University of Oxford’s Said Business School

MBA Program Stats

Academics And Programs

Oxford Saïd uniquely offers a 1+1 program that lets students take a one-year Oxford master’s degree from a list of partner programs followed by an MBA, allowing people to delve into a subject before capping it off with an MBA — a cost-effective alternative to the two-year MBA in the U.S.

The B-School welcomes 311 students annually on average with the passion and drive to meet the demands of the future. Core courses go beyond the conventional to include topics like entrepreneurship, responsible business, and leading with purpose in the 21st century.

Participants can also partake in an internship, which is not always the case in a one-year MBA.
The academic year is divided into modules, and alongside the conventional core business courses are electives that incorporate two cross-cutting themes: Entrepreneurship and Global Rules of the Game.

Highlights of the program include the Entrepreneurship Project, where students develop a complete business plan and present it to a panel of invited venture capitalists and other practitioners. Another highlight is Global Opportunities and Threats Oxford (GOTO), where students are challenged to use systems thinking to address some of the most complex issues that the world faces today.

During the summer months, MBAs take up internships or a six-week Strategic Consulting Project in a team of three to five for a corporate sponsor. Teams have worked with a wide range of companies, charities, nonprofits, and start-ups. 

The Saïd School engages closely with the wider university to bring a multidisciplinary aspect to the Oxford MBA. This enables the program to provide an exciting mix of experiences and opportunities, from The Foundry – a university-wide innovation center devoted to starting new businesses, to debates at the famous Oxford Union, student-led clubs, career treks, globally renowned guest speakers, conferences, and many other opportunities – not to mention fancy dinners in ancient dining rooms.

The school regularly hosts guest speakers from diverse industries and organizes industry-focused events and conferences, providing students with valuable insights, networking opportunities, and exposure to current business trends.

Why Students Chose

“The key motivation for choosing Oxford was its focus on impact-driven careers and the network that it provides to explore the European impact investing industry. I also loved the course curriculum including programs like GOTO and Entrepreneurial Project that help students find solutions to global problems. My team is exploring Climate Reset as part of our GOTO project, where we are looking at using a systems thinking approach to the agriculture value chain of Mexico. Coming from the impact sector, I had heard about these concepts and the tools provided by the school will give me more confidence to use them in practice.” Taanya Khare (‘22)

“Growing up in the Caribbean, there is a certain respect for British schools which already narrowed my focus in choosing a business school to the UK. However, Saïd Business School’s focus on impact investment in its syllabus made it the easy choice. Throughout the course, we are constantly challenged in the way we think about creating portfolios, assessing investments, and advising companies. When we propose an integration of ESG goals, our lecturers ensure that this is done practically, recognizing all the obstacles, and eventually resulting in the innovation of new approaches to our business ideas. This was extremely important for me since my goals have always involved eventually returning to my home country Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, with a hope to make a meaningful change. Through our future businesses, we have the power to impact education, employment, crime, and economic growth. Since studying in the MBA at Saïd, I have been able to grapple with my ideas, ensuring that specific goals can be met whilst still being financially successful.” Samuel Bailey (‘22)

Career Stats

Compensation and Career Statistics of Oxford MBAs

Industry Choices of Oxford MBAs

Where Oxford’s MBAs Went To Work

From Oxford University 

A transformational role in a global business? Founding and growing your startup? Making change happen through finance or consulting? Solving problems from the ground up in a social enterprise? The Oxford MBA is an intensive and flexible one-year programme focused on helping you to achieve career success and to make a lasting impact, wherever you work.

Saïd Business School at Oxford University blends the best of new and old. We are a young, vibrant, innovative business school deeply embedded in an 800-year-old world-class university.

Discover the Oxford MBA.

A year in Oxford not enough? Learn more about the opportunity to earn two degrees in two years with the Oxford 1+1 MBA. Combine a specialist Master’s from the University of Oxford with our MBA.

Admissions process

We operate a staged admissions process and we strongly encourage you to apply as early as possible, particularly if you are interested in applying for any of our scholarships. View our application deadlines and requirements.

Meet us

Our School representatives are travelling to cities around the world to meet with prospective candidates like you. Visit our website to browse our events listing for the opportunity to meet with us as well as our alumni.

Careers

The Career Development Centre is dedicated to help you finding and prepare for a role that suits your skill set and meets your career aspirations, whether you are looking to explore, accelerate, or transition in an alternative direction.

We have developed five pathways to help you navigate your way through the programme:

• Consulting
• Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Impact
• Finance
• Global Industry
• Technology

These pathways will allow you to make informed choices, both curricular and co-curricular, throughout the year. You will be able to move between these pathways depending on your aspirations and interests, which we know from experience can change during your year in Oxford.

Learn more about careers.

Life at Oxford

As an Oxford MBA, you will belong to one of the University’s 38 autonomous colleges, each a self-governing academic community of students and faculty with its own distinctive history and identity. The application process requires you to specify a college of your choice. Through your college, you will have the opportunity to connect with the brightest minds from across the University.

Explore college life.

Essay Questions For Said Business School

With your application, you will need to submit a supporting statement in answer to the following question: Tell us something that is not covered in your application that you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you. (Maximum 250 words) You will also need to complete an online assessment. This comprises: – Two motivation-based questions via video – all candidates will answer the same questions. Example: Why is an MBA the next step for you to further your career? – One competency-based question via video – this will be randomised. Example: Take a minute to tell us about a time when you’ve overcome a challenging situation, either professionally or personally. What was your approach to resolving the situation? – Written response – this will be randomised and light-hearted. Example: Apples are more versatile than bananas. Discuss

Rankings Data For Said Business School