MBA, the preferred business degree

The Master of Business Administration Degree originated in the United States and was the outcome of a search for scientific approaches to business management. Throughout the twentieth century, European business schools developed their own variations of the MBA degree, often modeled along the lines of the US program. Today, it has been adopted by universities world wide, with all six habitable continents maintaining colleges and universities that offer the MBA degree.

MBA candidates receive a comprehensive business education

MBA students receive education in a wide variety of business related disciplines including economics, marketing, accounting, finance, operations management, international business, information technology management, project management, and government policies, just to name a few. Usually students study a broad range of general courses in the first year, then pursue a specialized curriculum in the second year. Full time students often seek an internship in the second year as well.

Concentrations for specialization and for the internship could focus on accounting, corporate strategy, decision sciences, entrepreneurship, project management, organizational behavior, international business marketing, and many other areas of business management and strategy. The possibilities are as endless as the types of businesses themselves. Programs may specialize even further, offering concentrations in Asian Business, real estate, insurance, sports management, or even consulting. In short, if the concept is used in a business, there is probably a course or program somewhere to provide the education.

Time commitment to achieve your MBA

The most common MBA program is the “full time” program which takes two years and often involves part time work in a “real world” environment where a student can practice the skills he/she is acquiring. One can also take an “Accelerated” program, which takes 18 months or less, but involves a heavier course load. If a student already has 10 years or so of work experience, the EMBA, or Executive MBA may be possible. Typically, the EMBA assumes a higher level of work experience and is designed for a manager to continue working full time while completing the degree.

And MBA means promotions, status, opportunity and $$$$

The MBA is such a widespread degree, encompassing millions of individuals from all nationalities, cultures, careers and types of businesses that there really is no “typical” MBA degree. The US MBA, in particular, is so widely respected and sought after that students from all over the world come to American universities—or take advantage of the online programs, to acquire the MBA. In fact, a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Education showed that MBA students in the United States alone are more diverse than students in any other graduate program.

What does this mean to you? It means that you are eligible to apply to an MBA program regardless of where you completed your undergraduate work. You do not need a particular undergraduate major, pre-MBA experience, extracurricular accomplishments, accumulated essays, or references. What you do need is motivation, self-awareness, realistic career goals, and a life-long desire to learn and continuously improve. MBAs, like the businesses they build and serve, never stop growing.

The MBA gives you knowledge about businesses and all related aspects. You not only learn about business through the traditional “text,” but you also apply the concepts to real world situations, thereby demonstrating your own leadership, creativity, ingenuity and business savvy. Whether you work online or at a traditional school, expect a rigorous program of assignments, reports, presentations and group projects. The knowledge and experience gained will help set you apart and make you an attractive candidate for the business career you are seeking.

According to The College Journal, MBA 2006 graduates with less than three years of work experience could expect to receive an average annual salary of $68,399 along with a signing bonus of $10,736. Those with more than six years experience could receive an average salary of $92,360 and a signing bonus of $17,603. In addition to the signing bonus, graduates typically receive an annual year-end bonus.

If you are already in a business career, completing your MBA degree will mean a substantial salary increase. According to Business Week, the average pay increase ranges from 10% to 82%, and most graduates will recover their tuition investment in three to five years.

Average Salaries—various industries that value the MBA

* Accounting: $63,210

* Economist: $70,000

* Finance: $40,000—$200,000; the wide variation depending on experience and clientele.

* Consulting: $88,000

* Management: from $100,000 to $800,000, the higher amounts reported for the CEOs of public companies.

* Marketing: from $60,000 to $140,000

* Sales: $60,000 to $120,000

Choosing your MBA program
Pursuing the MBA, whether in the traditional way on through online study is not something you should begin without careful thought. Talk to MBA recruiters, define your own career goal, and decide whether the MBA will give you the advancements and opportunities you want in your particular business area. If the MBA is right for you, you should apply certain criteria in choosing your school. The following are just a few criteria you will want to check out.

* Accreditation: Program specific as well as institutional accreditation

* Admission standards

* Cost/available financial aid

* Career placement assistance

* Faculty: Are the faculty experienced in real life business as well as in teaching.

* Facilities and Resources: What is the quality of the library. If you are pursuing online study, what is available in terms of a virtual library or peer networking.

* Reputation and Ranking

* State Regulations and Residency requirements

* Career placement history: what percentage of graduates are successful at finding work in their chosen fields

* Average graduate salaries

Online Learning is a total new experience in of its own type. Keeping few things in mind, you can enjoy learning online to its fullest. In this piece of writing I’ll share some important tips that will surely help you in your journey of e-learning.

(1). Have an open mind. Be ready to accept diversities. Learn to share experiences with fellow students. Remember it is not important that your fellows in a course be from your own territory, they may be from some where opposite in the globe.
(2). Keep a strict check on yourself. On one hand where online education facilitates you with ease at studying when free, on the other hand it may make you lazy. Make a timetable for yourself and follow it strictly.
(3). Set aside 4-5 hours, preferably more, daily for study. Then only would you get good grades.
(4). Learn to communicate problems with your instructors. An instructor won’t know you are facing a problem in learning or understanding something unless and until you speak up to him and tell him about it.
(5). Find out the institution that gives you best education for your money. There are websites on the internet that compare the pricing of different institutions. Thus giving you a better choice.
(6). Check the accreditations FIRST! An extremely important task it is. Never keep it aside. Give it first priority.
(7). Be a strong believer in the merits of online education. Never hesitate to advocate it in a group decision.
(8). Make a routine to log on to your learning management system daily or at least every alternate day.
(9). Be polite in discussions. Never taunt. Be rational and reasonable in your arguments.
(10). Improve your writing skills. Practice to communicate via writing effectively. Writing, or shall I say typing is the most important skill an online learner must possess. Your tutor assesses you by the words you have typed out to him. Feel comfortable at expressing yourself in writing.
(11). Never takes online education as an easy way to get education. The marking criteria, course, assignments and exams are all the same as in traditional colleges. They are not at all easier so never take them lightly or your grades would suffer.
(12). Try turning your mentality towards critical thinking. This way you’ll enjoy what you study.
(13). Instead of using internet from cafe’s or some other place. It is better you save some money and buys a computer and get a DSL internet connection. This way you will have access to the internet whenever you wish and will not have to worry about speed problems. A DSL connection solves it all for you.
(14). While studying online, mostly assignments and questions given by the instructors are based on critical thoughts. The answers are always easy, but never jump to conclusions. Sit back, relax, think and answer the questions even if you have a 24 hour submission quiz.
(15). Complete assignments at least a day before the given deadlines. Don’t wait till the last hour. Make a habit to complete at the earliest possible instance. Emergencies never knock!
(16). Communicate with your fellow course mates. You will get versatile ideas.
(17). Keep aside some space where you can sit and study daily for a few hours without any interruption.
(18). finally applies whatever you learn in your daily life. Try and implement it practically.

So it’s that time of the year when those of you…applying to B-school [business school] must be working furiously trying to put together your application package…Don’t sweat! Be pertinent to a B-school…is a great roller-coaster ride. “The earlier one learns to relax, the sooner one can begin to enjoy it, and…Do better justice to it.”  The on top of quotation applies to all applications to online college degree programs, not just to business school applications. Underneath are some of the supplies for applying to online colleges.

Fundamentals

If you are interested in online education, there may be some fundamentals required for the online degree program you choose. The best way to find out if basics are required and which ones are wanted is to make sure the online admissions pages of the college. Fundamentals will vary.

For an associate’s degree, you will need:

(1). A high school diploma or its equivalent or

(2). have a job, be at least 18 years old, and have Internet access.

(3). for some majors, such as English and mathematics, you may need to pass basic Competency English and mathematics tests or take prerequisite courses.

For a bachelor’s degree program, you will need:

(1). A high school diploma or its equivalent or an associate’s degree.

(2). For some majors, such as English and mathematics, you may need to pass basic Competency English and mathematics tests or take prerequisite courses.

To join a master’s program, you need:

(1). A bachelor’s degree from a college that is, at minimum, regionally accredited

(2). A 2.5 to 3.0 grade point average (GPA)

(3). Either the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).

For certification programs, you may need:

(1). A job in the field of the certification.

The College Application

To be relevant to an online college, you will need to provide your high school diploma or equivalent, all college transcripts, results of any tests that are required, and, perhaps, your birth certificate. You may have in the direction of take some of the tests state above. The GRE tests verbal and quantitative skills: vocabulary, reading understanding, and math, including statistics and algebra. The Miller Analogies Test (MAT) is math free. It tests your aptitude to think moderately, such as “Cat is to dog as kitten is to puppy.” The MAT is often required by graduate schools in education, human resources, library science and the common sciences. Graduate school in business or management often requires the GMAT. The GMAT does not test your knowledge of management or business. It tests verbal skills, mathematical knowledge (through calculus), and writing ability.

If the college you are interested in is accredited, it will accept course credit earned at other colleges. You will fill out paperwork and provide transcripts of the classes you have taken. Some online colleges give course glory for work experience; you may have to take a experiment to show how much you learned. Usually the application for an online college can be completed over the Internet. When you apply, you may meet with an advisor to help you in deciding which program to enroll in, how to apply for financial assistance, and answer your questions. Online colleges require access to the Internet. For that reason, the school may require you to have certain hardware and software programs. You may have to upgrade your computer to meet the supplies, for example, by purchasing more memory. Most online colleges require computers that are PCs quite than Apple Macintosh computers.

If you are applying to an online degree program, gather the required documents, take any tests required, and fill out an application. Confer with an advisory. Check to make sure you have the required computer means. After application support, you’ll be on your way!