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London Business School (LBS) is the graduate business school of the University of London. Located by Regent’s Park near the center of London, LBS offers a full-time MBA program along with several Executive MBA options. LBS is widely recognized for its international student body and flexible curriculum schedule, as well as its track record of placing high numbers of graduates into careers in finance.
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Faculty
Across its seven subject areas, London Business School employs faculty members from over 30 countries. In addition to teaching courses, these scholars and practitioners help run the School’s seven research centers and initiatives, which investigate topics such as private equity, entrepreneurship, energy markets and asset management.
Curriculum
London Business School notes that while the majority of course material is delivered via lectures and case discussions, instructors also make use of other techniques such as field visits, guest speakers, and role-playing scenarios. Upon arriving at LBS, first-year students are divided into groups of approximately 75 students each that take their core courses together. These groups are further broken down into study groups of six or seven students each. Throughout the first year of their MBA studies, students work on assignments with their study group members; the school reports that study groups earn about 30 percent of their first-year grade together.
The pre-term period for first-year MBA students begins in late August and is primarily comprised of three courses that last through the end of September. The first of these, Global Leadership Assessment for Managers, is designed to help students work on their interpersonal and teamwork skills in a cross-cultural setting. The second, Leadership Launch, allows students to choose from a menu of courses that use practical exercises to help them develop in a variety of areas, from speed reading to managing stress. Finally, Understanding General Management teaches students about common challenges that business managers face and how to overcome them.
Following pre-term, students spend three terms—Autumn, Spring and Summer—completing the required curriculum. Autumn Term runs from August to December, Spring Term from January to March, and Summer Term from April to July. Each term, first-year students complete four to five core courses focused on foundational business disciplines. Students who have extensive prior experience in corporate finance and accounting gained within the last 10 years may take an exam to waive out of core courses in these areas and replace them with elective courses. In the summer between the first and second years, most MBA students opt to complete a summer internship, though students may also participate in LBS’s Summer Consulting Programme or Entrepreneurship Summer School.
Unlike most MBA programs, which last either one or two full years, LBS allows its students to graduate after 15, 18 or 21 months of instruction. The second year of the program follows the same three-term calendar as the first year. During the second year, students must complete a summary course called Capstone as well as the course Global Business Experiences, through which teams of students partake in projects at locations throughout the world alongside LBS faculty members. To graduate, students must complete a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 12 elective courses. LBS enables students to tailor their studies to their desired career paths by taking five or more electives in one of seven elective concentrations. Students can also enroll in courses at University College London to supplement elective offerings at LBS.
In keeping with the school’s international outlook, MBA candidates must also demonstrate competency in a language other than English to graduate; qualifying languages are Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. Students who plan to complete their MBA studies in 18 or 21 months may also spend a term studying abroad at one of LBS’s more than 30 partner schools. The school reports that 30% of MBA students spend a term abroad during their second year.
Other MBA Degree Options
In addition to its full-time MBA program, LBS offers several MBA degree options for applicants who are more advanced in their careers. One such option is the 20-month Executive MBA, which is held across London and Dubai. The school also supports two 20-month Global Executive MBA programs: the EMBA-Global Americas and Europe held between LBS and Columbia Business School, and the EMBA-Global Asia held between LBS, Columbia Business School and the University of Hong Kong.
Concentrations at LBS
Degree Offerings at LBS
Full-time MBA Program
Exit points at 15, 18 and 21 months
http://www.london.edu/programmes/mba.html
Executive MBA Programs
London and Dubai
http://www.london.edu/programmes/executivemba.html
EMBA-Global Americas and Europe between LBS and Columbia Business School
http://www.emba-global.com/americasandeurope/index.html
EMBA-Global Asia between LBS, Columbia Business School and the University of Hong Kong
http://www.emba-global.com/asia/index.html
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Clubs, Conferences & Competitions
Students at LBS are provided with many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of the classroom. The school boasts over 70 student-run clubs that are based on a wide variety of professional, regional, athletic and social interests. For example, students who plan to enter the asset management industry after earning their MBA can join the Investment Management Club and participate in club events such as company visits, a guest speaker series and a stock pitch competition. The club also holds workshops on topics ranging from interviews to alternative investment strategies. Meanwhile, on the non-professional side, the Cycling Club holds weekly bike rides at Regent’s Park that are open to all skill levels, as well as mountain biking and road biking trips to destinations throughout England.
Student clubs at LBS also organize several conferences on campus each year. These include the Energy Club’s annual Global Energy Summit, the Women in Business Club’s annual Women in Business Conference, and the annual India Business Forum, among many others. In addition, LBS students compete in a number of case and business plan competitions each year. Some, like the London Entrepreneurs’ Challenge, are sponsored by LBS students, while others, such as the CFA Global Investment Research Challenge, provide students with the opportunity to compete internationally.
Campus Space
London Business School’s campus is located in the center of London and faces the Boating Lake at Regent’s Park. The school comprises three main buildings: the Ratcliffe Building, the Plowden Building and the Taunton Centre. Combined, the Ratcliffe Building and the Plowden Building hold a total of 12 lecture theaters, 156 seminar rooms and a variety of other instructional facilities. Meanwhile, the Taunton Centre is home to both the LBS Library and the school’s Fitness Centre. The campus also offers four different places to eat, ranging from grab-and-go cafés to more formal restaurants.
LBS does not provide housing to its students, so most full-time MBA students find private housing near campus in the form of shared apartments and houses. For guidance on how to find accommodations, students can refer to the University of London’s Housing Services office.
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Career Services
The Career Services team at LBS is comprised of career coaches and sector specialists who help students determine their post-MBA paths and connect with potential employers in their desired fields. Career Services provides students with online career development resources, one-on-one career counseling, and workshops on topics such as résumés, interviews and networking, among others. The team also organizes a variety of events throughout the year to help students network with recruiters. These include a career fair, treks to Silicon Valley, Singapore, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, and on-campus presentations and receptions. On-campus interviews for second-year students seeking full-time positions begin in mid-October, and those for first-year students seeking summer internships begin in late January.
Career Statistics
Within three months of graduating from LBS, 94% of the Class of 2016 had accepted job offers. The average base salary of these graduates was £77,693 with an average signing bonus of £28,957. Thirty-five percent of the class went into the consulting sector, while 25% chose positions in finance. The remaining 40% of graduates entered corporate sectors such as internet and e-commerce, technology, media and telecommunications, consumer products, energy, and health care.
The companies that hired the most 2016 graduates were McKinsey & Company, The Boston Consulting Group and Bain & Company. A.T. Kearney, Goldman Sachs, and Strategy& also hired large numbers of graduates. In total, the Class of 2016 found employment in more than 55 cities in 40 countries worldwide. Over half of the class remained in the United Kingdom, while 16% chose jobs in Europe outside of the UK. A further 11% went to work in Asia, 7% in the USA and Canada, and 7% in Latin America.
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The Class Profile
LBS enrolled 425 students in the fall of 2016. The average age of members of this class was 29 years at the time of matriculation. The average amount of professional experience for students prior to matriculating at LBS was 5 years. Incoming students scored an average of 708 on the GMAT exam. International students comprise 90% of the Class of 2018 and represent 70 different nationalities. Female students make up 35% of the class in total.
Application Procedures
London Business School has four stages of admission, with application deadlines typically occurring in September, January, February and April. In addition to a completed online application form, applicants must submit essays, a one-page résumé, names and details of two references, and academic transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended. The school also requires applicants to send in a £190 application fee, GMAT scores, and, if necessary, results from the TOEFL, IELTS, CPE or PTE. Interviews are conducted on an invitation-only basis.
Application Checklist
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For the MBA program beginning in August 2017, fees including tuition and reading materials come to a total of £75,100. Historically, to help students budget their living expenses while studying at LBS, the school has estimated that students should expect to spend about £2,840 per year on books, school trips and travel, as well as £1,640 per month on food, accommodation and other expenses. Students who are admitted to the MBA program within the first three application deadlines have access to a variety of merit- and need-based scholarships provided by LBS and associated sponsors. Accepted applicants are automatically considered for some of these awards, while others require an additional application. These awards range from partial to full tuition. Students seeking further financial assistance can also apply for government and private loans. LBS sends additional information on applying for financial aid along with their offers of admission.
Cost of Attendance (per academic year)
Total Fees (tuition for 15-21 months, all reading materials): £75,100
Food & Accommodation: £1,350/month
Books, Travel, & Miscellaneous: £1,490
Miscellaneous: £300/month
Total
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