The Transformation MBA

Everything we do is grounded in practical thinking and experience. Our MBA programme is designed to equip you with the practical skills you need to tackle complex business challenges and increase your exposure to real world problems. We provide opportunities for you to work on real-life projects with respected companies throughout the year:

• Business Analytics and Consulting Project
• International Consultancy Project
• Career Pathway Project

The Business Analytics and Consulting and International Consultancy projects will see you work with a client company on a consulting project. The work involves understanding the problem, gathering evidence and, most importantly, developing a pragmatic, innovative and achievable solution. Examples of companies we have done consulting projects for include:

• Siemens Gamesa
• Calvin Klein
• McDonald’s
• UK NHS
• Baringa Consultancy
• Endangered Brewing
• Harry Specters

We conclude the year with career pathway projects where you will have the option to  undertake an internship, embark on your entrepreneurship journey or complete an independent project. 

The new credit-bearing Career Development and Enhancement module will systematically support you in navigating career exploration and development, helping you achieve your post-MBA career aspirations.

Three career pathways– Executive, Entrepreneurial and Independent – will increase your exposure to the world of work and allow you to customise your path, focusing on your personal career needs and aspirations. Each career pathway involves a major project-based module that allows students to pursue a full-time internship, entrepreneurship journey or an independent consultancy project as well as an elective module—enabling you to advance towards the career outcome you want to achieve.

Our career mentoring programme brings bright, enthusiastic students with successful professionals in a mentoring partnership. Mentoring is an opportunity for students to learn from a fellow alumnus, benefitting from their insight and experience and helping them navigate their studies and into their first post-MBA job. 

We’re a School of Management (not business) for a reason. Our 50+ year focus on leadership ensures you gain the skills and awareness to become an influencer in the boardroom. You’ll have dedicated coaching throughout the year, access to an Executive in Residence, and of course, plenty of ‘deep-dive’ analysis into your strengths and weaknesses to establish your own brand of responsible leadership.

Some key features include:

• One to One Executive Coaching
• Leadership Week
• Personal Development Workshops:
• Designing how to work together: Psychological safety and team chartering
• On becoming a critically reflective practitioner
• How to resolve team conflicts
• Effective cross-cultural management

Cranfield Full-time MBA (The Transformation MBA) students can spend a month at the ESCP campuses in Madrid or Turin, expanding their knowledge of global business practices. They'll complete two weeks of credit-bearing study as well as a two-week consultancy project competition. Consultancy, fintech innovation, and luxury management are the specialisations available this year. They will collaborate with ESCP students, exchange ideas and knowledge, and make new connections during their time abroad. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students' personal and professional development, as well as support for international mobility and the establishment of a global network.

We’re the only dedicated postgraduate university in the UK. which 70% of our faculty are still active in real business and industry today. Our unique faculty infuse their own unique expertise into the MBA, which means you’ll experience press conference training with real journalists in a tv studio and get to participate in the global Venture Capital Investment Competition under the expertise of our dedicated hub for entrepreneurial excellence, the Bettany Centre. (Cranfield won the Southern European Finals for both 2021 and 2022, and was the only non-US-based school among the six Global Finalists for 2022!)

We’re also pretty sure we’re the only business school with its own airport!