Cambridge MBA - Curriculum Analysis

The Cambridge MBA is delivered as an intensive, one-year degree with heavy emphasis on applied learning, structured over four terms. The schedule mandates the completion of four distinct, live consulting projects integrated throughout the year. 

This structure is designed to leverage the diverse, international expertise within the cohort and the program's physical location adjacent to "Silicon Fen", UK’s major hub for technology, venture capital, and entrepreneurial activity. This integration of academic depth, specialization choice, and mandatory project-based learning defines the pace and focus of the 12-month experience.

In this in-depth analysis of the Cambridge MBA Curriculum, we cover:

•    Program Structure
•    Core Courses
•    Concentrations
•    Electives
•    Experiential Learning

Program Structure: The Four-Term Developmental Arc

The program is organized around four consecutive terms, Michaelmas (Oct-Dec), Lent (Jan-Mar), Easter (Apr-Jun), and Summer (Jun-Sep), each corresponding to a specific developmental theme. 

Michaelmas

The curriculum follows a linear progression: Michaelmas focuses on Team Building and foundational concepts in finance, analytics, and organizational behavior, culminating in the Cambridge Venture Project (CVP) with early-stage companies. 

The Lent Term

The Lent Term transitions to Team Leading and complex organizational strategy, requiring completion of the Negotiations Lab and the Global Consulting Project (GCP), which usually involves an international organization. 

Easter Term

Easter Term centers on Influence and Impact, where students select one of the nine Concentrations and apply that focus during the Concentration Project – Board Impact, advising a senior leadership team or NGO. 

Summer Term

Finally, the Summer Term is dedicated to Application and Relaunch, offering flexibility through a mandatory capstone choice, such as an Individual Project, a Work Placement (internship), or the International Business Study Trip (IBST), allowing students to tailor their exit strategy.

The Core Modules

The core curriculum is front-loaded in the Michaelmas and Lent terms and covers 17 foundational areas across the first three terms. These mandatory courses ensure a common base of knowledge in all critical areas of management, including:

•    Financial & Analytical: Corporate Finance, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Business Analytics, Microeconomics, and Macroeconomics.
•    Strategic & Operational: Strategy, Operations Management, Advanced Strategy, and Marketing.
•    Leadership & Behavioral: Organisational Behaviour and Leadership, Management Praxis, Negotiations Lab, and Organisations vs. Markets.
•    Contextual: Business and Sustainable Development, and Corporate Governance and Ethics

This robust core ensures that all graduates share a comprehensive understanding of how organizations function, make decisions, and interact with the global environment.

Concentrations

The program offers nine official Concentrations, which are formal paths for specialization that begin in the Easter Term. Unlike generalist programs, pursuing a Concentration provides dedicated coursework and culminates in the Concentration Project – Board Impact applied project. These nine areas of focus are:

1.    Digital Business
2.    Energy and Environment
3.    Entrepreneurship
4.    Finance
5.    Global Business
6.    Health
7.    Social Impact
8.    Strategy and Marketing
9.    Thought Leadership

The ability to formally concentrate allows students to signal deep commitment and expertise in sectors aligned with their post-MBA goals.

Electives 

Over 50 electives are offered starting in the Lent Term and continue through the Summer Term, allowing students to further tailor their education outside of their chosen Concentration. 

Electives are drawn from the full roster of Judge Business School courses and provide flexibility to either dive deeper into a specialized subject or broaden knowledge in a contrasting field. The structure ensures that even while pursuing a specialization, students can access courses that directly address specific career pivots or knowledge gaps.

Experiential Learning

The projects and extracurricular options within the Cambridge MBA are structured not as supplementary activities, but as mandatory and optional avenues for applying classroom knowledge to real-world business constraints. 

The curriculum features four major, term-long team projects, starting with the Cambridge Venture Project (CVP) with early-stage ventures and progressing to the Global Consulting Project (GCP) with multinational clients, that form the spine of the applied learning experience. 

Beyond these projects, students engage with the wider Cambridge entrepreneurial ecosystem through venture competitions and tailor their global exposure via student-led Regional Treks to major business hubs (like Silicon Valley and Singapore) and the formal International Business Study Trip (IBST), ensuring continuous integration of theory with practice outside the classroom.