Executive MBA Guide: MBA For Working Professionals

MBA For Working Professionals

Contents

An Executive MBA is a type of MBA of working professionals, but not the only one. MBA for working professionals is a wider set of courses which differ from an Executive MBA in many ways.

Who is an MBA for working professionals meant for?

Let’s see – do you dream of managing your own business someday? Do you find the idea of leading a team and taking up responsibilities of the managerial position exciting? Are you looking for a course that won’t require you to lose your job – your only source of income? Then an MBA program designed for working professionals would be your best bet!

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An MBA or Masters of Business Administration enhances a person’s managerial, leadership and business skills. An MBA candidate always has a superior knowledge and capability regarding Business Management, Marketing, Finance, Operations Management and other Management subjects.

While full-time MBA programs are full-fledged 2-year or 1-year residential courses, MBA’s for working professionals are a special class of MBA programs that give professionals with more work experience most of the benefits of an MBA while also allowing them continue to pursue their career and delivering on their many responsibilities that come with having a family.

There are different types of MBAs for working professionals:

Part-time MBA

This program allows a candidate to choose his/her desired timing for attending classes. For example, a person having full-time employment is free to pursue a part-time MBA program and schedule classes either in the evening or join the weekend batch.

Distance MBA/ Online MBA

In this type of program, no physical presence is required and this course type includes Online MBA courses. Any working person can take up a distance MBA program and study from online materials, through live or recorded classes. Reading material is sent through courier or electronically. However, physical attendance is usually required for taking the exams of such courses.

Executive MBA or (EMBA)

This is a type of part-time MBA targeted at a very specific audience. These courses are meant for middle to senior professionals with on average 10+ year’s of work experience. EMBA candidates can attend classes either on the weekends or in the evenings. This program ensures continuity in one’s work life and enhances one’s professional skills.

Also Read – ESMT Berlin MBA Offers More Flexibility, Program Duration Extended by 2 Months

Advantages And Disadvantages Of MBA For Working Professionals

Advantages

Being a full-time employee, you will definitely have certain advantages of taking up a professional MBA course, including –

No Career Break & No loss of Salary

Since you don’t need to leave your job for an EMBA, Online or Distance MBA, or Part-Time MBA, you continue to grow in your profession while studying and draw all the benefits of employment including a salary.

Add to this the perks of no need to search for a job after graduation, sit for placements and the advantages of these courses are obvious.

Cost Saving

A consistent salary while you pursue these programs, means a lesser impact on your savings compared to the financial hit borne by a full-time MBA students. Every penny helps when you are a professional and what could be better than being able to recover the costs of education while you study?

Further, a lot of EMBA students have their tuition sponsored by their employers which cuts out the cost of loans. Such largess is rarely available to those pursuing a full-time MBA.

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Flexibility

Unlike full-time MBA programs that have a very strict schedule requiring your full commitment, distance or online MBA programs can be easily customized around your schedule.

Learning at your own pace

Remember that over-smart kid in your school who always had the answer to the teacher’s questions and made you feel embarrassed to ask your doubts? Well you can avoid him entirely in an MBA program for working professionals and spend as much time on every aspect of your course as you like.

Quite like school, the problem with full-time MBA programs in college is that the students that make up the classroom often dictate the speed of teaching. Many students who come from a non-quantitative background or a non-business background find it tough to keep pace in courses dealing with data science and business analytics.

On the other hand a person with a information technology background may be completely at bay in the marketing or finance class. In a distance or online mode, you decide the pace of the class.

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Disadvantages

On the flipside, there are a few downsides of pursuing an MBA for working professionals, which include –

Time Constraints

A person pursuing an MBA along with his job, would need to juggle work, studies and family. Staying focused can become on issue and instead of gaining at work, it’s easy to get lax and find the boss complaining about dipping quality of work or late assignments. You can see the irony – the course that is meant to improve your prospects at work, may well hurt your career if you are not careful!

Finding time for family and friends will also be tough. Angry calls from your girlfriend or wife would not be out of the ordinary if you head towards an EMBA!

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Preference for EMBA over Distance MBA

HR at most companies prefer a candidate with an EMBA degree rather than Distance MBA because of the in-class learning component and the more selective and through admission process.

Look out for the B-School’s reputation and accreditation of the course to play it safe when choosing a course.

No Peer to Peer learning

Considerable learning in an MBA comes from your peers who bring a wealth of experience into a classroom – it’s not uncommon to have a doctor or CA sitting next to you in class. No such luxury in an MBA for working professionals.

Top MBA for working professionals in India, Canada, USA, UK, Australia

Here are some of the better known MBA programs for working professionals. By no means is this list comprehensive and these are just a few of the top programs in India, Canada, USA, UK and Australia.