The MBA and
MBA Programs.
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The degree, Masters of Business Administration, is a general postgraduate degree in subjects related to company management (see below) in today's globalized business world. It is a degree that is accepted all over the world as the principal academic qualification for those who aspire to positions of responsibility in the higher echelons of the business world.
The MBA is also open to people with a record of successful business experience, who have never studied for an academic degree before. In business, "experience" is very important and the best business schools appreciate that.
Many outstanding universities offer undergraduate degrees in economics to students interested in a business career, rather than a generalized degree in business administration. They regard the various specialized areas of economics as the foundation stones of business knowledge. Economists enter the business world in specialized, technical capacities. They advise those in management positions what decisions to take and they do the technical work once management has made a decision. Experience in the technical departments of the business world combined with the academic training an MBA program offers makes one eligible for top management positions. An MBA teaches management skills and the specialized knowledge of how to lead a company in today's gobalized market.
Of
course, there are young people who reach management positions without an MBA.
Indeed in today's Hi-Tech world there are those who reach management positions
without any degree whatsoever. They had the brains; they demonstrated business
acumen in practice; they were entrusted with responsibilities beyond their years,
and they proved worthy of that trust. These people are often even more attractive
to MBA schools than university graduates. They are accepted without an undergraduate
degree or GMAT on the basis of their outstanding business record.
Why would those already in a management position want to do an MBA? For personal reasons: they might feel that they missed out on the college experience. They might feel that they would like to acquire a body of knowledge that is broader and more academic than the knowledge they have acquired in their particular business. For career reasons: they might sense that as high as they have risen in their company they will be denied the CEO position because they lack academic experience. In other words, the time has come that they want university experience for a combination of reasons.
What do you study in an MBA program?
You learn how to manage a company in today's globalized business world. The subject areas include:
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How long does it take to get an MBA?
The minimum length of college attendance is one academic year. Students who study part time will need the equivalent of one year. The number of class room hours varies, depending on the college from 400 to 1200. Usually however the MBA course lasts for one-and-a-half years.
The MBA program should be academically vigorous, and the prestige of the MBA program is important in terms of job opportunities after graduation.
What are the present-day "big names" in graduate business education?
This is by no means an exhaustive list of excellent business schools, but it is a list of schools that ambitious students are "knocking down the doors" to get into.
In Europe:
| France: | EAP- European School of Management |
| INSEAD - The European Institute of Business Administration | |
| Switzerland: | International Institute for Management |
| UK: | London Business School |
| Imperial College School of Management | |
| Manchester Business School |
In North America:
| Canada : | McGill |
| USA: |
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What makes a business school desirable is, firstly, the quality and innovativeness of its program. The skills taught are what the student should be most interested in.
Secondly, a business school is also desirable for the quality of its "alumni network;" what the English call, "the old boy network." This is made up of the graduates of the business school, who are well placed in the business world, and who are inclined to offer first choice in jobs to the graduates of the school they attended.
The third factor that makes a business school desirable depends on where you would like to live and work after you finish your MBA. As an example: if you have a strong desire to live and work in San Francisco or Silicon Valley, Stanford Business School would be a good choice for you, because of its plethera of contacts in those areas. If you want to be on Wall Street the East Coast Business schools are better. That said, in the epoch of globalization, an MBA from any of these schools will make you an attractive figure in the employment market, worldwide.
How do you get into graduate business schools?
The normal way to enter an MBA program is to take the GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Tests). The GMAT tests data comprehension and reasoning skills in mathematics and English. These are required by all business schools. In addition, university transcripts, letters of recommendations, application essays and an interview make up the entry process.
GMAT™ is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admission Council™. The Graduate Management Admission Council™ does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this web site.
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Harvard
Business School, Harvard University, Graduate School of Business Administration,