Top 10 Online MBA Programs in the United Kingdom (UK)

Imperial College Business School in London puts on a well-respected Online MBA course. Notable is the sophisticated online learning environment the school has developed, which enables it to teach a practical curriculum. The Hub, as the online learning platform is known, lets students access material and learn from anywhere in the world, at any time. The course also includes global study opportunities in various locations around the world. 

Durham University Business School in the north of England is also ranked in the top-10 by the FT—one of three UK business schools to be featured in the publication’s Online MBA ranking. The business school has achieved “triple crown” accreditation from key industry associations, which validate the quality of its teaching and research, which informs the education students receive. 

Another highly regarded school for an Online MBA is the University of Bradford School of Management, in the historic northern English county of Yorkshire. What sets the program apart from the pack is that it combines theory and practice, with students implementing their new knowledge and skills in the workplace from day one. 

Warwick Business School has been the standout performer in the Financial Times global Online MBA ranking. The institution in England’s west midlands region has come up trumps in the ranking for three years on the bounce. More impressive still is the massive salary that its alumni achieve: on average its north of $200,000 three years from graduation. That’s a 40 percent bump on pre-MBA pay.

One of the top-rated business schools in the UK, Alliance Manchester runs a Global MBA program that can be pursued from anywhere in the world, in either 24 or 18 months. The program includes six residential workshops, which can be taken in Manchester, or in one of the school’s global centers in Dubai, Hong Kong, São Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore. This makes it easier for students in many places around the world to get some classroom time, which can help with networking and soft skill development. 

The University of Birmingham’s business school in the eponymous midlands city in England lays claim to the world’s first fully Online MBA to be accredited by AMBA, a top awarding body. The school is ranked among the top three in the world for frequently drawing top UK employers. The program promises to develop participants’ critical thinking on the big challenges facing society, such as the climate crisis. 

Aston Business School in Birmingham has an Online MBA that focuses on enhancing students’ employment prospects. In fact, it achieved an 82 percent employability rating by the Sunday Times newspaper. The course includes a professional leadership development program based on behavioral science, designed to provide an “Aston edge”. 

Edinburgh Business School of Heriot-Watt University in Scotland’s eponymous capital city has an Online MBA which offers a high degree of flexibility. Students can study the subjects they want, in any order, starting and ending whenever they wish. This includes such courses as economics, finance, people and project management. 

Also in Scotland is the University of Strathclyde’s business school that puts on a “Flexible Learning MBA” that balances online and on campus study. This format aims to avoid a common trade-off when it comes to online study: students often sacrifice the networking aspect that is so crucial to a full-time MBA experience. Strathclyde has an extensive global alumni network that can help students to land jobs. 

The Open University is a distance learning specialist, having been formed as an exclusively online university. Its triple-accredited business school runs a flexible MBA that is ranked first in the UK and fifth in the world by CEO Magazine. It boasts solid industry connections: 60 percent of FTSE 100 companies have paid for their employees to study at the OU. The cost of the course is also relatively low.