Consider flexibility and immediate impact

When it comes to part-time MBAs, the first thing most candidates are looking for is flexibility. For some, taking a 12-month career break to undertake a full-time MBA is preferred, but for others, the MBA needs to fit around your life, not the other way around. With a part-time MBA, you can test new frameworks and learnings in your organisation immediately, driving measurable impact during the week and bringing your approach to classroom discussions on a weekend to discuss and refine.

Flexibility is fundamental to so many candidates. An MBA could be over 2000 hours of study, so fitting that against the personal and professional parts of their lives is the main thing people are looking for.
James McGregor, Head of MBA Recruitment & Admissions, Imperial Business School

Imperial offers three part-time MBAs for business professionals: Weekend MBA, Global Online MBA and Executive MBA. With emerging technologies changing the business landscape, Imperial’s environment and access to the STEM ecosystem, will keep you at the forefront of these innovations – allowing you to lead the way in your business with confidence and knowledge.

Weekend MBA

Delivers the same credit value as a Full-Time MBA, but is structured over two years, with a blend of weekly online sessions and in-person classes running one weekend a month. This format allows students to stay in their roles, live further afield, apply what they learn in real time and spread the financial investment more manageably. The monthly in-person visit to campus also allows students to benefit from the enriching classroom and professional networking ecosystem available at Imperial.

Global Online MBA 

Allows students to study at a world class institution from anywhere in the world. Conducted mainly online through Imperial’s online learning platform – with two in-person learning opportunities across the duration of the programme – the Global Online MBA is flexibly structured over a 21, 24 or 32 month period depending on your other life commitments. You will have the opportunity to connect with classmates from all over the world, develop your leadership potential and operational effectiveness and have access to the Imperial community through live class interactions and online networking opportunities. This global cohort provides valuable perspectives, enabling you to discuss business challenges with peers worldwide to tackle challenges and exchange knowledge to solve real business needs.

Executive MBA

Has been designed specifically for experienced professionals with 10+ years of experience who are looking to accelerate their careers. Over 23 months, you’ll develop your existing management skills, your own unique leadership style and immerse yourself in Imperial’s innovative ecosystem. Delivered through a blend of in-person and online teaching to reduce time away from the office, you will learn from and alongside other executive professionals from a broad range of industries and have access to emerging technologies to help you lead in a technology-driven world. Throughout the Executive MBA, students apply new strategic frameworks and leadership approaches directly to their organisations to drive impact.

Understand the format options

At Imperial, we ensure that our formats are designed to complement workplace commitments, with learning taking place flexibly around working schedules. These intentional breaks between teaching ensures that students can absorb new learnings, put them into practice at their work and witness the immediate impact of this new knowledge.

Imperial’s Weekend MBA format offers the best of both worlds. It’s regular enough to build momentum, but still manageable for full-time professionals. You will attend classes on-campus one weekend a month and complement that learning with online study.

Our Global Online MBA programme allows you to study fully online from anywhere in the world. You will have access to an online community and the opportunity to visit us at our South Kensington campus and collaborate with classmates twice during the programme.

The Executive MBA will require you to attend Friday and Saturday lectures every 3-4 weeks, with the rest of your learning taking place online. The benefit of part-time learning is that you can immediately apply your learnings from class on a Saturday to your organisation on a Monday, seeing impact in real-time.

The dates for Imperial’s Weekend MBA and Executive MBA classes are usually listed on the website, so you can check in advance the time you will be required to commit to each programme.

The Imperial experience

All of our part-time MBA’s are embedded within the wider Imperial ecosystem. This means that our programmes naturally integrate technology, analytics and innovation within the MBA experience. You will connect with a wide network of peers from across the STEM spectrum, leading to innovative and future-focused business collaborations, including exposure to emerging technologies and research. This integration of studying business within a science and engineering-led environment equips you to navigate modern business challenges and lead change as emerging technologies re-shape the workplace. This cross-disciplinary approach leads to innovation-led and future-focused business solutions.

Imperial’s integration of science and business means I will learn from faculty and peers who are not just observing change – they are driving it.
Pragya Joshi, Executive MBA student

Confirm the level of career and personal support

An MBA is an investment. You want to make sure it pays off. That means thinking about your post-MBA goals and how the programme will support them.

Imperial’s career services are fully accessible to part-time students whether you are studying online or attending in-person classes. This includes coaching, employer engagement and events.

That support includes:

• Personal tutors and faculty access
• Designated career coaching and careers modules, as well as access to careers events and webinars
• Disability support and wellbeing services
• Networking through student clubs and societies

Crucially, students are encouraged to use these services in ways that fit their own pace and priorities as part-time students often juggle many responsibilities. Whether you are pivoting roles during the programme, exploring new industries or securing promotions, our Careers team has plenty of experience and can guide you through this transformative journey.

On graduating, you will continue to have access to lifelong learning opportunities, ensuring that you continue to make an impact long-term.

Get support in securing buy-in from your employer

Gaining approval from your employer is vital. They’ll need to authorise time off and may even be able to help with the cost of the programme. Imperial Business School is willing to help you with this process, liaising with your employer to ensure everyone has the support they need and gains maximum value from the programme.

We offer conversations with employers to help them understand the value of the MBA, the time commitment and how it aligns with their employee’s development goals.
James McGregor, Head of MBA Recruitment & Admissions, Imperial Business School

Find out who you’ll be studying with

One of the most valuable parts of any MBA is the network. Studying alongside people from a wide range of sectors offers broader insight, and often, more surprising professional opportunities. There’s also a wider MBA network at Imperial, with shared electives and opportunities across all of our part-time and Full-Time MBA programmes.

The STEM ecosystem at Imperial often leads to collaborations, partnerships and career opportunities during the MBA, and beyond, which take students in directions they hadn’t considered before studying with us.

Collaborating with such a high-calibre and diverse group will push me to think more critically, refine my ideas and grow both personally and professionally throughout the programme.
George Davies, Weekend MBA student

Pursue global perspectives

Even if you’re not travelling abroad for study, a strong MBA programme should offer global insights and international exposure.

All of our part-time programmes reflect the reality of doing business globally, offering varying opportunities to suit the needs of each cohort. The global mindset is embedded through:

• International faculty
• Global case studies and research
• Mandatory Global Experience Week for our Weekend MBA students
• Three Global Immersion trips for our Executive MBA students
• Optional global experiences for our Global Online MBA students
• Optional overseas electives and study tours

For me, the MBA is not just about gaining skills, it’s about joining a community where global perspectives and innovation come together to shape a better future.
Pascall Lill, Global Online MBA student

Our London location

London is one of the world’s most international business cities, home to headquarters of global companies and packed with opportunities. It is a global hub for finance, tech, consulting and startups, offering numerous opportunities for those studying here. It’s more than just where the classes happen, it’s part of the learning experience.

Being so centrally located, Imperial Business School is accessible from around the world. Many of the part-time MBA cohorts commute from outside the UK, and the programmes are designed to accommodate that. Imperial even offers travel stipends for some offer holders attending early events.

Consider the ongoing legacy

Don’t underestimate the value of a well-established programme.

We’ve been running our part-time MBA formats for almost two decades. We ironed out teething issues long ago. There’s a strong legacy of success, and a network of graduates specific to the programme.
James McGregor, Head of MBA Recruitment & Admissions, Imperial Business School

At Imperial, the wider MBA network is typically 400-500 people each year. That’s a powerful ecosystem of peers in leadership roles across industries and geographies.

You’ll also gain access to a global alumni network spanning industries and continents. Many alumni return as guest speakers, creating opportunities for learning and collaboration beyond your immediate cohort.