Master's in Business Administration (MBA - Top-Up)
Awarding Body
Duration
06 Months
Course Type
Full-Time
Year of Entry
2026
Tuition Fee
£4500
Programme Outline
The Marjon MBA is a programme of broad, analytical and integrated study of business, leadership and strategic management. It is a career development programme for those working in a variety of organisations, including sole traders, SMEs, national and multi-nationals, and not-for-profit. The programme is forward looking, with a focus on practical leadership and management skills which can be implemented in the workplace.
The Strategic Management Project is designed to be highly applicable to the student’s own experiences and desired professional trajectory. Starting with a Management Project Methods with project proposal phase, with close supervision and advice; this helps to ensure that students are set on an achievable and realistic path towards successful completion. The programme has a strong focus on reflective and peer-to-peer learning that draws on learners’ prior experience and enables them to integrate their new knowledge within the base of their professional context.
Distinctive Features
- A comprehensive curriculum offering emphasis on strategic leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation
- The programme is designed for flexibility, to provide accessibility for potential students.
- The programme uses a hybrid learning model – a combination of online learning with intensive and immersive face- to-face sessions.
- Authentic assessment opportunities with no examinations, enabling learners to embed and apply knowledge and understanding in their professional context, if applicable.
96%
of our Master's in Business Administration Course Course students were satisfied with the learning resources on their course
CLC - London Students Survey 2025
Modules
Core/optional modules
About Plymouth Marjon University (PMU)
Plymouth Marjon University has been a champion for social inclusion for over 180 years. From Foundation degrees and Apprenticeships to Undergraduate and Master’s degrees, committed students’ study hard to follow their passions in exciting careers. The University offers a wide variety of courses across education and teaching, health and wellbeing, and sport and rehabilitation.
Marjon is a small university with a big personality, from the roaring crowds at sport games to the social and friendly community. Students rank Plymouth Marjon highly, as England’s top 2 university for Student Satisfaction* and top 3 in England for Social Inclusion**.
Plymouth Marjon, ranked in the UK’s top 4 for Career Prospects*, works closely with a variety of experts and major industry partners to help its students gain vital experience and learn from the latest practices in their chosen sector. Students come away with practical skills and knowledge, bolstering their employability after graduating.
Marjon was awarded the top ranking of Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) by the Office for Students. The TEF is a national assessment of higher education institution teaching quality and student experience in England.
City of London College partners with Plymouth Marjon University, an institution recognised nationwide for its outstanding quality and student experience. Recent rankings include:
Rated Joint 1st in the UK for Academic Support
National Student Survey 2024No. 1 in the UK for Assessment
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2023Top 5 in the UK for Career Prospects
WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2024Top 5 in the UK for Lecturers and Teaching Quality
WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2024No. 3 in the UK for Teaching Quality
Good University Guide 2025No. 3 in England for Student Satisfaction
Complete University Guide 2025No. 2 University in England for Social Inclusion
Good University Guide 2025No. 2 University in England for Student Voice
National Student Survey 2024No. 6 University in England for the Students’ Union
National Student Survey 2024
- To foster broad knowledge and understanding of organisations, the external business
- context in which they operate, and their effective leadership and management.
- To develop a range of skills relevant to business and management: analysis, critical thinking, evaluation, decision-making, ability to communicate and work with others.
- To collect relevant information across a range of areas pertaining to a current situation, analyse that information and synthesise it into an appropriate form in order to evaluate decision alternatives.
- To critically apply theory in real-world business contexts.
- To develop comprehensive understanding and evaluation of research and enquiry techniques required to conduct an independent and original project on a specialised topic of interest and benefit to business practice.
- To equip business leaders and managers to respond to and shape the dynamic and changing nature of business.
The teaching would aim to engender a culture of independent learning that presents a challenging learning experience. The design of the programme facilitates real world learning and favours authentic assessment that draws on, and informs, their professional experience. Theory and practice are integrated throughout the curriculum.
Digital materials and resources are used extensively during the programme via the Distance Learning Platform, including the provision of reading lists, module workbooks, shared tutor and student presentations, slides, quizzes, videos, and other digital resources. Students are encouraged to engage in peer support through other professional online platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter.
Successful participants could be eligible to apply for an MPhil/PhD programme in a topic of business and management at Plymouth Marjon University, or other institutions.
Employability skills are integral to this programme and are developed through peer learning, independent tasks, formative and summative assessments. In addition to those skills shown Analytical thinking and innovation, Active learning and reflective practice, Leadership and social influence and Emotional Intelligence; Reasoning, problem solving and ideation and Complex problem-solving.
Graduates from the programme are expected to be candidates for rapid progression within their organisation. Through a combined focus on developing knowledge, skill acquisition, and personal development planning, students are in an excellent position to become innovators or leaders of change in their work and business sector contexts.
All registered students of Plymouth Marjon University are entitled to draw upon a range of the University’s student support and guidance services. The following are accessible remotely:
- Academic tutorial staff, including programme leaders, module leaders, and external University tutors.
- Extensive library and other learning resources, including the electronic library catalogue, e-journals, and Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
- Library and study skills guidance, access to Studiosity and Turnitin.
- Student Support Services: support with learning, counselling services. • Detailed programme and module handbooks.
Admission Criteria
This MBA is a ‘top-up’ programme designed specifically for holders of postgraduate diplomas with 120 credits in business or management.
- Hold a Level 7 Diploma or Extended Diploma in a leadership or management subject with a minimum of 120 credits. Equivalent international qualifications are also accepted.
- Be 18 years or older.
- International students will be expected to meet the English language requirements of IELTS 6.0 or Equivalent
- Normal University entrance criteria apply
- MBA Degree from Plymouth Marjon University, UK
- Transcript (European Diploma Supplement) showing credits, classification, and grading
Business Administration program at City of London College gave me the confidence to recognise career opportunities. Alumni network at the college has been a valuable resource in supporting my professional journey.
Student Voice
The programme team seek to develop positive relationships with participants through ongoing and continuous dialogue and regular communication. Feedback at programme level will be achieved through programme and module evaluations, mid module evaluations, end of semester evaluations and the staff student liaison committee. In addition, students will be invited to participate in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES).