What is a Weekend MBA?
The Weekend MBA at Imperial College Business School is a part-time programme that combines one weekend of study every month (Friday to Sunday) at our London campus with independent study. The programme offers the same management expertise and career prospects as a traditional MBA, so despite the part-time route, it will be transformative for your career trajectory.
There is no one-size-fits all for an MBA. A career break and full-time study doesn’t suit everyone; whether that’s because you love your job, don’t want to pause your career progress, or forgo your salary for one to two years. That’s where the Weekend MBA comes in.
Who is the part-time Weekend MBA for?
Weekend MBA students join the programme to create impact and accelerate their careers. Our class of 2022-23 students have an average of seven years of work experience, however, the entry requirement to join the programme is three years of consecutive experience, so it’s a great pathway into management for those who are early on in their career. The average age of a Weekend MBA student in the 2022-23 class at Imperial College Business School is 30-years-old.
Of our class of 2020 graduates, 70% changed roles during or within four months of completing the programme, over 50% moved to another organisation and 34% of these students successfully changed sectors. This shows that the Weekend MBA is a great option for those wanting to grow in their own company, move organisations or even transition into a new sector.
What are the benefits of a part-time MBA?
1. Bring your experience to the classroom
A significant amount of work experience under your belt provides an endless amount of value when you re-enter the classroom for the MBA. It may have been a few years since you last studied, but in the meantime, you have built a wealth of experience from the first few formative years in your career. Combine this with a class of other ambitious working professionals from a wide range of industries and the insight you will generate is limitless. You will look at business challenges through a lens of lived experience and be able to demonstrate this value when tackling discussions in the classroom.
2. Make an impact in your organisation
One of the unique benefits that part-time study, like the Weekend MBA, offers is the ability to create an immediate impact at work. You can take your learnings from one weekend and start applying them to your job the following Monday. Not only does this increase enjoyment in your role, as you start to see opportunities and challenges in a different light, but your organisation will notice the positive impact you are making too. This is crucial when leveraging a promotion or new position. If you have gone down the corporate sponsorship funding route, you will be demonstrating the value of your company’s investment.
3. Study around family commitments
Part-time programmes offer the benefit that they are, indeed, part-time. This means that while there is a lot to squeeze into your diary, the main bulk of studying occurs on one weekend. Therefore, the remaining three weekends of the month are free for you to balance personal study time with your family and social commitments. While sacrifices may need to be made in some areas, studying an MBA doesn’t mean you have to give up on everything outside of study altogether.
Why make the commitment while you work full-time?
The decision to study an MBA is an investment in yourself. If you want to make strides in your career while still getting to experience life as an on-campus student, then the Weekend MBA might just be for you.
Time management is crucial to making part-time study viable, however, with the support of the Business School, your work, family and friends, there is no reason why persevering with your goal to do an MBA isn’t achievable.
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