MBA is The Most Sought After Degree According to Survey
A worldwide survey of prospective graduate-level business students finds that although the MBA is still the most sought-after degree, close to half the candidates are considering non-MBA master’s programs in business, and one in five isn’t thinking about an MBA at all.
The latest report from the annual GMAC Survey of more than 12,000 global candidates finds that in the past five years, those focusing exclusively on specialized master’s degrees increased from 13 percent to 20 percent, as candidates exclusively considering MBAs declined from 55 percent to 53 percent. Meanwhile, crossover demand prospects considering both MBA and non-MBA specialized master’s programs in business declined from about a third to a quarter. The Graduate Management Admission Council conducted the survey of prospective business students who registered on mba.com, the web portal for those interested in graduate business education and the official website of the GMAT exam.
Business schools are drawing more diverse students overall, but they are finding the applicant pools becoming more distinct, said Gregg Schoenfeld, GMAC director of survey research.
Speaking at AMBA’s recent International Conference for Deans and Directors, Mr Main Wilson echoed comments by guest speaker and Google France Managing Director Nick Leeder. Despite the rise of online learning, the face-to-face element still remains the strongest part of the MBA learning experience, Mr Main Wilson said. His comments came after Mr Leeder revealed that even Google prefers face-to-face interaction, using video-conferencing and other technology as a communication tool only when physical contact is not possible.
Google’s corporate culture relies on the concept Food, fun, data, and we encourage the idea of our employees eating together and enjoying one another’s company, as that allows ideas to spread easily, said Leeder, urging business schools to create the right conditions for stimulating creativity and innovation. The AMBA International Conference for Deans and Directors, which took place last week in Paris (from 28 to 30 April), had its highest ever attendance with over 250 delegates from 127 business schools in 47 countries.
MBA employers and executive search recruiters revealed the attributes they are looking for in future MBA graduates, and these included optimism, resilience, embracing ambiguity, bosslessness (ability to work with minimal contact with manager and as part of a wider team) and international experience (ideally in at least two cultures in addition to the home culture). MBA employers are also looking for MBA students who are gaining experience in addition to their degrees, such as being involved in charity and community work, being active in the student community, setting up their own business ventures and participating in competitions and challenges, thus developing skills critical for their future success.
A worldwide survey of prospective graduate-level business students finds that although the MBA is still the most sought-after degree, close to half the candidates are considering non-MBA master’s programs in business, and one in five isn’t thinking about an MBA at all.
The latest report from the annual GMAC Survey of more than 12,000 global candidates finds that in the past five years, those focusing exclusively on specialized master’s degrees increased from 13 percent to 20 percent, as candidates exclusively considering MBAs declined from 55 percent to 53 percent. Meanwhile, crossover demand prospects considering both MBA and non-MBA specialized master’s programs in business declined from about a third to a quarter. The Graduate Management Admission Council conducted the survey of prospective business students who registered on mba.com, the web portal for those interested in graduate business education and the official website of the GMAT exam.
Business schools are drawing more diverse students overall, but they are finding the applicant pools becoming more distinct, said Gregg Schoenfeld, GMAC director of survey research.
Speaking at AMBA’s recent International Conference for Deans and Directors, Mr Main Wilson echoed comments by guest speaker and Google France Managing Director Nick Leeder. Despite the rise of online learning, the face-to-face element still remains the strongest part of the MBA learning experience, Mr Main Wilson said. His comments came after Mr Leeder revealed that even Google prefers face-to-face interaction, using video-conferencing and other technology as a communication tool only when physical contact is not possible.
Google’s corporate culture relies on the concept Food, fun, data, and we encourage the idea of our employees eating together and enjoying one another’s company, as that allows ideas to spread easily, said Leeder, urging business schools to create the right conditions for stimulating creativity and innovation. The AMBA International Conference for Deans and Directors, which took place last week in Paris (from 28 to 30 April), had its highest ever attendance with over 250 delegates from 127 business schools in 47 countries.
MBA employers and executive search recruiters revealed the attributes they are looking for in future MBA graduates, and these included optimism, resilience, embracing ambiguity, bosslessness (ability to work with minimal contact with manager and as part of a wider team) and international experience (ideally in at least two cultures in addition to the home culture). MBA employers are also looking for MBA students who are gaining experience in addition to their degrees, such as being involved in charity and community work, being active in the student community, setting up their own business ventures and participating in competitions and challenges, thus developing skills critical for their future success.