Methodology

Whether you are looking for full-time MBA or a two-week course to improve your management skills, the Financial Times rankings list the best management programmes available. 

Seven rankings are published annually, relating to MBA, EMBA, Master in Finance, Master in Management programmes and Online MBA programmes, as well as non-degree executive education courses. There is also a ranking of top European business schools.

To find out how the rankings are put together, click on the links below for the latest methodologies and table keys.

NOTE for SCHOOLS who are interested in taking part in our rankings

At the END of these seven methodology pages below, please see our entry criteria and timetables where you will also find our contact email. There is a different email address for each ranking. It is important that schools read the criteria before emailing us with queries.

1. Global MBA — methodology, key and entry criteria
2. Online MBA — methodology, key and entry criteria
3. Executive Education — methodology, key and entry criteria
4. Masters in Finance — methodology, key and entry criteria
5. Masters in Management — methodology, key and entry criteria
6. Executive MBA (EMBA) — methodology, key and entry criteria
7. European Business Schools — methodology, key and entry criteria

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can any business schools participate in the FT rankings?

To be eligible to participate, a school should be accredited or have an affiliation with an AACSB or Equis accredited organisation; it must have a programme that has been running for at least three or four years; and it must have graduated its first class at least three years before the ranking publication date.  We survey graduates who completed their programme three years ago. The exception is Executive Education, where we survey attendees who completed courses or clients who commissioned programmes in the year preceding the ranking publication year.

2. Which journals are included in the FT research rank?

The MBA, EMBA and Online MBA rankings include a research rank. This is calculated according to the number of faculty publications published in 50 academic and practitioner journals. Points are awarded to the business school at which the author is currently employed. The total is then weighted for faculty size. The full list of journals is available here: 50 journals

3. Which exchange rates does the FT use in its salary calculations?

The FT rankings use purchasing power parity rates, published by the International Monetary Fund, rather than normal currency exchange rates. All salary data are converted into $US equivalents. Unlike conventional current rates, PPP conversion factors take into account the cost of living in the country where a currency is used.