FOCUS FEATURE
A MASTER’S DEGREE V/S AN MBA DEGREE
A lot of MBA aspirants who tread the MBA waters go into the course already decided on the specialisation or the subject that they wish to focus on in their second year. In that case, why not consider a master’s degree in the subject instead of an MBA? While an MBA allows for a specialisation in its second or third year, the information learnt in just a year might not be deep or sufficient enough. A master’s degree on the other hand, comprises an in depth, detailed study of a subject and is usually studied over two years. The choice between a master’s degree and the MBA must be closely associated with a student’s academic background. For a person looking to build on his/her academic subjects, a master’s degree outweighs an MBA. An MBA works for those looking to enhance a professional career or for those who wish to learn business without any kind of prior backing or education in it. yi
YI PERSPECTIVE The trend prevalent in India is to study for an MBA right after a bachelor’s degree. In truth, we think an MBA must be looked at as something that adds to a person’s credentials as opposed to something used to accelerate it. Rightfully, considering an MBA mid-way through your career would be ideal as it broadens knowledge while also accommodating on-the-job learning in the case of executive and part-time MBAs.
UNE PHOTOS, FLICKR
importance, management knowledge learnt from the MBA course weighed 14% and the reputation of the college from where the degree was pursued had a 11% value. There are also those who jump into an MBA with the sole purpose of making more money as opposed to being motivated to actually learn about business. At some point the stress of the degree will weigh a person down leaving one utterly disappointed. The best way out is to question what kind of job you would want if it wasn’t for the money. Disruption in employment is another drawback of pursuing an MBA. This holds true for the many who quit their jobs to pursue a fulltime MBA. On an average, an MBA might amount to either one or two years; having a gap of this duration on a résumé is always a bad idea and questions a person’s willingness and effciency to undertaking a job in managerial positions in top companies.
20 Youth Incorporated MARCH 2014
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