Course details

Summary

The Master of Business Administration (Otago MBA) degree is an intensive two phase programme. Phase One comprises ten months of on-campus study of core papers. This is followed by a highly flexible Phase Two of on-campus electives, international exchange or a business project. Phase Two can range from six to twelve months.

The programme takes on a strong global perspective. Together with the diversity of our classes and opportunities for international exchange to renowned universities worldwide, we prepare students for success in the highly competitive global economy. Our comprehensive MBA programme also goes well beyond the academic syllabus to include career development guidance, practical experience and networking activities.

Lecturers on the Otago MBA programme are drawn from three areas - the University, other reputable global business schools, and consultants or business practitioners. They are carefully selected for both academic excellence and strong practical experience in running successful businesses. The small class size ensures a large degree of personal mentoring and guidance from staff.

The style of learning is highly interactive, and participants learn as much from one another as from the course leader or facilitator. Students are assigned to teams, which reflect the diversity of professional and educational backgrounds, demographics and work style preferences. These teams work together on projects, presentations, and assignments to apply business knowledge learned in academic class in real live settings, as well as hone skills such as time management, conflict resolution and problem solving.

Structure of the Programme

• The programme of study consists of compulsory papers from Phase 1 (the core) together with a choice of a business project, or a selection from a list of elective papers, or papers from an approved international exchange partner. The core papers, the business project, and the elective papers are set out in the MBA Schedule. Papers to be taken through international exchange must be approved by the Director of Executive Programmes in Business. One BMBA 500-level paper not listed in the schedule may be substituted for another BMBA 500-level paper, with the approval of the Director of Executive Programmes in Business.

A candidate must normally pass all papers from Phase 1 before proceeding to Phase 2.

Note: A Candidate who enters the programme from the Diploma in Business Administration programme may be permitted to take one or more papers from Phase 2 before completing all papers in Phase 1.

A candidate with insufficient grounding in Accounting, Mathematics and the use of computers may be required either:

• to attend short Programs of instruction, or
• to carry out prescribed reading and study.

A formal examination may be required.

• Before commencing the investigation undertaken for the purposes of the project report, a candidate shall seek the approval of the Director of Executive Programmes in Business for the topic, the supervisor(s) and the proposed course of the investigation.
• A candidate may not present a project report which has previously been accepted for another degree.
• Phase 1 of the MBA programme may be undertaken on-campus or by distance learning.

Entry criteria

Admission to the programme shall be subject to the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Commerce)

Every applicant must either

• be a graduate, or
• hold an acceptable professional qualification, or
• have experience in management or administration acceptable to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Commerce).

Applicants will be expected to have first obtained a satisfactory result in the Graduate Management Admission Test.

English Language Requirements: IELTS - Score of 6.5 in the academic module (with no individual band below 6.0); Internet-based TOEFL Score of 95 with a minimum writing score of 22.; Paper-based TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 587 (TWE 4.5); Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) – Overall score of 176 (with no individual band below 169); Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) – Overall score of 176 (with no individual band below 169); APIEL Advanced Placement International English Language Examination - Grade 4 or higher; Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic - Overall score of 64 with no communicative skills score below 57; University of Otago Foundation Studies Ltd: Completion of 'English for Postgraduate Academic Purposes' with a grade of C or higher.