LBS - 1 Year MBA

Question

Hi all,

Thoughts on the new 1YMBA by LBS (inaugural intake in August 25).

Has anyone applied?

Are the interview the same as the traditional MBA?

Thanks

Gmat750aspirant · Answer

Same question here, can someone explain

NextstopISB · Answer

1 year LBS MBA is good for international leadership experience

bhargavhhhhhhhh · Answer

INSEAD vs LBS 1 year program difference, can anyone reply

marqueetim · Answer

LBS One Year MBA builds on your masters in management or related. Its just like a top up to your knowledge and should enhance your career from that perspective. Courses are focused on current topical and trendy issues as a result. I am an R1 Admit.

aniketter9393 · Answer

15 month traditional MBA vs 11 month MBA - which is better for LBS in terms of employability and networking

jumbledsignal · Answer

If you're applying, treat the 1YMBA interview with the same seriousness as the traditional MBA—prepare to discuss your essays, goals, past experiences, and fit with LBS.

rajatyadav1994 · Answer

Any views on perception of the program in the market? I have been getting mixed reviews. Somehow people in the program have given decent reviews, people on different forums seem to be cautioning against it.

doloremfuga · Answer

Following

northboundcoach · Answer

My preliminarily take (its still new!) is that it depends on what you're optimizing for during and after the program. The perception gap you're seeing reflects that, not a problem with the program itself.

A few perspectives that might be useful:
On the brand and community side, LBS itself is the brand, not the specific program length. The 1YMBA students share electives, clubs, recruiting events, and the career centre with the traditional MBA cohort. You'll build relationships across both groups, plus the MIM, MFA, EMBA and Sloan cohorts who are also on campus. The networking ceiling is set by your own effort, not by which program you're enrolled in.

On career outcomes, LBS Career Centre is genuinely one of the strongest among European programs and they care intensely about employment statistics. They have to report them, and reputation depends on them. My experience is that they invest accordingly. The 1YMBA being newer means there's less historical data on outcomes specifically for that program, which I suspect is part of what's driving the cautious perception you're seeing on some forums. That's a fair observation but not necessarily a reason to avoid it.

On the "is it taken as seriously" question, my read is that recruiters who hire from LBS hire from LBS. The program length is a secondary detail, especially in Europe and the Nordics. In some US contexts where the 2-year MBA is the default, I suspect you may need to do slightly more work to explain a 1-year format (though that's also true for INSEAD and IMD).

My honest caveat: the 1YMBA compresses recruiting, electives, and networking into a much shorter window. Traditional MBA students often have a buffer for course correction, study trips, treks, and slow-build relationships. In the 1YMBA, you need to be clear on your post-MBA goals before you arrive and ready to start recruiting essentially immediately. That's an advantage if you have clarity, but a challenge if you're using the MBA to figure out your direction.

Northbound Coaching 
| Guidance for top European Business School admissions, MBB recruiting, and Nordic PE  
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LBS - 1 Year MBA

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