Course overview
Study at Teesside University International Business School
See what it’s like to study at our modern, enterprising and dynamic business school
This apprenticeship is designed to elevate your senior managers, transforming them into strategic leaders capable of driving your business forward. Accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the Senior Leader Apprenticeship (SLA) equips your leaders with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to make strategic decisions that will have a lasting impact on your organisation. With a strong emphasis on real-world application, the programme ensures your leaders are prepared to manage unpredictability, foster innovation, and lead with entrepreneurial spirit.
Who this apprenticeship is for?
The SLA is ideal for those in senior management roles or those aspiring to such positions. It’s perfect for individuals who are responsible for leading teams, driving change, and making strategic decisions that shape the future of your business. Whether your apprentice is currently in a senior role or preparing to step into one, this programme ensures they are fully equipped to lead in today’s fast-paced business world.
Five reasons your business needs a Senior Leader apprentice:
- 1. Drive strategic success: your apprentice learns to think and act strategically, enabling them to propel your business towards its goals with clear, decisive action.
- 2. Foster innovation: with a focus on entrepreneurial leadership, your apprentice will cultivate a culture of innovation, inspiring new ideas and driving sustainable growth.
- 3. Expand global reach: by understanding global markets and trends, your apprentice will help your business navigate international opportunities and challenges with confidence.
- 4. Lead with excellence: your apprentice hones essential leadership skills, such as communication, decision-making, and problem-solving, to ensure they can inspire and manage teams to achieve outstanding results.
- 5. Champion sustainability: with a strong emphasis on sustainability and corporate responsibility, your apprentice leads initiatives that enhance your business’s reputation and long-term impact.
How it works
The SLA blends on-campus workshops with digital learning, offering your apprentice the flexibility to balance their studies with work commitments. With eight workshops per year and robust online support, your apprentice engages in learning that directly benefits your business. This experiential approach ensures they can apply what they learn immediately, driving improvement and innovation within your organisation.
The total cost of the Level 7 SLA is a maximum of £14,000. Organisations can fund £14,000 of the fees through their Apprenticeship Levy. Non-levy paying employers, such as SMEs, can request funding through the Apprenticeship Service. If accepted, this involves co-investment. The employer pays 5% towards the cost of apprenticeship training (a maximum of £700). They can apply to the government to cover 95% of the levy funding, up to a maximum of £13,300.
At Teesside University, all learners are offered the opportunity to gain recognised accredited qualifications supporting long-term career progression beyond the apprenticeship. While an MBA is not part of the Level 7 SLA, and therefore not eligible for Apprenticeship Levy funding, our SLA provides learners the opportunity to gain an MBA fully mapped to the apprenticeship standard, funded at no additional cost to the employer.
Please note, we can only respond to enquiries from employers, or individuals with agreement from their employer to undertake an apprenticeship.
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.
Global strategy: Challenges and Choices
As the global business environment becomes ever more complex and volatile, there is a need for organisations of all shapes and sizes to think and act more entrepreneurially, innovatively and creatively in order to be able to change and adapt. This interdisciplinary module provides you with an understanding of the internal and external factors that impact strategic decision-making. You are introduced to a variety of strategic theories, tools and concepts, all in the context of the external environment and its impact on strategic challenges and choices. You are exposed to a variety of academic and practical material that you apply to your own organisation, or a live-case organisation, in order to appreciate the importance of developing and implementing innovative strategic plans for the success of the organisation, its key stakeholders and society more broadly.
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.
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
The apprenticeship is delivered as a blended model with eight workshops on campus each year. Apprentices are also supported through our digital learning offer. This flexible experiential learning approach fits with busy work and life schedules.
The apprentice learns authentically with their peers to develop solutions to strategic challenges in organisations. They also actively participate in online discussion groups and virtual seminars, with access to a variety of other digital materials to shape their learning.
How you are assessed
Your apprentice's progress is assessed through a range of practical, real-world tasks, ensuring they apply their learning directly to their role. The end-point assessment evaluates their knowledge, skills, and ability to meet the apprenticeship standard, confirming they are ready to lead with impact and drive your business forward.
Entry requirements
To be accepted on to an apprenticeship course you must have support from your employer and meet the course entry requirements.
The apprentice 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 International Business School.
Job role responsibilities
Apprentices must have a minimum of two years’, graduate level, full-time work experience in a relevant role, such as management, administration, professional or a supervisory capacity.
The apprentice may still be considered for entry if they do not meet the criteria, if they have significant management experience or a record of achievement in business and leadership.
Given the work-based approach to assessment that underpins this apprenticeship, the apprentice should be currently employed, preferably in a management role and refer to their roles and their organisations in the completion of their assessments.
The employer must confirm to the University that you will support the apprentice on the apprenticeship before the application can be progressed.
Advanced standing
Apprentices who have completed a recent level 7 business-related professional qualification may be offered advanced standing onto the apprenticeship. Given the diverse range of professional qualifications and the diverse range of credit value for these qualifications, applications are considered on an individual basis following the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning process.
For apprentices aged 16-18 on the first day of their apprenticeship, a level 2 English and maths (GCSE grade 4/C or level 2 functional skills) remains mandatory before completion.
For apprentices aged 19 and over, the level 2 English and maths requirement is now optional. English and maths training can be included where agreed by the apprentice and employer.
For general information please see our overview of entry requirements
Employability
Career opportunities
Successful apprentices typically progress in their organisations. They could move into general or senior management, strategic leadership, internal consultancy or project leadership roles. The apprentice builds on their existing work experience and skills, and the programme enhances their ability to lead and manage change.
Senior Leader Apprenticeship (Master of Business Administration) MBA
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
