MBA Programs:Are they for you?

Purpose of an MBA

• Provide skills to take careers to the next level

• Prepare technical undergraduates for a career in management– 25% are engineers

• Prepare functional managers for general management or new direction

MBA Value Proposition• Develop hard and soft business skills– Economics, finance, marketing, etc.– Teamwork, communication

• Access to a network of faculty and students– Job search and career tracks– Business networking for financing, purchasing,

etc.• Recognized brand that signifies management

education• Salary increase ~ $20,000• 18% ROI

A Popular Degree

Number of MBA's

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

1965 1977 1998

When?

• Traditional Programs–Minimum 3-5 years experience–Students major contributors

• Early Leaders –Direct from undergraduate

program–High potential based on grades

What Type of Program?

• Full vs. Part Time• EMBA• Specialized vs. General• Quantitative vs. Qualitative• International focus–Thunderbird–University of South Carolina–Monterey Institute of International

Studies

Program Format

• First year core–Functional course work

• Summer internship• Second year specialized

coursework

Program Format: First Year

Admission Process

• Take the GMAT–4 hour exam–Computer adaptive test–Can’t go back to check work

• GPA• Experience including internships

and summer work

Researching an MBA Program

• Accredited?–AACSB; 393 accredited programs

• Rankings–Business Week, US News, Financial

Times–Helps to understand typical student

profile–Provides information on job placement

• Websites: mbazone.com