Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA)

The Executive MBA is a two-year, part-time, open learning programme for experienced managers. The Executive in the title indicates that the programme is specifically designed for busy managers who want a course of study that is highly relevant to their workplace and offers the flexibility they need.

The programme’s open learning delivery, attendance requirements and vocational emphasis allows busy executives to develop themselves and their organisations without taking a career break. Building on participants’ work experience, the Executive MBA helps them to develop into strong allround managers while also gaining the prestigious MBA qualification.
On completion of the Executive MBA managers bring to their organisations the capacities to recognise and respond to:
• strategic opportunities for growth
• volatility in the organisational environment and manage complex change
• the need for creativity, innovation and forward thinking in management issues
COURSE CONTENTS
The Executive MBA comprises three stages:
Postgraduate Certificate in Resource Management
• Managing Markets and Customers (20 credits)
• Managing Operations (10 credits)
• Managing Resources (20 credits)
• Managing Talent (10 credits)
Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Management
• Strategic Management (20 credits)
• 1 x option* (10 credits)
• Leadership & Change (20 credits)
• 1 x option* (10 credits)
Options
• Financial Management (10 credits)
• Innovation and Creativity (10 credits)
• Knowledge Management (10 credits)
• The Economy and Globalisation (10 credits)
Master of Business Administration
• Strategic Project (60 credits)
Each stage lasts approximately eight months and normally the programme takes two years to complete. However, each stage is recognised as a meaningful and respected qualification and participants may choose, if necessary, to take a break between stages. In such cases they are required to complete the programme within five years.
The Certificate is a general introduction to the functional areas of business and its application at all levels. Strategic management issues are integrated at the Diploma and MBA stages where the aim is to provide participants with an understanding of strategy and decision-making at a senior level. Our teaching faculty includes many staff who have senior management experience in the private, public and voluntary sectors and this is reflected in the real-world emphasis of the programme at UWS and practical work-based assignments.
The Masters strategic project is an indepth consultancy project which most participants base on an issue of strategic importance to their organisation.
CAREER PROSPECTS
Graduates of the Executive MBA will:
• acquire a firm understanding of the major areas of knowledge that underpin general management
• develop clear communication abilities across a range of media and audiences
• develop rational approaches to arguing cases and drawing conclusions based on rigorous, analytical and critical approaches to data and information
At University of the West of Scotland, the Executive MBA is designed specifically for busy managers. It features a highly flexible delivery that means that participants do not need to take a career break or time off work to achieve the MBA qualification. They can study at a time and place that suits them and their work and personal commitments. The programme’s open learning delivery consists of all-day, face-to-face workshops held approximately one Saturday per month and a dynamic web-based learning environment. This innovative and user-friendly environment offers learning materials online and features e-mail, discussion groups and bulletin boards, which allow programme participants to keep in close and frequent contact with tutors and other participants.