The MBA is generally seen as the door into senior management. It trains you to become literally that: a Master of business. You will be equiped to manage and lead an organisation, and be qualified to make complex and risk-taking decisions. This will elevate you onto a platform that will open up opportunities to you that you may have not before.

Motivations to study an MBA
Some of the reason people pursue an MBA are: increase career opportunities, to become the CEO or MD or a corporation, increase in salary, to know that they are at the top of their game in terms of business edcuation, or even to make business associations (and life-long friends). In terms of salary, see this chart showing salary by job type for MBA graduates.

History of the MBA
An MBA (Master of Business Administration) originated in the US during the 19th century. It is a master's degree in business administration and is steadily growing in popularity amongst graduates and business people who are looking for career advancement.
In the 19th Century as the US became industrialized, the demand for business skills grew significantly. It was then that the first MBA was available at the University of Pensylvania. It wasn't until the 1950s that MBAs could be studied outside of the US. Today MBA degrees are available in most developed countries.

MBA via Online Learning
MBAs have traditionally been studied full-time on-campus or part-time. Whilst this is still popular, with advent of elearning systems, distance learning with the education delivered via the Internet is becoming an increasingly popular option for busy professionals.

MBA with a specialisation
The sylabus of the MBA degree varies from program to program. Core subject areas include economics, marketing, finance, project management and business ethics. Students will often be given the opportunity to specialize in a chosen subject area after studying a broad range of topics early in the program. Click here to learn more about the pros-and-cons of a Generalist vs Specialist MBA.

Accreditation of MBAs
There are several accreditation bodies that cover MBA degrees. Opting to study an MBA program accredited by a particular body is indicative to your future potential employer of the strengths of the MBA program you completed. It is always worth checking an MBA program is accredited by a recognized body before you pursue it. For US MBA programs, the main accreditation body is the AACSB or the Association of Advance Collegiate Schools of business. In the UK and Europe, and also in many other countries it is the Association of MBAs, and also for countries in Europe and elsewhere there is EQUIS.

Admission to the MBA
Being admitted to an MBA program will usually depend on a range of criteria: from academic records to personal recommendations and of course work experience. Some courses are particularly intensive, so schools will want to establish that potential students are able to cope with the workload an MBA program requires.

Do the research first
Today the MBA is one of the most popular masters' degrees to pursue. Because of it's popularity many more universities have begun to offer the subject. This has led to many different types of MBA program being available, varying in course structure as well as the quality of the degree. It is worth investigating all of your options before settling on an MBA program.