Most Commonly Asked MBA Questions

There are an increasing number of specialized MBAs, such as in Wine, Oil and Gas or Sports Management. However, debate still rages as to whether these MBAs are valuable to employers and it is always a good idea to find out from prospective employers what their opinions are before applying for one.

Simon Stockley, dean of the full time MBA at Tanaka Business School, says: We believe that the MBA is a general qualification and therefore an MBA in a subject is a contradiction in terms. At Tanaka, we feel people should think hard about the status of specialized MBAs and the message they send to employers, who still value a general MBA and, perhaps, question or don't value an MBA in anything. Alain Lempereur, a professor at ESSEC School of Management, where he teaches on both the Luxury Brand and Hotel Management MBAs, disagrees: Specialist MBAs allow less well-known schools to challenge the prevailing wisdom that schools that do well in macro-rankings are best at everything. It can be difficult for applicants to ascertain which schools are credible and which are simply jumping on the MBA bandwagon.

US schools tend to prefer two-year and European schools one-year programs, with a few exceptions (London Business School for example, allows you more freedom to time your MBA). A two-year course may allow an MBA to spend more time thinking about where he or she wants to go, to changing direction, and to developing ideas over a longer period of time. Naturally, two years out of the workplace and without earning, as well as the tuition and living costs, can add up to a more expensive experience, so budgetary concerns will vary.

One-year courses offer a shorter, sharper shock to the system. They are considered more heavyweight, in that students only have 12 months to cram everything in, but many graduates say they prefer this immersion method. It also means a return to the workplace more quickly and, therefore, perhaps, lower costs. There is no right or wrong length. Candidates must think carefully whether they want to take the time, and can afford the costs, that a two-year course entails or if they prefer to immerse themselves into a one-year course and get back to the workplace more quickly.

Most MBAs begin with a rough idea of future career direction. Others start with one idea and change through their studies. Some argue that the US-style 2-year MBA program gives students more time to make such changes. Then, there are those who attend business school to get fresh perspectives.

Julia Bykhovskaia, from Russia, made such a switch in her ambitions: In 2001, I began the NYU Stern MBA program. I originally wanted to major in marketing, but later switched to finance. I worked at BNP Paribas, then as a research analyst at 2 small brokerages specializing in distressed debt. I currently work as a research analyst at a hedge fund specializing in distressed debt.

Candidates should pay careful attention, before applying to business school to the quality of the careers office, as this is important in helping find your ideal role on graduation. Find out which companies they attract to the school to meet MBAs. Find out what they will proactively do to assist MBAs to get into well-paid and satisfactory employment, and how quickly. This is especially important on the European-style one-year programs on which candidates often get in touch with campus career services in the first month of their MBA.

Every year, hundreds of MBAs take time to use their MBA for worthy causes in developing countries. It's good for getting great international work experience under your belt and most find the experience very rewarding.

Many recent surveys have indicated that MBAs are strongly considering employers with proven and established Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices. The same is true for business schools, which are also beginning to realize the importance of CSR within their courses. Beyond Grey Pinstripes are leading the way in this field, producing rankings according to how MBA programs incorporate social and environmental issues into the training of future business leaders.