MBA Essentials

ONLINE CERTIFICATE COURSE

Enhance your managerial and leadership competencies

with an online course covering the key management skills
essential for the successful running of any organisation.
 ABOUT THIS COURSE
£2,955
The contemporary business environment is defined by
frequent and considerable change; in industry, markets,
and technological advances. The MBA Essentials from The
8-12 hours per
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
week of self-
arms you with essential hard and soft business skills to
paced learning,
not only react and adapt to such changes, but to excel in
entirely online
any business context. Using an immersive, interactive and
supported learning model, you’ll enhance your managerial
and leadership competencies at a fraction of the cost and 10 weeks
commitment of a traditional MBA. excluding 1 week
orientation
This course balances the knowledge and theory
which will enable you to think differently and make better Note: this MBA Essentials online certificate

decisions with the practical skills and techniques required to course is not a credit-bearing course. It

achieve a greater impact within your organisation. You’ll also does not guarantee entrance into an MBA.

have the opportunity to expand your professional network If you wish to apply for an MBA, you should

by collaborating and engaging with an international cohort be aware of the specific entry requirements

of like-minded business leaders on the course. and prerequisites.

WHAT THE COURSE COVERS

This 10-week course focuses on three core pillar of business management and leadership:
the Strategic Environment, the Financial Toolkit, and the Human Element. Using a case
study-based approach, guided by LSE experts, you’ll learn to:

• Enhance your organisation’s competitive advantage through a better understanding of your

business context and environment
• Use technical business and finance skills to understand, analyse and optimise a business
• Use human behaviour insights and leadership frameworks to effectively influence at all levels
within your organisation, and externally – with investors and consumers

LSE MBA Essentials online certificate course

 This course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may
be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based
professional bodies. The course has an estimated 95 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is upon you. The London School of Economics and Political
Science (LSE) and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation
of hours or points.

THIS COURSE IS FOR YOU IF:

You’re looking to You’d like to advance You’re preparing to You’re considering an

develop and improve
your effectiveness
as a leader, with
enhanced managerial
and business skills
your career, with transition into a new MBA – at some point
key MBA skills and role, organisation in the future – and
validation in the form or industry, and would like to build
of an LSE certificate are looking for the your foundational
inspiration and ideas to knowledge
make a positive impact
from day one

WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE?

This course is designed for anyone in a managerial or leadership position, or aspiring towards one,
as well as professionals and specialists who wish to gain holistic business knowledge to progress or
transition in their careers. Given the nature of the course, it is suitable for anyone who works within an
organisation, owns their own business, or plans to do so. There are no formal academic prerequisites
for the course, however some business experience and numerical proficiency are recommended.

LSE MBA Essentials online certificate course

 What is LSE?

Learn more about

The London School

of Economics and
Political Science (LSE)

WHAT
YOU’LL LEARN
This online course integrates rich, interactive media such as videos, infographics, and e-learning
activities, as well as traditional didactic components such as written study guides (course notes).
There are also opportunities for collaborative learning through discussion forums. The following
modules contribute to the holistic approach your learning path takes:

00 Orientation
 Module (1 week): Welcome to your Online Campus
You’ll be welcomed with a personal call and get introduced to your online teaching and
technical support network. Begin connecting with fellow students while exploring the
navigation and tools of your Online Campus. Be alerted to key milestones in the learning
path, and review how your results will be calculated and distributed.

You’ll be required to complete your student profile, confirm your certificate delivery address,
and submit a digital copy of your passport/identity document.

01 Leading
 with influence
Evaluate the most effective persuasion tactics and principles to influence a business
situation.

LSE MBA Essentials online certificate course

 SECTION I: The Strategic Environment

02 Economics
 for managers
Understand the key economic principles and market forces that affect business.

03 Competitive
 strategy
Explain why firms need to gain a competitive advantage, and how to create this advantage.

04 Corporate strategy
Discover how companies can grow and expand their business activities.

SECTION II: The Financial Toolkit

05 Financial
 accounting
Explore the principles of accounting to improve your financial expertise.

06 Management accounting
Explore the use of financial tools to make better business decisions.

07 Analysing
 financial statements
Learn how to analyse financial statements to identify problem areas.

SECTION III: The Human Element

08 In the
 mind of the manager
Discover techniques for minimising bias in judgements about people and finances
in the workplace.

09 “Nudging” behaviour
Learn how to influence your peers and the decisions made by consumers.

10 Organisational
 culture as a leadership tool
Explore when culture change might be necessary to meet strategic objectives.

LSE MBA Essentials online certificate course

 WHO YOU’LL LEARN FROM
These subject matter experts from LSE guide the course design and appear in a number
of course videos.

Course Convenor

DR CONNSON LOCKE
Assistant Professor of Management

Connson Locke is a senior lecturer in the LSE Department of Management. Connson joined LSE
in 2008 from the Boston Consulting Group and her areas of expertise are leadership, negotiation,
decision-making and organisational behaviour. She is part of the academic leadership team for the
Executive Global Master’s in Management, LSE’s cutting-edge alternative to an MBA, and also teaches
the School’s most successful executive course on campus: Achieving Leadership Excellence. Connson
holds a PhD and MSc in Organisational Behaviour from the University of California, Berkeley and a BA in
Sociology from Harvard University. Her research interests include gender and leadership, diversity, and
organisational culture.

Course Co-designers

DR JORDI BLANES I VIDAL

Associate Professor of Managerial Economics and Strategy

Jordi Blanes i Vidal is an associate professor of Managerial Economics and Strategy at LSE and
teaches on LSE’s Executive Global Master’s in Management. He is an expert in organisational
economics, leadership, human resource management and the political economy. Prior to joining the
LSE academic team, Jordi was a Prize Research Fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford University and
a visiting scholar at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). He studied his economics
Master’s and PhD at LSE.

LSE MBA Essentials online certificate course

 DR BARBARA FASOLO
Associate Professor of Behavioural Science

Barbara Fasolo is an associate professor of Behavioural Science at LSE and the programme director for
LSE’s Executive Master’s in Behavioural Science. An expert in choice processes and choice architecture,
she has multiple publications in both peer-reviewed academic journals and media outlets, such as the
Harvard Business Review. Barbara is the head of the LSE Behavioural Research Lab and is a member of
various behavioural science and decision-making associations.

KHAMID IRGASHEV
Chartered Accountant and LSE Lecturer

Khamid Irgashev is a teacher in LSE’s Accounting Department. He is an ACA and ACCA chartered qualified
accountant with considerable experience in various industries, including financial services (banking and
insurance), retail, manufacturing and publishing. Khamid also has a plethora of experience in coaching and
leadership. In addition to his role at LSE, he is an assistant professor at Hult International Business School
and a visiting lecturer at West London College.

GetSmarter, with whom LSE are collaborating to deliver this online course,
provide a personalised approach to online education which ensures you’re
supported throughout your learning journey.

LSE MBA Essentials online certificate course

Head Tutor
The Head Tutor is a subject expert who manages the course presentation. An integral part
of your learning journey, they lead a team of Tutors who provide direction, guidance, feedback
and support.

DR KATIE BEST
LSE Chief Examiner

Katie is an experienced business and leadership educator, with a track record in designing and delivering
high-impact learning programmes. She takes an interactive, creative approach to training, lecturing and
development – using coaching, facilitating and creativity techniques to help students on their learning
journeys. She has been published in top-ranking academic journals, including Organization Studies and
Human Relations, and carries out consultancy and research in the fields of leadership, strategy and
communication, with a particular interest in video methods and organisational space. She has worked for
and with LSE since 2012 – first as a Foundation of Management Education Fellow, and now as an examiner
and resource developer for LSE’s involvement in the University of London international programmes. Other
partners she has worked with include Cass Business School, University of Law, Kaplan, ICAEW (Institute of
Chartered Accountants of England and Wales), the V&A Museum, KPMG and Lewis Silkin LLP.

YOUR SUCCESS TEAM

GetSmarter, with whom LSE are collaborating to deliver this online course, provide
a personalised approach to online education which ensures you’re supported throughout
your learning journey

TUTOR TEAM SUCCESS MANAGER GLOBAL SUCCESS TEAM

Subject experts who’ll Your one-on-one Available 24/7 to solve your

guide you through support available tech-related and administrative

during University hours queries and concerns
content-related challenges
(9am - 5pm UK) to resolve technical
and administrative challenges

LSE MBA Essentials online certificate course

 A POWERFUL
COLLABORATION
The London School of Economics and
Political Science is collaborating with online
education provider, GetSmarter, to create a
new class of learning experience — one that is
high-touch, intimate, and personalised for the
working professional.
WHAT IS LSE?
The London School of Economics and Political
Science (LSE) is a leading dedicated social
science university. LSE was founded in 1895
1
with the aim of understanding the causes of
things for the “betterment of society”. This
is still at the heart of LSE and we seek to
make our research and teaching practical and
relevant to the real world. The School counts
16 Nobel Prize winners and 34 world leaders
amongst its alumni and staff.2 The most
international of all British universities, LSE has
students from over 160 countries, and over 100
languages are spoken on campus.
More than 83% of employers plan to hire
new business school graduates in 2018,
according to a GMAC® employer poll.1
MBA-ready skills not only set you apart
as a professional or MBA applicant, but
also increase your earning and career
development potential.
1
GMAC (2017).
LSE MBA Essentials online certificate course
WHAT ARE
LSE ONLINE
CERTIFICATE
COURSES?
LSE is dedicated to addressing global issues
through research and education, and is the most
international of all British universities. By offering
online certificate courses, designed by expert LSE
faculty members, the School aims to make its
state-of-the-art social sciences research and
insights available to a wider global audience.
The supported, interactive online learning model
allows students to study from anywhere in the
world, at times of their convenience, while still
interacting with peers and teaching staff alike.
WHAT IS
GETSMARTER?
GetSmarter, a brand of 2U, Inc., is a digital
education provider that partners with the world’s
leading universities to select, design and deliver
premium online short courses with a data-driven
focus on learning gain.
Technology meets academic rigour in our people-
mediated model which enables lifelong learners
across the globe to obtain industry-relevant skills
that are certified by the world’s most reputable
academic institutions.
 EARN A CERTIFICATE
OF COMPETENCE
Get recognised for your knowledge when you earn an official certificate of competence from the
London School of Economics and Political Science – a world-leading social science university3 –
and use it to validate your newfound critical thinking skills and enhanced managerial competencies.

Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online.

In order to be issued with an official certificate of competence from the London School of Economics
and Political Science you will need to meet the requirements outlined in the course handbook.
The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the course.

Your certificate of competence will be issued in your legal name and couriered to you at no additional
cost. All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the
discretion of the University.
1
Top Universities (2018).
2
LSE People (2018).
3
Top Universities (2018).

Dr Connson Locke
Course Convenor, Assistant Professor

“
of Management

The MBA Essentials online course will equip

students with the critical skills to be effective
managers and organisational leaders in the
21st century. The course will enable them
to improve their understanding of their own
organisation and think differently to make

”
improved business decisions.

LSE MBA Essentials online certificate course

 HOW YOU’LL BROWSER REQUIREMENTS

LEARN
We recommend that you use Google Chrome as
your internet browser when accessing the Online
Campus. Although this is not a requirement, we
This course is broken down into manageable,
have found that this browser performs best for
weekly modules, designed to accelerate your
ease of access to course material. This browser
learning process through diverse learning
can be downloaded here.
activities:

• Work through your instructional ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

material online
• Enjoy a wide range of interactive content,
including video lectures, live polls, scenario
simulations, and infographics
• Investigate current, real-world case studies
• Apply what you learn each week to
quiz assessments and ongoing project
submissions, as you gain the key business
skills to thrive in any environment
Certain courses may require additional software
and resources. These additional software and
resource requirements will be communicated to
you upon registration and/or at the beginning of
the course. Please note that Google, Vimeo, and
YouTube may be used in our course delivery, and
if these services are blocked in your jurisdiction,
you may have difficulty in accessing course
content. Please check with a Course Consultant
before registering for this course if you have any

TECHNICAL concerns about this affecting your experience

with the Online Campus.
REQUIREMENTS
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
In order to complete a course, you’ll need a
current email account and access to a computer
and the internet, as well as a PDF Reader.
You may need to view Microsoft PowerPoint Professor Saul Estrin
presentations, and read and create documents in Academic Director, Online
Microsoft Word or Excel. Certificate Courses, LSE

“
Installing Adobe Flash Player will give you full
Online education allows
access to certain course content, such as
the London School of Economics
interactive infographics. However, you’ll still
and Political Science to make our
have access to this content in the form of a
state-of-the-art social science
downloadable PDF transcript if you’d prefer not
research accessible to the widest
to use Flash.
possible audience, in a format
which is practical and will have

”
real-world application
and impact.

LSE MBA Essentials online certificate course

MBA Essentials
ONLINE CERTIFICATE COURSE

Ready to elevate your influence?

REGISTER NOW

CONTACT US
+44 2038 568 850
lseonline@getsmarter.com