The University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (GSB) is internationally renowned as one of Africa’s leading business schools. It holds the prestigious triple-crown accreditation, endorsed by EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA, which signifies its high standards and global recognition.
The GSB takes its responsibility seriously and actively engages with the socio-political and economic context of the region. Its teaching, learning, and research endeavors are directed towards building a more economically prosperous, equitable, and integrated continent. The school is committed to investing in quality scholarship and establishing strong partnerships to support these goals.
To drive innovation and address critical challenges, the GSB has established various initiatives and centers. These include the Allan Gray Centre for Values-Based Leadership, the Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Development Finance Centre (DEFIC), the Power Futures Lab, and the Solution Space. These platforms provide resources, support, and opportunities for collaboration among students, faculty, and partners.
The GSB offers a range of top-ranked academic programs tailored to refine professional knowledge, enhance leadership abilities, and empower individuals to develop innovative ideas into financially sound, long-term development solutions. The programs include the Postgraduate Diploma in Management Practice (PGDip), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Business Administration specializing in Executive Management (EMBA), Master of Commerce in Development Finance (MCOM), Master of Philosophy specializing in Inclusive Innovation (MPHIL), and Doctor of Philosophy specializing in Business Administration (PhD).
With over five decades of experience in the emerging market, the GSB has established itself as a trusted institution. It strives to make a positive impact in the business world and contribute to the development of Africa by producing knowledgeable and skilled graduates who can drive sustainable change.
MBA Structure
The MBA curriculum at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (GSB) consists of 15 core courses. These courses are designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of management principles and build their business acumen. Here is an overview of the courses:
- Organisations, Leadership and Values: Introduces students to leadership theories, organisational leadership, and the complexity of leadership and managerial situations.
- Markets in Emerging Countries: Provides an in-depth analysis of markets, with a focus on their differences within emerging and developing countries.
- Business, Government and Society: Familiarizes students with economic, social, environmental, and political trends that impact businesses in an emerging market economy.
- Leadership and Personal Development: Facilitates personal reflection and insight into processes and concepts critical for successful completion of the MBA program.
- Economics for Business: Outlines key principles of economics relevant to students’ working lives, covering both micro and macroeconomics.
- Accounting: Introduces students to the language of accounting and equips them with the ability to interpret financial statements.
- Organisational Behaviour and People Management: Covers people management strategies, including individual behavior, high-performance work practices, and leading and managing people.
- Operations Management: Equips students with the ability to analyze and understand key operational decision areas such as process, capacity, inventory, quality, and measurement.
- Finance: Focuses on both theoretical and practical aspects of finance at the corporate and investor level.
- Marketing: Provides an overview of the marketing function and builds confidence in applying marketing theory in business practice.
- Social Innovation Entrepreneuring: Introduces the field of social innovation, exploring intentional, positive, and creative shifts in systemic social-ecological patterns.
- Strategy: Covers fundamental principles and concepts of strategic management, developing students’ skills for strategic thinking and analysis.
- Business Model Innovation Lab: Explores business models and innovation in the context of emerging markets, fostering integrative and systems thinking.
- Research Methods and Research Report: Prepares students for their MBA research project, training them to develop empirically rigorous arguments and write research reports.
- Company Analysis: Engages students in analyzing and advising a real-world organization, applying managerial knowledge and techniques to address specific challenges.
For the Executive MBA (EMBA) program, the curriculum consists of five contact courses and a dissertation. Here is a summary of the EMBA courses:
- Systemic Executive Practice: Constructs a conceptual framework for systemic management practice, laying the foundation for subsequent courses.
- Managing for Shareholder Value: Integrates concepts from economics, finance, globalization, and entrepreneurship to create a strategic framework for value creation.
- Managing for Customer Value: Explores how internal and external customer value is created in terms of quality, cost, volume, and timing, focusing on operations.
- Managing for Societal Value: Considers the wider socio-economic context in which organizations operate, emphasizing the importance of the socio-economic system.
- Designing Sustainable Business Models: Encourages new ways of being in strategic management and leadership, fostering competence, agility, and resilience.
- Dissertation: Requires students to write a research report demonstrating their understanding of the research process and its application to a relevant topic.
These programs provide students with a comprehensive education in business management and prepare them for leadership roles in diverse organizational settings.
Accreditation
The University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (GSB) holds the prestigious triple-crown accreditation, making it one of the few business schools in Africa with this distinction. The triple-crown accreditation is granted by three leading global accreditation bodies: the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Association of MBAs (AMBA), and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) accreditation from the European Foundation for Management Development.
These accreditations are significant as they serve as a quality assurance mechanism, ensuring that the GSB’s programs meet international standards. They also help identify areas for improvement, ensuring continuous enhancement of the school’s offerings. The triple-crown accreditation provides students and employers with the confidence that the GSB’s programs are on par with the best business schools worldwide.
In addition to its accreditations, the GSB has affiliations with several prestigious organizations in the field of business education. These affiliations include the Association of African Business Schools (AABS), The Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), South African Business Schools Association (SABSA), The Academy of Business in Society (ABIS), Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), Global Business School Network (GBSN), and the Global Network for Advanced Management (GNAM).
These affiliations further validate the GSB’s commitment to excellence and its active engagement in the global business education community. They provide opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and staying abreast of the latest developments and best practices in the field.
Admission Requirements
The UCT GSB (University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business) offers two MBA programs: the MBA program and the Executive MBA (EMBA) program. Here are the admission requirements for each program:
UCT GSB MBA:
- Age Requirement: Candidates need to be 25 years or older.
- Work Experience: A minimum of three years of work experience is required.
- English Proficiency: Applicants must be fluent in English. Non-native English speakers will need to provide a TOEFL certificate to demonstrate their English fluency. Some applicants may also be asked to complete the National Benchmark Test (NBT).
- Education Requirement: Candidates must have completed either a Bachelor Honours degree, a Postgraduate Diploma, or a cognate Bachelor’s Degree equivalent at NQF level 8. Relevant work experience can also be considered. Those who do not meet the degree requirement can apply through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) route and submit a Portfolio of Learning (POL) assessment form. Verification of the equivalence of the qualification to a South African degree is also required.
- GMAT: All applicants are required to write the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) and obtain an acceptable GMAT score. A minimum GMAT score of 550 is typically required. The GSB offers a five-day GMAT Preparation Course to help applicants prepare for the test.
- Additional Criteria: The GSB considers other indicators such as essays about life experience, goals, attitudes, and values. They also evaluate evaluations from two referees and review details of work experience, education, and extramural activities. An interview may also be required.
UCT GSB Executive MBA:
- Work Experience: Applicants need to have a minimum of 10-15 years of work experience and a proven management track record in the public or private sector.
- English Proficiency: Fluent English language skills are required. Non-native English speakers must provide a TOEFL certificate to demonstrate their English fluency.
- Education Requirement: Candidates must have completed either a Bachelor Honours degree, a Postgraduate Diploma, or a cognate Bachelor’s degree equivalent at level 8. Relevant work experience can also be considered. If the degree requirement is not met, applicants can apply through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) route and submit a Portfolio of Learning (POL) assessment form. Verification of the equivalence of the qualification to a South African degree is also required.
- GMAT or MCPA: EMBA applicants have two options. They can either write the GMAT and obtain an acceptable GMAT score (usually a minimum score of 550 is required), or they can choose to write the Management Career Path Appreciation Assessment (MCPA) to provide an indication of their current and future capabilities. The GSB offers a GMAT Preparation Course to assist with GMAT preparation.
- Selection Interview: Applicants who meet the admission requirements will be contacted to attend a selection interview.
Please note that for the most up-to-date and accurate information, it’s always best to visit the official UCT GSB website or contact their admissions office directly.
Application
To start your UCT GSB MBA application, follow these six steps:
Step 1: Download and read the MBA Application Guidelines provided by UCT GSB.
Step 2: Gather the required documents:
- CV (Curriculum Vitae)
- Three Motivation Essays
- Certified copy of Degree Certificate and Academic Transcript
- Two Evaluator’s Forms: Approach two individuals who know you in a professional context and are not family members to complete the confidential evaluator’s forms. Your evaluators should email the completed forms to evaluators@gsb.uct.ac.za.
Step 3: Complete the UCT online application:
- Visit the UCT GSB website and begin the online application process.
- Select the 2021 academic year.
- Choose GSB (Postgraduate Programmes) as the Level of Qualification.
- Select Commerce as the Faculty.
- Choose GSB Master of Business Administration as the Academic Qualification.
- Start the Online Application by following the provided link.
Step 4: Pay the non-refundable application fee.
Step 5: Take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT):
- All MBA applicants are required to write the GMAT and obtain an acceptable score.
- Book your GMAT test at http://www.mba.com.
Step 6: Submit hard-copy documents:
- Print and deliver the required documents to the GSB Admissions office at the following address: GSB Admissions, Graduate School of Business University of Cape Town Breakwater Campus Portswood Road Green Point Cape Town, 8001 South Africa Note: Do not send the documents to UCT Main Campus in Rondebosch.
Due to COVID-19 disruptions, confirm your document uploads from step #3 by uploading them again via your unique UCT GSB pre-application link. This will help expedite the processing of your application and ensure its completeness and accuracy.
Step 6.1 (if applicable): Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Assessment:
- If you don’t meet the formal entrance criteria for the MBA, you can apply as an RPL candidate.
- Submit the Portfolio of Evidence Assessment form along with your application.
- Find more information about the RPL procedure on the UCT GSB website.
