Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Integrate management knowledge to address complex organisational problems.
About the course
Integrate management knowledge to address complex organisational problems. You will examine financial, people and market decisions together, evaluate strategic choices and conduct a focused business investigation.
What you'll learn
Diagnose a management problem using several business perspectives.
Evaluate strategic alternatives under uncertainty.
Interpret financial and operational evidence for executive decisions.
Justify a change approach considering ethics and stakeholders.
Conduct and defend a methodologically sound business enquiry.
Requirements
Entry requires a relevant degree with suitable advanced study or a postgraduate diploma, subject to BMIT assessment of research preparation and supervision. English Language is required.
African Kalanga is a compulsory graduation subject in every year of this programme. BMIT confirms the approved entry route, any recognition of prior learning and access to required practical facilities before enrolment.
Course Content
The complete subject sequence below moves from foundations to specialist application. Levels show learning progression. Practical work and the final project draw together the subjects studied.
3 learning levels 18 subjects
Select a subject to read its learning outcomes, main topics, practical task and assessment.
Level 1: Foundations
Africa Indigenous Language: African Kalanga 101Compulsory graduation subject · Year 1
Develop African Kalanga through foundations for economic and management sciences. Practise with authentic tasks, feedback and reflection across the programme year.
Learning outcomes
- Use African Kalanga accurately for Year 1 study and practice.
- Explain language choices to the intended audience.
- Revise your work using speaker and facilitator feedback.
Main topics
- Pronunciation
- Everyday vocabulary
- Listening
- Reading and respectful introductions
Practical task
Record a short introduction and explain its meaning to a peer.
Assessment
Submit the practical work, a brief reflection and evidence of language review. Assessment checks meaning, audience fit and improvement after feedback.
Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Innovation 101Compulsory core module · Level 1
Identify a real need, study the people affected and develop a responsible idea for a product, service or process. Apply critical analysis and relevant research to a specialist setting. Apply this learning to Master of Business Administration (MBA) through an authentic brief and feedback from an appropriate audience.
Learning outcomes
- Investigate a defined opportunity and explain the evidence behind it.
- Develop and refine a creative response that fits the people and setting.
- Evaluate feasibility, ethical implications and the quality of the result.
Main topics
- Opportunity recognition
- Creative problem framing
- Community and user research
- Ethics and inclusion
- Idea generation and selection
Practical task
Investigate a need related to Master of Business Administration (MBA). Interview or observe intended users with consent, compare possible responses and present one justified concept.
Assessment
Submit an opportunity brief, research notes, a concept sketch and a reflection on feedback. Support your decisions with current research and a critical account of limitations. Assessment considers the quality of the evidence, the response to feedback, feasibility and your individual explanation.
African History and Pan Africanism 101Compulsory core module · Level 1
Study African history through oral, written and archaeological evidence. Examine the diversity of African societies, knowledge and exchange, then trace the emergence of Pan African ideas about identity, solidarity and self-determination.
Learning outcomes
- Place selected African societies and events within a supported historical timeline.
- Compare historical sources and identify perspective, evidence and uncertainty.
- Explain the foundations of Pan Africanism and the contributions of Africans and the diaspora.
Main topics
- Historical inquiry, chronology, oral traditions and source evaluation
- African civilisations, states, trade, livelihoods and knowledge systems
- Southern African history, including Mapungubgwe and Great Zimbabwe
- Slavery, the African diaspora and changing ideas about identity
- Origins of Pan Africanism, solidarity, self-determination and cultural expression
Practical task
Create an annotated timeline or digital learning poster on a selected African society or historical development. Compare at least two credible sources and explain one connection with your field of study.
Assessment
Submit the timeline or poster, an annotated source list and a short explanation of the evidence. Assessment considers chronology, historical accuracy, source judgement and the clarity of your interpretation.
Learning resources
Advanced Strategic Management
Critically evaluate strategy under uncertainty and competing stakeholder demands. You will compare theoretical explanations of organisational advantage and test their use in complex cases. The module combines strategic judgement with evidence about implementation, governance and the social consequences of major organisational choices.
Learning outcomes
- Critique a strategic argument
- Evaluate a complex corporate choice
- Defend a strategy under uncertainty
Main topics
- Strategic theory
- Dynamic capabilities
- Corporate scope
- Competitive responses
- Strategic uncertainty
- Strategy evaluation
Practical task
Present a board-level strategy recommendation supported by competing scenarios.
Assessment
Assessment combines applied exercises, a documented case or practical portfolio and an individual written or oral explanation. Judgement considers technical accuracy, reasoning, evidence quality and the feasibility of recommendations.
Managerial Economics and Decision Analysis
Use economic reasoning to evaluate management choices about markets, resources and risk. You will connect demand, cost and strategic interaction with organisational decisions, then assess how uncertainty affects the recommendation. Cases require explicit assumptions and comparison of both quantitative results and practical constraints.
Learning outcomes
- Estimate a decision-relevant economic relationship
- Compare managerial options
- Evaluate a decision under uncertainty
Main topics
- Demand estimation
- Cost analysis
- Pricing decisions
- Strategic interaction
- Decision trees
- Uncertainty
Practical task
Prepare a managerial decision model with sensitivity analysis and a recommendation.
Assessment
Assessment combines applied exercises, a documented case or practical portfolio and an individual written or oral explanation. Judgement considers technical accuracy, reasoning, evidence quality and the feasibility of recommendations.
Advanced Corporate Finance
Evaluate complex financing and investment choices using financial models and judgement. You will examine capital structure, valuation and corporate transactions, then test the sensitivity of recommendations. The module connects financial decisions with governance, uncertainty and the interests of different stakeholders.
Learning outcomes
- Value a business using stated assumptions
- Compare financing strategies
- Test a major investment decision
Main topics
- Capital structure
- Business valuation
- Payout policy
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Capital rationing
- Scenario analysis
Practical task
Prepare a corporate finance recommendation with alternative scenarios and valuation workings.
Assessment
Assessment combines applied exercises, a documented case or practical portfolio and an individual written or oral explanation. Judgement considers technical accuracy, reasoning, evidence quality and the feasibility of recommendations.
Leadership, Governance and Strategic Change
Analyse leadership in organisations facing competing interests and significant change. You will examine power, accountability and organisational identity, then design a defensible change approach. The module asks you to connect leadership claims with evidence, employee participation and the governance of major decisions.
Learning outcomes
- Critique a leadership approach
- Assess governance during change
- Develop a strategic change intervention
Main topics
- Leadership critique
- Power and politics
- Governance
- Organisational identity
- Transformation
- Change evaluation
Practical task
Prepare a strategic change case with stakeholder, governance and evaluation plans.
Assessment
Assessment combines applied exercises, a documented case or practical portfolio and an individual written or oral explanation. Judgement considers technical accuracy, reasoning, evidence quality and the feasibility of recommendations.
Level 2: Core subjects
Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Innovation 201Compulsory core module · Level 2
Turn a promising idea into a testable proposal using evidence, creative methods and basic resource planning. Apply critical analysis and relevant research to a specialist setting. Apply this learning to Master of Business Administration (MBA) through an authentic brief and feedback from an appropriate audience.
Learning outcomes
- Investigate a defined opportunity and explain the evidence behind it.
- Develop and refine a creative response that fits the people and setting.
- Evaluate feasibility, ethical implications and the quality of the result.
Main topics
- Co-design and prototyping
- Value proposition
- Feasibility and costs
- Risk and responsible practice
- Testing and iteration
Practical task
Develop a small prototype or service model for a Master of Business Administration (MBA) problem. Test it with relevant users, record feedback and revise the proposal.
Assessment
Submit a prototype, a feasibility note, user feedback and a record of revisions. Support your decisions with current research and a critical account of limitations. Assessment considers the quality of the evidence, the response to feedback, feasibility and your individual explanation.
African History and Pan Africanism 201Compulsory core module · Level 2
Examine colonial change, resistance and liberation across Africa, with attention to Zimbabwe and South Africa. Compare Pan African movements, organisations and debates, including contributions from women, workers and diaspora communities.
Learning outcomes
- Analyse the effects of colonial rule on land, labour, institutions and social relations.
- Compare liberation movements and Pan African arguments using contextual evidence.
- Explain how different groups shaped independence, solidarity and debates about freedom.
Main topics
- Colonial rule, land, labour, education and forms of resistance
- Nationalism, liberation and the end of colonial rule and apartheid
- Pan African congresses, organisations and contrasting interpretations
- Women, labour movements and diaspora participation
- The Organisation of African Unity and debates about unity, sovereignty and development
Practical task
Develop a comparative case study of a liberation issue or Pan African debate relevant to Southern Africa. Use a historical document alongside a scholarly account and explain differences in purpose and interpretation.
Assessment
Submit the case study, a source comparison and a reflection on your conclusions. Assessment considers context, evidence, recognition of different perspectives and the quality of your argument.
Learning resources
Management Analytics
Develop analytical evidence for complex management decisions. You will frame questions, assess data quality and compare modelling approaches before interpreting outputs. The module emphasises reproducible reasoning, appropriate visualisation and the limits of prediction when decisions involve changing behaviour, incomplete information and uncertain operating conditions.
Learning outcomes
- Frame an analytical decision
- Compare model results
- Communicate uncertainty to managers
Main topics
- Decision framing
- Data quality
- Predictive models
- Scenario analysis
- Visualisation
- Model limitations
Practical task
Produce an analytical management report and a reproducible decision-support model.
Assessment
Assessment combines applied exercises, a documented case or practical portfolio and an individual written or oral explanation. Judgement considers technical accuracy, reasoning, evidence quality and the feasibility of recommendations.
Strategic Marketing Management
Develop a marketing direction grounded in market evidence and organisational capability. You will compare segments, competitive positions and growth options, then allocate resources across priorities. The module links objectives with implementation measures and asks you to justify trade-offs rather than present an unrestricted wish list.
Learning outcomes
- Evaluate a market position
- Choose a defensible marketing strategy
- Design strategic measures
Main topics
- Market analysis
- Competitive position
- Portfolio choices
- Growth strategies
- Marketing resources
- Strategic control
Practical task
Submit a strategic marketing plan with resource choices and implementation measures.
Assessment
Assessment combines applied exercises, a documented case or practical portfolio and an individual written or oral explanation. Judgement considers technical accuracy, reasoning, evidence quality and the feasibility of recommendations.
Advanced Operations and Supply Strategy
Connect operating capabilities with organisational strategy and supply networks. You will compare process configurations, resilience options and technology investments using cost, service and risk evidence. Cases require an integrated view of capacity, quality and delivery across more than one organisational function.
Learning outcomes
- Compare operating configurations
- Evaluate a technology option
- Develop a resilient operations proposal
Main topics
- Operations strategy
- Network design
- Lean systems
- Technology choices
- Resilience
- Performance trade-offs
Practical task
Submit an integrated operations strategy for a regional production or service organisation.
Assessment
Assessment combines applied exercises, a documented case or practical portfolio and an individual written or oral explanation. Judgement considers technical accuracy, reasoning, evidence quality and the feasibility of recommendations.
Strategic Human Resource Management
Align workforce decisions with organisational direction and changing work requirements. You will evaluate talent, performance and development systems as a connected set of choices. Cases consider organisational capability, employee voice and the evidence needed to judge whether a people strategy is working.
Learning outcomes
- Assess strategic workforce needs
- Integrate HR interventions
- Evaluate people-strategy results
Main topics
- HR strategy
- Capabilities
- Talent systems
- Performance systems
- Change
- HR measures
Practical task
Prepare a strategic workforce proposal with implementation responsibilities and measures.
Assessment
Assessment combines applied exercises, a documented case or practical portfolio and an individual written or oral explanation. Judgement considers technical accuracy, reasoning, evidence quality and the feasibility of recommendations.
Innovation Strategy and Venture Growth
Evaluate innovation as an organisational and economic process. You will compare technology, market and social innovation pathways, assess growth barriers and design a suitable support system. Cases connect entrepreneurial decisions with networks, intellectual assets, financing and the evidence required before committing substantial resources.
Learning outcomes
- Compare innovation pathways
- Assess venture growth constraints
- Design an innovation strategy
Main topics
- Innovation theory
- Innovation ecosystems
- Technology ventures
- Intellectual assets
- Growth barriers
- Scale strategies
Practical task
Prepare an innovation and scale proposal with experiments, resources and decision milestones.
Assessment
Assessment combines applied exercises, a documented case or practical portfolio and an individual written or oral explanation. Judgement considers technical accuracy, reasoning, evidence quality and the feasibility of recommendations.
Level 3: Specialist subjects and application
Africa Indigenous Language: African Kalanga 201Compulsory graduation subject · Year 2
Develop African Kalanga through applied communication for economic and management sciences. Practise with authentic tasks, feedback and reflection across the programme year.
Learning outcomes
- Use African Kalanga accurately for Year 2 study and practice.
- Explain language choices to the intended audience.
- Revise your work using speaker and facilitator feedback.
Main topics
- Workplace vocabulary
- Questions
- Instructions
- Short messages and feedback
Practical task
Prepare and test a bilingual message for a realistic community or workplace situation.
Assessment
Submit the practical work, a brief reflection and evidence of language review. Assessment checks meaning, audience fit and improvement after feedback.
Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Innovation 301Compulsory core module · Level 3
Plan and evaluate the practical introduction of an innovation in a relevant organisation or community. Apply critical analysis and relevant research to a specialist setting. Apply this learning to Master of Business Administration (MBA) through an authentic brief and feedback from an appropriate audience.
Learning outcomes
- Investigate a defined opportunity and explain the evidence behind it.
- Develop and refine a creative response that fits the people and setting.
- Evaluate feasibility, ethical implications and the quality of the result.
Main topics
- Implementation planning
- Stakeholder engagement
- Resources and finance
- Monitoring and impact
- Learning from a pilot
Practical task
Prepare and defend a pilot plan for an innovation relevant to Master of Business Administration (MBA). Set measures of success, identify risks and explain how results will guide improvement.
Assessment
Submit a pilot plan, budget assumptions, evaluation measures and an individual rationale. Support your decisions with current research and a critical account of limitations. Assessment considers the quality of the evidence, the response to feedback, feasibility and your individual explanation.
Advanced Research Design and Analysis
Develop a research design capable of addressing a complex organisational or social question. You will critically synthesise literature, justify methodological choices and assess evidence quality. The module develops the reasoning and analytical preparation required for an independently argued postgraduate research report.
Learning outcomes
- Critique a research design
- Justify an analytical approach
- Develop a defensible research proposal
Main topics
- Critical literature synthesis
- Research philosophy
- Design justification
- Advanced sampling
- Analytical methods
- Research integrity
Practical task
Submit a postgraduate proposal with a critical literature review and pilot analysis.
Assessment
Assessment combines applied exercises, a documented case or practical portfolio and an individual written or oral explanation. Judgement considers technical accuracy, reasoning, evidence quality and the feasibility of recommendations.
Dissertation or Substantial Research Report
Conduct an extended investigation into a focused programme-related problem. You will develop an argument through critical reading, appropriate evidence and sustained analysis. The completed report explains the contribution, limitations and practical or scholarly implications, supported by a transparent record of ethical research decisions.
Learning outcomes
- Conduct an approved investigation
- Develop an evidence-based argument
- Defend and revise research conclusions
Main topics
- Proposal refinement
- Ethical approval
- Evidence collection
- Sustained analysis
- Argument development
- Defence and revision
Practical task
Complete an independently assessed dissertation or substantial research report and oral defence.
Assessment
Assessment combines applied exercises, a documented case or practical portfolio and an individual written or oral explanation. Judgement considers technical accuracy, reasoning, evidence quality and the feasibility of recommendations.
Practical Learning
Authentic e-learning at BMIT
BMIT uses Authentic E-Learning to connect your studies with practical problems in your field. You use digital resources to investigate a realistic brief, make decisions and produce work for a defined purpose and audience. Your qualification's activities below put this approach into practice.
How you will learn
The approach draws on nine elements of authentic learning:
- Realistic contexts: Work with situations relevant to your profession or community.
- Purposeful tasks: Investigate a substantial problem with more than one possible solution.
- Expert examples: Examine demonstrations and examples of professional reasoning.
- Different perspectives: Compare sources and consider the needs of different people.
- Collaboration: Share ideas and review work with peers, while showing your own contribution.
- Reflection: Record what worked, what changed and what needs improvement.
- Explanation: Present your reasoning and support your decisions with evidence.
- Guidance: Use tutor feedback and structured support as you develop independence.
- Authentic assessment: Demonstrate learning through the task and its practical outcome.
From a brief to a practical outcome
Start by identifying the problem, intended audience and assessment criteria. Investigate relevant evidence, plan your response and develop an initial solution. Use discussion and feedback to test your ideas, then revise your work and explain your choices.
Digital tools support research, collaboration, simulation and the presentation of evidence. Your output depends on the module. Examples include a business proposal, technical design, tested program, investigation report or community resource. Keep drafts, calculations, test results and reflections to show how your work developed.
The module brief sets the required tasks, individual and group responsibilities, submission format and assessment criteria. The practical activities and supervision requirements for this qualification are set out below.
Research informing this approach
- Herrington, J. Authentic Learning: nine elements of authentic learning.
- Lombardi, M. M. (2007). Authentic learning for the 21st century: An overview. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative.
- Parker, J., Maor, D. and Herrington, J. (2013). Authentic online learning: Aligning learner needs, pedagogy and technology. Issues in Educational Research, 23(2), 227–241.
Use guided online cases, realistic briefs and feedback to develop practical work. Any workplace or community activity requires suitable supervision and permission.
What you will practise
- Advanced Corporate Finance: Prepare a corporate finance recommendation with alternative scenarios and valuation workings.
- Advanced Operations and Supply Strategy: Submit an integrated operations strategy for a regional production or service organisation.
- Dissertation or Substantial Research Report: Complete an independently assessed dissertation or substantial research report and oral defence.
Applied project
Investigate a proposed organisational problem with academic supervision and approved access to evidence. Separate findings from assumptions and present a practical recommendation supported by a defensible research method.
Evidence and feedback
- Integrated management cases and analytical exercises.
- Team consulting simulations with individual accountability.
- A supervised research report and oral defence.
Assessment considers the practical work you submit, the evidence behind your decisions and how you respond to feedback.
African History and Pan Africanism practical learning
- African History and Pan Africanism 101: Create an annotated timeline or digital learning poster on a selected African society or historical development. Compare at least two credible sources and explain one connection with your field of study.
- African History and Pan Africanism 201: Develop a comparative case study of a liberation issue or Pan African debate relevant to Southern Africa. Use a historical document alongside a scholarly account and explain differences in purpose and interpretation.
Career Prospects
These examples show work across this qualification pathway, from support roles to specialist and management posts. Your entry point depends on your study, experience and employer requirements. Regulated roles require separate recognition or registration.
Top Career Paths and Job Titles
- Business support officer: Organises records, schedules and service information for a team.
- Operations coordinator: Tracks resources, performance and changes to business processes.
- Business manager: Uses financial and operational evidence to guide a team or service.
- Business analyst: Maps processes and uses performance evidence to recommend improvements.
- Operations director: Sets service priorities and oversees budgets, people and delivery.
Growth and Leadership Trajectory
- Starting practice: After meeting entry and any registration requirements, begin with the work represented by Business support officer. Build supervised experience and keep a record of reliable work.
- Specialist progression: Relevant study and evidence from more complex projects support a move towards Operations coordinator or Business manager.
- Leadership: With substantial experience, a role such as Operations director adds responsibility for people, quality, budgets or service decisions.
Further Education to Boost Prospects
- Doctoral study: A Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) or PhD in business or management is a possible later route. BMIT does not currently list a doctoral programme.
Professional Certifications and Registrations
- Role-specific requirements: No single statutory credential covers every role in business administration and management. Employers may require a relevant short course, supervised experience or role-specific licence. Check the requirements for the job and country before applying.
Potential Government and Industrial Employers
- Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management: Start or manage a small venture related to this field. Regulated work still requires the relevant professional registration or licence.
- Private and commercial organisations: Commercial businesses and consultancies.
- Specialist employers: Small enterprises and cooperatives.
- Research and community organisations: Non-profit programme offices.
- Government departments and public bodies: Government administration and state enterprises.