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The curriculum of this transformational programme is designed with global experiences, networking opportunities, and strategic projects to boost your skills for a healthcare management career.
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Programme overview
A transformational programme from the world’s first business school dedicated to health, taught from a global top 10 university, our UCL MBA Health programme offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to realise your exceptional ambitions in health leadership.
The UCL MBA Health is a competitive programme with global relevance. Bringing together world class academia with practical business skills, as a UCL MBA Health candidate, you’ll gain the competencies of a traditional MBA, while homing in on the practical application healthcare management skills. More than that, through this programme, you’ll enhance your employability and earning potential, securing your place as a future changemaking healthcare leader.
The UCL MBA can either be full-time programme ran over 12 months or can part-time over 24 months. From our research, we feel that the part-time option would work particularly well for those coming from the NHS.
Programme curriculum
The UCL MBA Health core content is delivered in four blocks, each worth 30 credits and made up of three topics each equivalent to 10 credits.
Each block cluster is compatible with business disciplines and requires you to develop specific knowledge and skills on relevant management topics aligned with core MBA learning. Each block is brought together in a wrap up week where the topics come alive through real world scenarios and case studies, presented and discussed with health experts in varied fields and roles.
The final block of the programme is made up of selected health themes to assist you in exploring specific challenges and opportunities currently faced by the health sector. Given that this module focus is on contemporary issues and opportunities, the themes of the various weeks may change overtime.
Modules
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits for this programme. This is comprised of four compulsory modules/blocks and two projects, each with a value of 30 credits.
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.
Core modules:
- Strategy, People and Marketing - 30 credits
The focus of this module is to develop your engagement with strategic management and leadership, human resource development and marketing to amplify the vision and aims of an organisation. You’ll explore a range of strategic and operational perspectives through academic research and an examination of work based issues through case studies.
- Funding, Finance and Regulation - 30 credits
This module is designed to give you an in depth grasp of the main theories, accounting tools, methods and techniques of financial management. You’ll develop a critical understanding and evaluation skills in relation to methods and techniques, understand the role of financial information within an organisation and look at regulatory frameworks.
- Data Driven Management - 30 credits
Designed to give you an introduction to the key economic concepts and principles of public health, you’ll explore content on the economics of health – including the application of economic principles, integrating sustainability into healthcare strategies, and tools for visualising and presenting health data.
- Contemporary Topics in Health and Healthcare - 30 credits
The focus of this module is to strengthen your knowledge of business, management and organisational principles and practices within the contemporary health sector. Topics change on an annual basis, and could include: digital health transformation and opportunities, social determinants of health, the business of behavioural health and ageing, leading change in healthcare, AI for health solutions, population health management or systems leadership.
More information about the UCL MBA Health curriculum
The breadth and depth of this programme demands your full engagement as you gain confidence and competence through the case studies, peer to peer interaction and experiential learning. You will be expected to prepare for each week of face-to-face instruction through a series of online activities and readings. This extensive preparation will ensure you and colleagues get the most out of your in-class experiences. Your face-to-face experiences are offered in four week blocks. During each block, you will cover three themes – one per week and then have your wrap-up week with health professionals. There will always be a break between blocks for you to reflect, complete assignments and prepare for the next block. Face-to-face attended blocks form typically 20 hours per week in terms 1 and 2, and there is considerable independent reading and recorded lectures study expected through the module delivery period and in the identified revision weeks.
You will also be expected to present some of your work both as an individual and group member to other class members and visiting experts. The focus will be on giving you core business and management theoretical learning and application through case teaching, group work and projects.
Weekly group tutorials allow for more detailed discussion and consideration of the material covered in lectures and case presentations.
Project development workshops allow for investigative, analytical, synthesis and data interrogation skills to be developed, while being put into practice as you advance your Global Health Challenge and Health Consultant projects.
In January, you will travel with your academic staff member and project group colleagues to the location you will be working on for your Global Health Challenge. This two-week experience of undertaking primary research and collecting data and information to complete your project is an integral part of giving you practical-based skills and experience that will enhance your career outcomes.
Find out more about the Global Health Challenge and Health Consultant Projects.