Alliance Manchester Business School

Alliance Manchester Business School (Alliance MBS) is the business school of the University of Manchester, located in Manchester, England. It is one of the oldest business schools in the UK, originally founded in 1918 as the Department of Industrial Administration at UMIST. The school became Manchester Business School in 1965 and merged with UMIST’s Manchester School of Management and other units in 2004 to form the current institution. In 2015, it was renamed Alliance Manchester Business School after a donation from Lord Alliance and the Alliance Family Foundation.
 

Alliance MBS offers education at undergraduate, postgraduate, MBA, executive education, and doctoral levels. The school is known for the "Manchester Method," an approach that emphasises learning by doing through live projects and consultancy work. Its MBA programmes, including a Global Part-time MBA, allow students to study at international centres in cities such as Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, and Manchester, providing a global learning experience.
 

The school has a strong research focus across various fields including accounting and finance, globalisation, health, innovation, work, and management. It is the largest campus-based business school in the UK with a diverse international student body, where around 75% of students come from outside the UK.

Alliance MBS holds triple accreditation from AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS, reflecting high academic standards. It ranks well in global and European MBA rankings, with its MBA programme placed in the top 50 worldwide and top 20 in Europe according to the Financial Times and QS rankings. Its MSc Business Analytics, International Business and Management, and Finance programmes also receive strong global recognition.
 

The school has a notable alumni network of over 60,000 graduates across 176 countries, including business leaders, politicians, and professionals. Alliance MBS benefits from strong connections with employers and offers extensive career support. Its campus facilities include modern teaching spaces, research centres, and executive education centres in Manchester. The school continues to develop through investments in facilities and academic resources, supporting its mission to prepare students for business leadership worldwide.

Alliance Manchester Business School traces its origins back to 1918 with the establishment of the Department of Industrial Administration at the Manchester Municipal College of Technology, which later became UMIST. This department was created to provide academic training in management, funded by an endowment from Sir Samuel Turner. During the 1930s, both the London School of Economics and the Manchester Municipal College of Technology were among the first UK institutions to offer postgraduate management programmes, following trends seen in the United States.
 

The department was influenced by Charles Garonne Renold, a pioneer in management science. In the 1960s, the Robbins Report recommended the creation of two national centres for postgraduate business education in the UK. The Franks Report later proposed that one be established in London, which became London Business School, and the other in Manchester, centred around the Victoria University of Manchester and UMIST.
 

The Manchester Business School was formally established in 1965, with its first director appointed that year. Grigor McClelland was a key figure in the school’s early development. He introduced the Manchester Experiment, later known as the Manchester Method, which emphasised practical learning. The MBA programme began in 1967. In 1968, the Business School became part of the Faculty of Business Administration at the Victoria University of Manchester, with McClelland serving as dean from 1967.
 

In 1971, Manchester Business School and UMIST’s Manchester School of Management were among the founding members of the Conference of University Management Schools, now the Chartered Association of Business Schools. From 1994, the constituent parts of the school formed the Manchester Federal School of Business and Management. In 2004, a merger brought together UMIST’s Manchester School of Management, the Institute of Innovation Research, Victoria University of Manchester’s School of Accounting and Finance, and Manchester Business School to create the new Manchester Business School.
 

In September 2015, the school changed its name to Alliance Manchester Business School after a donation from Lord Alliance and the Alliance Family Foundation. Today, the school is part of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Manchester and is the largest campus-based business school in the UK. It offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, MBA, executive education, and doctoral programmes.
 

Its research covers multiple areas, including accounting and finance, globalisation, health, innovation, work, and management. The school maintains strong international links through its global centres in Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, and Manchester, supporting a diverse student body from around the world. It continues to invest in facilities and academic resources, aiming to provide practical and research-led education to prepare students for business leadership.

Alliance Manchester Business School offers a wide range of programmes across different levels including undergraduate, postgraduate, MBA, executive education, and doctoral studies. Each course is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today’s business world.
 

At the undergraduate level, students can choose from Bachelor of Science (BSc) honours degrees in subjects such as Accounting, Finance, Management, Business Analytics, Marketing, International Business, and Human Resource Management. These courses provide a strong foundation in business principles and include practical elements like group projects and work placements.
 

For postgraduate students, there are Master of Science (MSc) degrees in specialised areas including Business Analytics, Finance, International Business and Management, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Innovation Management, Supply Chain Management, and Accounting and Finance. These courses typically last one year full-time and focus on developing advanced knowledge and skills. Many MSc programmes are validated by professional bodies, such as the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development for HRM, ensuring industry relevance.
 

The school’s MBA programmes include the full-time Manchester MBA, the Executive MBA, and the Part-time Global MBA. The Manchester MBA is known for the “Manchester Method,” which focuses on learning through real-world business projects and client work. The Global MBA allows students to study at one of the school’s international centres in Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, or Manchester. These programmes emphasise leadership, strategy, and practical business experience.
 

Executive education offers short courses and customised training for professionals and organisations. These cover leadership, digital transformation, finance, innovation, and other business areas to help working professionals update their skills and knowledge.
 

For research students, the school offers PhD and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programmes. These focus on original research in areas such as management, innovation, economics, and organisational studies.
 

Across all courses, students have access to career support services, mentoring programmes, and opportunities to work on live projects with businesses. The school maintains strong ties with employers to help students gain practical experience and improve employability.

• Ranked 17th in Europe and 47th globally for Full-time MBA by QS (2025)
• Ranked 4th in the UK and 12th in Europe for MBA programmes by the Financial Times (2022)
• Positioned 43rd globally for MBA programmes in Financial Times Global Rankings (2022)
• Ranked 6th globally for Masters in Supply Chain Management by World University Rankings
   

The school reports that the majority of its MBA and MSc graduates find work within six months of graduation. The extensive career support service offers personalised advice, employer networking events, internships, and mentoring, which contribute to high placement rates. The school’s close links with major companies across various sectors also help provide practical opportunities. Overall, Alliance MBS maintains a placement rate of around 85-90% within six months, demonstrating its effectiveness in preparing students for successful careers in business and management.

• Alliance Manchester Business School UK - Undergraduate| Alliance Manchester Business School
• Alliance Manchester Business School| Wikipedia
• Alliance Manchester Business School| Top Universities
• Alliance Manchester Business School| TopMBA.com
• Alliance Manchester Business School| LinkedIn · Alliance Manchester Business School
• Alliance Manchester Business School| YouTube · Alliance Manchester Business School
• Alliance Manchester Business School| Facebook · Alliance Manchester Business School
• Alliance Manchester Business School | India| gostudyin.com
• United Kingdom: Alliance Manchester Bus. School| UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
• Alliance MBS (@alliancembs) • Instagram photos and videos| Instagram · alliancembs
• Alliance Manchester Business School - FT.com| Financial Times
• Alliance Manchester Business School (Undergraduate)| The University of Manchester