Manchester Met to launch MBA Degree Apprenticeship

The new programme, designed to develop senior managers and strategic thinkers, is set to launch at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2018

Manchester Metropolitan University will commence a MBA Degree Apprenticeship programme next year. “For the first time,” says the institution, “employers of all sizes will be able to use apprenticeship funding to contribute towards the cost of developing their senior colleagues with a Master’s programme.”

Large employers will be able to make use of Apprenticeship Levy payments and smaller employers will be eligible for government support to cover at least 90% of the cost of the programme.

Manchester Metropolitan University is part of an elite group of AACSB-accredited global business schools that also hold the coveted AMBA accreditation for their MBA programmes.

The University is a member of the 30-strong employer-led Trailblazer group that worked with the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) to develop the Senior Leader standard upon which the new programme is based.

The MBA Degree Apprenticeship is tipped to start in Spring 2018, as soon as the national standard receives final approval from the Institute of Apprenticeships.

It will build on the success of Manchester Met’s undergraduate Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship, launched in September 2016, which is developing more than apprentices from 40 different employers, including United Utilities, MBNA, Pets at Home, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut Restaurants and Virgin Trains. 

Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Business and Law at Manchester Metropolitan University, Professor Julia Clarke said: “We are delighted to be able to combine two areas of great strength at the University – degree apprenticeships and executive education – to establish our new master’s programme. This will embed strategic business capabilities within our partner employers and help them to develop and retain talented leaders.”