MSc Management Research / Doctor of Business Administration – Study from South Africa

Chart your next career chapter with the MSc Management Research / Doctor of Business Administration delivered in exclusive partnership between the University of Salford and Robert Kennedy College. Designed for ambitious professionals who want to turn practical challenges into publishable insights and strategic results, this online programme lets you study from South Africa while advancing on a global stage.

Whether you lead a team, a division, or a whole enterprise, you will sharpen your ability to conduct rigorous management research and translate it into decisions that create value. You will join a worldwide community of scholars and executives, benefit from world‑class academic guidance, and grow the credibility that comes with a British degree recognised across borders.

Earn a British degree recognised internationally

A British postgraduate qualification signals academic excellence and professional credibility wherever you go. This programme culminates in a prestigious British degree, empowering you to stand out when competing for senior roles, board positions, consulting mandates, and academic or practitioner-research opportunities worldwide.

From Cape Town to Johannesburg, Durban to Gqeberha, your credentials will be immediately understood by employers, investors, and partners who value the rigour, quality assurance, and standards associated with the UK higher education system.

Finish 100% online in as little as 4 years

Your time is precious. The structure enables a purposeful progression from advanced coursework to supervised research, allowing you to complete the entire journey online in as little as four years. This timeline balances ambition with practicality, giving you momentum without forcing you to pause your career.

Each stage builds toward your final research contribution, so every module moves you closer to completion. Milestones and academic support keep you on track, while the online format lets you apply fresh insights directly to your current professional challenges.

No fixed online class times

There are no mandatory logins at specific times and dates, which means you won’t have to reshuffle your workday or family schedule. Learn when you are most focused—early morning, late evening, weekends, or during travel.

This flexibility supports consistent progress throughout the year. You remain fully engaged through structured activities, discussions, and feedback cycles—without being tethered to live sessions that clash with your calendar.

Study anywhere—with a mobile app and offline access

Whether you’re at home, on a business trip, or commuting, you can keep learning. Our mobile app lets you download study materials and watch lectures offline, so your progress never depends on a strong connection.

Seamlessly switch between laptop, tablet, and phone. Read, annotate, and review wherever you are—in a client lobby, at an airport, or between meetings—sustaining your study rhythm even on the move.

Open books assessments that mirror real decision‑making

The programme uses open books assessments instead of classical question/answer exams. You’ll be encouraged to consult sources, evaluate evidence, and construct arguments—the way leaders and researchers actually operate.

This approach rewards critical thinking, synthesis, and application. By working with real cases and your own organisational context, you develop the capacity to articulate defensible, data‑informed decisions under authentic conditions.

Learn from tutors with elite academic pedigrees

You will be guided by an international faculty whose credentials include world‑renowned universities such as Oxford, Harvard, EPFL, the University of Basel, and Washington University in St. Louis. Their experience spans research, consulting, entrepreneurship, and executive education.

Expect constructive challenge, rigorous feedback, and mentorship that helps you refine your research questions, methods, and contribution. You will be learning from academics and practitioners who understand how to turn inquiry into impact.

Join a global community of 130+ nationalities

Our student body represents more than 130 countries, creating a dynamic environment where you exchange perspectives and build networks across continents and industries. Alumni have gone on to roles within international organisations such as the United Nations, Google, ICRC, The World Bank, Microsoft, Intel, Samsung, Tencent, Siemens, and Sony.

Transparent, manageable payments

Plan your investment with confidence. Programme fees can be paid in up to 18 monthly interest‑free instalments, helping you align tuition with cash flow without slowing your ambitions.

This manageable structure supports professionals who are advancing their studies while leading teams, running businesses, or managing complex projects.

Why this programme is a powerful fit for South African professionals

South Africa’s sophisticated financial and professional services sector rewards leaders who can blend evidence‑based strategy with innovation. Your research can address themes like customer analytics, digital transformation, operational resilience, and governance—insights you can apply directly to banking, insurance, fintech, and advisory roles based in hubs such as Sandton, Cape Town’s Foreshore, and Umhlanga Ridge.

In energy, mining, and manufacturing, the ability to conduct rigorous management research opens doors to roles that shape productivity, sustainability, and stakeholder value. From supply chain optimisation to ESG reporting and community impact, your dissertation can tackle high‑stakes industry questions while contributing to performance and responsible growth.

Public sector, development, and NGO ecosystems—vital players in South Africa’s future—benefit from leaders who design programmes grounded in robust evidence. Whether you work with municipalities, national departments, development finance institutions, or international NGOs, this qualification equips you to evaluate policy, measure outcomes, and scale solutions that improve lives.

Your research, your impact

Throughout the journey, you will move from a well‑framed question to a contribution that advances both understanding and practice. You will test assumptions, interrogate data, and produce a thesis that matters—to your organisation, your sector, and your own leadership trajectory.

Because the programme is online and flexible, your career stays in motion while you study. Each insight becomes a tool you can use immediately—informing projects, influencing stakeholders, and improving decisions in real time.

Two degrees. One transformative path.

Whether your ambition is anchored in executive leadership or in a scholarly trajectory, the MSc stage strengthens your mastery of research design and contemporary management theory, while the DBA stage empowers you to generate original, practice‑relevant knowledge.

Together, they form a rigorous, coherent pathway that builds credibility and capability—positioning you to lead with both vision and evidence.

Delivered in an exclusive partnership you can trust

This programme is offered through an exclusive partnership between the University of Salford and Robert Kennedy College. You gain the richness of a British university with a long tradition of applied learning, combined with the agility of a pioneering online college that supports professionals worldwide.

From application to graduation, you are supported by academic and student‑success teams who understand the realities of balancing study, work, and life—so you can stay focused on achieving your goals.

Request our course catalogue to explore modules, timelines, and how your research interests can align with supervision expertise. Your next chapter can begin right where you are—here in South Africa, connected to the world.