Senior Leader Apprenticeship (Master of Business Administration) MBA

Course overview

The environment in which businesses operate today is extremely dynamic, posing a myriad of challenges and uncertainty for business professionals, managers and their organisations. The Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme is a constituent part of the Senior Leader Apprenticeship (SLA) which aims to develop reflective, entrepreneurial, innovative and responsible leaders with the necessary knowledge and skills to lead their organisations in a complex global environment.

The SLA programme provides a fantastic platform for aspirational senior managers to challenge themselves and drive innovative entrepreneurial leadership thinking and practice back into their respective organisations at a strategic level. Our MBA equips you with the ability to adapt, demonstrate entrepreneurial thought, originality and insight, and apply knowledge to influence strategic decision-making, creativity and innovation in complex and unpredictable situations.

You explore topics including the sustainable organisation, entrepreneurial leadership, global strategy: challenges and choices, contemporary issues in business and society, and applied leadership practice. You reflect on your professional practice and analyse your values and behaviours to develop as a responsible strategic leader, capable of thinking critically and creatively.

As an apprentice you are employed while studying part-time for an MBA degree from Teesside University Business School, and your fees are paid by the government and your employer. The programme is designed to be flexible in its delivery, to cater for a diverse range of learners, from a variety of professional backgrounds, and places a large emphasis on the application of knowledge in the organisational setting. You develop your personal, professional, critical thinking and reflective skills to prepare you to manage, lead and transform organisations - and make a positive difference to society more generally.

Apprenticeship levy-paying employers (those with pay bills over £3m) pay for apprenticeship training from their online levy accounts via the government's apprenticeship service. They will also receive a 10% government top-up to their online accounts. Non-levy payers pay only 5% of the cost of apprenticeship training, with the remaining 95% paid by the government.

Professional accreditation

The course is accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). On successful completion of the SLA, students will also be eligible for a CMI level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership.

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.

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 (e.g. management / administrative / professional / supervisory capacity). You will 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 a requirement that applicants are currently employed (preferably in management roles) and will be able to refer to their roles and their organisations in the completion of their assessments. Your employer must confirm to the University that they will support you on the programme before your application can be progressed. A good GCSE profile is expected, including English language and maths grade 4 (grade C) or above (or equivalent).