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MBA Senior Leadership (Top-Up) (Taught)

  • MBA
  • 9 Months
  • Part-time
  • 4 May 2026
  • Postgraduate
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Course options

2025-20262026-20272027-2028
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Course summary

This top-up qualification will build on your PgDip, or equivalent, qualifications. You’ll submit a dissertation or work-based project to graduate with a full Masters in Business Administration.

You’ll learn to translate management and leadership issues and knowledge into practical skills and day-to-day behaviours.

This postgraduate top-up course equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to resolve difficult business challenges, and provides opportunities for you to work on real problems within your own organisation.

Before this course you’ll typically hold a senior management role with key responsibilities for strategic decision making and leadership.

As this course is work-based, you already need to be in a full-time, part-time or voluntary role to apply.

This top-up qualification is normally a 60 credit follow-on from a Postgraduate Diploma such as our Senior Leader (Senior Leader Apprenticeship) (PgDiP). However, we will consider applicants with Postgraduate Diploma level qualifications from other institutions.

Course highlights

  • Complete a dissertation or work-based project to earn your full MBA qualification

  • Study part-time while continuing to progress in your career, applying your learning as you go

  • Use your existing experience to your advantage to build deeper insights into strategy, leadership, and management

  • Work closely with a dedicated Supervisor and Personal Tutor for guidance throughout your project or dissertation

  • Learn from academics actively engaged in research and benefit from guest lecturers

  • Connect with other professionals on your course from a range of different fields and attend industry networking events

Modules

The University of Portsmouth is passionate about creating career-focused modules that do more than support your studies, they empower your academic journey and prepare you for what comes next.
We design modules that have:
• Clear themes and skills development as you progress through each year
• Assessments that feel meaningful, often based on real-world tasks rather than isolated exams
• Career-enhancing opportunities such as placements, live projects, enterprise and volunteering
For a full list of the modules you will study on this course, please visit the link to the course page.

https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate-taught/mba-senior-leadership-top-up#modules

Assessment method

You'll be assessed through:

  • a research proposal (2,000 word count)
  • dissertation project (10,000 word count)

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Main Site

Study options

  • MBA • Part-time • 9 Months

Start dates

  • 4 May 2026

Entry requirements

Applicants should normally hold a Postgraduate Diploma or an equivalent Level 7 qualification. This includes a Senior Leader Degree Apprenticeship PgDip with End Point Assessment, a PGDip in a relevant business discipline, the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL/PGDL), or the Qualification in Career Development (QCD). Professional Level 7 diplomas offered by recognised bodies, including the CMI Level 7 Diploma achieved within the last five years and a minimum of three years managerial experience, or comparable qualifications in areas such as management, marketing, or human resources, will also be considered. Candidates who hold full chartered membership of an appropriate professional body, such as CMI, CIPD, or CIMA, or who have completed a PgCert alongside at least five years of management experience, are also eligible to apply. Applicants with non-standard qualifications will be invited to attend an interview.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 5.5.
TOEFL (iBT)91 with a minimum of 18 in Reading, 17 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing.
PTE AcademicAn overall score of 65 with a minimum of 59 in each skill.
Cambridge English AdvancedCambridge English: Advanced (CAE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 162.
Cambridge English ProficiencyCambridge English: Advanced (CPE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 162.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Per year tuition fees

LocationFeeYear

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Students who are resident in EU countries: please note that the net fee is inclusive of the Transition Scholarship.
Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice.
Fees may also go up in later years, in line with inflation.
For further fee information please see the corresponding University of Portsmouth course page or visit https://www.port.ac.uk/study/masters-and-postgraduate-taught/fees-and-funding

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