University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business
Master of Business Administration - Full-time

Cape Town, South Africa

DEGREE TYPE

MBA

DURATION

1 year

LANGUAGES

English

PACE

Full time

APPLICATION DEADLINE

EARLIEST START DATE

STUDY FORMAT

On-Campus, Blended

Key Summary

About: The Master of Business Administration (Full-time) at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB) is taught in Cape Town. The GSB holds triple-crown accreditation (EQUIS, AACSB, AMBA) and global reputation. The programme focuses on social responsiveness and development challenges, leadership development, managerial tools, entrepreneurship, international exposure, professional networks and increased earning potential.

Career Outcomes: Graduates move into general management, strategy and consulting, entrepreneurship, social impact and development leadership, finance and corporate roles, policy and NGO leadership. You'll gain leadership, strategic management, finance, and cross-cultural skills that support advanced roles in business, government and civil society.

Study in an Emerging Market

Study in Cape Town, South Africa’s most beautiful city, at a globally ranked business school with a world-class reputation.

At the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB) we are passionate about learning and are dedicated to social responsiveness and to addressing the key developmental challenges facing this country and other emerging markets.

Enhance your professional knowledge and become a business leader of the future by understanding and identifying creative solutions to critical challenges in complex environments. Gain a unique perspective and expertise to drive positive societal change in South Africa and beyond.

The benefits of studying for an MBA at the UCT GSB include:

Enhanced personal leadership competencies
Expanded professional networks and relationships
Unique and effective managerial knowledge and tools for efficient management
Value creation for entrepreneurial enterprises
An opportunity to diversify skills and self-reinvent
International Exposure
An increase in earning potential
Accelerated career advancement
Skills acquired for greater social impact

First African Win at Top International Business School Competition

A team of UCT GSB MBA students, led by the senior lecturer and MBA alumnus, Johannes Schueler, won the 39th John Molson MBA International Case Competition, claiming victory over 35 business schools from 18 countries around the world. This is the first time an African business school has won this prestigious event, the oldest and largest MBA company analysis competition in the world, often referred to as the “MBA Olympics”. Congratulations to the team: Jane Obree, Van Zyl van der Merwe, Kate Herringer CA (SA) and Shivani Ghai and their coaches Johannes Schueler and Rihana Hoosain.

MBA Full-time Format

The UCT GSB MBA full-time format comprises an intensive 11-month journey from mid-August to mid-May including Core Courses in Terms 1 and 2 and Electives in Terms 3 and 4. The programme involves extensive group work including individual assignments with over 500 hours of contact time through lectures, group work and one-on-ones with faculty.

The full-time MBA program is ideally suited to students who are seeking a global approach with an African perspective and are looking to immerse themselves in full-time study.

Curriculum

Core Courses

Course designs are updated and adapted annually, therefore the topics listed for each course are a guideline of what students can expect will be covered in each course. The core MBA modules cover a number of different topics.

Business and Leadership in Global Contexts
Managing Complex Environments
Strategic Decision-making in Changing Environments

Electives

In addition to the core curriculum, students are required to select a total of 20 credits of electives courses. The elective courses provide students with the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of specific areas of interest or to enhance their knowledge across a broader range of skills:

Advanced Finance
Advanced Leadership
Complexity of Change
Coaching
Company Valuations
Digital Market-making
Integrated Reporting
Lean Thinking and Operational Excellence
Management Control Systems
Negotiating to Create Value
Venture Launch
Strategic Brand Building
Social Finance
Social Innovation Lab

Specialisation Streams

The UCT GSB offers six MBA specialisation streams, allowing you to enhance your generalist MBA training with a set of in-demand specialised skills. This way you can tailor your degree to match your areas of interest, knowledge and unique skills. As employers are increasingly looking for a balance of generalist and specialist skills, this may increase your employability and help you define your career path.

The specialisation streams are made up of specific combinations of MBA core courses and electives.

Please note that each specialisation stream has core course minimum grade requirements, so we cannot guarantee that you will be accepted into your first choice of specialisation stream. Also, due to timetabling, logistics and minimum class sizes, specific electives may not be run every year.

We offer six specialisation streams: