Best universities for business degrees in the UK 2024

Top 10 universities in the UK for business degrees 2024

Scroll down for the full list of best universities for business in the UK

Students with a degree in business studies are considered employable because the  skills they learn are so transferrable. Business degrees cover a broad range of subjects, such as economics, accounting and entrepreneurial training among much more and can set students up for a number of career paths.  

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Universities that offer business studies degrees often enrich the student learning experience by providing practical teaching outside of the classroom and work experience opportunities. Partnerships with companies from the public and private sectors offer students the opportunity to learn from industry experts and network with possible future employers.   

The UK is a great place to study business because it is home to one of the world’s leading financial capitals, London. London has a number of major business districts and more overseas banks than any other city and is the world’s biggest currency trading centre. 

With more than 100 business schools in the UK, it can be difficult to choose the one that’s right for you. Here are the top universities for business studies in the UK according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024.  

5. University of Warwick

Warwick Business School is a department within the wider faculty of social sciences, established in 1967.

Students have the ability to apply to courses for undergraduates, postgraduates and PhD candidates. There are also non-degree education programmes that are offered for individuals and companies.

The business school also offers a foundation year to help build the skills required for an undergraduate degree. Students who complete the Foundation Year are then able to continue studying on one of the business or economics undergraduate degrees. 

The main campus is situated as part of the University of Warwick. The university also has London campus. 

4. UCL 

UCL is organised into 11 faculties, which offer undergraduate and graduate courses. The School of Management offers two undergraduate degree programmes: BSc information management for business and BSc management science. Its master’s degree programmes include business analytics, entrepreneurship, finance and management. Online courses are also available, as are joint degree and PhD degree programmes.  

The School of Management focuses its research in five main areas: operations and technology; strategy and entrepreneurship; marketing and analytics; organisations and innovation; and finance, accounting and economics.  

The careers consultant team offers careers support and guidance while the employer engagement team organises networking events throughout the year. At these events students are given the opportunity to connect with employers to learn more about recruitment processes in their chosen industry. 

The employer engagement team has developed partnerships with companies including Deloitte, Deutsche Bank, Expedia, Facebook, PwC and Unilever.  These companies have participated in previous employer engagement programmes to help students gain a greater insight into possible careers. As part of these programmes, students have had access to employer-led CV checking, mock assessment centres and mock interviews.   

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3. London School of Economics and Political Science 

London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) was founded in 1895. It has since become one of the world’s leading social science universities.   

The department of management specialises in business and management and has become a world-leading centre for education and research in these fields.  

The department of management offers a range of programmes at different degree levels. The BSc management degree is for undergraduate students looking to pursue business and management. There are a number of master’s programmes available for graduate students too. The department also offers executive education for working professionals looking for further training. 

LSE’s Behavioural Lab for Teaching and Research is jointly managed by the department of management and the department of psychological and behavioural science. The laboratory was built to facilitate the study of human behaviour in a controlled environment.

=1. University of Oxford 

Like Cambridge, the University of Oxford is a collegiate university and is divided into 39 colleges. Its roughly 100 academic departments are overseen by four divisions: medical sciences; mathematical, physical and life sciences; humanities and social sciences.  

The study of business at Oxford goes back to 1965. The Saïd Business School was founded in 1996 when businessman and philanthropist Wafic Saïd provided a generous donation. Since then, it has become one of the world’s leading business schools.  

The business school offers 12 degree programmes in economics, management, finance and law. In-person and online open-enrolment courses are available for students who prefer more flexibility.  

Saïd Business School has two main sites: Park End Street and Egrove Park. The Park End Street site has beautiful grounds and is used for conferences, events and functions. Egrove Park is located just two miles from Oxford city centre and provides a residential business meeting venue set in 37 acres of parkland.  

The business school’s initiatives and centres, which are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, include the Entrepreneurship Centre, the Creative Destruction Lab and the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship.  

=1. University of Cambridge 

The University of Cambridge is comprised of 31 colleges and 150 faculties and departments. These are organised into six schools: arts and humanities, biological sciences, clinical medicine, humanities and social sciences, physical sciences, and technology. Within the School of Technology is the Faculty of Business and Management.  

At the heart of the Faculty of Business and Management is the Cambridge Judge Business School. The school focuses on teaching students business theory that they can apply to a number of business situations. Students at the school are encouraged to develop new products and businesses to contribute to social enterprise.  

The business school has developed partnerships with companies in the private sector to facilitate collaborations. Business students are given the opportunity to work with the university’s partners on business and research projects. Students can also make the most of the nearby incubators, science parks and innovation centres.  

Accelerate Cambridge was established by the business school in 2012 to offer three-month programmes to support new ventures. Student entrepreneurs are given guidance on how to turn their idea into a business and how to develop it. The programmes are held during the autumn, spring and summer terms and provide access to a shared workspace, as well as regular mentoring.  

The business school is home to the Entrepreneurship Centre, the Centre for Business Research, and the Psychometrics Centre.  

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Top UK universities for business and economics 2024

Click each institution to view its World University Rankings 2024 profile

Editor's note: This table was updated in December 2023 to retroactively include Birkbeck, University of London based on their provided data submission. More information on the university's inclusion can be found here