Top 10 online mba programmes in europe 2021

The online MBA programme at Spain’s IE Business School has been ranked not only the best in Europe once more, but also the best in the world in the QS Online MBA Ranking 2021.

Released today, the QS Online MBA Rankings assess the online MBA offerings of 57 business schools worldwide. You can find out more about the methodology used to produce the rankings here.

Read on to find out more about the top 10 programmes setting the standard for exceptional online MBA provision worldwide.

10) EU Business School

Kicking off this year’s European top 10 in QS’s Online MBA rankings 2021 is EU Business School.

53 percent of students on EU Business School’s online MBA programme also identify as female (however, a slight drop from 56 percent last year).

The online MBA programme boasts 100 percent international students and has received a perfect score in class experience. The student cohort’s average years of work experience is high at 9.5.

Upon graduation, EU Business School students receive a state-accredited MBA from the University of Roehampton in London, as well as their EU degree.

The program – which can be completed in 12 or 15 months – is a mix of interactive webinars, business simulations and on-campus networking opportunities, giving students the opportunity to personalize their e-learning experience.

Tuition is EUR17,400, equivalent to US$19,515.84.

9) Birmingham Business School

The online MBA programme at Birmingham scored quite highly for the class profile and class experience indicators.

Ranked joint-13th globally (alongside University of Otago Business School), Birmingham online MBA programme has 350 students in this year’s cohort. 40 percent of students are female, 69 percent are international, and 25 nationalities are represented. Students have an average of 13 years work experience under their belt.

Students can begin the programme in March, June, or October.

The 180-credit programme is split between 12 modules, plus a final dissertation which is completed in the final six months of the programme. Elective module options include Critical Integration in Management and Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

To assess your understanding, you will be asked to complete a range of coursework-based assignments, including written reports, essays and group presentations.

Established in 2015, students complete the programme in 2.5 years. The programme costs US$29,534.

8) Oxford Brookes Business School

Oxford Brookes Business School’s Global MBA programme is ranked 12th in the world.

Compulsory face-to-face time on Oxford’s Global MBA programme includes two three-day residential hotel-based workshops and one six-day on-campus module in Oxford. Students can choose to take these 12 days in a row, or bite-sized blocks of three and six days. Students are supported by their dedicated Academic Advisor.

Of the 362 students currently enrolled, 50 percent are international, 41 percent are female, and 41 nationalities are represented. Students have an average of 13 years work experience under their belt. Since the programme’s inception in 2002, there have been 1,371 graduates.

Tuition is $25,432 – 76 percent of students are self-funded, 22 percent are on a full company scholarship and two percent received a partial company scholarship.

7) Durham University Business School

Durham Online MBA students will be expected to devote around 15 hours per week to study. Online modules are delivered over a 12-week period, including assessments.

Optional residential modules are offered in Durham at points throughout the year. The Residential includes speaker events, a variety of social events, and a truly unique opportunity to enjoy the Durham experience.

Online MBA students will complete five core modules (Accounting, Finance and Economics, Leading and Managing People, Marketing, Operations and Technology, Strategic Management), two optional modules, and a Strategic Case Analysis.

There are 281 students currently enrolled on the programme, of which 29 percent are female, 53 percent at international and 24 nationalities are represented. Students have an average of 16 years work experience under their belt – the join-highest in the global ranking. Launched in 1998, the programme boasts 2,862 graduates. The two-year programme costs US$32,815.

6) Vlerick Business School

In ninth place is new-entry Vlerick Business School, the only Belgian school on the list. The school’s online MBA programme – with a standard duration of 26 months – can be shortened to just over a year through a Fast Track option or extended to a maximum of five years if needed.

The programme is made up of 12 courses, a practical Knowledge in Action Project and an interactive game, and received high scores in the faculty and teaching and employability indicators. This year’s class profile includes the smallest cohort on the list – 76 students – with 40 percent international and female students respectively.

Total fees are €37,500 (approx. US$43,990).

5) MIP Politecnico di Milano Graduate School of Business

In sixth place is MIP’s online iFlex/Flex EMBA offering, which has a standard duration of 24 months. The programme was among the top scorers for class experience and faculty and teaching.

The course requires applicants to have at least six years of professional experience, with current students having an average of 13 years of industry experience. 29 nationalities are represented in the cohort – accounting for 41 percent of international students – and 17 percent of candidates are women.

The programme costs €37,000 (approx. US$43,375).

4) Alliance Manchester Business School

Gaining two spots from last year is Alliance Manchester Business School, the first of three British schools on the list. The Manchester Global Part-time MBA combines live-taught core courses, electives, applied learning and in-person interaction opportunities.

The two-year flexible programme has tuition fees of £30,000 (approx. US$37,293) or £27,500 (approx. US$34,177) for the accelerated Finance pathway. The cohort is highly diverse, with 80 percent international students coming from 70 different countries, 30 percent female students, and an average of 12 years’ work experience.

3) Warwick Business School

WBS kicks off the top three for the second year in a row, achieving high scores in the employability, class profile and faculty and teaching indicators.

The Distance Learning MBA cohort is diverse, with 14 years’ average work experience, 79 percent international students and 33 percent female students. Fees for the programme are £34,150 (approx. US$47,000).

Warwick’s program takes between one and two years to complete. It combines eight required modules, two “Warwick Weeks” on campus, four elective modules and a consultancy project.

2) Imperial College Business School

In second place once again is the Global Online MBA at Imperial College Business School, which received the second-highest scores in the top 10 for employability and faculty and teaching.

Most of the teaching during the programme is conducted through The Hub, a virtual learning platform developed by Imperial’s award-winning Edtech lab. Students complete pre-study modules, then attend a five-day compulsory in-person induction week, as well as four core module periods followed by an optional global experience week. The course ends with a capstone business game.

The Global Online MBA cohort is the second-most international on the list, with 85 percent international students and 62 nationalities represented. 36 percent of candidates are women. Fees for the 24-month programme are £41,350 (approx. US$56,974).

IE Business School

Retaining the top spot for yet another year is IE Business School, whose Global Online MBA programme achieved once again a perfect score for employability, as well as high scores across all other indicators.

Known for its diverse cohorts, the class profile for IE’s 18-month course is made up of 95 percent international students (up from last year’s 86 percent), 40 percent women (up from last year’s 34 percent), and an average 10 years’ work experience.

The programme is made up of three core online periods, one Global Immersion Week (locations include Shanghai, Los Angeles and Mumbai), plus three face-to-face weeks in Madrid. Teaching includes working in interactive small groups on real-world and industry-based case studies. Total fees amount to €51,200 (approx. US$60,094).