Educational Leadership MBA
The MBA Educational Leadership at the University of Portsmouth London empowers educators and sector professionals to lead change with vision and impact. Develop the strategic, organisational and ethical leadership skills to shape the future of learning across schools, colleges, universities and global education systems.
Key information
For:
starting September 2026
Typical offer:
A second-class honours degree or equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications.
Showing content for section Overview
Overview
Study your MBA in Educational Leadership at the University of Portsmouth London, a TEF Gold-rated University located in Walthamstow, and prepare to lead transformation across the education sector, from classrooms to national systems.
Education shapes societies, and so do its leaders. This MBA is designed for current and aspiring leaders who want to create meaningful, sustainable change in how education is delivered, governed and experienced. You’ll build advanced knowledge of strategy, finance, governance and organisational change, while focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities of education leadership in a global context.
Learning is practical, applied and collaborative. Through live projects, leadership case studies and simulations, you’ll explore how to set vision, manage complexity and lead people through transformation. You’ll also refine essential leadership skills in ethical decision-making, inclusive practice, communication and stakeholder engagement, ensuring you can lead with confidence and integrity in any educational environment.
You’ll gain deep insight into how policy, funding and social change influence educational organisations, and learn to develop innovative, data-informed strategies that improve outcomes and drive excellence. Situated in London, you’ll be immersed in one of the world’s most diverse education ecosystems, surrounded by schools, universities, training providers, NGOs and policy innovators.
You’ll also benefit from UoP London’s student-focused teaching model: one module at a time, no traditional exams, small class sizes, flexible timetables and authentic, industry-linked learning experiences that make balancing study and work achievable.
This MBA prepares you for senior and executive roles across schools, colleges, universities, vocational training providers, NGOs and government bodies. Graduates move into positions such as Headteacher, Principal, Director of Education, Policy Advisor, Education Consultant or NGO Leader, shaping systems that make a difference locally and globally.
You’ll graduate as a strategic and inclusive leader, equipped to inspire others, drive improvement and shape the future of education with purpose and vision.
This is a new course and we're finalising the detailed information for this page.
Your new home at UoP London
Located just a minute’s walk from Walthamstow’s tube and bus stations, our campus provides easy access to the entire city, placing you at the centre of London’s dynamic business scene.
Come along to an Open Day
Open Days at the London campus vary to those held in Portsmouth.
Entry requirements
MBA Educational Leadership entry requirements
- A second-class honours degree in any subject, or a masters degree in any subject. Exceptionally, equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications will be considered.
You don't need a marketing, computing or maths background to study this course.
Please get in touch if you're not sure if your undergraduate subject is relevant to this degree.
Equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications will also be considered, such as previous study, employment, voluntary work and training courses, including courses and qualifications you didn't complete. Learn more about our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
If you're applying as an international student with a non-UK degree, you’ll need to show you meet the UK entry requirements listed above.
To find out if your non-UK degree or other qualification is accepted, please visit our page for your country and view the UK equivalent of your qualification.
- English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 5.5.
You do not need an IELTS or equivalent certification if:
- you have a UK degree
- you have a degree from a majority English speaking country (not taught by Distance Learning)
- you are a national of a majority English speaking country
Degrees taught solely in English from non-majority English speaking countries will be considered on a case by case basis. Find out more about our English language requirements.
If you do not meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
Contact information
London Campus Enquiries: london@port.ac.uk
We look at more than just your grades
While we consider your grades when making an offer, we also carefully look at your circumstances and other factors to assess your potential. These include whether you live and work in the region and your personal and family circumstances which we assess using established data.
Modules
Please note, we're working hard to confirm modules for this course. We'll update them here soon.
Changes to course content
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry. If a module doesn't run, we'll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
Course costs and funding
Tuition fees
Please note, we'll confirm 2026 course fees soon.
Apply
Ready to apply?
Start this course in September 2026
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Start this course in January 2027
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Start this course in May 2027
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After you apply
Once we receive your application, we may ask you for further information. We will then either make you an offer or suggest alternatives if your application is unsuccessful.
You'll usually get a decision within 10 working days, so you shouldn't have to wait too long. Some courses have an interview stage – we'll let you know if you need to prepare for one.
Learn more about how we assess your application.
Admissions terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the University of Portsmouth, you also agree to abide by our Student Contract (which includes the University's relevant policies, rules and regulations). You should read and consider these before you apply.
Finalising this course
All our courses go through a rigorous approval process to make sure they’re of the highest quality. This includes a review by a panel of experts, made up of academic staff and an external academic or professional with specialist knowledge.
This course is in the final stages of this process and is open for applications. If any details of the course or its approval status change after you apply, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and will be here to discuss your options with you.