6 Reasons Why You Don’t Need a Business Background to Study an MBA

Sponsored by Deakin Business School

In recent years there’s been a considerable shift in expectations when it comes to who is considered a ‘traditional’ MBA candidate in today’s rapidly evolving business world.

If you’re considering pursuing an MBA but don’t have a business background – have no fear! We’ve taken a look at some of the reasons why not having a business degree won’t hinder your chances of MBA success.

Believe it or not, applying to business school without a business degree can actually make you stand out for all the right reasons. You won’t be the first person to do it, and you certainly won’t be the last.

In 2017, the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) found that just over half of MBA candidates surveyed didn’t come from an undergraduate business background, which is good news if you’re thinking of getting an MBA and come from an industry such as engineering, medicine, humanities, law, or the charity sector (to give a few examples).

No matter your academic background, your undergraduate degree is likely to be far more relevant than you initially realize – it’ll have taught you valuable transferable skills that are essential for the MBA, such as critical-thinking, creative problem-solving and interpersonal skills.

You’ll also bring with you insights and experiences from your line of work that can be of great benefit in the classroom and allow you to offer alternative perspectives, ideas, and strategies that typical business candidates may not have considered. 

Deakin School of Business in Melbourne, Australia is no stranger to welcoming MBA candidates who have come from other career and industry pathways.

From professional cricket to the IT industry, Shawn Flegler is now the Female High Performance Manager at Cricket Australia, and he decided to study the Deakin MBA to help develop his business and management skills to better his success in leading the professionalization of women’s sport.

“Being involved in elite sport gives you some transferrable skills that are attractive to the business world, but I would be classed as a ‘technical specialist’ in that I have good knowledge of cricket. I wanted to broaden my knowledge so that I become a better manager and leader within Australian Cricket,” said Shawn.

“Time management, self-discipline, persistence, working in teams are all part of studying an MBA and I believe are all attributes that potential employers look for, and are things that I look for as a manager,” he added. 

If you’ve got experience of working in a managerial or leadership role – regardless of industry – think about how your ‘unconventional’ background has presented you with certain challenges and how you overcame them.

Did you participate in the launch of a new product or land a big contract for your employer? Was there a group project that was struggling to get off the ground, but you were able to lead the team and turn it into a winning proposal?

Success stories like these illustrate the skills and abilities necessary for the MBA.