International

Program Guide
London Business School

2019–2020
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Free Resources from mbaMission
The following guides are also available from mbaMission (online at www.mbamission.
com/guides), and more are being added regularly:

Insider’s Guides

ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to Columbia Business School

ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to Cornell University’s Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of
Management
ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business
ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to the Haas School of Business at the University of California-
Berkeley
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ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to INSEAD
ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to the MIT Sloan School of Management
ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business
ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to the Stanford Graduate School of Business
ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of
Michigan
ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth
ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to the UCLA Anderson School of Management
ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to the University of Chicago Booth School of Business
ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business
Administration
ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
ƒƒ Insider’s Guide to the Yale School of Management
Admissions Guides

ƒƒ Complete Start-to-Finish MBA Admissions Guide

ƒƒ Brainstorming Guide
ƒƒ Essay Writing Guide
ƒƒ Fundamentals of an MBA Candidacy Guide
ƒƒ Interview Guide
ƒƒ Letters of Recommendation Guide
ƒƒ Long-Term Planning Guide
ƒƒ MBA Student Loan Reduction Guide
ƒƒ Optional Essays Guide
ƒƒ Personal Statement Guide
ƒƒ Resume Guide
ƒƒ Selecting Your Target MBA Program E-Book
ƒƒ Social Media Guide
ƒƒ Waitlist Guide

International Program Guides

ƒƒ Cambridge Judge Business School Program Guide

ƒƒ ESADE Program Guide
ƒƒ HEC Paris Program Guide
ƒƒ HKUST Program Guide
ƒƒ IE Business School Program Guide
ƒƒ IESE Business School Program Guide
ƒƒ IMD Program Guide
ƒƒ Ivey Business School Program Guide
ƒƒ London Business School Program Guide
ƒƒ Rotman School of Management Program Guide
ƒƒ Saïd Business School Program Guide
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ƒƒ Harvard Business School Interview Guide
ƒƒ INSEAD Interview Guide
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ƒƒ Michigan Ross Interview Guide
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ƒƒ NYU Stern School of Business Interview Guide
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ƒƒ Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania Interview Guide
ƒƒ UCLA Anderson Interview Guide
ƒƒ UVA Darden Interview Guide
ƒƒ Yale School of Management Interview Guide

Career Guides

ƒƒ Asset Management Career Guide

ƒƒ Consulting Career Guide
ƒƒ Hedge Fund Career Guide
ƒƒ Investment Banking Career Guide
ƒƒ Marketing Career Guide
ƒƒ Private Equity Career Guide
ƒƒ Real Estate Investment & Development Career Guide
 ƒƒ Tech Career Guide
ƒƒ Venture Capital Career Guide

The mbaMission blog is updated daily and offers a plethora of MBA admissions tips, busi-
ness school news, company updates, event listings, and other valuable information. Be
sure to also follow us on Twitter (@mbaMission), Facebook, and Instagram (@mbaMission)!
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Section 1:

The Basics

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 11

Introduction

London Business School (LBS) is located in the heart of London, England, and thus in the
midst of one of the world’s busiest business metropolises. The school’s main campus
building sits at the edge of Regent’s Park, allowing students to enjoy a fine balance of busy
city life and the tranquility of an urban green space. The school has two other campus
buildings in the area, in addition to a campus in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, that
houses the Executive MBA and Executive Education programs. LBS does not offer housing
options for students, but rental opportunities are vast in the London area—though prices
are admittedly high. Yet the city’s high cost of living is a trade-off for the impressive wealth
of culture and history that London offers.

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 12

Program Rankings

LBS has long been considered one of the most prestigious MBA programs in the world and
consistently places highly in notable rankings. In 2019, Financial Times ranked LBS the
sixth-best MBA program in the world and third outside the United States, down slightly
from the school’s fourth and second positions, respectively, in 2018. In the 2018 The Econo-
mist MBA rankings, LBS came in seventh outside the United States and 27th overall, after
finishing tenth and 31st, respectively, in 2017. Bloomberg Businessweek ranked LBS second
outside of the United States and 23rd overall in 2018. In addition, LBS came in third in the
2017 Poets&Quants international ranking after 2016’s second place.

Recent Rankings of International Programs

School Bloomberg The Economist Financial Poets&

Businessweek (2018)* Times Quants
(2018)* (2019)* (2017)

Cambridge Judge 5 (34) 13 (45) 6 (16) 7

ESADE 7 (44) 14 (46) 10 (21) 9

HEC Paris 9 (52) 2 (13) 9 (19) 6

HKUST 16 (89) n/a 8 (18) 24

IE 15 (83) 20 (63) 15 (31) 4

IESE 4 (28) 1 (6) 4 (12) 2

IMD 1 (10) 9 (35) 11 (22) 5

Ivey 11 (56) 17 (60) 46 (94) 26

LBS 2 (23) 7 (27) 3 (6) 3

Oxford Saïd 8 (51) 33 (78) 5 (13) 10

Rotman N/A N/A 40 (85) 35

* Each school’s position outside of the United States is listed first, and the overall position is in parentheses.

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 13

Class Details

An LBS class typically comprises approximately 400 students, and the latest incoming
class consists of 485 individuals. The Class of 2020 includes students of 64 nationalities,
yielding a 91% proportion of international students.

Each class is divided into sections, which are then divided into study groups of five to six
students. The school’s website states that up to 30% of students’ first-year grades can
depend on study group performance. “Group work is at the heart of the collaborative learn-
ing experience,” according to the school’s site. Students have the option to complete their
studies in 15, 18, or 21 months.

2019 Incoming Class - Number of Students

Cambridge Judge 202

ESADE 187

HEC Paris 274

HKUST 95

IE 395

IESE 357

IMD 90

Ivey 151

LBS 485

Oxford Saïd 329

Rotman 334

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 14

Typical Class Size

Small (90–200) Medium (200–350) Large (350–550)

IMD Cambridge Judge IESE

HKUST HEC Paris IE
Ivey Oxford Saïd LBS
ESADE Rotman

The schools are listed from smallest class size to largest.

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 15

Employment Requirements

LBS may accept applicants with fewer than two years of work experience, which is typi-
cally required, “depending on their ability to demonstrate exceptional academic creden-
tials with outstanding performance,” notes the school’s website. However, the school does
not require managerial experience and in fact encourages professionals from all fields to
apply. Members of the Class of 2020 had an average of 5.5 years of work experience, with a
range of two to 15 years.

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 16

Section 2:

The Studies

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 17

Curriculum Basics

The LBS MBA program begins with pre-term, which includes three online courses intended
to prepare students for the first year of the program, although those with experience in
the subjects can skip the courses and take tests on these topics instead. The pre-term is
followed by a week-long orientation, which is held at a venue in central London. The course
“Leadership Launch,” which continues throughout the length of the program, is a highly
personalized take on the foundations of leadership within the students’ personal and
professional lives.

The program’s core curriculum consists of two parts: the Business Fundamentals Core,
which takes place over two terms, and the Tailored Core, which allows students to begin
to customize their MBA experience after completing the second term. Courses within the
Business Fundamentals Core range from “Strategy,” “Accounting,” and “Marketing” to “Data
Analytics for Managers,” “Understanding General Management,” and “Managing Respon-
sibly: Ethics in Work, Organisations and Society.” The LBS website describes this period
within the program as a “dynamic introduction to management and global leadership tools
and techniques.” During the Tailored Core, students can take advantage of the numerous
electives available, including “Customer and Market Insights,” “Developing Entrepreneurial
Opportunities,” and “Financial Reporting for Today’s Economy,” or take part in the London
Core Application Practicum (LondonCAP), an offering that was launched in 2017 to replace
the former London Business Experience. LondonCAP allows students to work with real
companies to get hands-on experience in the field, grow a professional network, and learn
new skills. Such companies and organizations as the British Fashion Council and Amazon
have taken part in the program.

The second year of the MBA program includes “Capstone,” a two-day course that allows stu-
dents to collaborate with faculty and alumni and features career panels, networking, and
speakers. During the second year, students also take part in Global Business Experiences
(GBEs), which the school describes on its website as “unquestionably a highlight of the pro-
gramme.” Each GBE lasts one week, and these experiences take place in locations includ-

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 18

ing South Africa, Peru, China, and Myanmar, with such themes as “Entrepreneurship and
Economic Growth: The Role of Microbusinesses,” “The Emerging Giant: Understanding the
Opportunities and Challenges Facing Brazil Today,” and “Reinvention in Turbulent Times.”
Activities during the week range from company and site visits to panels and workshops.

In addition to core courses, LBS offers students a choice of more than 70 electives. The
completion of ten electives is required in order to graduate, but students can choose to
partake in up to 12. Electives are available in seven categories:

ƒƒ Accounting
ƒƒ Economics
ƒƒ Finance
ƒƒ Management Science and Operations
ƒƒ Marketing
ƒƒ Organisational Behaviour
ƒƒ Strategy and Entrepreneurship

Students can also take one or more elective courses at the nearby University College
London.

Although LBS previously required students to prove their competency in a language other
than English before graduation, the school has since made language studies optional.
These classes are offered in nine languages, ranging from Arabic and Mandarin to German
and French. If students are already multilingual, they are welcome to utilize the school’s
classes to learn yet another language. In fact, the LBS website states that many students
take the opportunity to study their third, fourth, and even fifth languages!

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 19

Pedagogy

Classes at LBS typically consist of lectures, case studies, and group projects. During the
program, students also complete several company visits, conduct individual research, and
welcome guest speakers to the school.

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 20

Academic Specializations

LBS does not offer majors or concentrations, but students can choose elective courses
based on their interests. Electives are available in seven categories, as listed earlier in this
guide.

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 21

Section 3:

The Learning Environment

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 22

Facilities

The LBS main campus, whose historic buildings date back to 1823, is located at the edge of
Regent’s Park in London’s Marylebone neighborhood. The Taunton Centre, often described
as the school’s student center, hosts the school’s library and fitness facilities, an alumni
center, and a cafe.

Unlike many business schools, LBS relies on facilities with long histories instead of new,
modern buildings. Taking advantage of London’s rich history, LBS has chosen numer-
ous “listed buildings”—those noted for their official historic interest—to accommodate
classrooms. The school currently boasts 18 lecture theaters and nearly 180 seminar rooms.
In 2013, a notable donation from alumnus and business magnate Idan Ofer kick-started
the construction of the Old Marylebone Town Hall, which opened in September 2017 as the
Sammy Ofer Centre. The old building has received a complete facelift in its transformation
and features study areas, cafes, seminar rooms, and eight lecture theaters.

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 23

Student Clubs

The more than 80 student-run clubs at LBS feature topics ranging from regional and
professional interests to sports and social activities. Among the 30 professional inter-
est clubs are the Investment Management Club, the Healthcare Club, and the Emerging
Markets Club. All clubs offer numerous activities and networking opportunities: the Social
Impact Club, for example, hosted the inaugural Social Impact Week in 2019 with the sup-
port of 13 other student-led clubs at LBS. The week included such activities as workshops,
alumni roundtables, a career fair, and a movie screening.

Regional clubs are expectedly robust due to the diversity within LBS classrooms—the
Japan Club, the Portugal Club, the Brazil Club, the Africa Club, and the North American
Club are just a small sample of the organizations available. Students can also work on their
fitness with such sports clubs as the Cycling Club, the Squash Club, the Volleyball Club, and
the Cricket Club. Social and community clubs include the Salsa Club, the Wine and Spirits
Club, the Volunteers Club, and the Film Club.

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 24

Conferences

LBS MBA students have the opportunity to attend numerous conferences and events
throughout their studies hosted by student clubs or the school itself. In this section, we
highlight a few of the most exciting events that took place during the 2018–2019 academic
year.

EUROUT

EUROUT began as a small LGBTQ event hosted by the LBS Out in Business Club and has
grown into a two-day conference featuring the participation of more than 400 attendees
from 20 business schools and more than 50 companies annually. The 2018 event wel-
comed the executive director of Equal Future, a former CEO of Lloyd’s of London, and the
global head of fraud operations at Barclays as the keynote speakers. The event featured
panel discussions on such topics as “Creating Positive Change, from Outside and Within,”
“Becoming a Change Agent: At Home, Work, and Abroad,” and “Traditional and Social Media
as a Vehicle for Progress,” in addition to a gala dinner, workshops, a career fair, and a speed
networking opportunity.

Global Energy Summit

The Global Energy Summit is hosted by the LBS Energy Club, which describes the summit
on its site as “[the club’s] annual flagship event.” The 2019 summit took place in February
with the theme “New Energy World: Surviving the Winds of Change” and offered partici-
pants two discussion panels: “How Will Renewable and Traditional Energy Producers
Coexist in the Future?” and “What is the Role of Digital and Technological Innovation in the
Energy Industry?”

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 25

Women in Business Conference

For the last 19 years, the LBS Women in Business Club has hosted the annual Women in
Business Conference. The March 2019 event carried the theme “Shifting the Lens” and
featured the head of personal investing at Legal and General Investment Management
as the keynote speaker. Panel topics included “Taking a New Point of View” and “Disrupt-
ing Gender Perceptions,” while a plenary panel focused on the topic of “Re-Imagining the
Workplace for the Modern Parent,” and a workshop was themed “Hacking Inclusion: Bring-
ing in New Perspectives.” The event concluded with a networking cocktail hour.

At the 2018 conference, themed “Working Together: From Awareness to Results,” speakers
included the CEO of My Family Care, the founder and managing director of Boster Group,
and the chief human resources officer at Unilever. The 2017 event was themed “Women:
The Next Engine of Growth” and welcomed such speakers as a partner and managing di-
rector at The Boston Consulting Group, the founder and CEO of advantageSPRING, and the
CEO of MTArt. Breakout panel sessions explored such topics as “Body Language,” “Women
in Male Dominated Industries,” and “Negotiations.”

mbaMission International Program Guide: London Business School 26

Your Post-MBA
Career Starts Now!
Whether you are entering business school this fall, writing your
applications, or just starting to look at MBA programs, now is the
time to start thinking about your long-term professional path.

Explore your options and learn about typical

post-MBA fields—including consulting,
investment banking, and private equity—by
downloading our free Career Guides.

Visit the mbaMission blog for posts on

effective networking, acing your job
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valuable tips.

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your personal career plan once you have
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consultation with one of our Career Coaches:
www.mbamission.com/careerconsult.

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  +1-646-485-8844
 info@mbamission.com
 www.mbamission.com