Hi guys,

I am going to study MBA in the UK this year 2018-2019, I got offers from Strathclyde, Lancaster and Nottingham MBA programme. I am confused between Strathclyde and Lancaster.

In the latest MBA rankings (Financial Times), Lancaster seems to be better than Strathclyde. However, they both have dropped in the ranking this year!! So I worried that in the near future they going to be out of the Ranking.

I am an international student with 10 years of experience in business development

Your help is really appropriated.

Because of public policy issues, the non-GMAT UK and Irish schools are especially affected by the lower demand for foreign labour under this government. Higher quality students at some better schools see salaries falling (Cambridge, Manchester, Cass, Warwick), and they start to substitute for the schools below. Employers can afford graduates from better schools, and the higher-quality brands suffer less. In contrast, Lancaster and UCD alumni reported a $10,000 fall in salary, for example, compared to a fall of just $2000 at Cranfield and hardly any fall at Durham.

I can't see that changing. In the medium term, schools in emerging countries will rise in the rankings, especially if the FT continues to use PPP in such a blunt way. So, aim for quality schools with solid brands.

Thank you Duncan, I'm still waiting a response from Durham but Lancaster and Strathclyde are the options available at the moment, from what you have said I understand that you think both of them are the same?
Best,

They are not the same: Strathclyde students accept lower salaries and get jobs faster (a bit like Bath and Durham); Lancaster students are higher quality and take longer to find roles, but then get much higher salaries (in that sense, it's a bit like Edinburgh, where I am). But if you can get into those schools then you could probably get into Cranfield, or maybe even to Warwick, which are on a much higher level in my opinion.

Hello Duncan

Could you please advice on which MBA would be better amongst Lancaster, Glasgow, Birmingham and Aston?
Thankyou in advance!

This depends on your goals. With just 84% employed after 3 months, it's probably better than those other schools but not ideal if you want to work in the UK. 

This depends on your goals. With just 84% employed after 3 months, it's probably better than those other schools but not ideal if you want to work in the UK. 

What are your goals? Manchester and Cranfield also have alternatives to the GMAT, of course. 

What are your goals? Manchester and Cranfield also have alternatives to the GMAT, of course. 

https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=%22Manchester+admissions+test%22

We are in the middle of a global pandemic. Do you really know the only way to take the CAT is to go on campus? Surely, if you can find a proctored exam centre near you, they could be flexible. I would double-check that before assuming that the standard policy applies. 

[Edited by Duncan on May 04, 2021]

Write to the Cranfield School of Management and ask if you can give the alternative test. I know people have got in through this test.

Your local British Council office almost certainly can proctor a test for a UK university. 

Just taking this discussion ahead on the business schools being compared over here, will Cranfield be a better choice compared with Lancaster ?? I had read comments on one of the threads that Cranfield has moved towards the apprenticeship MBA model and has deteriorated in rankings as well in the last few years while on the other hand Lancaster has kind of bounced back to some extent with respect to the rankings. Also, with product strategy and marketing in focus as in this case, I felt Lancaster would be having an edge over Cranfield ....Though I feel Manchester is surely rated much higher than Lancaster and Cranfield

I don't think there is much data to suggest that the UK non-GMAT schools are bouncing back. As a class, they have almost all been falling for ten years as international competition rises. You will need to see LinkedIn and compare outcomes. 

I don't think there is much data to suggest that the UK non-GMAT schools are bouncing back. As a class, they have almost all been falling for ten years as international competition rises. You will need to see LinkedIn and compare outcomes. 

No, as I have said to you on other threads I think you need to focus more on clarification of goals.

Can anyone advice me between Lancaster vs Strathclyde vs Cardiff for Master in Accounting .For me good salary and high demand in job market after graduation is important. Or any other university anyone wants to suggest? 
P. S.  My future goal is to aim for ACCA. 

[Edited by Shafique Al Ashraf on May 29, 2021]

Assuming you want to work in the UK Lancaster or Strathclyde, depending on which gives you the most exemptions, and not Cardiff.