MBA offer holder information

Dear Class of 2025

Many congratulations in securing your place on the Exeter MBA this coming year. I am delighted that you have chosen to join us.  You will be joining our Class of 202/5 made up of smart, engaged and ambitious professionals each wishing to play their part in tackling some of the most pressing global challenges that we face.  As ever, we’re inspiring tomorrow’s leaders for a better world.

Despite receiving hundreds of applications for places on the programme, we personally review every application for the Exeter MBA and I have a say in who is selected. My criteria (in addition to skills and experience) are your motivation for joining the programme and what I feel you will bring to the overall cohort experience. We’re proud of our cohort’s diversity in thought and perspective, as well as gender, nationality and sectorial expertise. You’ll be joining a select, challenging cohort!

Exeter was ranked as THE Business School of the Year (UK) 2022. So, you will not only be joining one of the UK's most prestigious Universities, but also one of the most progressive, outward looking, triple-crowned MBA programmes with a tremendous reputation and a deep commitment to sustainability and responsibility. In addition, we are ranked #1 in UK and #9 worldwide by Corporate Knights for sustainability.  We take great pride in those achievements, which reflect the huge efforts our team of MBA faculty, professional colleagues and corporate partners invest to keep the programme innovative, experiential, cutting edge - and most importantly, relevant to the needs of global employers.

We are very proud of the Exeter MBA, and so will you be. I can assure you we will do our utmost to support and excite you as you acquire new knowledge, develop new skills, find your purpose, and make the most of a world of new opportunity - for yourself and/or your organisation. We are glad to have you with us, and we are confident you will find your time with us demanding, yet richly rewarding, for many years to come.

So, our very warm welcome to the Exeter MBA.  We look forward to seeing you on September 16th, if not before.

Professor Donald Lancaster

^{Director, The Exeter MBA}

The Full Time Exeter MBA will be starting on 16 September 2024 with our MBA Induction programme, which is designed to help you prepare for the demanding year ahead.   

You will need to register your place on the programme to gain your username and password and access the material.  Online registration will open in August 2024, and International Students will be able to register following document clearance on arrival at the University.  Details of how to register and activate your IT account can be found here.  If, for any reason, you are unable to register on the programme before registration closes, please advise us as soon as possible.

Throughout the induction period you will be introduced to the academic requirements of the programme, be invited to build relationships with fellow MBA participants and faculty, and refresh your writing, reasoning, and study skills while beginning the process of acclimatisation for MBA studies.

Online preparation

Induction Timetable

There may be some changes to the induction timetable and an updated version will be sent to you via email.

Week 1 - Induction 16 - 20 September

Week 2 - Induction 25 - 29 September

Week 3 - 1st taught modules 30 September - 4 October

There is some really useful information to help you prepare for living and studying in Exeter here including how to apply for your Unicard, registering with a student healthcare centre, contacting the Wellbeing team (if necessary) opening up a new bank account and paying your fees.

This short reading list will give you an introduction to the three main areas at the core of this MBA - Sustainability, Leadership and Technology - and will enable you to start preparing for your course.  You will be provided with further reading for the core modules as your MBA progresses.  

All of the publications mentioned will be available as e-books from the main library or can be easily purchased through standard book sellers provided to you on your modules.  

We also advise that you familiarise yourself with contemporary business publications such as The Economist, The Harvard Business Review and quality business newspapers (FT or Washington Post). In addition to ensuring that you have a good insight on what is happening in the word of business, you will also become more familiar and confident with business (English) language. 

During the MBA programme you will be required to access and use a number of software applications, including MS Excel, which will be particularly relevant for the Data and Analytics module. You will therefore need to have installed on your laptop/MAC/PC the latest version of Microsoft Office. As a registered student of the University of Exeter you can download a copy of MS Office free of charge. Please use this link to download a free copy, please note that you will need your IT username and password.

In terms of hardware, we recommend using a laptop equipped with a video camera and sound, an iPad or tablet and headphones with a microphone.

University accommodation

Online accommodation applications are open for September.  Please see details including key dates here - university accommodation.  There are limited couple or family accommodation and the contract for these flats start on Sunday 15 September 2024 and if you should arrive before this date, you will need to find alternative accommodation until the contract starts. Our website provides lots of information about how and when to apply and how we allocate rooms. 

If your University accommodation application is unsuccessful, you will need to look for private accommodation outside of the University, but your details will be kept on a waiting list and you will be offered accommodation if a vacancy arises at a later date.

Please note that you will need to have met all the conditions of your offer and paid your deposit before you can book accommodation.  The University guarantees to make all International, Postgraduate students an offer of accommodation within University owned, managed or approved residences provided you book your accommodation by the guarantee deadline of 31 July 2024.

If you have any questions or concerns about your accommodation, please contact the Accommodation team, email: ExeterAO@exeter.ac.uk.  

Private student accommodation

Take a look at our private accommodation list at Studentpad and see what's available. It is free to access and includes a list of shared houses and flats. You can contact landlords and agents directly to ask questions, arrange viewings and gather further information. The university encourages landlords who advertise to sign up to the Unipol student housing code ‐ a national landlord accreditation scheme aiming to help students make more informed choices about their accommodation and its quality.

You may want to get in contact with your fellow MBA students to find a place to share – please join the MBA Class of 2025 Facebook Group to see who else is looking for accommodation.

(please note that URL has also been updated for the Facebook Group)

This timetable will give you an outline idea of what you will be studying from Induction on 16 September 2024 to the final Project Presentations at the end of your Programme in September 2025.  A more detailed timetable will be available to you when you register for the programme and access the online materials.

The core programme comprises 5 segments which cover a range of topics as shown below:

• Understanding our World - Topics covered:  Accounting and Finance, Economics for a Sustainable World, Data Analytics
• Designing a Better Future for All - Topics covered:  Tackling Global Challenges, Design Thinking, Circular Economy Corporate Challenge
• Leading with Purpose - Topics covered:  Leadership, Organisational Behaviour, Responsible Governance: Ethics, Risk and Reputation
• Achieving Sustainable Success - Topics covered:  Business Strategy, Real-World Marketing, Operations Management
• Creating the New - Topics covered:  Digital Technology, Entrepreneurship‌, Innovation

Career Transformations 

Your MBA Careers Programme has been designed to give you a full understanding of yourself as a successful and innovative professional in today’s global business landscape.  Your programme runs throughout the year and will:

• Match you up with an experienced professional to gain 1:1 careers advice through our Careers Mentor scheme
• Provide personalised 1:1 Careers Coaching with our experienced, fully-qualified Career Consultant
• Provide access to a range of careers fairs and events
• Connect you with successful alumni working in a sector of your choice to further develop your contacts and professional impact

Personal Transformation 

A diverse range of ‘soft skills’ training is made available throughout your programme, usually including:

• Professional, private 1:1 Coaches
• Negotiation training
• Storytelling
• Critical Thinking workshops and development
• Networking skills
• Interview & video interview training

Commitment to Sustainability Goals

The Exeter MBA is fully committed to alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.  More than half of taught hours across the whole programme will reflect Environmental, Social and Governance responsibility.  90%+ of your Consultancy Projects cover aspects of ESG. In addition, the programme is offering students accreditation both of IEMA (Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment) and of Future-Fit. Students can also participate in the Global Sustainability Challenge and our Net Zero Workshop.

The Full Time Exeter MBA Timetable for 2024/2025

Core Modules 

* Please note the elective modules and timetable dates are subject to change

We know that you will have a great deal of questions, and hope that we can answer some of them here. 

Q: How do I get to Exeter?

A: If you are flying into the UK from overseas, you will be flying into London Heathrow or London Gatwick.  Details of how to organise your travel to Exeter can be found here.

Q: What are the MBA University Term Dates?

A: Term dates can be found here. Please note that the MBA Term 1 begins on 16 September 2024 with our Induction programme, and finishes on 13 December 2024.  

Q: What books will I need to purchase?

A: You may like to buy some of the core texts (see Preliminary Reading List), but most of the books you will need are available to borrow and view electronically from the University Library.  We also have a number of copies of core texts available for use in the MBA library.   If you want to buy your own books, you may find second-hand copies for sale at much lower prices - for example from AbeBooks. 

If you have any more questions before you start your MBA, please feel free to contact us via email at mba@exeter.ac.uk.