with key strengths such as analytical thinking, global awareness and effective communications skills.

Programme structure

You will complete:

• Seven core modules
• Two optional modules
• Strategic Consulting Project

Core modules:

These are the foundation of your programme – establishing the management knowledge, understanding and research skills every leader needs.

• Accounting and Finance
• Economics for Global Business
• Operations and Technology
• Marketing
• Sustainability and Ethics
• Leading and Managing People
• Strategic Management

Optional modules:

Depending on your career aspirations, you can either choose to study two optional modules that you find particularly interesting and most relevant to your future career.

Or alternatively, you can choose to study two modules within a structured pathway focusing on the area of entrepreneurship, consultancy or technology.

Modules on offer are dependent on demand, but in previous years have included:

• Entrepreneurship
• New Venture Creation
• Management Consultancy
• Project Management
• Business Analytics
• Technology, Forecasting and Innovation Analytics
• International Business in Context

Strategic Consulting Project

The Online MBA Strategic Consulting Project will provide you with the opportunity and support to conduct an in-depth investigation at an advanced level of an issue or a business challenge which is applicable to an industrial, commercial, public sector or charitable organisation. Working with a real company, you will analyse and evaluate a strategic issue, challenge and explore concepts and apply the knowledge and skills you have acquired in the classroom. This is an excellent opportunity for you to gain experience relevant to your career aspirations, enhance your professional network and pitch yourself as a future manager.

Alumni network

As soon as you join us, you become a member of the Business School’s Alumni Association. With over 36,000 members, the network reaches over 140 countries worldwide, facilitating friendships and business connections, sitting at the heart of your Durham experience.

Course Structure

Accounting and Finance examines the economic and financial contexts in which organisations operate and develops your skills in the application of economic analysis to the way a business makes decisions and addresses planning. You will look at a range of business management functions such as accounting, evaluating financial performance, working capital evaluation, financial planning, investment decisions and financial risk management.

Economics for Global Business enables you to acquire and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of those elements of economic analysis that are relevant for managing in the global economy. The module aims to develop your skills in the application of this economic analysis in business decision making and planning.

Leading and Managing People develops your understanding of leadership and management in organisations and the processes and practices around contemporary human resource management. The module also considers issues such as organisational behaviour including motivation, ethics and sustainability, the skills and requirements for leadership and managing change and the processes associated with human resources such as recruitment, reward and recognition.

Marketing explains the function of marketing, its application in commercial contexts such as business-to-consumer and business-to-business trading and the main issues it faces. Looking at areas such as marketing environment, buyer behaviour, market research and segmentation, targeting and positioning (STP) you will develop an understanding of how customers acquire products and services, how to segment markets and position brands and the principles of the marketing mix framework.

Operations and Technology develops your understanding of operations and technology management within organisations and explores the factors that govern operations management decisions.

Strategic Management aims to broaden your understanding of the strategic management of organisations and the impact of the wider external environment by examining how companies attempt different business and corporate strategies to achieve or maintain a competitive advantage. You will gain a knowledge of strategy formulation and implementation under conditions of changing industry competition, firm resources, and technology.

Sustainability and Ethics looks at the impact of sustainability and ethical issues on organisations and considers the role and purpose of business and other organisations in society. It also considers the roles and impacts of business ethics, corporate social responsibility, risk management and compliance, and governance.

Strategic Consulting Project is an advanced in-depth investigation of your choice into an issue or a business challenge which is applicable to an industrial, commercial, public sector or charitable organisation. It also teaches you the appropriate quantitative and qualitative research methods knowledge and skills to undertake a research project at masters level.

You will also select additional optional modules, which in previous years have included:

• Management Consultancy;
• Project Management;
• Entrepreneurship;
• New Venture Creation;
• Business Analytics;
• Technology Forecasting and Innovation Analytics;
• International Business in Context.

Information for international students

If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take a pre-Masters pathway programme at the Durham University International Study Centre.

Fees and funding

For further information see the course listing.