6 ways MBA programs have changed recently March 8, 2018

6 ways MBA programs have changed recently

No one can dispute the fact that MBA programs have grown tremendously in popularity over the past 10 years. An MBA is not what it used to be. That is because business schools know a thing or two about marketing and have adjusted their offerings to meet changes in demand. Change is necessary.

Below are 6 ways MBA programs have changed recently:

Wider range of specialisations

Highly popular about 10 years ago, MBA specialisations are making a comeback. However, those now being offered have changed. Previously, most were still related to established MBA topics - Finance, Marketing, Strategy and Technology – all of which are still highly-popular. However, new ones have emerged over the last few years – such as Luxury Goods, Healthcare, Aviation, Education and Energy. But just as employers demand more specialised graduate hires, the students are going to demand a broader range of specialisations to choose from.

Online MBAs will become more and more popular

People were apprehensive to study online programs, but now online education is becoming increasingly popular. Interactivity with online courses is higher than with classroom-based programs because you always have someone able to give feedback. There is no constraint of time zones—the world is your classroom.

Entrepreneurialism

The trend for an Entrepreneurial MBA shows signs of becoming increasingly popular by both students, who are considering starting their own business venture, and also by employers. London Business School and HEC Paris are just two of the leading schools that have seen a major shift towards MBA students pursuing entrepreneurial careers. Whereas in the past, big employers might have been reluctant to hire MBA graduates with significant entrepreneurship coursework for fear that the new recruits would use the job to learn the ropes before leaving to start ventures of their own, today’s large firms are increasingly recognising that innovation and entrepreneurial skills are vital to enable them to compete.

Curriculum changes

Schools have learned that changes to the global economic environment should mean a change in the "what" and the "how" students are taught. Changes to core curricula will be designed to respond to this trend to ensure that schools maintain their role in business education. Among the most significant changes to the new core curriculum are likely to include more focus on leadership, entrepreneurship, a broader range of specialist electives, inculcating even greater corporate/social responsibility into each module, introducing multi-viewpoint analysis, managing big data, global/multi-cultural communications and the aforementioned entrepreneurship.

International MBA programs

Whether you choose to earn your entire graduate business degree abroad or opt to spend a semester studying as part of an exchange program, your international experience will instantly set you apart and make you more attractive to employers.

Introduction of the Mini MBA

In order to be considered a mini-MBA program, in most cases, the programs are less than 100 credit hours of study, and most of them are much less than that. Depending on the chosen college or university, students may find that the program is a week-long, highly intensive classroom session. You might also find that schools will offer a mini-MBA program that has one class a month for several months. Some institutions will also offer online classes. The nice thing about this is students who are interested in this type of program can choose a school that best fits with their schedule.

Are you looking to for a mini MBA program? Why not contact us for more information on the mini MBA course we offer.