Jump Start Your Career with an MBA
Many of the world’s top managers have one thing in common – they have an MBA. The MBA (Master of Business Administration) is the gold standard for business degrees. There is a huge range of business degrees available, including generic ones like Batchelor of Business Administration (BBA) or specialist degrees in areas like Finance or Marketing. However, few of these degrees focus on Management, or even have any substantial Management content.
An MBA can be a real asset to recent graduates and can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to achieve a management post. This is particularly true if their first degree is not in a business area. However, an MBA can also be useful to recently-promoted managers. Many of those who work in business begin their careers in a functional area such as Finance or Marketing, before being promoted to a management position, sometimes with little knowledge of what’s really involved. It can be useful at this stage to enrol for an MBA course in order to improve their management skills.
MBAs were first introduced in the USA in the late 1800s and for many years they remained an American phenomenon. The first European MBAs were introduced in the 1940s and provision in Europe, and particularly in the UK, has grown ever since. Many people believe that a European MBA is superior to an American one, as they are often more rigorous and usually incorporate a thesis. European MBAs are particularly attractive to foreign students as they allow them to live and work in Europe before returning to their own country with a highly valued qualification and the skills required participate in business ventures with European partners.
Because they appeal to so many people, MBAs are usually offered in a variety of modes, including full-time, part time and distance learning, either paper-based or online. They can be studied in a variety of locations, but many people like to study in a major European capital like London or Paris. London is a particularly attractive destination, since it allows students to improve their English while studying for their degree.
MBA programmes usually cover a range of management areas areas, including Financial Management, Business Law, Human Resource Management, Marketing Management and Project Management. Some courses are very general in nature, but others allow students to specialise in areas such as Branding, Finance or Human Resource Management. Entrepreneurship is an extremely popular option since it is of great benefit to students who intend starting their own business.
The thesis is an important element of an MBA as it allows students to gain expert knowledge and experience of a particular business area and to establish contacts who will be useful in their future business career. Most theses are research-based, so MBA programmes generally include courses in qualitative and quantitative research methods to prepare students for carrying out their research.
Anyone who has just been promoted to a management position, or anyone considering a career in business should give serious consideration to doing an MBA to improve their management skills and to show their determination to build a successful career.
Filed under: Management