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Course overview
Study an MBA
Our MBA is an internationally recognised qualification that creates future-ready business leaders. Find out more about studying this course at Teesside.
By studying our MBA, you not only gain an internationally renowned qualification, but you develop entrepreneurial and leadership skills to make an immediate impact in the workplace. If you aspire to make a significant contribution to your organisation and society more generally by leading at a strategic level, this is the course for you.
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On completion of the MBA you:
- think and act entrepreneurially to lead through uncertain and rapidly changing conditions in the global business environment
- are a responsible leader able to work with a diverse range of teams, in a variety of cultural contexts
- are international in your outlook and understand the challenges and opportunities the global business environment presents businesses
- have a deep understanding of the functions of business and appreciate the importance of functional collaboration to achieve organisational goals
- are a self-reflective practitioner with acute awareness of your self-identity and values
- understand the importance of the role of business in society.
Course details
Course structure
Core modules
In today’s fast-paced and unpredictable global business environment, organisations of all sizes must think and act with agility, innovation, and creativity to stay competitive. Our Business and Finance Strategy module equips you with the knowledge and tools to navigate this complexity and drive impactful strategic decisions.
This dynamic and interdisciplinary module explores the critical internal and external factors influencing strategic decision-making. You explore a range of strategic theories, frameworks, and financial concepts that are essential for understanding and addressing real-world business challenges. Whether you're analysing market trends or evaluating internal capabilities, you’ll gain the confidence to apply these insights to your own organisation or a live case-study.
Key areas of focus include:
• mastering strategic frameworks that guide long-term organisational success
• exploring financial strategies that support sustainable growth and effective decision-making
• understanding how innovative strategic planning benefits organisations, stakeholders, and society.
By the end of this module, you’ll be ready to develop and implement robust, forward-thinking strategies that drive organisational success in an ever-evolving global landscape. Whether you're looking to enhance your leadership capabilities or take your organisation to the next level, this module provides the expertise and confidence to lead with impact.
Leadership in a Global Context
In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, effective leadership requires more than just management skills—it demands self-awareness, adaptability, and a global perspective. Our Leadership in a Global Context module empowers you to develop the self-leadership skills needed to shape your career and lead with confidence in diverse organisational environments.
This module equips you with analytical tools to assess your personal leadership strengths and identify areas for growth. As global organisations face increasingly complex internal and external challenges, you’ll learn how to apply creative and entrepreneurial approaches to leadership, ensuring agility and long-term success.
Key areas of focus include:
• developing self-reflective practices to enhance personal leadership capabilities
• understanding leadership approaches and their impact in a global context
• engaging in action learning sets to collaborate, reflect, and develop leadership skills alongside peers.
By the end of this module, you’ll have the confidence and knowledge to lead effectively, inspire others, and drive meaningful change in organisations operating on a global stage.
The MBA Dissertation module gives you the opportunity to apply your academic knowledge and practical skills to address a significant business issue within an organisational context. This module enables you to integrate your learning and critically analyse a real-world problem, demonstrating your ability to bridge theory and practice effectively.
You undertake a major research project focused on a business challenge relevant to an organisation, developing in-depth insights and offering practical solutions. Through this process, you’ll refine your analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills, all while contributing valuable knowledge to the organisation.
Key elements include:
• research proposal presentation (20%) – develop and present a detailed proposal outlining your research objectives, methodology, and anticipated outcomes
• dissertation report (80%) – produce a 15,000-word dissertation that critically evaluates your findings and provides evidence-based recommendations.
By successfully completing this module, you will demonstrate your ability to tackle complex business challenges, preparing you to lead and innovate in a global business environment.
Strategic Approaches to a Healthy Workplace
A healthy workforce is the foundation of a successful organisation. Our Strategic Approaches to a Healthy Workplace module equips you with the skills and knowledge to develop and implement strategies that promote mental health and wellbeing, enhancing overall organisational performance.
This module explores the complexities of managing mental health and wellbeing in a professional context. You’ll critically assess contemporary approaches to creating healthy work environments and learn how to design practical, evidence-based resources to support employee wellbeing.
Key areas of focus include:
• understanding the impact of mental health and wellbeing on organisational success
• evaluating modern approaches to developing and maintaining healthy work systems
• designing tailored resources to promote mental health and wellbeing
• proposing actionable recommendations to create and sustain a positive workplace culture.
By the end of this module, you’ll be prepared to lead initiatives that foster a thriving, resilient workforce, ensuring long-term success for both employees and the organisation.
Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship
In a world where sustainability is no longer optional, organisations need forward-thinking leaders who can drive positive change. Our Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship module empowers you to develop the knowledge and skills to address sustainability challenges - whether by launching new ventures or driving innovation within established organisations.
This module explores the power of the entrepreneurial mindset in tackling global sustainability issues. You’ll learn how to critically evaluate sustainability-focused entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship projects and gain the expertise to build organisations that balance profitability with environmental and social responsibility.
Key areas of focus include:
• understanding how entrepreneurial thinking can lead to sustainable solutions
• assessing and managing sustainability-driven initiatives in both start-ups and established organisations
• developing strategic capabilities to create organisations that embrace and champion sustainability.
By the end of this module, you will be equipped to lead and influence sustainable change, positioning yourself and your organisation at the forefront of the global shift towards responsible business practices.
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
You are guided through your learning by module tutors who are experienced in developing and delivering high quality online and in classroom learning experiences, and supported through your learning journey through tailored learning experiences that have been designed for online learners, located across the world.
You engage with content – such as video lectures, reading and online tasks – independent of other learners. However you are also expected to collaborate, network and immerse yourself in group learning activities through online collaboration tools designed to support peer to peer learning. These tools replicate the learning experiences that would be experienced in class through discussion and debate of concepts, theories and case application.
The programme places an emphasis on the global context of business. You learn authentically with and through your peers to develop solutions to strategic challenges in organisations. Our MBA goes beyond business knowledge. Its primary focus is on the application of knowledge through acting on strategic challenges.
A research informed approach to teaching permeates the programme, exposing you to the latest thought leadership in aspects of entrepreneurship, leadership and management and other disciplines through the multi-disciplinary Current Issues in Business and Society module. This research informed approach goes beyond academic research and includes professional and applied research, informed and delivered by a vast network of business professionals who engage with the programme through guest lectures and projects.
You should expect a very flexible approach of learning through pre-recorded session to fit into your individual circumstances. Such flexibility offers you to work in your chosen time and pace. For a standard 20 credit online business module, a typical week of learning may include 10-15 hours of asynchronous learning, possibly in the form of online tutor led videos, reviewing additional learning materials in written, audio and video format, online quizzes and assessment based work.
How you are assessed
The programme adopts a range of formative and summative assessment methods to suit the demands and requirements of the applied nature of the MBA. These include business reports, case study analysis, presentations, self-diagnostic assessments, reflective reports and a research proposal and associated dissertation.
Entry requirements
You must be an honours graduate of any discipline, with a minimum of a 2.2 obtained from a recognised university, or hold an equivalent professional qualification acceptable to Teesside University Business School. You must also have a minimum of two years, graduate-level, full-time work experience in a relevant role (for example, management, administrative, professional, supervisory capacity).
You may still be considered for entry if you do not meet these criteria if you have significant management experience and/or a record of achievement in business and leadership.
Given the work-based approach to assessment that underpins this programme, there is an expectation that applicants are currently/have been employed (preferably in management roles) and will be able to refer to their roles and their organisations in the completion of their assessments.
Students whose first language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in the English language equivalent to IELTS 6.0.
Advanced standing
Applicants who have completed a recent Level 7 business-related professional qualification may be offered advanced standing onto the programme. Given the diverse range of professional qualifications and credit value for these qualifications, applications will be considered on an individual basis following the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning process.
For general information please see our overview of entry requirements
Employability
Career opportunities
Typically graduates move into general or senior management and strategic leadership roles, internal consultant/project leadership roles or into external consultancy roles. You build on your existing work experience and skills, and the programme enhances your ability to lead and manage change.
Graduates from this course are confident, enterprising and proactive. They are attractive to employers across a broad spectrum of sectors and job roles and many go on to become successful business leaders and entrepreneurs.
Learning platform
Our virtual learning environment (VLE) is the platform you use to access your online course
Teesside University online learning courses are delivered through the Brightspace Learning Environment.
Here are some of the benefits.
- You can use it on your smartphone, tablet and computer.
- And you can use it anytime, so that you can plan your learning to fit your own schedule.
- It's easy to use and navigate.
- Modules are set out by topics and themes. You can use the progress bar to understand where you are in your modules, and appreciate your achievements.
- We support you to become familiar with your VLE, helping you to start learning quickly.
- You get feedback, help and guidance from tutors throughout your course through the VLE, and you can ask questions at any time.
- Our tutors use a live activity feed to keep you updated about your course.
- You can create a student profile, collaborate with other students and take part in online discussion forums.
Master of Business Administration (Online)
Master of Business Administration (Online)
Master of Business Administration (Online)