Master of Business Administration (MBA) is an internationally recognized degree, which has become one of the most popular professional degree programs in the contemporary world. MBAs are mostly taught in English and prepare students for careers in business and management by helping them develop technical managerial and leadership skills. Students develop these skills by working on real-world consulting projects and exploring different areas of the business field. The core subjects studied as part of an MBA program include accounting and finance, economics, marketing and operations. MBA programs usually offer students the opportunity to pick optional subjects as well, which allows students to dive deeper into areas that interest them the most and are relevant to their career aspirations.
Higher Education Institutions that offer MBA programs are highly likely to require students to have completed an internship at an organization or to have a few years of professional work experience.
Executive MBAs are also available at Institutions globally. They are different from the traditional MBA because they are aimed specifically at individuals who have extensive professional experience.
Having graduated with an MBA degree students have a wide choice of career options. They can find employment across different industries in both the public and private sectors and are not strictly limited to a career in business. MBAs also provide students with the opportunity to explore different business functions, such as accounting, operations, marketing, etc., and understand how each of them works. This increases their resilience and flexibility and enables them to work in different departments of an organization.
Throughout their programs, students gain practical experience and valuable skills as well as tackle challenges faced by business professionals in a real-world business setting by working on consulting projects. They develop important skills and knowledge thanks to the collaborative work with classmates which is common in MBA programs.
MBA programs also offer multiple opportunities for students to expand their network. Meeting people who they may collaborate with in the future creates many professional opportunities, such as finding a new job, transitioning to another industry or starting a business.
Additionally, the completion of an MBA degree is a prerequisite for quicker career progression and higher salaries. Individuals become more likely to land jobs high up in the organizational hierarchy, such as executive positions, or find employment abroad by completing an MBA degree program.
Last but not least, there are numerous part-time and online MBA degree programs, which offer high flexibility. Such programs enable individuals who are currently developing their professional careers to fit their studies into their busy schedules. Students on such programs are able to do the required work at the most convenient time and place for them without having to commit a full year (or two) to their studies. Sometimes MBA programs may be offered in the form of a hybrid between online and on-campus delivery, which provides the best of both worlds. Students enjoy the flexibility of an on-line program but also get that on-campus experience.
The average duration of a full-time MBA program is 18 months (or about 2 years). However, 1-year MBA programs are gaining popularity around the world. It is important to note that the duration of MBA programs may be largely influenced by the mode of study (part-time or full-time) and the type of the program (e.g. online or hybrid).
The traditional MBA is followed by EMBAs, which take 20 months to complete, and professional MBAs, which take 26 months to complete.
Being at IESE was one of the best experiences of my life:
1- Professionally: this MBA is one of the best connected schools with top consultancy and banking sectors. for example, the 3 MBBs come to the school to train and interview candidates, ensuring a higher successful rate. It allowed me to jump from a civil engineering position to work for McKinsey.
2- Personal and cultural : amazing transformative 2 years, with people from all over the world (73 nationalities in my class) with great values.
Totally worthy it.
View moreThis is the best universities ever I studied. I would like to say about there teaching profession skills and behaviour of faculty’s.This University make your dream come true.The mordenised classrooms and new technology adopted for teaching was so cool.
View moreEverything is great! Barcelona is the best location. It’s in Europe and the weather is amazing! You have the beach and the mountain in the same place. The program is super diverse in nationalities and industries. The faculty is very well prepared and academics are very high quality. Best value for the price!
View moreWhere to start? It’s been a ride, there’s been no time to reflect for sure. I’ve made great friends, met inspiring leaders, learnt a bunch and connected with a student cohort that is diversified, intelligent and super ambitious. It’s a scary lineup. World, look out.
View moreThe case-based approach is amazing. The student body is fun. The city is beautiful. Career opportunities are available. Good relationships with companies. Too much emphasis on internships. Not enough dedicated professors teaching disruptive topics.
View moreThe MBA at IESE Business School is academically intense, diverse and very interesting. Beyond the academics, however, there are so many opportunities to get involved with the school and your community. Clubs, case competitions, sports, music and other events organised by fellow students. This programme offers two years of incredible experiences that really are holistic and allow you to explore who you are and what you want to do.
View moreWhat I liked the most about IESE’s MBA was without a doubt the case method, teachers and people I met. The case method helps you think in a different and more strategic way, helps you clear up ideas and filter what’s important from what is not. Learning about different industries, backgrounds and people is what really makes you take the most about the MBA. Teachers know how to guide you and support you while working with new people broadens minds
View moreOverall an amazing experience. Global and very inclusive program that uses the case method to make students learn from their peers. The program offers international modules and a very comprehensive exchange offer to top up the experience.
View moreTo really enjoy IESE you need to be comfortable with learning through cases. Almost all courses (except some optatives) are case-based and you are exposed to ~500 cases throughout the MBA. Being based in Barcelona is also another great asset of IESE. Finally, the teaching staff and the student atmosphere are also great features of the IESE MBA.
View morePros:
– The class is one of the most diverse, if not the most diverse across not only cultural backgrounds but also professional backgrounds.
– The academic staff is top notch.
– The structure of the program is challenging.
Cons:
– Career services could be improved to be more open-ended instead of simply funneling students into two main career paths (consulting or IB).
– Conferences being paid for by the students is ridiculous. Having to rent the auditorium with a hefty fee after we’ve paid MBA tuitions seems greedy.
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