This page is about our 3-stage pathway to a Master’s degree in Leadership and Management featuring the qualifications: Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, and Master’s degree.

For information about MBAs or other programmes, visit Executive Education.

Student visas

Learners in our Leadership and Management qualification programmes study remotely, not on the University’s premises. Enrolling in these programmes would not enable you to obtain a student visa from UK Visas and Immigration.

Our full-time MBA is our only Executive Education programme where learners study full-time at our Lancaster campus. Full-time MBA learners are eligible to apply for a UK student visa.

Flexibility

Choose which stage you finish at

You have flexibility in how far you progress your education.

For example, if you complete a Postgraduate Certificate, you can later choose to take the additional modules that would earn you a Postgraduate Diploma.

Or, if you decide to complete a Master’s degree when you first speak to us, you can later change your plan and earn a Postgraduate Certificate.

Decide how long you spend at each stage

You can complete a Master’s degree in 3 years. Or you can spend more than 1 year at each stage, allowing you to earn a Master’s degree in 4 or 5 years.

Make the most of prior learning

‘Accreditation of prior learning’ is our process for awarding module credits for postgraduate (Level 7) learning you’ve done before enrolling with us.

We award credits for equivalent learning: learning approximately the same as what you’d learn with us.

Examples of organisations you might already have an award from:

• Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM)
• National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL)
• Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

By showing us evidence of your prior learning, you could be made exempt from one or more modules.

This has two main advantages to you:

• You would need to take fewer modules to complete your programme, fast-tracking you to a qualification
• The cost of modules you are exempt from would be deducted from the overall fee for your programme.

What you need to do to earn credits for prior learning:

• Tell us you want to be considered for accreditation of prior learning when you apply for your programme
• Confirm with us that the prior learning you’ve completed is from the last five years
• Show us documentary evidence such as certificates or transcripts.

You pay a fee for accreditation of prior learning. The fee varies depending on the number of modules you are exempt from. After telling us what prior learning you have done, we'll tell you the fee that applies to you.

Accreditation of prior learning fee 2025/26

The fee is £650 plus a further £300 for each 20 credit exemption given.