MBA with Extended Professional Practice

Why choose Herts?

Gain hands-on experience in a real business environment, enhancing your practical skills, industry knowledge and employability through direct application of MBA learning
engage with an innovative approach to management learning and access cutting-edge research that will challenge your assumptions about management practice
start your transformational journey to change the way you think and work.

An honours degree (at least 2:2 or equivalent) in any discipline, a degree equivalent professional qualification or appropriate work experience.

All students from non-majority English-speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency. The following qualifications and grades will be considered:

GCSE English language grade A-C
IELTS 6.5 (with no less than 5.5 in any band)
Other English language tests are accepted including some local qualifications such as Standard XII, WAEC and NECO. Please contact the International Office for details.


Institution code	H36
Course length	Sandwich, 2 Years
Location	University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

Employability

Careers

Career development is embedded throughout this MBA, combining cutting-edge theoretical learning with real business challenges. The programme also offers valuable insight from guest lectures and networking opportunities with business practitioners and MBA alumni.

You’ll benefit from dedicated career coaching, with sessions on personal branding, impact and navigating challenging conversations. The Business School careers team will also connect you with our vibrant alumni network and invite you to regular career-focused events designed to support your professional growth.

During your MBA studies, you’ll be involved in a Young Enterprise Programme, distinct from a traditional work placement. You’ll establish and manage your own business or social enterprise and gain firsthand experience in the business world. From establishing a company brand and defining your product or service to mastering business finances, you’ll immerse yourself in the whole business start-up. This offers a unique opportunity to develop skills, apply knowledge and grasp the essentials of launching a business.

There is a wide range of career opportunities available upon course completion, including roles in management, consultancy, operations, HR, marketing, finance, supply chain and project management across various sectors. The course prepares you for decision-making positions within multinational organisations or entrepreneurial ventures.

About the course

The Master of Business Administration with Extended Professional Practice degree will equip you with a critical understanding of business and management essentials, covering areas such as people management, marketing and financial proficiency. You’ll develop strategic leadership skills crucial for success in the professional world, and the ability to assess organisational strategic positioning. The programme is well-suited for you, regardless of your previous experience, if you are interested in leadership roles and entrepreneurial ventures.

This is course offers a comprehensive and immersive experience designed to develop well-rounded business leaders. This course not only provides you with academic knowledge, but also integrates real-world practice, enabling you to apply what you learn in dynamic business environments. The course includes a 30-week postgraduate professional placement. Students who are academically eligible for the placement must secure a professional work placement by themselves with the structured and dedicated support and guidance of the Future Success and Employability Team.

During the 2-year course, year 1 will focus on academic modules while year 2 will focus on applying your learning in a real-world setting through a professional placement, supported by a reflective portfolio. This is complemented by Strategic Management Research and Financial Principles and Practice modules in your final semester of study.

As a University of Hertfordshire MBA student, you’ll be supported by first-class facilities, including our virtual learning environment, StudyNet, which provides access to other students, lecture notes and over 100,000 e-books and e-journals. 

You’ll also benefit from the opportunity to participate in the Young Enterprise Start-Up Programme—an intensive, hands-on experience delivered in partnership with one of the UK’s leading enterprise education charities. Students work in teams to launch real businesses, act as company directors, and compete in national and European competitions. This initiative bridges the gap between academic theory and the practical demands of innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurship in a live, supportive environment.

You’ll benefit from teaching and supervision by expert, research-active staff, many of whom are internationally recognised and work as consultants or advisors to leading organisations. Their experience includes supporting FTSE-listed firms, global health bodies, innovation hubs, and digital transformation projects—bringing real-world insight directly into the classroom.

Why choose this course?

extended professional practice through a 30-week work placement, enabling you to apply academic learning in a real-world setting, develop practical competencies, and improve job readiness
learn from experts from diverse academic and professional backgrounds in areas including marketing, leadership and finance
access to a broad network of companies and industries based in London and the Southeast for placement and employment
opportunities to develop industry-relevant competencies such as strategic thinking, leadership and data-informed decision-making
expand your career opportunities by earning a highly respected Master of Business Administration (MBA) as well as completing a professional work placement
take a life-changing professional journey and expand your mind, skills, career potential and professional network
challenge your assumptions and gain a critical, reflexive approach to strategic leadership and management
focus on industry best practices with a curriculum that reflects current trends, tools, and methodologies, underpinned by cutting-edge research.

Our Postgraduate studies are sector-leading amongst over 100 Higher Education Institutions in the UK, as evidenced by our extraordinary achievement:

6th in Business and Management (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES), 2024)
1st for Skills Development and 2nd for Support, Resources, Community and Assessment (Advance HE, 2023)
Ranked in the top 25% of UK universities for business and management research impact (Research Excellence Framework, 2021)

Level 7

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Preparation for the Workplace	0 Credits	Compulsory
The module is designed to support postgraduate students in their search for work placements and their applications. Students are given an overview of the employment market, and information on what employers will be looking for when selecting. During their study, students will analyse current recruitment and selection methods used, and the module provides students with support to prepare for these.
Work Placement Portfolio	0 Credits	Compulsory
Undertaking a sandwich placement provides students with the opportunity to set their academic studies in a broader context. It also provides an opportunity to gain practical experience of the professional workplace, and to strengthen key employability skills. The Work Placement Portfolio module requires students to reflect on the learning gained throughout their placement, both in relation to their personal development, and their learning from their programme of study.
Professional Work Placement	60 Credits	Compulsory
Undertaking a placement year provides students with the opportunity to set their academic studies in a broader context, to gain practical experience of the workplace, and to strengthen key employability skills. The Professional Work Placement module provides opportunities for students to reflect on the learning gained throughout their placement, and to prepare themselves for articulating their experiences and enhanced skills when applying for future employment.
People Management	30 Credits	Compulsory
The module is designed to equip students with a critical understanding of the main principles of people management including practices and processes, contextual influences and their impact on individuals and organisations. By examining various perspectives and approaches to people management, whether within teams or as individuals, students will prepare for a people management role through the development of their own personal 'toolkit'. Additionally, the module provides students with practical insights on how effective people management contributes to both organisational and personal success.
Marketing and Entrepreneurship	30 Credits	Compulsory
This module equips students with a critical understanding of strategic marketing, encouraging the exploration of innovative methods to identify and capitalize on emerging market opportunities for both established businesses and startups. Through projects focused on product/service development, students learn to leverage digital business models, marketing communications and transformation strategies. Furthermore, entrepreneurial skills are cultivated in this module through a variety of approaches. The module is structured into two parts: initially emphasizing on marketing comprehension and then shifting to practical marketing and entrepreneurial skill development.
Financial Principles and Practice	30 Credits	Compulsory
This module is designed to enhance your understanding and application of financial information, which is crucial for effective interaction with both financial and non-financial management. You will learn to evaluate financial statements for external stakeholders and internal management reports, vital for decision-making. This module also explores methods for evaluating investment decisions and their financing options and combines theoretical knowledge with practical application through a blend of lectures, case studies and exercises to equip you with crucial skills for dynamic financial management in contemporary business contexts.
Executive Career Development	30 Credits	Compulsory
The module content focuses on career development within the context of the contemporary workplace and preparation for life beyond the MBA. Students will be enabled to evaluate the skills, knowledge, and behaviours required to achieve their professional career goals. Through research, reflection, self-evaluation, and engagement with industry practitioners from relevant career focus contexts, learners will consider their own career development needs and produce a personal development plan to aid them in their employability.
Strategic Management Research	30 Credits	Compulsory
Students will undertake strategic analysis and decision making in the context of real businesses and organisations, exploring the role of unpredictability, rapidly evolving industry architecture and dynamic processes of organisation. Students engage in a range of strategic debates impacting modern organisations, developing their skills as a manager and leader through the exploration of complex business challenges. Creativity, innovation and collaboration are critical success factors within the context of strategic decision making.
Human Resource Strategy and Practice	30 Credits	Optional
The module examines the development of contemporary people management with reference to relevant HRM theory and strategy models. It considers the benefits and challenges of aligning people strategy with the organisational strategy, taking into consideration both external factors and contextual issues. Additionally, the module considers the key issues and debates within people management and how the purpose and positioning of the HR function, the integration of different components of HRM practice, can add value and help achieve the organisation's objectives, through ethical and systematic thinking.
Digital Marketing	30 Credits	Optional
The module explores Digital Marketing's three pillars: Tools and Channels, Strategy and Planning, and Management. Students engage with tools like email marketing, SEO, paid search, and emerging technologies, refining proficiency. Strategic elements cover market analysis, target audience identification, and channel integration. Topics include a digital marketing audit, objective setting, strategy crafting, and plan development. Management addresses campaign optimization, performance analysis, and resource allocation. The course combines theory, case studies, and practical exercises, providing a holistic understanding of the dynamic Digital Marketing landscape.
Leading and Managing in Healthcare	30 Credits	Optional
Contemporary healthcare issues presented today require leaders and managers to think critically when making decisions. This module will develop students' understanding of theoretical and practical approaches to leading and managing healthcare services. With the demands placed on delivering healthcare services that are fit for the 21st century, students will be asked to discuss different types of leaders which are evident from case study materials. The module will draw together students learning to demonstrate skills and abilities to plan and use critical judgment and self-awareness.
Data Analytics for Business Leaders	30 Credits	Optional
This module allows students to explore data analytics in a business context, covering topics relating to data collection, presentation and analysis that are commonly applied by someone in a leadership role in business. The module includes discussions and applications of theoretical and practical cases, allowing students to develop a critical understanding of a variety of statistical/data science/machine learning methods for assessing changes and trends, and the relevant ethical and reputational issues associated with data analytics in business.
Project Management Methodologies	30 Credits	Optional
An effective project management methodology is essential to the project's success as it provides a structured approach to planning, executing, and completing projects. This module explores the various project management methodologies and frameworks for managing projects in a business or organisational setting. It provides students with an opportunity to evaluate and reflect on contemporary project management frameworks, understand their benefits and challenges and apply the appropriate project management methodology for effective project management and project delivery.
FinTech	30 Credits	Optional
The content covered in this module will typically include some or all of the following topics: Fintech Context: Understanding Financial Institutions and the Financial system; Fintech policy, regulation, ethics, and sustainability. Digital currencies, Blockchain technology in business, markets, and financial services, Crowdfunding-P2P-ICOs. Fintech business models and start-ups. Artificial intelligence and machine learning in business, markets, and financial services. Please note, due to the pace of development of the Fintech sector, topics may change without prior notice.
Logistics and Supply Chain Management	30 Credits	Optional
The module will take a case-based approach to synthesis the themes of Logistics and Supply Chain Management through responsiveness to support strategic decision-making techniques and approaches. For more details on content please refer to the module site.
PG CPD for Master of Business Administration (MBA)	0 Credits	Compulsory
Success at university requires a full understanding of institutional expectations as well as the development of key academic skills needed to enable students to fulfil their potential. This module will provide a structured step-by-step guide along the student journey to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to best achieve their goals. Using engaging and interactive content, this module aims to provide students with all the tools and a strong foundation upon which to build successful academic and professional experiences.

Key staff

Dr Ghayda Nawres
Deputy Programme Leader
Find out more about Dr Ghayda Nawres

Dr Ioannis Gkliatis
Programme Leader
Find out more about Dr Ioannis Gkliatis

Dr Konstantinos Athanasiadis
Deputy Programme Leader
Find out more about Dr Konstantinos Athanasiadis

Further course information

Programme specifications
Master of Business Administration with Extended Professional Practice - Full Time, Sem A	Download
Master of Business Administration with Extended Professional Practice (Full time, Semester A intake)	Download
MBA with Extended Professional Practice - Full Time, Sem A	Download

Additional information
Sandwich placement or study abroad year	n/a
Applications open to international and EU students	Yes

Student experience

At the University of Hertfordshire, we want to make sure your time studying with us is as stress-free and rewarding as possible. We offer a range of support services including; student wellbeing, academic support, accommodation and childcare to ensure that you make the most of your time at Herts and can focus on studying and having fun.

Find out about how we support our students

Funding and fees
Other financial support

Find out more about other financial support available to UK and EU students

Fees 2026
UK Students
Full time
- £22450 for the 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 inclusive
EU Students
Full time
- £22450 for the 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 inclusive
International Students
Full time
- £22450 for the 2026/2027 and 2027/2028 inclusive
*Tuition fees are charged annually. The fees quoted above are for the specified year(s) only. Fees may be higher in future years, for both new and continuing students. Please see the University's Fees and Finance Policy (and in particular the section headed "When tuition fees change"), for further information about when and by how much the University may increase its fees for future years.

View detailed information about tuition fees

Living costs / accommodation

The University of Hertfordshire offers a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget.

View detailed information about our accommodation

Read more about additional fees in the Programme Specification.
How to apply

International/EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Apply through our international/EU application portal

Home and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK

2026
Start Date End Date Year Location Link
22/09/2026 31/05/2027 1 UH Hatfield Campus Apply online (Full Time/Sandwich)
2027
Start Date End Date Year Location Link
22/09/2027 31/05/2028 1 UH Hatfield Campus Apply online (Full Time/Sandwich)

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MBA with Extended Professional Practice

Why choose Herts?

Careers

About the course

Why choose this course?

Key staff

Further course information

Student experience

Other financial support

Fees 2026

UK Students

Full time

EU Students

Full time

International Students

Full time

Living costs / accommodation

International/EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Home and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK

2026

2027