The Master’s of Business Administration is one of the most popular and lucrative graduate degrees you can earn, as well as the most common online degree in America. As MBAs have become more common, many students wonder if they have different options. The Business MBA offers specialized areas of study that can more closely fit your personal career goals and the area you’d like to focus on. With the rise of online education, it has become more important to cater to professional adults seeking higher degrees and undergraduates who have a specific niche in the business world in mind. That’s why specialized MBAs can be a good idea for both students and colleges, with some notable exceptions.
The Many Types of Specialized MBAs
A general MBA program can apply to a vast number of different jobs, and as you might expect, there are also a vast number of specialized programs. If you’ve ever considered working in an industry, chances are there’s a specialized MBA for it – real estate, pharmaceutical management, wine management, oil and gas, church management, or even football industries. Specialized MBAs are on the rise in both America and Europe, but there are many arguments for and against them. It’s important for students to find a program that gives them the right foundation in the business world, and many experts argue that specialties should be left for elective credits.
Should You Stay With a General MBA?
Why do some professors and business leaders question the wisdom of MBA specialties? It’s not only because they worry that thorough foundation learning could be effected. A specialized MBA is also limiting, and if you find yourself working in a different industry in the future, your education might not be applicable enough for perspective employers. That’s why younger students and those just entering the business world often choose to stick with a general MBA program, where their degree will be totally flexible and they can take the time to explore what type of career they should pursue.
Benefits of the Specialized MBA
The benefits of specialized MBAs for certain kinds of students are clear. If you already know the job you want, or if you’re trying to advance in a particular industry, a more tailor-made kind of graduate program can put you a step ahead of the competition. The coursework in a specialized program will help you directly apply your business knowledge to the industry you’re interested in, and many colleges and universities with specialized MBA programs in certain areas can offer you internships and important connections with leaders in that industry. Even more common specialized programs like marketing, health care management, or human resources ensure that you’ll be doing more of the work that really zeros in on your career.
Whether or not you choose a general or specialized MBA is completely dependent on what kind of student you are and what your career goals may be. The options are available to you, and their are valuable arguments on both sides. Either way, your MBA will help secure your future success.
