MBA Master of Business Administration (Islamic Finance)
Course Overview
Islamic finance is one of the fastest growing sectors in the financial world, estimated to be worth over US$1.5 trillion. This postgraduate qualification offers a suite of contemporary modules designed to prepare those with previous management or business experience for work in this dynamic sector.Whatever area of industry or commerce you currently work in, this MBA course will assist you in gaining essential skills to work in Islamic finance. In addition, the programme aims to provide a critical understanding of the problems and challenges facing enterprises and organisations and equip you with the analytical and critical faculties to identify potential innovative solutions. These qualities are highly sought by prestigious international employers.
The course will cover how to evaluate and develop good practice in key areas of business management and in the commercial development of general and Islamic finance products and services. You’ll have the opportunity to acquire the skills needed to work effectively, independently and as part of a team.
Highlights
- This MBA course offers you the chance to join a well-established postgraduate community engaged in preparing themselves for a career in executive management in the Islamic Finance Sector.
- Teaching and supervision is delivered by a dedicated team of experienced and well-qualified staff drawn from the Centre of Islamic Finance and the Institute of Management at the University of Bolton.
- The University’s excellent libraries, 24/7 IT facilities, WiFi and learning areas are freely available for your use.
- You’ll be given access to a research and study skills module which will assist in your studies.
- Guest lecturers from the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) will be held on the need for holistic approaches to strategy, risks, key stakeholder interests and financial performance.
Key Features
- You’ll have the opportunity to gain an advanced knowledge and understanding of strategic management and Islamic Finance issues in a global business environment.
- The course aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the methodologies and concepts of Islamic Law and the application of legal principals within Islamic business transactions.
- Teaching is conducted by a highly-dedicated team with specialist knowledge in Islamic law and banking.
- Course materials are available online, allowing students to prepare work at home and also ensuring that in-class learning is highly interactive.
Entry Requirements
- You should have both of the following: significant work experience in a business or management capacity; and a UK Honours degree/postgraduate degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject.
- We’ll consider your application if you don’t possess the above qualifications but have substantial managerial experience.
- We'll also consider applications where appropriate work experience can be demonstrated in lieu of, or in addition to, the published academic qualifications in line with the University’s Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) procedures.
- You'll be required to attend an interview as part of the application process.
- When applying you must include a reference from your current employer. The reference should clearly state how long you have been employed by them and give a breakdown of your job content and roles and responsibilities.
- Your application form must be accompanied by a reflective overview of the managerial responsibilities you have undertaken to date.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
This postgraduate qualification is designed to help you develop the knowledge required to work in the growing and sophisticated Islamic finance sector, including a more in-depth look at the industry, products, performance and risk management issues.
You'll have the opportunity to gain skills in being effective, in working independently and as part of a team while critically evaluating and developing good practice in key areas of business management and the planning and management of general, commercial and Islamic finance products and services.
Islamic finance has developed into a solid industry that complements conventional banking. The Islamic market demands a specific expertise that combines solid financial knowledge with that of Islamic finance. A deeper understanding of Islamic finance can improve your competitiveness in the international financial market.
What can I do with this qualification?
An MBA in Islamic Finance is also highly respected worldwide, so if you're interested in a global business career, it could be beneficial, especially as qualifications from UK business schools are so well regarded. It can also help you specialise in your current sector or a new industry you want to move into. If you wish to continue your studies, you could opt for a research degree (MPhil, DBA or PhD).
Alternative career options
Graduates can also use this qualification as a stepping-stone into various other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate. Some possibilities include:
- Supply chain
- Product management
- Banking
- Accountancy
- Law
- Auditing and quality assurance
- Financial management
- Consultancy
- Teaching and education
- Hotel and leisure management
- Public relations
- Information systems
- Market research analysis
- Advertising
- Risk and insurance
- Purchasing
- Logistics
- Marketing
- Human resources
- Global investment
Professional Recognition
On successful completion of the MBA Islamic Finance programme you may apply for membership to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). Please note that terms and conditions apply. More details are available at www.managers.org.uk
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
International Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
Bursaries
Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
You may apply directly to the University using the University's online application form. Please select your chosen start date from the list below:
You should have to hand:
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Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
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Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
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Details of any employment history including name, address, dates and role
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Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
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Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already input.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
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Apply online: University of Bolton MBA Islamic Finance - 22 September 2025
International Applicants
Thank you for your interest
In order to determine your suitability for this course as an international student and also to confirm you meet any initial eligibility criteria, we need you to answer a few short questions.
Teaching & Assessment
As well as lectures, seminars and tutorials, your learning will benefit from guest speakers, case studies and visits. In addition to short periods spent with a tutor, you’ll spend a lot of time in guided independent study. This involves, for example, engaging in general background reading, preparing for seminar activities and working on assignments.
The University of Bolton's virtual learning environment (VLE) supports your learning, with course materials and links to key resources available online. The VLE will also allow you to engage in other learning activities and take part in discussions remotely.
The assessment strategy for the programme is designed to make sure you achieve the overall aims of the programme, as well as the learning outcomes for individual modules. As well as being a way to assess your achievement, assessment helps you to organise and develop your learning. Assessment feedback can help you develop your skills and an understanding of your own strengths and weaknesses. The assessments you’ll be required to complete fall into two general categories: formative and summative. Formative assessments don’t contribute to your overall module grade, but they are a part of the learning strategy for a module and you are required to complete them. Summative assessments do contribute to your overall module grade. You’ll also receive feedback on these assessments, so you’ll know what you have done well and where you can improve. Many different forms of assessment are used. The major ones being coursework (usually essays), reports/case studies, oral presentations, examinations, research proposal, and the dissertation.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Islamic Business Transaction Law
- Islamic Finance and Investment
- Strategic Management and Leadership
- Dissertation (Islamic Finance)
- Research and Study Skills
- Financial Management and Decision Making
- Sales Management and Marketing
- Human Resource Management
- Research Methods
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 57% Practical exams 36% Written exams 7% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 85% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 15% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
