Saïd Business School (SBS) Definition

Updated June 20, 2023

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Saïd Business School (SBS) — Investopedia / Yurle Villegas

Definition

The Saïd Business School is the business school at Oxford University.

What Is Saïd Business School (SBS)?

Saïd Business School (SBS) is the business school at Oxford University. SBS offers both programs in finance, business, and management for undergraduate and graduate students. The school also has several graduate and doctorate programs that cover specific aspects of business and finance. SBS consistently ranks among the world's top business schools despite being a new player in the arena.

Key Takeaways

The Saïd Business School Oxford University's school of business and management.
It consistently ranks among the world's best MBA programs.
The school was established following a large donation from Wafic Rida Saïd, a wealthy arms dealer and financier.

Understanding Saïd Business School (SBS)

Business studies were first introduced at Oxford under the Oxford Centre for Management Studies in 1965. But it wasn't until 1990 that it officially opened the School of Management Studies. Six years later, the university founded the Saïd School of Business at Oxford University. It is named after Wafic Rida Saïd, a philanthropist and businessman who made a £20 million donation to construct a building for the school.

SBS's mission statement is: “A powerful business school produces powerful ideas, and being an integral part of Oxford, we think expansively:

What are the rules of the game: how do written and unwritten rules affect the performance of a business?
What types of organizations, whether high growth, high impact, or high scale, will fundamentally change the business landscape?
How do we map the trends that will define the future of business?
How do we educate and energize a community that can address these huge issues?”

The business school, which is known simply as Saïd or Oxford Saïd, offers 15 different degree programs for undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate students, along with executive diplomas and courses for executive education. Although the school is integrated with Oxford and uses its resources, SBS has its own brand and faculty.

SBS is headed by Soumitra Dutta. The dean joined the school in 2022 and has a background in education and management of various business schools. He also sits on a number of advisory boards of international schools in Canada, Peru, Colombia, and Spain.

Fast Fact

Wafic Saïd is known for being among the world's largest arms dealers. He is credited for building Saudi Arabia's military in the 1980s drawing mainly upon British suppliers. Known as Al-Yamamah, it is said to be the single largest arms deal in history.

Programs Offered at Saïd Business School (SBS)

Saïd Business School offers undergraduate, MBA, graduate, a🤪n🌠d doctorate degree programs. These are highlighted in the table below.

Saïd Business School Degree Programs
Undergraduate	MBA Programs	Graduate	Doctorate
BA Economics and Management	MBA	MSc Financial Economics	DPhil Finance
	1+1 MBA (MA + MBA)	MSc Global Healthcare Leadership	DPhil Management
	Executive MBA	MSc Law and Finance
		MSc Major Programme Management

Source: Saïd Business School

SBS also offers executive diplomas in the following♔ disciplines:

Artificial Intelligence for Business
Financial Strategy
Global Business
Organisational Leadership
Strategy and Innovation

Executive education allows students to take courses on campus, online, or to design their own custom programs.

The cost to attend SBS depends on the program. For instance, the tuition for the one-year MBA beginning September 2023 was listed as £71,440. The cost for the Executive MBA with a September 2023 and January 2024 start was listed as £106,540. A student who pursues the nine-month MSc Financial Economics degree can expect to pay £52,560 in September 2023.

Rankings of Saïd Business School (SBS)

The Economist ranks the school in the 48th spot out of 100 schools. As many as 79% of students received job offers within three months of graduating. The school's ranking for overall personal development and educational experience was 21st out of 100 while the quality of students and faculty ranked 20th and 39th out of 100, respectively.

According to the Financial Times, SBS took the 25th spot out of 95 schools in Europe in 2022. Its MBA program came in eighth place while the executive MBA program came in seventh among European business schools in 2022. Other key rankings from the Financialꦏ Times inclu💧de:

#31 for the executive education customized programs
#5 for the executive education open programs
#10 for MSc in Finance Pre-Experience among similar programs
#15 for the Oxford Executive MBA among similar programs

How Much Does an MBA Cost to Pursue at Saïd Business School?

The cost of pursuing an MBA at Oxford Saïd depends on the type of program. While the school doesn't list the tuition and associated costs for the 1+1 MBA, it does list them for the other two programs. Pursuing a full-year Oxford MBA as of September 2023 costs £71,440. The tuition for the Oxford Executive MBA, though, is much higher. This part-time program costs £106,540 and takes 22 or 24 months depending on when you start.

How Did Saïd Business School Get its Name?

SBS is named after Syrian-Saudi-Canadian Wafic Saïd. The businessman and philanthropist donated £20 million to facilitate the construction of a building for the business school. Saïd is the chair of the Saïd Foundation, a charity that works with children in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine. He also founded Saïd Holdings, a private investment company.

What Do I Need to Apply to Saïd Business School?

Oxford Saïd requires prospective students to apply online. This includes scanning and uploading any supporting documents, including a written statement and two referral letters. Applicants are required to write the GMAT or GRE exam for their desired program and must have a minimum grade point average. For instance, Oxford MBA applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.5/4.0. Prospective students for this program must have at least two years of work experience. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview.

The Bottom Line

Oxford is one of the most prestigious universities in the world, which is why it's no surprise that there are many students who compete for a spot at the Saïd Business School. It offers a range of programs for undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate students, as well as courses for working executives. But studying here does come at a cost. The school has a rigorous application process and tuition for some programs can be higher than £100,000.

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