Careers

MBA Power Moves

MBA or Master of Business Administration is the top graduate management degree. For some its a step toward a business or entrepreneurial career. Others see it as the ultimate badge of academic and professional excellence.

Who takes the degree?
Normally, men and women pursue an MBA to climb the career ladder in their current job field. Others are switchers seeking career changes and better choices in the ob market. Entrants normally hold a first degree, but there is room for persons determined to succeed in business affairs.

Yeah, but what really attracts them?
Gaining higher pay, networks of powerful contacts and the skills needed to run their own business - that's what MBA candidates say they want out of their degree.

What's the curriculum like?
It's a challenging mixture of theory and practice in the management of large-scale business institutions. Expect to grapple with problems in information technology, marketing strategies, industrial relations policy, business in the community. Many schools require students to analyse case studies in managing organisational change, recruitment, promotion and retention of personnel, and ensuring minority success. For general information and scholarship and awards details, see key web sites listed below.

Who are the leading schools with good records for academic study and graduate employment?
In America there are Columbia University, Northwestern, Harvard, MIT, Rice, Stanford and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. In England and Ireland there's Cranfield, Lancaster, London Business School and University College Dublin.

Any innovative educational packages?
For those thinking of working for a dot com or starting their own online enterprise, what could be better than studying for the MBA via the Internet? Enquire at City University, Durham, Leicester, Strathclyde, Warwick, Henly and the Open University.

What kind of jobs accept the MBA?
Depending on your interest and skills, you can expect to get a welcome from consultancy, management, finance, banking, business and industrial organisations; and generally from any enterprise that values managers with sound ideas, talent and leadership skills.

Give me some company names.
Look in the advertising and financial pages of the major newspapers. Check out money indexes such as the FTSE, and the Financial Times and Fortune.

Will attending careers fairs be of use to me?
They are crucial. "Our Careers Fair has established itself as one of the UK's most successful venue for corporations to recruit African and Caribbean professionals," says Brenda King, Chair, African and Caribbean Forum.

"We encourage you to use the Careers Fair to network, socialise and gain momentum to contribute to a world-wide movement for the creation of Black economic and intellectual wealth," say Antoinette Malveaux, president and CEO, and Michael A Mobley, Chairman, National Black MBA Association, Inc.

Any pitfalls in this rosy picture?
Saundra Glenn, careers fair manager for London-based Recruiting for the 21st Century believes the recruitment issue is an ongoing one, and "there is still a great deal of work to be done before black graduates have equal access to the corporate sector".

 

Key websites for MBA information


Key Websites for UK scholarships and awards