Have we hit peak MBA? London Business School thinks so, as it rolls out a shorter version of its flagship course. How will upper middle class finance bros signal their superiority now?

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London Business School calls ‘peak MBA’

The vice-dean of London Business School says demand for its MBA has peaked amid rising fees and new restrictions on UK student visas.

“The MBA as a degree is mature,” Julian Birkinshaw told the FT. “It has many, many years to run but we are past peak MBA.”

The comments came as LBS unveiled a one-year version of its MBA in response to increasing requests for shorter courses, something Birkinshaw says is a global trend. MBA applications worldwide fell for a second year for the 2023-24 academic year.

In the UK, new government restrictions on international students bringing dependents over have made shorter courses more appealing. Tuition fees are also increasingly prohibitive. The LBS 2024 intake will be paying £115,000 ($146,000), up from £78,500 in 2018.

But Brexit hasn’t been as big a factor.

“Brexit has not helped us, but it has not significantly affected applications,” said Birkinshaw.

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