Spotlight on your MBA course options

Trinity College Dublin

Trinity Business School’s MBA portfolio contains three distinct delivery modes: the one-year full-time MBA, an executive MBA and the flexible MBA (distance learning delivered through the Matrix Room, a purpose-built lecture theatre, and canvas, a virtual learning platform).

The full-time MBA is offered over 12 months, while the part-time MBA is held over two years. The flexible executive is also held over two years, though is 80 per cent online and 20 per cent live synchronous content.

The programme includes three different live company projects, through which MBA candidates critically inform the strategy of major industry players, of social enterprises or companies aiming to scale

The Trinity MBA breaks away from the traditional approach, and focuses on live-action learning: getting participants inside real companies with real issues. Students gain experience in new industries and organisations, solving real-world business problems.

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Leadership and professional development is also an integral part of the Trinity MBA.

Individual and team coaching, workshops and industry guest lectures run continually throughout the programme, while three distinct leadership learning modules provide the tools to develop your personal leadership style, self-awareness and knowledge.

There are two optional week-long international residency electives in South Africa and Belgium for the full-time and executive MBA candidates.

Fees: Full-time – €36,600; part-time and flexible – €18,300 per year;

Web: tcd.ie/business/mba

University of Limerick

In the top 1 per cent of business schools globally, UL’s MBA has triple accreditation and it is accredited by AMBA, Equis and AACSB.

Designed to develop confident, strategic and internationally-focused leaders, the UL MBA equips students with essential skills to navigate successfully in today’s uncertain world.

The two-year, part-time course is structured to challenge strategic thinking processes, improve critical thinking, and enhance communication skills. Due to its format of monthly three-day blocks, which are scheduled in advance, it is a popular choice with busy professionals.

The programme is shaped by five key themes: internationalisation, managerial vision and competencies, strategic thinking, entrepreneurship and innovation, and leadership.

Specialist elective modules further tailor the course to participants’ career goals. Challenging content, high-calibre lecturers and accomplished peers combine to help tomorrow’s leaders to learn, reflect, debate and grow.

Web: ul.ie/mba

Fees: €15,062 a year

University College Cork

The UCC CUBS Executive MBA is an AMBA-accredited, two-year, part-time executive MBA for working managers and professionals. It is delivered by the Cork University Business School at UCC (CUBS).

Starting in September 2023, it prepares its participants to become organisational managers, innovators, and leaders.

Participants will understand how all aspects of a complex organisation interconnect, while also developing their decision-making, self-leadership and ability to lead others in organisational change and transformation settings.

For its participants, the UCC CUBS executive MBA not only benefits their career by identifying them as individuals with a high level of leadership ability, but also their organisation through the transformation in their personal effectiveness and judgment.

Professional growth is a key element in leadership development. Over the two years, students explore the scope and nature of their strategic thinking, defining learning patterns that they will utilise throughout their career, becoming innovative leaders, adaptive to change.

Fees: €27,260 (€13,630 per year)

Web: cubsucc.com/executive-mba/

University College Dublin

The Smurfit MBA was the first MBA offered in Ireland and one of the first in Europe, resulting in it being highly ranked globally.

The university has two models of delivery: the full-time Smurfit MBA and the modular executive MBA, which is part-time and delivered over two years.

The globally-ranked Smurfit MBA is structured over three semesters and focuses on developing practical skills in emerging business topics, finance, strategy, marketing, accounting, economics, human resources and leadership among other disciplines.

The UCD Executive MBA is a part-time programme, delivered one day per week over two years, across four semesters. The programme is AMBA-accredited and since its inception over 20 years ago, it has continually evolved to meet the changing demands of executive leadership. This MBA offers a leadership development programme that focuses on building the necessary skills to communicate effectively, helping students understand themselves better and lead diverse teams and organisations around the globe.

Candidates will be challenged and stimulated by an academic curriculum including global case studies, action-learning via global collaboration and international study trips and exchanges. This MBA offers a leadership development programme that focuses on building the necessary skills to communicate effectively, helping students understand themselves better and lead diverse teams and organisations around the globe.

Fees: €36,760 full-time; €18,380 per year for the modular executive MBA

Web: smurfitschool.ie/programmes/thesmurfitmba/

University of Galway/Ollscoil na Gaillimhe

Driven by an experienced and dedicated faculty, the University of Galway MBA integrates an academically rigorous and challenging real-world business education with industry engagement and global learning.

In its 50th year, the AMBA-accredited course is a two-year, part-time programme delivered in a block release format. Blocks will be of two or three days’ duration and generally occur at intervals of every three weeks during the semester.

The course is structured around three pillars of transformational leadership, innovating success and business for society.

It provides graduates with the knowledge, transferable skills and leadership acumen required to lead innovative success and graduates have a proven track record of accelerated career progression.

It enables real-world learning through company-based consultancy projects and community-based learning in charitable and voluntary organisations providing opportunities for learning through civic engagement.

Some of the areas studied include marketing, business analytics, financial management, business negotiations and business consulting.

Key highlights of this programme include an international leadership gateway programme, career coaching, leadership lessons and access to the MBA alumni network.

Fees: €14,355 per year

Web: universityofgalway.ie/mba/

Dublin City University

The DCU executive MBA is a part-time programme, delivered one day per week over two years, across four semesters. The programme is AMBA-accredited and since its inception over 20 years ago, it has continually evolved to meet the changing demands of executive leadership.

For example, the current curriculum review is addressing the need for greater focus on sustainability; diversity, equality and inclusion; artificial intelligence and values-based leadership.

The university said it believes the core distinguishing characteristic of the MBA lies in the blend of personal and professional growth that participants experience over the course of the programme.

Leadership skills are built on self-awareness, which is developed through reflection and feedback in a personal leadership module that runs through the two years of the programme.

End-of-programme reflections by students consistently emphasise how the impact of the programme extends well beyond the professional knowledge and skills that they acquire, to encompass enhanced awareness of their personal values and seeing their career more clearly in the context of their wider life goals.

The DCU EMBA is aimed at developing business leaders with ambition, enterprise and leading-edge thinking who can create tangible, equitable and sustainable outcomes through the application of their learning.

Fees: €12,750 per annum, and €25,500 for the full programme

Web: dcu.ie/courses/postgraduate/business-school/executive-mba

TU Dublin

The AMBA-accredited MBA programme delivered by TU Dublin Graduate Business School is a transformational leadership experience designed to help students transition into senior leadership roles, change career direction or establish their own businesses.

Developed in consultation with industry and updated to reflect current business trends and conditions, the programme covers various topics that a modern leader needs to excel in alongside additional specialisms in areas such as innovation, sustainable enterprise, sales strategy and project management.

Some unique features of the TU Dublin MBA include a global study immersion to Silicon Valley and an emerging technologies and digital transformation seminar series featuring an array of expert speakers.

Students will also benefit from a highly connected, applied learning experience where participants engage in deep peer learning and discussions with experienced faculty members, complete consultancy projects with organisations and embed the learning in their own organisation.

The business school also offers a leadership development programme, which spans the duration of the course and helps participants shape their own leadership style. The university also offers the only dedicated life sciences leadership MBA programme to enhance leadership capability in the thriving pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors.

Web: tudublin.ie/mba

Fees: €21,000

SETU Waterford

The executive MBA is targeted at experienced managers working in industry. Delivered through a blended-learning approach, it is a two-year, part-time course, with each semester containing 12 weeks.

Participants will develop skills and learn concepts that will accelerate careers and serve them throughout their professional life.

The course content focuses on personal accomplishment, new insights and framework for thinking, strengthening skills, good governance practices and leadership in a corporate environment.

Across the two years, students will undertake modules across all of the functional areas of business, with a majoring on a particular area such as leadership, research and decision-making.

A unique aspect of this MBA, according to the university, is the focus on leadership, career and professional development, as well as the international trip experience. The trip to Boston is a mix of academic presentations, company visits and cultural events.

Fees: €8,950 per year

Web: wit.ie/courses/executive_mba_part_time

MTU Cork

The MBA in strategy is a part-time course that runs on Wednesday and Friday evenings, delivered online and on campus.

The aim of the MBA in strategy is to enable learners to develop their leadership and strategic management skills.

Participants will be able to review their leadership and management style and identify how they can improve on that. It also teaches learners about the interconnectedness of all aspects of an organisation and an appreciation of the role each function plays in delivering its goals.

The programme incorporates lectures, expert guest speakers, site visits and live case studies, ensuring it is directly applicable to industry and immediately relevant to the business leaders of the future.

It explores a range of modules, such as corporate strategy, applied business finance, leadership and organisational behaviour, economics of global markets, international business strategy, contemporary issues in marketing, data analytics, strategic corporate finance, organisational change management, research methods and research dissertation, together with an international business field trip, which is usually to Leuven and Brussels.

Fees: €12,500

Web: mtu.ie/courses/crbstra9/

Dublin Business School

Offered as a full-time or two-year part-time option, this MBA educates and prepares participants with the academic knowledge, analytical ability and innovative management perspectives and skills needed to manage organisations.

The programme encourages learners to commence or strengthen their career in business, as well as achieving excellence at an executive level in their chosen profession in both the public and private sectors.

The programme also allows students to study the pure MBA, or choose a specialist route for an MBA award within the following programmes: human resource management; project management; finance; information systems; cloud computing; or marketing.

Included in the programme are lectures and assessment methods that apply the business knowledge required for students to perform as an effective manager in any organisation alongside knowledge and understanding of global business.

Fees: Full-time – the MBA is a part-time programme, delivered one day per week over two years, across four semesters. The programme is AMBA-accredited and since its inception over 20 years ago, it has continually evolved to meet the changing demands of executive leadership.

Web: dbs.ie/courses/business-management