There is some debate on whether or not a master’s in business is worthwhile. Some say that an MBA is critical to your success, but they are now an outdated concept. An MBA could be considered outdated when it doesn’t give you the specific knowledge and skills that you need to further your own ambitions. There are many, many more business degrees than a master’s in business administration. Multiple management degrees help you properly prepare yourself to lead a team or even start a business while offering a unique approach depending on the field you are entering from.
From choosing the right degree to tips to help you successfully complete said degree, this guide has everything you need to know:
Online or On-Campus?
The first answer you are going to need to answer for yourself is whether you need the campus environment or if an online education is better suited for you. Your answer should be personal to you. If you have tried online education before and found that you couldn’t click with it, then campus-based education might be a better fit.
If you want to continue working or don’t want to move to attend the universities you are looking to apply to, then online education is far preferable. It will be the go-to option for most professionals since distanced learning offers these key benefits:
- Lower costs, as you can live further out and benefit from lower costs of living than moving to the campus.
- Greater flexibility to juggle work and personal responsibilities alongside your degree.
- The ability to apply to the best universities and programs, regardless of where you live.
Online education was a terrible choice in the past because technology just was not at the level necessary to provide an engaging learning environment. Those days are long past. You will now learn from a series of different formats, from vodcasts and podcasts to live video discussions.
There are endless opportunities when you choose online, but that choice has to be yours and yours alone. Once you decide on the format of education you are happy with, it’s next time to find the right degree for your goals.
The Many Business Degrees Available
There are many business degrees out there. This top university offers half a dozen MSc Management distance learning options alone, and their offering is just the tip of what is out there. To give you a taste, here are some of the most popular management degrees available today:
- Business and management is a staple option, giving you the skills and business strategies necessary to not just lead a team but to lead a business.
- Management and finance is perfect for those looking to become a leader in finance. Not only will you learn key business strategies to help with your company’s bottom line through reporting and analysis, you will also become more confident in leading a finance team (or teams).
- Global business management works for teaching you how to lead a business with a global focus. You will develop the skills necessary when navigating the global industry and all of its dynamics.
- Business and entrepreneurship are perfect for those looking to start their own business, as it works to air innovative thinking skills with the essential knowledge that business owners and managers need to start and grow a company.
- Management and innovation are ideal for those looking to move up in the world of research and development. R&D is a huge component to businesses and society at large, and knowing how to push the creativity and productivity of your teams successfully is a must.
- Management in a digital economy can help you lead a business that needs to constantly prepare itself and adopt new technologies. You will learn how to make strategic business decisions in the fast-paced world of the digital.
Choosing the Right Degree for You
Choosing the right degree for you can be difficult, but by using this checklist, you can narrow down your options and enroll in the right choices for you:
Know What You Want
Know what you want out of your career and your life. If your goal is to start a business, then you will want a different degree than if you want to become an executive head of an international conglomerate. By knowing what you want and the best options to branch your existing qualifications into the business and management world, you can choose the right degree options.
Explore the Course Options
Don’t stop there. To narrow down your options further, you will want to look at all the courses you can take and what they promise to teach you. Not every degree is built the same, so you want to really delve into what they offer.
Ensure It Offers Ample Student Support
Online and on-campus education should offer ample student support. This particularly applies online, as your options in terms of who you can as for help are going to automatically be limited. Know you have the support, know what that support is, and most importantly, use it when you need it.
Learn More About the Faculty
Explore the faculty and learn more about their own history and qualifications. If you admire those you are learning from, then you will automatically have a better experience. If you don’t think your educators are that accomplished, then you will not get as much real-world advice and experience to help you with your own ambitions.
Get Feedback from the Graduates
Finally, look for either reviews posted by graduates online, or look for graduates themselves on sites like LinkedIn to ask them directly what they thought of the course, what they really got out of the course, and above all else, what they would have wanted more out of the course. Sometimes their insight can help you understand the quality of the course; other times they can help you understand what you personally need to do in order toget the most out of the degree you have picked out for yourself.
