Share this article on...
Contact Us
- Report errors or inaccuracies topmba@qsnetwork.com
- Contribute articles contribute@qsnetwork.com
- Advertise advertise@qsnetwork.com
MBA or Masters: the dilemma of choice
Thinking business education? Thinking graduate school? Which qualification should you enrol in – the MBA or the Masters?
Having recently celebrated its 100th birthday at one of the world’s most prestigious institutions, Harvard Business School, the MBA has seen much news coverage over the last year 18 months. Feted as one of the essential qualifications to have as a graduate entering the world of business, the MBA is, however, a comparatively youthful study program when set against the older and more established Masters degree. First awarded in 859 in Morocco, the Masters degree is universally recognized as a higher qualification that confers advanced skills on its holder, irrespective of the subject area in which the degree is earned.
Any discussion of the differences between the two qualifications cannot be entirely separated from the current economic and financial crisis. With close to 100,000 MBA graduates a year leaving US business schools and universities alone, 40% of whom traditionally enter finance or finance-related careers, the undeniable link between the MBA degree and the financial turmoil of the last 12 months has caused many to question both the validity and position of the MBA qualification in today’s globalized education system.
“My view is you cannot create a manager in a classroom, let alone a leader"
Henry Mintzberg, Professor of Management Studies at Canada’s McGill University, is perhaps the most vocal of the recent critics of the MBA qualification. “My view is you cannot create a manager in a classroom, let alone a leader. You simply can't. Management is not a science, it's not a profession, it's a practice; you learn it by doing it. To claim that you're training people who are not managers to be managers, is a sham, pure and simple, it's a sham. You can't do it. You give completely the wrong impression and you send them out with an enormous amount of hubris which is, 'I can manage anything, even though I've never managed anything'.”
MBA or Masters – the differences
The candidate
So, against this background, what are the essential differences between the MBA and the Masters degree, particularly those in the more specialized business, finance and management fields? The first area to examine is undoubtedly that of the candidate’s experience before they apply. The intention of both degrees is different – MBAs seek to develop appropriate skills on a foundation of a candidate’s life or professional experience, while the majority of Masters degrees build on the academic background of the student.
The program
The second most significant difference between the two graduate-level degrees is that of teaching style. While there have been tremendous developments in the way in which all university programs are taught, particularly with the introduction of new online learning technologies, MBA and Masters programs enjoy entirely different learning styles. Traditional MBA programs are dominated by what is referred to as ‘case studies,’ real world examples of business issues or problems that students are expected to explore, discuss and reflect on in small groups or ‘syndicates’ of fellow students. While the more traditional lectures and tutorial classes also feature in some MBA programs, these are far less common than in their Masters degree counterparts.
Masters programs continue to develop their teaching methodologies around classroom or laboratory-based activities
Masters programs, on the other hand, continue to develop their teaching methodologies around classroom or laboratory-based activities such as lectures, tutorials or presentations. While small group work can be a feature of some Masters programs, the emphasis on individual or independent learning is often more significant than in many MBA degrees.
Specializations
Perhaps one of the best illustrations of the difference between an MBA and a Masters-level qualification can be seen in a specialized area such as human resource and personnel management. Where the generalized approach common in many MBA programs is sufficient to equip a student for a range of business-related situations, the more specialized nature of a Masters qualification provides the candidate with the precise academic and theoretical framework to tackle a specific area. In some cases, the difference between the two in a particular area can also be practical in the sense of the teaching style, content of the program and opportunities to develop subject knowledge.
