Why Study / Key Benefits

• A 12-month intensive master's qualification worth 180 points.
• Designed for graduates from any bachelor's degree, including arts, engineering, teaching, social sciences and other disciplines.
• Previous business experience is not required.
• Develops broad knowledge across strategic growth, marketing, digital business, economics, financial analysis, people management, global business, supply chain management, design thinking, innovation, and sustainable and responsible management.
• Focuses on practical application rather than only theoretical business study.
• Develops communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creative problem-solving, leadership and organisational-change capabilities.
• Includes applied business research and consultancy activities.
• Students undertake practical projects involving businesses and develop an entrepreneurial business plan.
• Waikato Management School holds the Triple Crown accreditations EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB and is described by the University as being in the top 1% of business schools globally.
• The University of Waikato is ranked equal 293rd globally in the QS World University Rankings 2027, placing it in the top 1.5% of universities worldwide. 

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The MBM contains 11 compulsory papers and is designed as an integrated business and management programme rather than a specialist master's with selectable majors.

The published subject areas include:

• Communication and collaboration in organisations
• Leadership and change management
• Strategic management and decision-making
• Economics and the global context
• Sustainability and responsible management
• Digital business and supply chain management
• Marketing strategy
• Financial analysis
• Applied research and consultancy practices
• Managing innovation and value creation
• Integrative Learning Project.

The programme's learning activities include:

• Classroom lectures
• Real-world business cases
• Group assignments
• Video and social-media-based learning
• Creative problem-solving
• Reflective learning
• Applied business research
• Business consultancy work
• Entrepreneurial business planning and pitching.

Disciplines / Specialisations

Unlike the Master of Business (MBus), the MBM does not offer a list of separate specialist majors such as Accounting, Finance, Marketing or Supply Chain Management.

Instead, it provides an integrated business and management curriculum covering:

• Business strategy
• Leadership
• Change management
• Economics
• Marketing
• Digital business
• Supply chain management
• Financial analysis
• Sustainability
• Innovation
• Applied research and consultancy
• Entrepreneurship.

Programme Highlights

• 180-point master's degree.
• 12 months full-time over three trimesters.
• Three published intake periods: February, July and November.
• Hamilton campus.
• In-person delivery from 2026.
• Open to graduates from any bachelor's discipline, subject to the academic entry standard.
• No previous business experience required.
• 11 papers.
• Approximately 30 hours of classes and learning per week.
• Strong emphasis on applied business learning.
• Integrative Learning Project with a Dragons' Den-style business pitch.
• Virtual consultancy project for a local business.
• Applied research and business-report experience.
• Exposure to strategic management, leadership, marketing, finance, economics, digital business, supply chain, innovation and sustainability.
• Waikato Management School's Triple Crown accreditation.
• University of Waikato ranked equal 293rd globally in QS World University Rankings 2027 and in the top 1.5% worldwide. 

Career Outcomes

The programme is intended to prepare graduates for a broad range of business and management careers rather than a single profession.

Potential career areas include:

• Business and management
• Business development
• Marketing
• Digital business
• Financial analysis
• Supply chain
• Management and leadership
• Consultancy
• Entrepreneurship
• Strategy
• Organisational change
• Sustainability
• General management.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

• From 2026, the MBM is offered in person only.
• The current qualification page lists February, July and November intakes.
• The programme is 180 points and normally completed full-time in 12 months.
• The MBM is an applied, taught master's rather than a research-specialist master's.
• The qualification does not provide sufficient specialised study for direct admission to a PhD. Students who subsequently want doctoral study will need additional research methodology and postgraduate papers.
• The programme should not be confused with the Master of Business (MBus), which is a separate research-focused master's degree with specialist subject options.
• Admission does not automatically guarantee entry to every individual paper; the University may require qualifying papers or additional work.
• Programme information, fees, dates and regulations can change, so the offer of place and applicable academic regulations should be checked before enrolment.

International Student Visa Requirements

For a standard international student enrolling in the MBM, the relevant visa will generally be the New Zealand Fee Paying Student Visa.

Waikato states that most international students should apply for the Fee Paying Student Visa and that the student's visa must name the University of Waikato as the place of study.

Immigration New Zealand currently states that applicants for the Fee Paying Student Visa must:

• Have an offer of place from an approved education provider.
• Have sufficient funds to pay tuition fees, or an acceptable scholarship/funding arrangement.
• Have sufficient funds for living expenses or an acceptable sponsor.
• Have acceptable medical and travel insurance.
• Be in good health and of good character.
• Have a genuine reason for studying in New Zealand.
• Demonstrate that they can leave New Zealand at the end of their stay.
• Meet any other conditions applicable to their circumstances.