Whatever career you have chosen a Master of Business Administration degree helps you achieve promotion in your field. You will also have more options to choose from. An MBA which the degree is popularly known as will help you be creative and strategic at the same time. When you are pursuing the degree from an international university away from your home country you also learn about a wider range of cultural and business issues. This is helpful when you later work in a multicultural team in the organisation you are employed in or are doing business. The decision of enrolling for an MBA programme will make you a manager and is an investment for future.
Choosing the Right MBA
An MBA is indeed rewarding for a career in the corporate world or when you are managing your own business. The schools that have exceptional records of placement are the ones with collaborations with the business world. One of the critical things to have before starting off on a degree abroad is a couple of years of work experience. This way you can earn money to pay the fees and also gain experience which will help you better understand the things you will learn in the duration of the course. Before choosing a college you should be clear about what you want to do and choose the field and curriculum of study accordingly. Next is choosing the type of MBA.
One way of understanding what you need for enrolling in an MBA programme is to research online. http://www.schoolapply.com is one of the portals that have information about various degrees, which include MBAs. The first thing to consider is the type of MBA degree to enroll for. The most critical resource in this case is time. The classical MBA is a two-year programme which is divided into four semesters and in some cases six semesters. While choosing the classical MBA, you will have to invest full two years for the course. The first year (consisting of two or three semesters) will be an introduction to fundamental fields like Marketing, Operations, Finance and Accounting. In the second year, you can choose elective courses which will lead to a specialisation. Another program is the EMBA which is the accelerated form of MBA for working professionals. EMBA requires an academic background in business subjects and also work experience.
Modules within MBA
Once enrolled you will go through the first year of fundamental learning. This is optional between the classical and EMBA hence the critical thing to think about is the specialisation modules. Two of the most uncommon specialisations: (1) Strategic Planning – This specialisation includes studying strategic management and similar courses preparing you for the top management positions where strategic planning is a critical factor. (2) Entrepreneurship – This is one of the recently added specialisations and includes courses on Entrepreneur marketing and Accounting for small business which is very much required knowledge for becoming an entrepreneur.
Some of the common and generally enrolled specialisation modules are: (1) Human Resource Management – This specialisation will teach you to interact with the human part of business. Hence the courses here are Labor laws Human Resource Management and performance management. (2) Marketing – One of the most popular fields and also one that offers more of practical knowledge. You will study topics like Advertising management Sales management and Consumer behaviour. (3) Finance – This is the specialisation for the number lovers. The topics that you will study are risk management Security analysis and Banking.
The learning method used is a combination of classroom lectures seminars and workshops. Sometimes you are also taken on some tours to understand the subject. The classroom study is not the traditional way. Instead it comprises group activities discussions and case analysis. You will also have to present some topics individually in front of a larger audience. While studying abroad you will be exposed to the business environment there. This will hold you in good stead when you start working after the degree is completed. The networks that you develop will help you gather skills required to manage yourself and your company.
Career Opportunities After Your MBA
After going through the grind and completing your MBA you would be wondering what career opportunities lie ahead of you. First of all you should not think that merely having a degree will land you your dream job. So from the very first you should focus on your strengths. People having good number skills along with social skills are highly suited for the Marketing department and if you possess these skills you should concentrate on enhancing them. For a person who is only skilled at numbers Finance is the better field to choose and he/she should consider upgrading their finance skills. Including Human resource these three are the major departments in every company and the focus of job search.
Most companies respect MBA graduates and give them positions of strategic importance due to their knowledge and exposure. Here are some good career options: (1) IT Manager – If you have a degree in computers before taking on the MBA experience this is the right career path for you. An IT manager is responsible for managing the computer systems in an organisation. Having management experience will land you a job of handling an IT team. IT resources are critical for the smooth running of a business and hence this position has its perks in terms of compensation. (2) Finance Manager – A degree in commerce means that you can really fit well in the role of a finance manager. This job requires reading financial analysis reports and advising the future course of business. (3) Management Analyst – This is mostly done by people with lots of corporate experience. This role requires giving advice to companies on personnel management cost management and also solving specific problems.
Life After MBA
An MBA programme prepares you for a life ahead. You learn skills which will help you lead a team in our dynamic society a world which keeps changing every second. The experience of studying abroad will add to your skill set by making you tolerant towards diverse cultures. You may face the same situations while working with your team comprising people from diverse fields and cultures and different personalities. Taking part in placement activities while pursuing the programme will also help you further your skills. The thing to understand is that an MBA is not a traditional learning course. It is in fact a training programme to prepare you for the business world by learning specific skills that are required to survive in it.