Level: 7
Course duration: Typically 29 months (2 years practical training plus 5 months EPA)
Next start date: February 2025
Mode of delivery: Intensive online and face-to face block study
Senior Leader Apprenticeship
The Senior Leader Apprenticeship is an intensive and rewarding course designed for leaders & managers in organisations wanting to fit study around busy working lives.
Delivered by an experienced team of tutors, this apprenticeship aims to develop leadership effectiveness through collaborative experiential learning. Participants will become rounded & critical in their application of advanced business knowledge - creating value within global business environments and shaping strategic direction.
Senior Leader apprentices gain the benefit of learning alongside the Oxford Brookes Global MBA community, and can apply their learning directly into the workplace - which includes developing a board-level strategic business proposal as part of the programme.
Upon completion, there is also a top-up route to achieve the full Oxford Brookes Global MBA (at additional cost).
Existing and aspiring leaders looking to strengthen their strategic leadership capabilities.
For employers, investing in a Senior Leader apprenticeship can be a valuable addition to talent management programmes - providing a route to retain staff, maximise the potential of individuals, and improve organisational performance.
“The apprenticeship experience has been challenging, inspiring and rewarding and in addition to the academic learning, I’ve learnt so much about myself and working with others.”
Faye Moore, Oxford University Press
“My theoretical knowledge and understanding has developed in a wide variety of areas – and as a result of this, and the practical skills I have learnt, my role has broadened out and my remit has expanded.”
Jane Wiejak, F1000 Publishing
“The Senior Leader Apprenticeship has equipped me with all the required knowledge and skills to meet the increasing challenges in healthcare management. It was a privilege for me to be part of this programme to develop myself personally and enable me to meet my professional goals.”
Gita Sundareshwar, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
The cost of the Apprenticeship for 2024/25 entry (drawn down from the monthly employer levy): £14,000 (subject to annual review)
Apprentices should normally be working in a management position (minimum 3 years professional experience) with responsibility over people, budgets or projects - of which studying the programme can input back into an organisation. Holding:
- Second class honours equivalent undergraduate degree from a recognised UK / overseas institution; or
- an equivalent professional qualification; or
- seven years professional managerial experience, if without a first degree-level qualification
As well as:
- hold English and Maths Level 2 equivalent to GCSE A*-C or 9-4
- be eligible to join the Apprenticeship scheme in England
Functional Skills English and/or Maths can be studied during the apprenticeship if eligible Level 2 qualifications are not already held; however, both must be completed before progression onto the End Point Assessment. It is an employer's discretion whether they may prefer these to be achieved by staff before enrolling on the apprenticeship.
We welcome employers and individuals to contact the Apprenticeships Team by completing the expression of interest form below. Once submitted, we will be in touch to outline your next steps and/or arrange a meeting with the Faculty.
- PGCert Senior Leaders Business Administration (105 academic credits from the Oxford Brookes Global MBA)
- Eligibility for Institute for Leadership & Managment (ILM) member status
- Development of skills, knowledge and behaviours underpinning successful strategic leadership and management
- Creative approaches to applying the holistic business knowledge required to manage organisations in a complex world
- A positive investment in developing senior staff, fed directly back into the culture of individual organisations
Core learning is typically delivered over 24 months. Apprentices study the equivalent of one day-a-week in 'off-the-job' training through a combination of online study, on-campus intensive blocks and attendance at one collaborative intensive workshop. Progress in the workplace is monitored through regular contact between the employer, apprentice and tutors.
- Transformative Learning Journey
- Driving Excellence through Marketing and Operations
- Analysing and Designing Organisations
- Developing Enterprising and Impactful Leaders (including collaborative intensive workshop)
- Accounting for Decision Making
- Innovation, Creativity and Enterprise
- Global Strategy under Uncertainty
See the programme structure.
The flexible design of the programme - including both on-campus (intensive five-day blocks) and online formats - enables apprentices to select a study mode that is aligned with their preferred method of learning, whilst balancing apprenticeship studies and fulfilling off-the-job training hours in busy executive working contexts.
The End Point Assessment (EPA) brings together evidence demonstrating that apprentices have the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected of a senior leader. Typically taken over 5 months, the EPA is externally assessed and comprises:
- A strategic business proposal (to create efficiencies or generate revenue) and presentation with questioning; and
- Professional discussion, underpinned by a portfolio of evidence.
After completing the apprenticeship, there is option to continue learning by topping up to the AMBA-accredited Oxford Brookes Global MBA, ranked 4th in the UK (QS Distance Online MBA Rankings 2022).
Typically completed over a further 18 months, and for no more than 50% cost of the full MBA (funded outside the Levy), you would study the remaining credits comprising of:
- two optional modules
- Collaborative Intensive 2
- Critical Approaches to Business
- the capstone final project or dissertation
Depending on the electives chosen, students have the opportunity to graduate with an MBA with a specific specialism (Global MBA with Enterprise, Global MBA with Business Analytics, Global MBA with Advanced Accounting and Finance).
- Oxford Brookes Business School has a long history of working with businesses of all sizes and sectors - developing key services, and connecting them to world-class expertise and research.
- Our Oxford Brookes Global MBA programme is accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), widely recognised as the global standard for MBA programmes.
- Extensive experience of delivering flexible programmes designed for busy working professionals.
- A collaborative learning environment - utilising project-based assignments, one-on-one coaching and individual personal support.
- Programmes which give focus on developing strategies to work with and lead diverse groups of people from different backgrounds.
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