CourseAdvisor - Your Source for Education and Training

by CourseAdvisor

A Master's degree in Business Administration, or MBA, is an important educational credential for people hoping to attain upper management positions. Typically, applicants to MBA programs have a bachelor's degree and significant work experience in a business setting.

There are always opportunities for MBA holders in our 21st-century "knowledge economy." Nearly 70% of employers who participated in the Graduate Management Admissions Council's 2008 recruitment survey reported that they will or probably will hire new MBAs in 2009, offering new MBA hires salaries similar to those offered to 2008 MBA grads. However, most nonprofit and government organizations, as well as energy and utility firms, plan to increase average annual base salaries for new MBAs in 2009.

Opportunities in new MBA specializations such as green energy, green business, sustainability, and socially responsible financial management are on the rise.

The Business Leadership MBA

To pursue a business leadership role, you might apply to one of these programs:

• MBA in Operations Management
• MBA in Organizational Management
• MBA in Leadership
• MBA in Management

Or, if you already have an executive or management job, you might apply to an Executive MBA program, which allows you to complete your MBA while still working.

Hot MBA Specializations for the 21st Century

A growing number of MBA programs are offering highly specialized concentrations in hot fields of interest, such as:

• MBA in Entrepreneurship
• MBA in Knowledge Management
• MBA in Business Communication
• MBA in E-Commerce Management
• MBA in Cyber Security
• MBA in Health Care Management or Administration

With the explosion of the Internet, business is now global like never before. If you want to get into the fast-paced, multifaceted world of international business development, consider the MBA in Global Management or the MBA in International Business.

The MBA Works for "People" People and "Numbers" People

If you want to take advantage of your work experience in marketing and sales, related MBA programs include the MBA in Marketing and the MBA in Supply Chain Management.

Are you an accountant or an auditors? MBAs for those lovers of numbers are:

• MBA in Accounting
• MBA in Controllership
• MBA in Taxation

If you work in finance, these MBA programs can highlight your financial services specialty:

• MBA in Banking & Finance
• MBA in Mergers and Acquisitions
• MBA in Mergers and Acquisitions
• MBA in Financial Management
• MBA in Risk Management

The Hi-Tech MBA

With the integration of technology into every aspect of business, many seasoned business executives and IT managers are seeking MBA degrees that blend the two disciplines, such as the MBA in Information Technology Management and the MBA in Information Systems Security.

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) and Public Policy MBA

To become eligible for the high-salaried human resources opportunities typically found only in large corporations, you may need a Human Resources Management MBA. Or, if you plan to work in public administration or for a nonprofit organization, there are MBA, Master of Public Administration (MPA), and other master's degrees that offer concentrations in the management of:

• Criminal Justice
• Health Services
• Homeland Security
• Human Services
• Nonprofit Organizations
• Public Health
• Public Policy
• Public Safety

MBA Admissions Checklist

How do you get admitted to an MBA program? For a start, universities and graduate business schools make MBA admissions decisions based on:

• Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) scores
• Work experience
• Undergraduate transcripts
• Essays
• References or letters of recommendations
• Personal interview

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Get matched to a business program that works for you

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Sources: GMAC 2008 Year-End Follow-Up Poll of Employers and the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) Alumni Perspectives Survey, a longitudinal study that tracks career progress among respondents to the Global MBA® Graduate Survey, which gathers data from management students nearing graduation. This report reflects data from the two Alumni Perspectives Surveys conducted in 2008. The 3,261 alumni that responded to the April 2008 survey represent graduates from 2000 through 2007. The 3,828 alumni that responded to the September 2008 survey also included the newly graduated class of 2008.