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MBA in Scotland? 5 Reasons To Consider Strathclyde Business School

The Strathclyde MBA is a diverse, global program that equips students with the skills that employers want

The UK is one of the world’s top destinations for MBA programs. Many students set their sights on cities like London, Manchester, and Birmingham. Yet, in Glasgow, there’s a business school that lures students further north, thanks to its global reputation and unique focus. 

Strathclyde Business School was the first school in Scotland to receive triple accreditation from AMBA, EQUIS, and AACSB. The school also landed at number 53 in the Financial Times European business schools ranking, 13th in the UK. 

The Strathclyde MBA is an intensive, 12-month course that covers the basics of business knowledge while allowing for substantial personalization and career development. Tuition fees for the MBA total £34,150, a fraction of the cost of other one-year MBAs in the UK.

So, it’s cost-effective and has a big seal of approval from accreditation bodies. Here are five more reasons you should consider the MBA at Strathclyde Business School.


1. Learn about what employers really want

The Strathclyde MBA was the very first one-year MBA program to be launched in the UK in 1966. Since then, course leaders regularly review the curriculum to keep it modern. Now, future students enrolling on the Strathclyde MBA can enjoy a revamped curriculum.

“It retains many of the historical strengths of the MBA at Strathclyde but also adds in some new strengths as well,” explains Lesley Pender, program director of the Strathclyde MBA.

One of these new strengths is a dedicated focus on what employers really want from MBA graduates and the skills necessary for future workplaces. 

“The future of work is not what it was before,” says Lesley. “Students need to be able to demonstrate that they can adapt and flex, whether that's within the job or between jobs.”

The MBA in Scotland includes a core Strategic Leadership Development module, where students develop their emotional intelligence, teamwork, and risk management skills, vital for today’s business world. They also have opportunities to network with companies such as JP Morgan, SSEN, and Virgin Money at the careers conference, as well as visiting ACS Clothing. 


2. Join a diverse class

In 2022, the Strathclyde MBA welcomed 54 students onto the program, with nine different nationalities represented. Additionally, one-third of students are women.

While the Strathclyde MBA is taught on campus in Glasgow, Strathclyde Business School has five international centers. This includes a campus in Dubai, plus partner institutions in Bahrain, Greece, Malaysia, and Oman.

MBA students have frequent opportunities to meet students studying on these global campuses to network and exchange ideas. 


3. Personalize your program to your goals 

The Strathclyde MBA is tailored towards a global, modern business world, and features core modules that cover subjects such as data analytics, strategic management, and responsible leadership.

But students can also personalize their program with a range of specialist electives. Some of these are run as the MBA Summer School, an annual event that brings together students from Strathclyde’s five international centers. 

“Students can come to Glasgow, and they can network with one another and more broadly than just in their own cohort,” Lesley notes.  

Here, students can choose from a minimum of 10-15 different electives, tailoring their MBA experience to their future career goals. 


4. Focus on sustainability  

A big part of the Strathclyde MBA is sustainability, and one of the three core pillars of the program is responsible leadership. Within this pillar, students follow modules related to sustainable workplaces and sustainable leadership.  

Pilar Amieva from Mexico used the Strathclyde MBA to transition from a role in the oil and gas industry to be a sustainable entrepreneur and activist.

“Through the MBA, I was able to understand how I could create a business that's sustainable, self-sustainable, and that people will be interested in,” she says.

“At a certain point, I decided to leave my old life in oil and gas behind, but I don't think I could have done that completely without studying at Strathclyde.” 

Strathclyde’s commitment to sustainability learning is world-renowned. The business school appears in the top 30 most sustainable programs in the world according to the Corporate Knights Better World 2022 ranking

The school also offers a specialist MBA in Sustainable Energy Futures, which offers students a look into future sustainable policies and how to lead a responsible organization. 


5. See things with a global outlook

With a strong partnership between Strathclyde’s international centers, students on the MBA program are given a unique opportunity to view business from a global perspective. 

This perspective is strengthened by the internationally renowned academics on the course and the school’s Global Practitioner initiative, which brings teaching staff from diverse industries and countries to the program. 

“What we're doing is giving students a full range of skills that aren't just about that first job after they leave, but are about their future career and how they manage that,” asserts Lesley.

This content was sponsored by the University of Strathclyde

Student Reviews

University of Strathclyde Business School

Hollie

Verified

9/01/2023

On Campus

Best Business School in Scotland?

I have enjoyed my time at Strathclyde Business School with my specialising subjects being in Marketing and HR which are two predominantly interesting subjects. The university definitely delivers their digital marketing course better than the rest of them as it is much more interactive and effective which most of the other classes don't appear to offer as much.

Student

Verified

10/02/2022

Blended

Fun environment

So far I have enjoyed my class and love the environment. Everyone is friendly. Teachers are good at teaching especially in my field of marketing, they know what they are teaching and how to do their best (few exceptions of course). The tuition is pretty high for international students (although I received a generous scholarship). Career prospects are pretty good among the alumni. The best part about this university is the excellent library facility. Overall I think it's worth the experience.

Student

Verified

1/11/2021

On Campus

Diversity

Amazing University with lots of opportunities for students in and outside Scotland. Also for students from wealthy households or low-income households. Help is given whenever needed and always felt safe and heard! Best 4 years of my life.

Saya

Verified

2/11/2021

On Campus

Enjoyable and fun business school!

I loved my time at Strathclyde business school. The modules were incredibly interesting and surprisingly relevant to my current role as an eCommerce Associate in one of the biggest global food & drink companies. The lecturers are also very friendly and gave insightful lessons. My criticism is the lack of communication and support during the mandatory year abroad process. Strathclyde was one of the few unis who did not react well to the sudden change induced by the covid pandemic and so we felt we had to fend for ourselves. The level of work they were asking from us (60 credits minimum) is also way too high.

Emily

Verified

3/01/2018

Good business school

The business school has really good lecturers who take time to explain things in a coherent way. The halls of residence are very well kept however the WiFi can be patchy around campus which can be problematic.

Nikolas

Verified

16/09/2024

Online

Rewarding experience

I highly recommend SBS for its challenging and highly rewarding International MBA program. The level and variety of MBA courses, as well as the knowledge level and experience depth of tutors have been unparalleled.