3 Best Business Schools in Birmingham-MBA &EMBA Programs

Here’s a quick fact: a person who was born and raised in Birmingham is called a “Brummie.” That might come in handy when you travel to this beautiful city to study Business Management!

Birmingham is the largest city in England outside of London. The city has earned a reputation as an economic powerhouse and an international center for industry and finance.

The University of Birmingham Business School, for example, is ranked among the top three business schools in the country, but many other top schools also call Birmingham home.

With its friendly atmosphere and cosmopolitan character, Birmingham provides a great environment for studying abroad.

If you’ve made up your mind to enroll in a business school in Birmingham, then we truly envy you. Continue reading to find out more about this beautiful city.

Overview of Business Schools in Birmingham

Birmingham is the second-most-populous city in England (outside London), with a population of 984,333 residents; and a median age of just under 25. It’s also home to seven universities and colleges.

The University of Birmingham is one of the UK’s largest universities, with approximately 20,000 students enrolled at its main campus.

The university offers undergraduate and graduate programs in Business Administration (BA) as well as Accounting and Finance degrees at both levels.

Due to the general commercial success of the city, it makes sense for anyone to study Business Management in Birmingham.

Aside from being known as a football-loving city, Birmingham is widely acknowledged for its elite business schools and the impressive alumni roster that these schools have produced.

Why Attend a Business School?

If you are a professional looking to pursue a career in business or entrepreneurship, you are perhaps considering the importance of studying for an MBA.

There are many reasons why a business school is a great place to attend.

  • Networking opportunities: Business schools are typically filled with like-minded individuals who have come together to learn more about their craft.

    You will have access to faculty members, alumni, and other students alike who can offer advice and guidance throughout your studies.

Additionally, networking events at business schools tend to be open invitations—meaning that anyone can attend—which means you will meet professionals outside of your own field or major with whom you can collaborate in the future.

  • Career opportunities: Attending a business school puts you in an excellent position for landing employment after graduation.

    Many employers look favorably upon graduates from top MBA programs because they understand the level of commitment required in order to successfully complete such an intensive program.

They also know that students who attend these types of institutions are generally driven by professional ambition rather than personal gain.

Benefits of Studying in Birmingham, UK

  • Birmingham has amazing tourist places to visit

  • Birmingham is a big sports-loving city

  • Birmingham is located at the heart of England

Birmingham has amazing tourist places to visit.

Birmingham is also a city of culture – its museums and art galleries include the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, which houses one of the finest collections of British art in the country; and its theatres include The Old Rep Theatre (one of Britain’s oldest repertory theatres), as well as Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre and Alexandra Theatre.

Birmingham is a big sports-loving city

Birmingham has a thriving sporting scene too; if you like football (soccer), there are plenty of teams for you to support.

Aston Villa Football Club plays at the Villa Park Stadium, located just outside central Birmingham; West Bromwich Albion Football Club plays at The Hawthorns Stadium in nearby West Bromwich; while Coventry City Football Club plays at Sixfields Stadium in Coventry city center itself, just to mention some.

Birmingham is located in the heart of England

Birmingham is located in the heart of England; thus, this makes it very easy to navigate around the whole of England.

You’ll find this extremely helpful when you first come into the city and need help moving around the town.

List of Top Schools in Birmingham for Business

Indeed, Birmingham is a beautiful city that has inspired world phenomena like the literal genius, T. R. R. Tolkien; but what promise does it hold for business schools? Let us find out.

Here’s a list of the top schools in Birmingham for business:

Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham

Birmingham Business School’s MBA program has been consistently rated as one of the top 20 business schools in the UK; which is pretty impressive considering that England has over 90 business schools.

BBS is a postgraduate business school located in Birmingham, UK. It is a part of the University of Birmingham and ranked among the top 300 business schools in the world.

The school offers MBA International Business, online MBA, MBA Global Banking & Finance, EMBA, MSc, and certificate courses, including Graduate Diploma in Business Administration.

The school was founded in 1902 as part of the University of Birmingham and is accredited by AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS.

This MBA program is designed to equip you with an analytical approach to business problem-solving, and to give you the skills you need to be a leader in your field.

Graduates from this MBA program are employed by some of the largest companies in the world, including HSBC, Rolls Royce, and Deloitte.

The course is taught by staff who are experts in their field; all professors have extensive experience working in industry and academia. A popular faculty member in this program is David Bailey, whose impact in the Economics hemisphere is admired.

The tuition cost of studying for an MBA in BBS is £31,500 for both UK and international students.

Visit the program.

Birmingham City Business School, Birmingham City University

Birmingham City Business School is a business school in Birmingham, UK. It is part of Birmingham City University.

Birmingham City Business School has a unique approach to its MBA program. It emphasizes the importance of personal development and focuses on skills like leadership, management, and communication.

While there is an emphasis on business fundamentals, students also learn about the social impact of business and how it can be used to create change in the world.

Students take classes at both the Birmingham City Business School campus and at other locations across the city.

The school offers MBA (including online MBA) programs for graduates and EMBA programs for working professionals which are consistently ranked among the top 60 in the UK.

Here are some statistics about the Birmingham City Business School’s MBA program:

  • The school has over 2,000 students enrolled in their postgraduate and professional courses.

  • The university offers a full range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and research degrees from foundation programs to doctorates.

According to the school’s website, 92 percent of students who have completed their MBA study at this school reported that they were satisfied with the program. Overall, BCBS is a great choice for a business school in Birmingham. The tuition fee for an MBA program hovers around £8,000 – £13,000; but this can vary.

View program.

Aston Business School

The Aston Business School is a private business school located in Birmingham. For MBA and EMBA programs, the school offers options for full-time and part-time study, as well as online MBA courses.

The curriculum includes nine core modules on finance and marketing, plus elective subjects such as strategy and leadership that allow students to tailor their studies to their own personal interests.

Aston Business School has a strong international presence thanks to its location in the United Kingdom’s second-largest city (after London), as well as its partnership with other universities around the world such as Hong Kong University of Science & Technology which allows you to complete an exchange program at either institution during your studies if you are accepted into one of their programs.

The school is accredited by AACSB International—the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business—which means it meets stringent standards set by global business leaders including former CEOs from companies like Disney, PepsiCo Inc., Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Co., Motorola Inc., Walgreens Co., American Express Co., General Electric Co., and many others who want their students trained by top-notch educators who understand real-world situations rather than theoretical concepts alone.

The tuition cost of a full-time MBA program at Aston is £22,500 for UK students and £28,000 for international students.

View program.

The Following Schools Offer Business Diplomas in Business and Business-related Disciplines

In terms of comprehensive MBAs and EMBAs, there are only three business schools in Birmingham that offer you that:

  • Birmingham Business School;

  • Birmingham City Business School; and

  • Aston Business School.

However, these programs are quite expensive, as expected. If you have plans to study for a Business Diploma while you wait for an Executive MBA, the following program will be great for you:

Global Business School (GBS) Birmingham

Global Business School (GBS) Birmingham is a private business school that offers a range of courses in business, management, and entrepreneurship. It also offers courses in finance and accounting. GBS is a member of the Association of MBAs (AMBA), which means its degrees are recognized around the world as being high in quality.

This school has grown to become one of the top business schools in Birmingham since its inception. Their campus is located within easy reach from central Birmingham city center with regular parking available on-site at reasonable rates for students attending classes at GBS. GBS also has campuses all over the UK, including Manchester.

GBS offers diplomas that take around 1 – 2 years to complete, depending on your course selection/combination. And most of its programs cost £9,250 – which is a bargain, at best.

GBS has a good reputation among students due to its high-quality education and strong ties with the industry. As part of their commitment to providing an excellent learning experience, the faculty at GBS offers students the opportunity to work on projects related to their coursework throughout the semester through internships or other means.

View program.

General Entrance Requirements to Study for an MBA in Birmingham

There are several general entrance requirements to study for an MBA in Birmingham:

  • You must first have a bachelor’s degree. The minimum qualification for most courses is an upper second-class honors degree in any discipline, although the University of Birmingham requires a lower second-class honors degree or equivalent (usually an international baccalaureate diploma) for its own course.

  • You must also be able to show that you are proficient in English by achieving at least a B grade in a GCSE, or have studied at the university level for three years and achieved a B grade, or have worked for two years in an English-speaking environment and obtained satisfactory performance reviews.
  • Other requirements are typically specified by the school. You can visit their website to learn more.

Factors to Consider When Selecting a Business School in Birmingham

  • Academic reputation: Academic reputation is an important factor to consider when selecting a business school.

    While it’s hard to quantify or predict, the academic reputation of your business school will play an important role in determining whether you get accepted and whether you’ll be able to find employment after graduation.

  • Facilities: The facilities at different schools can be quite different from one another. Some schools have state-of-the-art facilities while others don’t have as much funding for their facilities.

    You should go through each school’s website and see what kind of equipment they have available for students.

  • Location: Where does your prospective university lie? Is it located close to other things such as shops or restaurants? Or is it away from everything else like a university in the middle of nowhere but still allows for easy access by public transport?

    This could be a big factor for some people but not all so do consider this carefully before making your choice.

  • Student Body: Are the students at your prospective university mostly locals? Or do they come from all over the world?

    This could be an important factor depending on who you are and what type of social life you’d like to have outside of school.

  • Costs: How much does tuition cost per year before financial aid is taken into account? The higher this number is, the more likely it will be that you’ll need scholarships or grants since these programs are not exactly affordable.

Final Thoughts

Choosing a business school can be a big decision. There are many factors to consider, and it’s important to do your research and think about what’s most important to you. You should ask yourself:

  • What is my educational background?

  • What are my personal goals?

  • Where will I apply? (e.g., online or on-campus)

  • How much am I willing to spend on my MBA program?

If you don’t have an answer yet, we hope this guide has given you some insight into the world of business schools in Birmingham.

Wrapping It Up

If you are looking for a school in Birmingham, the best way to find out about the MBA and EMBA programs is to visit the websites of the business schools in Birmingham we have listed.

Currently, there are four business schools in Birmingham offering MBA and EMBA degree programs: Aston Business School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham City University, and Global Business School.

We hope these business schools in Birmingham will make an ideal choice for you; otherwise, you can continue your search for top schools in Europe.

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