MBA Business Management

Advance to senior leadership without pausing your career

Designed for professionals with managerial experience, this two-phase MBA combines the flexibility of online study with the impact of intensive London teaching, in person and online. Progress to C-suite and director roles while keeping your income.

• Work full-time throughout Your income continues uninterrupted across the full 18 to 24 months. No full-time study is required.
• Phase 1 online, from anywhere Complete the Pearson BTEC Professional Level 7 Diploma (DSML) online, wherever you are in the world.
• Phase 2 in London Intensive in-person and online weekend teaching in one of the world's leading business hubs.
• Apply learning immediately Every module connects academic theory to your current workplace and industry.

The MBA at ECBM equips experienced professionals with the expertise to progress to, and excel in, senior leadership. It focuses on leadership, ethics, technology including AI, and innovation, integrating academic theory with real-world application.

It is delivered in two phases. Phase 1 is an online foundation, the Pearson BTEC Professional Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership. Phase 2 is the Liverpool John Moores University MBA, taught through executive weekends in London and online, including an immersive induction week.

The full award is an LJMU MBA worth 180 credits, 90 ECTS, and you keep working throughout. On completion you can progress to CFO and CEO development, executive roles, entrepreneurship, or a DBA.

Everything at a glance

The essentials in one place. If a figure here matters to your decision, you will find it explained in full further down the page or in the FAQ.

Your entry pathway

• Have 3 to 5 years of managerial or executive experience.
• Typically hold a degree and, or, extensive management experience.
• Complete Phase 1 DSML online, then Phase 2 MBA in London and online.
• Graduate with an LJMU MBA, then progress to senior leadership or a DBA.

Tuition Fees

£4,000 scholarship applied automatically

Every student receives the £4,000 scholarship, which reduces the fee from £17,750 to £13,750. Payable in two instalments. No full-time study is required, so you keep 100% of your salary throughout.

Additional costs

Your tuition fee for the academic year is stated above. Completing this programme requires you to attend in person in London for 11 days, delivered as one 5-day block and three 2-day blocks. You arrange and pay for travel and accommodation yourself. These costs are not included in your tuition fee and are not booked, funded or reimbursed by ECBM.

Estimated costs, travelling from Germany, based on 2026 prices:

• Return travel: £80 to £250 per trip (4 trips), £320 to £1,000
• Accommodation: 7 nights in total, £490 to £1,050
• Local transport, meals and incidentals: £420 to £805

Estimated total: £1,230 to £2,855 for the programme.

You will also need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation. Check gov.uk for current requirements and fees.

We publish all attendance dates at enrolment and confirm each individually at least 4 weeks in advance, so that you can book early and keep costs towards the lower end of these ranges. If dates or locations change after you have accepted your offer, we will notify you in writing as soon as possible.

These figures are estimates only, provided to help you budget. They are not a quotation. Your actual costs will vary with your departure point, booking date and choice of accommodation.

Two phases, 18 to 24 months, two qualifications

A clear path from enrolment to your MBA. Phase 1 builds your strategic foundation online; Phase 2 delivers the LJMU MBA, building directly on the diploma.

• Enrolment – Application reviewed within 48 hours.
• Phase 1 begins – DSML online, Pearson BTEC Professional Level 7.
• DSML awarded – Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership.
• Phase 2 begins – MBA modules in London and online, 12 months, LJMU.
• MBA awarded – Conferred by Liverpool John Moores University.
• Phase 1 online Four interactive weekend sessions, Friday to Sunday, from anywhere. Live virtual classroom and faculty interaction.
• Phase 2 London In-person and online executive teaching, with an immersive induction week, in a City of London setting.
• Dissertation An 18,000 to 20,000 word investigation into a real organisational challenge, with LJMU resources and ECBM supervision.

How you will learn

Each phase has its own rhythm: a live virtual classroom online in Phase 1, then an executive London programme in Phase 2, delivered in person and online.

• Interactive lectures with ECBM faculty via an advanced digital learning platform.
• Facilitated executive seminars: discussion, debate and peer challenge.
• Case studies and business simulations using real executive challenges.
• Guest speakers from multinational corporations and consultancies.
• Six intensive weekends in London, delivered in person and online.
• An immersive induction week with professionals and academics in London.
• Access to LJMU library, research databases and academic resources.
• Dissertation supervision from faculty, building on your research methods module.
• September 2026 and March 2027 intakes Phase 1 online weekends, then Phase 2 London weekend blocks.
• Moodle and LJMU platforms Moodle VLE for Phase 1, and the LJMU and ECBM platform for Phase 2 resources.

The DSML, online foundations

Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership

• Live virtual classroom, with interactive lectures and faculty interaction.
• Four interactive weekend sessions, Friday to Sunday, from anywhere in the world.
• Four strategic modules covering change, leadership, finance and marketing.

You earn: the Pearson BTEC Professional Level 7 Diploma (DSML).

The MBA, London and online

Master of Business Administration

• Six intensive executive weekends in London, in person and online.
• An immersive induction week with professionals and academics in London.
• Research methods, two electives of your choice, and your dissertation.

You earn: the MBA, conferred by Liverpool John Moores University.

Alumni in senior and executive roles worldwide

ECBM graduates lead in respected organisations across finance, technology, automotive, consulting and beyond. Through the alumni network you gain access to their experience and introductions.

• C-suite roles CFO, CEO and COO appointments.
• Senior VP and Director Senior leadership positions.
• Consulting and advisory Management consulting and corporate strategy.
• Entrepreneurship Business scaling and non-executive board roles.

Commerzbank AGDeutsche BankJPMorgan ChaseMercedes-Benz GroupRobert BoschSiemens AGS&P GlobalEuropean Central BankBDO LLPSiemens HealthineersNewton InvestmentBNY Mellon

Employer names reflect organisations where ECBM alumni have worked. Logos are used only with written permission from each company.

What you will study

Four strategic modules in Phase 1, then research methods, two electives of your choice and your dissertation in Phase 2. Phase 2 module titles, credits and assessment follow the LJMU programme specification.

• Strategic Change Management – Change theories and models (Kotter, Lewin, ADKAR, McKinsey 7S), the leader as change agent, and how culture, power and politics shape change. Concludes with a justified change strategy and the role of AI.
• Strategic Leadership and Management – Contemporary and seminal leadership theories, performance management, creativity in leadership, equality and diversity, ethics and organisational culture, with a reflective professional development plan.
• Financial Principles for Strategic Managers – The finance function's contribution to strategy, budgeting and budgetary control, investment appraisal, and ratio analysis of financial statements to evaluate performance.
• Strategic Marketing Management – The marketing management process, strategic tools (GOSPA, Porter, Ansoff, BCG), the extended 7P mix, the role of AI, and evaluation in an organisational context.
• Research Methods for Managers (10 credits · required) – Philosophy of social science, qualitative and quantitative research design, sampling, digital research tools, ethics, critical writing and dissertation design. The prerequisite for your dissertation.Assessed byResearch proposal presentation (100%)
• Integrated Marketing Communications (20 credits · elective) – The communications process and noise-reduction models, media planning, brand valuation, advertising appeals, digital advertising including AI, sales promotion, direct marketing, PR and point-of-purchase.Assessed byGroup presentation (50%) and 2,500 word report (50%)
• Managing Human Resourcing Strategy (20 credits · elective) – Employee resourcing in an HRM context, human resource planning and job design, selection methods and predictive validity, psychological testing, competency and diversity-based resourcing, and hybrid and remote labour markets.Assessed byPresentation (30%) and 2,500 word report (70%)
• Global Corporate Finance and Governance (20 credits · elective) – Sources of finance and associated risks, capital budgeting and investment appraisal, the development of international accounting, business valuation for listed and unlisted entities, and corporate governance across contexts.Assessed by3,000 word essay (50%) and 2-hour written exam (50%)
• Ethics for Business (20 credits · elective) – The philosophical origins of ethics, ethical theory and reasoning, moral and cultural relativism, stakeholder management with transparency and accountability, and ethical issues in digital and online business.Assessed byPresentation (30%) and 2,500 word report (70%)

Dissertation Working with your supervising tutor, you refine your research topic and, building on Research Methods for Managers, develop your critical skills as a researcher in both methodological justification and subject-specific issues. The dissertation is an 18,000 to 20,000 word investigation into a real organisational challenge, supported by LJMU resources and ECBM supervision.

★ Choose two electives. You take Research Methods for Managers, then select two of the four electives above to match your career direction and dissertation. Note that Global Corporate Finance and Governance is the only module with a formal written exam; the rest are coursework and presentation led.

Phase 1 assessment: individual reports, essays, presentations, examinations and group projects.

Phase 2 is coursework and project led. Across the whole MBA you build strategic leadership and change management, advanced financial analysis and governance, strategic marketing, AI integration, research and evidence-based decision-making, and executive presence and board-level communication.

The DSML diploma

Phase 1 leads to the Pearson BTEC Professional Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership, a recognised UK qualification completed entirely online.

It builds the strategic foundation in change, leadership, finance and marketing that you carry into the MBA phase.

The LJMU MBA

Phase 2 builds on the DSML and is conferred by Liverpool John Moores University, a globally respected UK university regulated by the Office for Students. LJMU awards the MBA degree.