Excel your career as a leader in the finance sector, as a financial specialist in your field or a corporate decision-maker in your organization with the AIB Master of Business Administration (Finance).

Whether you already have a degree in finance or are looking to the Fast-Track MBA (Finance) as your first credential in the field, the specialized MBA will boost your career in all general and specialist areas of finance, including banking, investment, accounting and superannuation.

Covering more than just the numbers, this specialized MBA will guide you through the universally-used theoretical frameworks and data-driven techniques relevant to modern private sector companies, the public sector, and not-for-profit organizations.  With each finance topic mastered, you’ll find yourself more empowered than ever before to make smart financial decisions that can drive the success of your team, department and organization – now and well into the future.

As well as mastering corporate finance, investments, markets and institutions, you’ll deepen your understanding of the close relationship finance has with all other business areas. This includes integrated learning across marketing, human resources management, corporate governance, operations and project management – an essential toolkit for building your influence as a leader, executive or business owner.

Graduate with one of the most well-respected qualifications globally – the MBA – and the specialist expertise to excel in your finance career.

MBA (MBA FINANCE) COURSE STRUCTURE

Three stages to the Fast-Track MBA

The Fast-Track MBA (MBA Finance) 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

The courses you’ll study

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 excel in all general and specialist areas of finance.

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.

Corporate Finance*

The objective of the course is to provide an integrated framework and analytical tools that are used by the firm managers to make financial decisions that improve firm value. The modules covered include valuations of bonds and shares, advanced capital budgeting techniques, estimation of cost of capital, optimal capital structure, and firm payout policy.

Pre-requisites: Financial Management

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate advanced understanding of contemporary corporate finance theory, analytical frameworks and practice.
  • Critically analyse and effectively communicate complex corporate finance issues and recommend improvements to inform professional practice.
  • Plan and prepare a substantial evidence based corporate finance report in an ethical manner.
Financial Markets and Institutions*

This course presents a detailed overview of the features of modern financial and monetary systems, and enables an in-depth understanding of complex institutions, markets, and securities that are part of them. The course covers banking, payment systems, financial regulators and institutions, fundamentals of fund management as well as money, capital and foreign exchange markets.

Pre-requisites: Financial Management

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate advanced understanding of contemporary financial markets and institutions theory, analytical frameworks and practice.
  • Critically analyse and effectively communicate improvements relating to financial markets and institutions issues.
  • Plan and prepare a substantial evidence-based financial markets and institutions report in an ethical manner.
Investment Management*

The objective of the course is to provide comprehensive theoretical and practical knowledge on investment management. The course covers major theoretical concepts, namely, modern portfolio theory, diversification, and equilibrium models of security prices. The course also includes macroeconomic and industry analysis, pricing of main financial derivatives, and evaluation of portfolio performance.

Pre-requisite: Financial Management

On completion of this course participants should be able to:

  • Demonstrate advanced understanding of contemporary investment management theory, analytical frameworks and practice.
  • Critically analyse and effectively communicate complex concepts, investment management issues and recommend improvements to inform professional practice.
  • Plan and undertake a substantial evidence-based report in an ethical manner.

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 in Finance, the following specialisations are offered by AIB: Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Entrepreneurial 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

Enquire

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.

Studying an MBA (Finance) has definitely contributed to the value proposition I’m able to offer potential employers. Committing to study an MBA shows employers that you are a long-term thinker and you have the ability to utilise unique strategic, analytical and financial skills to help take the organization forward.

Matt Felsman
Executive Director at Alberta Association of Landscape Architects

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