Digital transformation is a constant in today’s business world, so having the skills and knowledge to lead not just in response to it – but proactively with it – is essential to an organization’s future success. The AIB Master of Business Administration offers specialist learning options in Digital Business that will develop your management capabilities in a data-driven business landscape.

Develop in-demand skills with digital-focused course choices in the areas of Business Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security and Digital Business Startup – tailored to your professional goals. Not only will you set yourself apart in the job market, but you’ll be fully equipped to manage business digitization, be a change agent across industries and thrive in high-tech environments.

As well as mastering a digital business mindset, you’ll deepen your understanding of how digitization interacts with other business areas, including finance, marketing, human resources management, corporate governance, operations and project management – an essential, holistic business toolkit for building your influence as a leader, executive and business owner.

Graduate with one of the most well-respected qualifications globally – the MBA – and the expertise to meet the digital revolution demand in your industry or sector.

Graduates who undertook digital business focus courses within their MBA will graduate with a general Master of Business Administration degree, reflected on their official parchment.

MBA DIGITAL BUSINESS FOCUS COURSE STRUCTURE 

Three stages to the Fast-Track MBA 

The Fast-Track MBA encompasses 12 courses that make up 3 nested postgraduate qualifications: a Graduate Certificate in Management, a Graduate Diploma in Management and an MBA. 

Each qualification is a ‘milestone’ towards your Master of Business Administration, and can be achieved upon the successful completion of 4 courses in as little as 4* months each. We know that life happens, therefore if you need to exit the program early, you can still achieve a postgraduate qualification. 

*eligibility criteria applies

AIB MBA course structure

Your core courses are: Leadership (First Subject), Strategic Management (Second Subject), Marketing Management, Operations Management, Financial Management Strategic Human Resource Management, Corporate Governance, and Project Management.

After completing those courses, you’ll move on to your specialist units that will help you develop in-demand digital skills to set yourself apart in the modern job market.

CORE SUBJECTS
Leadership (First Subject)

The course provides a scholarly and in-depth knowledge of the dynamics of leadership and how it applies to contemporary leadership practice.

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate advanced understanding of leadership theories, concepts, and practice, including both traditional and contemporary forms of leadership.
  • Critically evaluate various modes of leadership with consideration of ethical and socially responsible practice.
  • Effectively communicate and apply relevant leadership principles to address diverse needs of various stakeholders.
  • Develop a critically reflective leadership model for your own development.
Strategic Management (Second Subject)

This course provides comprehensive knowledge of the strategic management process and gives exposure to the concepts and frameworks that are used in understanding a company’s competitive position in domestic and international markets, and the development of new strategies.

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate understanding of contemporary strategic management theory, concepts and principles.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of how strategy formulation and strategy implementation processes work in contemporary organizations.
  • Conduct an analysis of the internal and external environment of the selected organizational context, using appropriate strategic management theories and frameworks to inform future direction.
  • Critically evaluate different strategic alternatives and suggest an appropriate and ethical pathway for a business to build and sustain competitive advantage.
Marketing Management

This course discusses the importance and strategic role of marketing in today’s globalized and digital business environment. Students learn practical skills that impact on business growth, like how to analyse the market context in which a business or enterprise is operating, segment the market, select an appropriate target market, and recommend strategic and tactical plans that co-create value for the selected target market.

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate an advanced understanding of contemporary marketing theory and practice.
  • Evaluate marketing concepts and organizational issues to make evidence-based decisions on creating value for customers.
  • Apply innovative marketing approaches, techniques, and ethical perspectives to recommend an evidence-based solution to the problem of capturing value from customers.
  • Communicate marketing knowledge, skills, and ideas to others in writing clearly, persuasively, and credibly.
Operations Management

This course provides an in-depth knowledge of issues critical for the efficient and effective management of operations in service, public, manufacturing, not-for-profit, and other sectors.  The subject covers operations management principles, frameworks, and contemporary topics.

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate advanced understanding of operations management principles, frameworks, and contemporary topics.
  • Critically analyse and evaluate operations management issues.
  • Clearly, concisely, and credibly communicate operations management knowledge to others.
  • Apply relevant principles and frameworks to develop innovative and evidence-based solutions for complex operations management issues.
Financial Management

This course prepares students for effective financial management in organizations. At a foundational level, the subject introduces how a manager can interpret financial statements, identify trends and utilize financial tools and techniques to improve decision making, alongside non-financial considerations including ethics

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate understanding of core contemporary financial management theory, techniques and practice.
  • Critically evaluate and effectively communicate recommendations to address financial management issues.
  • Apply financial management theory and techniques to professional practice in an ethical manner.
Strategic Human Resource Management

This course will prepare students for the continuously evolving nature of work in uncertain times and the challenges and opportunities that this presents for organizations in meeting the strategic needs of a diverse workforce.

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate advanced understanding of strategic human resource management theory and its application in practice.
  • Critically evaluate and recommend improvements to existing human resource management strategies.
  • Identify and evaluate different perspectives and contemporary trends, and their impact on strategic HRM.
  • Design and effectively communicate an evidence based human resource management initiative with consideration to ethical concerns.
Corporate Governance*

This course examines the development, concepts, and significance of the concepts and practice of Corporate Governance, and organizational governance within the context of organizational capacity building.

Pre-requisites: Three AQF Level 8 courses must be completed before attempting Corporate Governance

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate advanced understanding of contemporary corporate governance theories, principles and regulatory frameworks.
  • Use corporate governance theories and frameworks to interpret the key corporate governance responsibility, structure and function in practice.
  • Critically evaluate corporate governance structure and practices with consideration of needs of various stakeholders, corporate ethics and social responsibility.
  • Effectively apply and communicate relevant theories and frameworks to ensure sound and ethical corporate governance decisions in practice.
Project Management*

This course provides the skills and knowledge required to successfully manage projects in service, public, not-for-profit, private and other sectors. The subject covers various practical frameworks and emerging topics.

Pre-requisites: A minimum of three AQF level 8 courses which must include Operations Management must be completed before attempting Project Management.

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate advanced understanding of project management principles, frameworks, and contemporary topics.
  • Critically analyse, reflect on, and synthesize complex information, problems, principles and frameworks related to project management.
  • Research and apply relevant principles and frameworks to develop innovative, ethical, and evidence-based solutions for complex project management issues.
  • Clearly, concisely and credibly communicate project management knowledge to specialist and non-specialist audiences to inform practice.

DIGITAL BUSINESS COURSE
Artificial Intelligence for Business

This course provides an essential overview of Artificial Intelligence (AI) types and their strategic application and integration in industry that is transforming business practice. In the context of organizational leadership in the age of digital disruption, this course explores the challenges and opportunities of AI as well as the capabilities, limitations and ethical considerations.

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the principal concepts of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a business context.
  • Critically evaluate the capabilities and limitations of AI types and their ethical challenges.
  • Analyse the strategic functional, organizational, and industry needs that can be addressed by AI solutions.
  • Develop, justify and effectively communicate appropriate approaches for the deployment of AI.
Cyber Security for Managers

The aim of this course is to provide in-depth insight into the increasing dangers and frequency of cyber-attacks on businesses and government and how best to prevent or mitigate the damaging outcomes. The likely sources of attacks will be outlined along with the methods more commonly used, inherent weaknesses in systems, examine the risk factors and outline manager’s responsibilities. How to create policies designed to mitigate attacks and how to manage them are included along with disaster planning and recovery. This is not a technical course on the detailed workings of attacks but rather a management approach to cyber resilience, cyber disaster planning and recovery methods.

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of cyber security and the likely cyber-attack vectors on a business or organization.
  • Explain the need for a cyber security strategic plan and what it should contain. Design cyber security policies to mitigate the common weaknesses in ICT systems – such as human factors, out of date protection, currency of controls, weak security protocols, and be able to institute organizational data governance protocols.
  • Design cyber security policies to mitigate the common weaknesses in ICT systems, such as human factors, out of date protection, currency of controls, weak security protocols and be able to institute organizational data governance protocols.
  • Analyse weaknesses in information protection of a business and be able to determine risks, threats and controls.
  • Critically discuss a cyber disaster plan and evaluate a recovery model.
  • Explain the responsibilities of a cyber security manager and the implications of non-compliance by workers.
Business Analytics for Managers

This course provides an overview of business analytics concepts and their applications in the business environment. Modules covered include: Definitions and the importance of business analytics; business analytics in practice; designing data-oriented decision problems and working effectively with data experts; overview of different business analytics methods and understanding what they can do for a business; communication of data-driven decisions; pitfalls of data-driven decisions; and the ethical implications of business analytics.

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate advanced understanding of fundamental concepts and methods in business analytics and what business analytics can do for a business.
  • Critically evaluate and reflect on the business analytics maturity of organizations and organizational readiness for implementing business analytics.
  • Research and apply relevant business analytics methods and frameworks to address strategic, operational, and tactical decision problems in organizations.
  • Effectively communicate business analytics requirements and the relevant findings with various stakeholders including their data expert.
Digital Marketing*

There is an expectation that modern enterprises engage in digital marketing providing positive brand experiences for their customers and other stakeholders. Digital marketing is increasingly important to understand, because customers engage online and offline with brands. This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of digital marketing. Students will learn about the various types of digital marketing as well as to how to plan, deploy, manage and evaluate a digital marketing strategy.

Pre-requisites: Marketing Management

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate an advanced understanding of contemporary new digital marketing theory and practice
  • Examine digital marketing theory, measures and practice to create a comprehensive digital marketing audit.
  • Critically analyse various metrics, innovative approaches, techniques and ethical perspective to design a digital marketing strategy.
  • Communicate digital marketing strategies, tactics and measures to others clearly, persuasively and credibly.

PROJECT*

The objective of this course is to undertake a project related to the chosen area of professional focus. Students will identify an appropriate workplace or industry related research problem or opportunity, conduct a concise review of theories and frameworks, engage in identifying secondary data, analyse the data and present findings in a formal business research report.

Pre-requisite: A minimum of 10 MBA courses (all AQF level 8 courses and at least 4 AQF level 9 courses) must be completed before attempting the Project.

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Critically examine contemporary business theory and practices related to an identified enterprise (or industry) problem or opportunity.
  • Demonstrate ability to apply innovative approaches, techniques, ethical perspectives, and the use of secondary data, to an identified enterprise (or industry) problem or opportunity.
  • Critically evaluate business (or industry) concepts and synthesise existing research, theory, and secondary data to advise business stakeholders on business solutions.
  • Communicate evidenced-based recommendations to stakeholders clearly, persuasively, and credibly

*When scheduling your timetable, please note that some courses have pre-requisites that must be successfully completed prior to commencing the course.

In addition to an MBA Digital Business Focus, the following specialisations are offered by AIB: Finance, Entrepreneurial Management, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Human Resource Management and Marketing Management.

Prefer not to specialise your MBA degree? That’s ok – our general MBA option allows you to mix & match elective courses to tailor your study program.

Multiple start dates

With the flexibility and convenience of 11 start dates every year, you can start your MBA when it suits you.

START DATES

Enrolment cutoff date: 06 June 2022

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Study at your own pace 

At AIB, students have the flexibility to study at the pace that suits them. Unlike other institutions, we offer many intakes throughout the year, plus the ability to speed up your studies with concurrent courses  subject to meeting our eligibility criteria or slow it down to make it achievable for you, and schedule breaks in as well when you need them. The Fast-Track MBA is truly flexible to your schedule.

There are 11 MBA terms per year at AIB, with each term running for 7 weeks followed by a 1-week break. Students typically spend around 150 hours per course (or about 20 hours per week) to complete their MBA, but this varies, depending on your personal level of experience and education.

Learn more: MBA Hours Per Week Study Calculator

Assessment

The assessments in our MBA include written assignments and reports, recorded presentations, case study analyses and online quizzes. As a practically-focused business school, all of AIB’s assessments are practical in nature, and we have a strong focus on authentic assessment methods.

This means that you can base your MBA assessments on your workplace, industry or a professional scenario you’ve been in, so that your MBA learning has real world context and application. In many cases, students are able to use their assessment research and reports to start enacting change in their workplace while studying.

Eligibility Requirements

A degree is not essential for entry to the Fast-Track MBA (Logistics & Supply Chain Management). There are multiple entry pathways that allow you to use your practical experience.

MBA applicants must have one of the following to be eligible:

  1. Minimum five years’ work experience, including at least three years’ of management or significant technical experience.
  2. An Advanced Diploma or associate degree (or equivalent) and at least three years’ of relevant work experience.
  3. A bachelor’s degree and at least two years’ of relevant work experience.

The Fast-Track MBA is taught online in English. Additional English and computer requirements apply.

There are 6 MBA terms per year at AIB, with each term running for 7 weeks with a 1-week break to follow. We anticipate that you will spend around 150 hours per course (or about 20 hours per week) to complete your MBA – but this depends on you, as everyone has different levels of experience and education. 

As the practical business school, all of AIB’s assessments are practical in nature, and we have a strong focus on authentic assessment methods. What this means is that you can base your MBA assessments on your workplace, industry or a professional scenario you’ve been in, so that your MBA learning has real world context and application. In many cases, students are able to use their assessment research and reports to enact change in their business. The assessments in our MBA include written assignments and reports, recorded presentations, case study analyses and online quizzes to name a few.

I come from a range of backgrounds: marketing, sales, and also product development. What the MBA did for me was really solidified much of what I’d learned in those roles, and helped me to forge better processes for my employer which is a global company.

Nick Penny
Deputy Vice President Digital APAC, dormakaba

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MBA Entry Requirements

AIB MBA Accreditation & Recognition

AIB’s English Language Requirements