MBA focus

Hi guys
I'm going to study an MBA in Birmingham , the course offers 4 options as a focus , according to the electives and the project :
- Marketing
- Finance
- International Trade and Finance
- Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour

What do you think is the best one to choose? And why?

Reply 1

Excellence

Dear Hamdi,

Please choose an MBA that is placed in the financial times list or Gordon Brown's HSMP list as this represent the recognised top programme, currently there are 10 of UK schools in the list, notably London Business School, Manchester Business School, Said Business School, Strathclyde Business School, Warwick Business School..Bradford School of Management.

This two ranking measures the employability in terms of salary, amongst others. I will suggest that you look into Bradford as the programme is excellent and the facilities are superb! It is also ranked 4th in the world, ahead of Chicago, INSEAD and London in terms of value for money!!! ie low costs but highest returns in terms of outcome.

Forget an MBA in XXX as an MBA is supposedly generic so it is oxymoron!
Forget Birmingham as well!

Reply 2

Hamdi

Thnx Excellence, in fact I knew about this a little late, I can't forget about Birmingham now as everything is paid and ready to go! This ranking thing is really misleading , in the Economist ranking for 2005 Birmingham was no 1, while it is the 11th on the FT list .. Schools on the HSMP list are extra expensive .. It was really hard to decide ..

Reply 3

Excellence

Maybe you can recover your costs as you have not commence on your MBA yet and the university cannot forfeit your fees if you tell them you are not coming.

Bradford and Strathclyde as far as I know are not too expensive as they are not in big cities. I think they are less then £17,000. Manchester and London has the American style programme of 18 months and 24 months so they are more expensive like £28k and £38k respectively but for that you get more support in your career.

Reply 4

Hamdi

Hi Excellence,
Thnx for that, in fact I had a scholarship and the best I could get with the money was Birmingham, I didn't want to pay more. Now with the amazing CV you have, my future aim is to get a PhD, do you think I have a good chance to get a scholarship for it? Is it expensive? What do you advice me to do?

Reply 5

Excellence

Hi Hamdi,

PhD scholarship in management, offered by the institution or the industry, is very hard to come by, especially in a reputable university or business school. It is easier to get studentship in some lower runked universities, but that should not be the aim :smile:

In fact a PhD is about £30,000 for three years so it is about the same price as a MBA!

Reply 6

sylvester

hey excellence, any chance of a link to the above league tables(financial times and the world one) also, do you think sandwhich degrees carry better job prospects?x

Reply 7

Hamdi

sylvester

hey excellence, any chance of a link to the above league tables(financial times and the world one) also, do you think sandwhich degrees carry better job prospects?x

Hi sylvester,
check these links
http://rankings.ft.com/rankings/mba/rankings.html

http://www.mbaworld.com/

Reply 8

Excellence

Hi Sylvester,

I guess you must refer to a UG sandwich degree. It was originally a new university ploy but prove to work in increasing UG employment after graduation.

Instead of a three year degree, you do a placement after year 2 for one year. Upon returning, you will have a good idea of the business work environment and able to contribute better in your final year. Also you may secure a job offer in the same company after placement.

However, you will be 'wasting' one year of 'real' work and salary! My feeling is that once you have a top degree (2.1 above) from a top business school (e.g. Warwick), you will be able to get into a good job almost immediately......so it is a chicken and egg issue.

Hopes this helps

ps: there is also a 'sandwich' MBA offered at MBS and LBS where instead of placement, you secure an internship with a top company and you will be offered something like £500-700 per week!

Reply 9

Hamdi

Hi Excellence,
So what do you advice me to do to enhance my chances to get a scholarship for a PhD?

Reply 10

Excellence

One in 20 for a good and famous British business school like Manchester and Bradford.

Manchester Business School, once in a while, would offer advertisements on funded places in one specific topic. Bradford works slightly differently, based on recommendation, usually to its outstanding postgrad who wishes to continue on a PhD. Nottingham, as far a I know, could offer funded places as well but that is also thru recommendations.

London Business School, if one qualifies, would stand a very good chance for some grants and support. So it is much higher over than like 1 in 5 but getting in is a difficulty :smile:

Reply 11

Hamdi

Thank you Excellence, I appreciate it..