Loughborough University Business School

<a href="http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/sbe/mba/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article6269531.ece/ALTERNATES/w620/lboro.gif" /></a>

Age: 40

History: Founded in 1971, it is the largest department of Loughborough University and has been delivering MBAs for almost 25 years.

Address: Part of the university campus, located a mile from the centre of Loughborough.

Ambience: Housed in a state-of-the-art bespoke building erected in 1998, with a multi-million pound extension added in 2007. The other buildings around this huge and very green campus are an eclectic mix of Victorian and modern designs.

Vital statistics: Offers the AMBA-accredited Loughborough MBA and five full-time conversion MScs for non-business graduates: management; business analysis and management; finance and management; international management; and marketing and management. It also offers an ESRC-accredited MRes, MPhil and PhD, as well as an extensive range of tailored and open programmes for managers and directors.

Added value: The flexible part-time MBA offers the option of evening and weekend classes or a three-day or four-day block format. This makes an MBA achievable in two years for working students and busy executives. Loughborough has an excellent library with superb learning resources, as well as on-campus restaurants, shops, cafés, pubs and clubs. The university's world-renowned sports facilities are available to all students. Loughborough also has ESRC-accredited MRes and PhD programmes, with doctoral students playing an integral role in the school's research community.

Easy to get into? You need a degree or equivalent and three years' work experience for the MBA, and a degree for the MSc programmes. The post-experience management development programmes are open to everyone.

International connections: The school has been accredited by EQUIS, which confirms its international reputation for excellence. It is also a member of Erasmus, Socrates and ESSAM – a consortium of European business schools – which gives MBA students the opportunity to study with European partners for 10 days in their final year. Loughborough is partnered with several top European universities and has partners in Asia, such PSB Academy in Singapore.

Student profile: Most students on the school's MBA programmes are in their early 30s, while those on the MSc tend to be in their early 20s.

Cost: £17,850

Return on investment: Increased confidence and key skills; more management expertise; the opportunity to switch jobs; and a salary boost.

Who's the boss? Angus Laing is dean of Business and Economics.

Prospectus: +44 (0)1509 228 825; mba@lboro.ac.uk; www.lboro.ac.uk