Overview
Start date: September 2025
Location: Peking University, Beijing China; optionally Canary Wharf, London
Duration: 16 months full-time, 28 months part-time
Fees: Fees set in Chinese Yuan (CYN) and payable to the Beijing International MBA at the Peking University National School of Development.
Application deadline: For detailed information about the admissions process, please visit the BiMBA Business School webpage.
Entry: A good undergraduate degree from a recognised university – a minimum of UK Second Class Honours (2:2) or the international equivalent, as well as a minimum of three years full-time working experience after completion of an undergraduate degree and before starting the MBA programme. Students must meet UCL’s ‘Level 1’ English language requirement for this programme - further details regarding this can be found on the UCL English Language Requirements page.
Programme
Download a programme prospectus or speak with a student ambassador
The UCL MBA with Peking University, offered in Beijing, China and awarding a UCL qualification, brings two world-leading universities together at the heart of one of the largest and most dynamic economies in the world.
This programme is designed for professionals who wish to engage with China’s innovation and technology industries and entrepreneurship communities. It combines the unique research and teaching strengths of the UCL School of Management with the Peking University National School of Development.
This programme is delivered at the BiMBA Business School’s Chengze Garden Campus at Peking University in Beijing, China. The Peking University National School of Development’s centre for business and management education, the Beijing International MBA (BiMBA) Business School, hosts some of China’s leading academics, responsible for advising the Chinese Government on development policies that have driven decades of strong economic growth. The Peking University academics will give you a high-level perspective of leading and managing companies in changing Chinese and international policy and economic environments.
Academics at the UCL School of Management, which specialises in innovation, entrepreneurship, technology, and analytics, will help you develop the skills necessary to become a leader and manager who can operate in the complex environments of the future. You can also take advantage of UCL’s networks and reputation as a starting point to access London’s thriving entrepreneurship scene.
All credit-bearing activities are taught in English. You can further develop your written and spoken English fluency at a professional level through engagement with business and management ideas and concepts, as well by collaborating with your peers.
You may have the chance to undertake the optional module, Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Europe, taught in London over two weeks during the summer months, which includes industry speakers, social activities, and in-class refreshments. You will study at the UCL School of Management’s home in One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London’s second financial business district.
You can also complete an experiential programme, which is held overseas outside China. The experiential programme is based on a specific theme, which allows you to engage with academic content in local social and cultural contexts. The experiential programme is not for credit but may include assessments that are evaluated and should be completed.
Please see the Additional Costs section on this page for more information on the fees associated with the optional module and experiential programme.
Programme structure
The UCL MBA with Peking University provides a broad, analytical, and integrated study of business and management, and develops the key skills necessary to make decisions, manage, and lead people and organisations in a changing world.
You will acquire knowledge and understanding of organisations, how they are managed, and the external context in which they operate, focusing on understanding, responding to, and shaping the dynamic and changing nature of business with respect to innovation and technology within the Chinese and global business environments.
On this programme, you’ll benefit from:
- The combined teaching of two world-leading universities, UCL and Peking University.
- A unique blend of technology and analytics with public policy and economics in the study of business and management.
- Access to a shared UCL and Peking University alumni community of over 600,000 graduates.
- The possibility to study in the United Kingdom for two weeks as part of an optional module on Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Europe at the UCL School of Management campus at the centre of London’s modern financial district, Canary Wharf.
- Being part of the UCL School of Management, a business school accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA).
Programme structure
The MBA programme is 210 credits including seven core modules (105 credits), 45 credits of optional modules, and a business research project (60 credits).
Upon successful completion of 210 credits, you will be awarded an MBA in Business Administration.
Core modules for 2025/26
The core modules explore key areas of business and how they are being transformed by technology, data, and analytics.
Optional and elective modules for 2025/2026 academic year
There are also a range of optional and elective modules in entrepreneurship, finance, and contemporary issues in Chinese business.
The optional module on Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Europe (MSIN0125) will be offered in London, where you will be taught first-hand by entrepreneurs from the UCL community who have helped to make London a global centre for innovation and creativity.
You may choose from the following options:
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available. For questions about optional modules, please reach out to us at mgmt-pkumba@ucl.ac.uk.
Business Research Project
You’ll also undertake a Business Research Project (MSIN0172) which, subject to availability, could include developing a consultancy project with a company.
Alternatively, you can choose to write a business plan for a new or existing business or choose to write a dissertation based on a piece of management or business-related research. Past students have regularly pursued projects which contribute to their professional development, either answering research questions related to their careers, in specific companies or industries, or proposing business plans for the companies they work for or for themselves as entrepreneurs.
You will be offered training and guidance in consultancy services, business planning, and business research to prepare you for the project.
Programme delivery
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and project work. Assessment is through open-book and unseen written tests and examinations, individual and group coursework including presentations, reports, and essays, class participation, and a substantial business research project. Assessments may be online or in-person, depending on the module.
You’ll typically study one module at a time, and each module is delivered intensively over a few weeks or weekends.
Full-time study
If you are undertaking the 16-month programme, compulsory modules are normally completed in the first 10 months of study and most optional and elective modules are completed in the final six months of study. The business research project is undertaken mostly in the final six months of study.
For full-time students, each core taught module is delivered intensively in two separate, non-consecutive, two-week parts for a total of four weeks, totalling 56 taught hours per module. For both full-time and part-time students, each optional and elective taught module is delivered intensively over a total of two weekends with 28 hours of teaching per module.
In addition, for each core taught module, you’ll spend approximately 90-100 hours, over the total four-week period, on assessments and independent study to further develop the skills and knowledge covered in lectures and seminars.
For each optional and elective taught module, you can expect to spend approximately 40-50 hours, over a two-week period, on assessments and independent study to further develop the skills and knowledge covered in lectures and seminars. The total number of weekly hours will vary according to the activities being undertaken, the teaching schedule and assessment deadlines.
Part-time study
Part-time study across the 28-month programme offers you the opportunity to continue working in a career or to simply study at a slower pace that better suits your needs.
Here, each core taught module is delivered intensively in two separate parts over two weekends each for a total of four weekends, totalling 56 taught hours per module. Compulsory modules are normally completed in the first half of the programme and optional and elective modules are completed throughout the programme. The Business Research Project will mostly be undertaken in the final 12 months of study.
If employed, you will need to have a level of work flexibility in order to cope with the programme’s timetable and demands.
Why choose us
UCL and Peking University are top-ranked global universities working together to deliver a top unique MBA programme that combines the strengths of the UCL School of Management and the Peking University National School of Development.
The UCL School of Management is one of the UK’s leading and most forward-thinking business schools, focusing on preparing leaders for an innovation-intensive future.
The National School of Development at Peking University is one of China’s most influential economics and public policy think tanks and focuses on creating leaders with a broad worldview.
About UCL and the School of Management
UCL is one of the world’s top universities and is consistently ranked in the global top 10 (QS 2025) in several international league tables. The School focuses on innovation, entrepreneurship, technology, and analytics, offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes to prepare our students for leadership roles in the next generation of innovation-intensive organisations.
The proportion of research undertaken at UCL School of Management recognised by the UK Government Research Excellent Framework (REF) as ‘world-leading’ is the highest in the UK (95%), together with London Business School, and is ahead of Imperial College, LSE, Oxford, and Cambridge.
About Peking University
Peking University (Beida) is China’s leading university and ranks among the best universities in Asia and the world. The Peking University National School of Development was founded as an academic centre devoted to teaching and researching modern economics, management, and public policy and includes many of China’s leading economists among its faculty.
Combined
The diverse and complementary research and teaching strengths of the UCL School of Management and the Peking University National School of Development build the foundations of the programme. You will be taught by educators and practitioners with experience in Western and Chinese business landscapes. This will leave you with an integrated, culturally aware, and advanced understanding of management and organisations in a global and Chinese context.
The UCL MBA with Peking University curriculum encourages an entrepreneurial and agile mindset that engages with innovation and technology.
Through core, optional, and elective modules in entrepreneurship and innovation, entrepreneurial systems, emerging technologies, technology ventures, and design thinking, you will learn how to adapt to and thrive in fast-changing business environments.
The curriculum also includes a range of China-focused core, optional, and elective modules, where you will learn how Chinese Government policy affects business, which is essential for success in corporate China.
This programme will equip you with a global perspective, combined with a local mindset, helping you join the next generation of leaders who will drive development and change the world.
This programme at the UCL School of Management is accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), one of the world’s leading authorities on postgraduate business education. The accreditation demonstrates the high standard of teaching, curriculum design, career development and innovation on the programme. AMBA limits the number of accredited schools to 300 institutions globally and currently accredits 2% of business schools in over 75 countries highlighting the School’s continuing commitment to excellence in management education.
Fees
The fees for this programme are set in Chinese Yuan and payable to the BiMBA Business School at the Peking University National School of Development.
You may have the opportunity to undertake one optional module in London or an experiential programme overseas over several weeks during the summer months. The module and experiential programme include industry speakers, social activities, and in-class refreshments that will be partially funded by the UCL School of Management on teaching days. Please note that participation in the module and experiential programme an optional and may cost up to £500 in programme fees each.
You must fund your own travel to and from London or overseas from London or overseas, any applicable visas and other travel expenses, accommodation, and personal maintenance during the trip.
It is estimated that those requiring accommodation in London would need to pay between £1,000 and £1,500 for the two-week duration of the optional module for standard student accommodation with some shared facilities (washroom, kitchen), and between £200 and £500 for other expenses.
The experiential programme is one to two weeks in duration at an overseas location, and accommodation costs and other expenses may be reduced accordingly. These estimates are based on the costs incurred by the students on previous summer programmes and are subject to change depending on prevailing exchange rates.
Applications, careers and FAQs
To apply, find out more application information, including information about careers, or read our FAQs, please visit the BiMBA Business School website hosted by Peking University.
Career support is led by the BiMBA Business School, whose Career Development Department organises professional development activities, industry insight events, and an alumni and executive mentor programme. You can also access relevant support available from UCL Careers.
For more information and answers to any questions about the programme, please email the UCL MBA with Peking University team.