Exclusive opportunity for Heriot-Watt Alumni
MBA Essentials delivers practical leadership and strategy skills with three focused courses from our globally recognised MBA.
Key programme information
MBA Essentials PGCert is designed for ambitious Heriot-Watt alumni ready to take the next step in their professional journey. Built from the same academic excellence as our full MBA, it helps you apply learning immediately, build global credibility, and study flexibly online. As a valued Heriot-Watt graduate, you can apply for one of 50 fully funded alumni places to gain MBA-level expertise and the option to progress to the full MBA.
Study mode
100% online. Learn from anywhere, at any time.
Duration
Fully flexible. Design your studies around your schedule.
Start date
Enrol at any time. Start when it suits you best.
Funded
Take advantage of this exclusive fully funded opportunity for alumni.
Exclusive alumni offer
Drawing on the reputable, global MBA from Edinburgh Business School, the online MBA Essentials programme is purposefully designed to help you develop the key business, management and leadership skills needed to advance your career in a faster, more flexible way.
As a valued alumnus, we are excited to offer you an exclusive opportunity to apply for one of 50 fully funded places on the MBA Essentials programme.
Take advantage of flexible learning, designed for professionals like you, and continue to build the transformative skills you need to advance your career.
Online learning designed for you
Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University is a UK leader in online learning, having provided high-quality distance education for more than 20 years. The MBA Essentials programme builds on this to deliver a truly customisable, contemporary, and relevant learning experience for modern professionals.
Career focused
This programme is purposefully designed to help you develop practical, career-ready MBA skills sought by today's employers. Apply your learnings in real-time in your own working environment.
Fully flexible
You are free to choose when you start each course, and you control the pace of your study. Course materials are available on demand, so you can structure your studies to fit around your life.
Truly global
Available to study from anywhere in the world, from any device. This 100% online programme is truly borderless, allowing you to build an international and diverse professional network.
Accessible
Open and available to you, regardless of your educational background, professional experience or location. We are proud to extend access to transformative, lifelong learning experiences.
What you'll learn
The MBA Essentials programme will empower you with the skills and knowledge to excel in your career: Strategic Thinking: make better, more informed decisions in business and beyond. Leadership: Develop your leadership skills in a range of diverse settings and contexts, positively impacting individual, team and organisational performance. Planning and Delivering Projects: Conceive of, plan and deliver projects, enabling the successful realisation of business objectives.
People, Work and Organisations
Gain an understanding of the factors influencing how people behave at work and how these link to performance. Investigate differences between individuals, how organisational factors affect individual behaviour and, how these differences affect group dynamics. You’ll walk away with the skills and knowledge to positively impact on individual, team and organisational performance in a variety of dynamic organisational contexts.
Leadership Theory and Practice
Explore key developments in leadership theories and how they apply to modern organisations. Grow your awareness of alternative approaches to leading in a variety of contexts, and better understand the role of leadership in setting and shaping organisational strategy. Discuss contemporary issues of gender, culture and ethics in the context of leadership. You’ll walk away with the knowledge and tools you need to develop yourself as an effective leader in a variety of contexts.
Delivering Successful Projects
Understand, analyse and learn to apply project management skills to address issues and conflicts, enable change and drive innovation. Become empowered to lead projects and teams with the key skills to manage multidisciplinary stakeholders and complex scenarios under conditions of risk, uncertainty and change.
Build towards a full MBA
Interested in studying an MBA?
The MBA Essentials is the perfect way to start your journey. Not only will you build your capabilities in core MBA areas which you can apply immediately in your current role, you'll also be taking steps towards achieving an MBA qualification.
Upon successful completion of the MBA Essentials programme, you will earn 60 credits that can be applied towards pursuing a full MBA with Edinburgh Business School. This means that by completing the MBA Essentials, you would already be one-third of the way to earning an MBA! You can also opt to receive a Postgraduate Certificate upon completion of the MBA Essentials programme.
How you'll learn
All courses are offered fully online to accommodate your preferred study schedule and location. With no set times to study and no deadlines, you can study independently, when it works best for you. Access your course materials on demand, from mobile or desktop.
Online campus: Our Virtual Learning Environment acts as your digital campus, and it houses a variety of engaging course materials for you to work through in your own time. Throughout your programme, you will benefit from the opportunity to connect and collaborate with a global network of peers on course forums.
Duration: On average it takes around 200 hours to complete each course. You can complete your programme in under a year, or as long as it takes you! Choose your own pace by scheduling your studies when it best suits you.
Assessment: For each of the three courses, you will be provided with timed online coursework that can be completed within a 24-hour timeframe. You will have three assessment opportunities per year, and you can register to sit your assessment when you're ready.
How will the MBA Essentials benefit you?
Take the next step in your career
Pursue in-demand roles - including those in consultancy, operations, human resources and analytics - across a range of industries, or apply what you've learnt to start or advance your own business.
Increase your professional value
Build a comprehensive set of transferable MBA skills while you work and stand out to current and future employers.
Build your global business network
Tap into the same influential network, valuable insights and connections enjoyed by our MBA students.
Start your MBA journey
Complete the MBA Essentials and you'll be one-third of the way through your MBA - just build on 6 more courses to graduate with a full MBA.
Apply for a fully funded place
If you have any questions or need any support completing your application, please reach out to hwonlineapps@hw.ac.uk.