MBA Schools

A Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree provides the management skills and business expertise necessary to climb the corporate ladder to a higher-level, executive position in the business world. With specialties focusing in accounting, banking, finance, management, e-commerce, economics, human resources and operations, the right MBA school can be the key to attaining professional goals.

Getting into MBA Schools

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, workers with an advanced degree in business earn 50 percent more than undergraduates with an average salary of $74,602 a year. When applying to an MBA school, build a comprehensive application that describes any career goals the program could fulfill and any strengths the applicant brings to the program. This will also be covered during the interview process where prospective students will have the opportunity to demonstrate how they present themselves. Make sure that all prerequisite qualifications are met and the GMAT or GRE admission tests have been taken within the past five years. Apply to more than one program, have all paperwork completed and accurate, include letters of recommendation from professional individuals and any transcripts, resumes, work experience or other information showing any qualifications for the MBA program.

MBA Schools – Programs and Courses

A traditional MBA program takes two years, although accelerated and online programs are also available. Although no two MBA schools have the same curriculum, core subjects of accounting, economics, finance, human resources, organization design, marketing, operations, policy and quantitative methods and statistics are generally taught. During the second year of the program, students can pursue a more specialized curriculum. MBA students are taught with a hands-on approach of problem solving and internships are encouraged during the program.

Picking the right program should be based on budget, time commitment, focus and content. For a traditional MBA school, classes are only a few hours a day, while accelerated programs may require a six hour a day class commitment. Part-time and evening and weekend classes are also available. With some programs, fewer core classes are offered and the ability to specialize may be limited. If the program is structured around working students, an internship may not be a necessary part of the curriculum. Picking an accredited school will provide more career opportunities and could increase potential job offerings upon graduation.

Top MBA Schools

An MBA degree is the most popular master’s degree program. The U.S. News and World Report, Business Week, Financial Times, The Economist and the Wall Street Journal all publish annual rankings of select MBA programs. Each of them use a different method to establish the criteria in their ranking system based on empirical data, qualitative data based on survey research or a combination of the two. Because many schools are offering an MBA degree, the decision on which school to attend should be based on the individual needs of the prospective student. At present the top 5 ranked schools are the University of Notre Dame, University of Virginia, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Pennsylvania and Cornell University.

With increases in placement of MBA graduates in today’s economic environment, attending an MBA school can provide the skill set necessary to excel in the world of business. Get the educational background necessary to earn a higher salary while gaining advancement opportunities and techniques that meet the challenging demands of employers today.