Executive MBA
A unique part-time programme, designed for senior executives looking to accelerate their careers in a technology-driven world.
Overview
Our Executive MBA is a 23-month part-time programme is designed for senior executives wishing to accelerate their career. The programme flexibility allows you to undertake an MBA alongside your current role.
You’ll gain a thorough knowledge of essential business disciplines, have opportunities to specialise in your areas of expertise, as well as the chance to develop your global perspective on business.
The programme is delivered via a unique blend of online preparation and in-class teaching. Online material allows you to complete a significant portion of work flexibly at your own pace, wherever you might be. Preparation completed online is then used at on-campus sessions, helping you make the most out of your time in class.
Study programme
You will have three sessions on campus every four weeks, taking place on Friday and Saturday.
Elective modules can be taken in four different formats and include students from our other MBA programmes, increasing the diversity of your cohort and the ability to make lasting connections.
Prior to the start of the programme, you take a number of pre-programme modules. These ensure that you have the quantitative and financial skills required for the rest of the course. You must successfully pass the pre-programme modules, but they are not formally assessed.
Executive MBA at Imperial
You complete a number of core modules across years one and two. These cover the general functions of management, explore essential business topics and equip you with the skills to be an effective and inspiring leader in your field.
You will complete approximately 16 hours of online material prior to each campus weekend, split into one-hour cells, using our highly interactive online learning tools before each of your in-class sessions.
In your second year, you begin to specialise in areas of interest and elective modules to study in the spring and summer terms. You can choose to do all of your optional modules online or opt to study with a blend of online and in-class learning. Many optional modules are offered in four formats to fit into your schedule:
- Online modules – perfect if you want to minimise your visits to campus, our award-winning highly interactive online modules allow you to study at your convenience
- Two-week – Monday and Tuesday (week 1), Thursday and Friday (week 2)
- Weekend – Thursday afternoon, Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning
- IB Glocal Electives – Intensive study abroad programmes led by the Business School faculty to teach students how to explore contemporary global business problems with a local perspective
During the autumn term of your second year, you undertake an individual project and analyse a particular industry, management problem or aspect of the economy. You will usually work in close cooperation with a company (typically your employer). The final project is an opportunity to apply the management principles, modules, concepts and techniques you have learnt during the programme and to be recognised for adding value to your organisation.
International residences*
At the end of your first year, you will join a three-day international core module to a top business school in Europe called Manufacturing the German Way. In the middle of your second year, a one-week international core module called Doing Business in China will take you to Greater China.
*Please note these are currently subject to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
Professional accreditation
We are among a handful of business schools worldwide to achieve triple accreditation:
- Association of MBAs (AMBA)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS)
We have also been recognised for our work in tackling gender inequality in higher education with a Bronze Athena SWAN award.
Structure
This page reflects the latest version of the curriculum for this year of entry. However, this information is subject to change.
The curriculum of this programme is currently being reviewed as part of a College-wide process to introduce a standardised modular structure. As a result, the content and assessment structures of this course may change for this year of entry.
We recommend you check this page before finalising your application and again before accepting your offer. We will update this page as soon as any changes are confirmed by the College.
Find out more about the limited circumstances in which we may need to make changes to or in relation to our courses, the type of changes we may make and how we will tell you about any changes made.
Page last reviewed on 25 October 2021.
Structure
Core modules
You study all of the core modules below.
- Accounting and Corporate Reporting Analysis
- Corporate Finance
- Corporate Innovation and Intrapreneurship
- Executive Leadership Journey
- Languages
- Managerial Economics
- Marketing Management
- Organisational Behaviour
- Responsible Leadership and Corporate Success
- Strategy
Non-assessed modules
- Induction
- Plagiarism Awareness
Pre-study modules
- Data Analysis Primer
- Accounting Primer
- Finance Primer
- Introduction to Corporate Sustainability, Social Innovation and Ethics
- Mathematics Primer
Optional modules
You choose five optional modules. Below is a sample of optional modules.
Analytics and Digital Marketing
- Big Data, AI and Machine Learning
- Brand Management
- Consumer Behaviour
- Design for Business Transformation
- International Business
- Marketing Analytics
Finance
- Advanced Company Valuation
- Advanced Corporate Finance
- Alternative Investments
- Banking and FinTech: Strategies and Challenges
- Entrepreneurial Finance
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Private Equity
- Topics in Asset Management
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Digital Business
- Digital Business Model Design
- Digital Opportunities: Insights from the Startup Nation (IB Glocal)
- Design Management
- Energy Business
- The Entrepreneurial Journey
- Family Business
- Idea SMARTCamp
- Leading Social Innovation
- The Future of Cities (IB Glocal)
Strategic Management
- Advanced Strategy
- Breakout Strategy
- Building and Managing Reputations During Good Times and Bad
- Business Problem Solving
- Defining Moments
- Design For Business Transformation
- Managing Negotiations
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Leading Yourself
- Leadership for Sustainable Organisations
- Pricing Strategy
- Project Management
- Sales Management and Leadership
- Strategy and Leadership in a Digital World
- Strategy in Volatile and Uncertain Environments
- Sustainability and Competitive Advantage
Sector Specific
- Clean Technology Investment
- Climate Change and Business Strategy
Final project
The individual project is completed in year two of the programme and takes the form of a formal report of up to 15,000 words.
You will analyse a particular industry, management problem or aspect of the economy, usually working in close cooperation with a company (typically your employer), to develop a recommended strategy and implementation plan.
You'll make use of management principles, modules, concepts and techniques covered on the Executive MBA programme.
For more information about the course structure, including comprehensive descriptions of each component, please see Imperial College Business School's website.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching methods
- Case studies
- Equipment/technique demonstrations (e.g. Bloomberg, Datastream)
- Formal presentations
- Group work exercises
- Interactive content including video and module quizzes
- Lectures
- Online discussion forums
- Online lecture materials
- Practical classes and field work
- Pre-programme VLE modules
- Seminars
- Work placement opportunity
- Workshops
Assessment methods
- Case studies
- Continuous assessments
- Essays
- Formal presentations
- Multiple choice tests
- Participation
- Reports
- Written examinations
Exchange opportunities
There are exchange opportunities available to MBA students. You are able to apply to take a number of module credits at one of the partner institutions listed below.
- Esade Business and Law School
- ESSEC Asia-Pacific
- ESSEC Business School
- Graduate School, Bocconi University
- HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management
- School of Management, Fudan University
- SDA School of Management, Bocconi University
- University of Economics Prague
- Warsaw School of Economics- SHG
Entry requirements
We welcome students from all over the world and consider all applicants on an individual basis.
For advice on the requirements for the qualifications listed here please contact the Department (details at the bottom of this page).
Entry requirements
Minimum academic requirement
Our minimum requirement is a 2.2 degree or an approved professional qualification.
Acceptable qualifications include:
- Full membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in the UK or Ireland (ICAEW, ICAS or Chartered Accountants Ireland)
- Full membership of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting (CIPFA)
- Associateship or Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
- Full membership of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
We welcome candidates with non-traditional qualifications and backgrounds; if you do not meet the requirements listed above please contact the Admissions team to discuss your eligibility.
You will typically require a minimum of ten years' relevant postgraduate work experience, including at least five years of management experience; however, candidates with over eight years' relevant experience can be exceptionally considered. This should include significant management experience, which may include line, project or matrix management.
If your maths does not seem to be at the required level, you may be asked to sit a short maths test prior to an offer being made.
International qualifications
The academic requirement above is for applicants who hold or who are working towards a UK qualification.
We also accept a wide variety of international qualifications. For guidance see our Country Index though please note that the standards listed here are the minimum for entry to the College.
If you have any questions about admissions and the standard required for the qualification you hold or are currently studying then please contact the relevant admissions team.
English language requirement (all applicants)
All candidates must demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency for admission to the College.
For admission to this course, you must achieve the higher College requirement in the appropriate English language qualification. For details of the minimum grades required to achieve this requirement, please see the English language requirements for postgraduate applicants.
Competence standards
Our competence standards highlight the core skills students should be able to demonstrate by the end of this course.
View Imperial College Business School's competence standards [pdf]
We believe in providing the widest practicable access to all of our degree programmes and will make reasonable adjustments wherever possible to support your study. For more information, please contact the Department using the contact details below.
Imperial College Business School
T: +44 (0)20 7589 5111
E: business.school@imperial.ac.uk
How to apply
Making an application
Apply online
All applicants must apply online.
Visit our Admissions website for details on the application process.
If you are applying to the Business School, you may only be considered for one programme per admissions cycle, with the exception of applicants to our Finance Master's programmes, who may select two programmes.
Application fee
If you are applying for a taught Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course:
- £135 for MBA applications
- £80 for all other taught Master’s applications
There is no application fee for MRes courses, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas or research courses, such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
ATAS certificate
An ATAS certificate is not required for overseas students applying for this course.
Further questions?
Find answers to your questions about admissions. Answers cover COVID-19, English language requirements, visas and more.
Tuition fees and funding
The fees for the Executive MBA are the same for UK and international students.
Find out more about fees and funding opportunities.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees
Postgraduate Master's loan
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For 2022-23 entry, the maximum amount is £11,836. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Scholarships
We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students to support you through your studies. Find out more about our scholarships to see what you might be eligible for.
There are a number of external organisations also offer awards for Imperial students, find out more about non-Imperial scholarships.
Accommodation and living costs
Living costs, including accommodation, are not included in your tuition fees.
You can compare costs across our different accommodation options on our Accommodation website.
A rough guide to what you might expect to spend to live in reasonable comfort in London is available on our Fees and Funding website.
Further information
Got a question?
T: +44 (0)20 7589 5111
E: business.school@imperial.ac.uk
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