Hello all, I have offers from both Durham and Lancaster for their 2022/2023 MBA programmes. I have gone through the FT rankings and I can see that this year, Lancaster moved 20 places up in the rankings while Durham fell 20 places down. Although, Durham's 3 year average is still higher. I also know that Durham has an overall higher prestige than Lancaster in the UK.

Although, Lancaster has generously offered me a 25% off scholarship and I have received nothing from Durham University (yet), i'm trying not to let scholarship offer determine my decision. I have also reached out to present MBA candidates and alumni of both schools on LinkedIn and they all seem to have a bias towards their own schools.

I'm a 28 year old lady and I have 6 years work experience in market risk management. I have also been involved in several projects in my organisation.
After the MBA, my goal is to switch to a business strategy role (in-house) at a reputable company in the Uk.
If anyone can give me some insight and clarity, that would be really helpful.

I'm not *very* sure that many major Uk companies have sizable business strategy teams. That sound very 1980s, Grand-Metropolian era. Take a look at:


How to use LinkedIn to find the best school www.find-mba.com/board/33571

Thanks Duncan. Here in my office, I work closely with the strategy managers on several projects and I developed a lot of interest in their field. I wrote down the top 4 roles that I am most interested in after my MBA. These are:

Strategy management
Business Development
Business Analysis 
Project Management.

I have tried doing the LinkedIn search (I hope I did it correctly) and it seems like Durham has more alumni in these sectors. 

Lancaster business school has traditionally a bigger has more depth and place well.

Durham undergraduate school is strong

Go to Lancaster

Or aim at the level.of Manchester Bayes or top schools such as Warwick Oxford London

Of course the question isn't whether Durham has more alumni but whether it has more MBA alumni in those roles. 

Lancaster business school has traditionally a bigger has more depth and place well.

Durham undergraduate school is strong

Go to Lancaster

Or aim at the level.of Manchester Bayes or top schools such as Warwick Oxford London

Of course the question isn't whether Durham has more alumni but whether it has more MBA alumni in those roles. 

I think this is a good opportunity to rethink goals.  Either you restrict yourself to these schools, in which case you need to choose between the career options they open,  or you take extra time to find other schools that lead more probably to your original goals. 

Please would you say are the career options that these schools open? On linkedIn a lot of the graduates seem to be scattered in several sectors. Also, I can see many of them in firms like EY, PWC, Deloitte and other much smaller consulting firms or IT companies. They also cover an array of job roles.

It sounds like you are literally looking at the data you need to answer this question. You can hire me to give my opinion (see my profile page) but I think you have everything you need. 

Good evening Duncan, I read here that you mentioned the MBA in Durham is too academic. I wonder if it is will be good and useful when the real cases will take place at work? Maybe it is better to take an MBA in Birmingham, despite the rates of it are lower? If they have much more practical cases, it can be better.

Start from your career goals, not these affordances. 

I doubt I said it was 'too' academic. I think the cutting edge of scholarship is a powerful catalyst for business transformation. 

DinDin , which university did you select at last and why