MBA Smurfit School?

parker kent

steve9859 wrote: »

A Trinity or UCD MBA might be valued in Ireland, but if someone is going to spend €30k (+ salary foregone) doing an MBA, they should think long and hard about whether they want to risk being restricted to only looking in Ireland for a job (as has been agreed by most posters, an Irish MBA does not travel overseas). Do an MBA in the UK and you have the whole of UK, Ireland and the rest of Europe to look at - much better chance of getting a return on your investment.

If committed to staying in Ireland, I would recommend following a more focussed course of study - do a masters in whatever is relevant to the job to which you aspire

I have said throughout the thread that the choice of whether and where to do an MBA depends on the individual. It is up to the individual to weigh the pros and cons of each option.

All I have been arguing is that Smurfit is not as bad as was portrayed earlier in the thread. Also UCD and Trinity are not as poor as was later claimed in the thread.

Also, an MBA in Smurfit is not at all suitable for an undergrad given one of the entry requirements is 3 years experience.

PeakOutput

parker kent wrote: »

Also, an MBA in Smurfit is not at all suitable for an undergrad given one of the entry requirements is 3 years experience.

they do take people with no experience they specifically told me that if i meet the other requirements the experience would be something that could be gotten around. so if the op decides thats what he wants he has a chance so maybe explain why getting experience first would be a better option or going to a different masters?

ardmacha

they do take people with no experience

That would worry me in itself. One of the things about an MBA is not only the alumni but the interaction in class between people experienced in business. If that was promised to me and I forked out 30 grand, I wouldn't be impressed to have people in the class with no experience. I doubt if any respectable place abroad would admit someone without experience. To misquote Groucho Marx if I was an undergrad without experience I would refuse to pay €30,000 to any MBA that would have me. Go back when you have grown up.

parker kent

PeakOutput wrote: »

they do take people with no experience they specifically told me that if i meet the other requirements the experience would be something that could be gotten around. so if the op decides thats what he wants he has a chance so maybe explain why getting experience first would be a better option or going to a different masters?

I didn't actually say they don't take such people, I said it was not suitable for undergrads. Most masters have a 2.1 degree as an entry requirement, yet people with 2.2s are accepted into them.

An MBA is about two main things: people with experience interacting in class and learning about ways of running a business. Look at the line Smurfit use when describing who should apply for an MBA.

Those who want to take time out from their career to develop management skills and learn how to run a business more efficiently

http://www.smurfitschool.ie/mbaprogrammes/full-timemba/

How exactly do you see an undergrad with no experience or career suiting such a class? They will be wasting their own money, wasting an opportunity to get a more useful qualification and wasting the time/money of the people in the class who actually are meant to be there.

Also, most employers would see an undergrad doing an MBA straight after college as unusual. It is putting the cart before the horse. In interviews you will be on the backfoot as you'll be faced with questions as to why you made such a decision. There are lots of better options for an undergrad wishing to study Graduate Business courses.

PeakOutput

parker kent wrote: »

I didn't actually say they don't take such people, I said it was not suitable for undergrads. Most masters have a 2.1 degree as an entry requirement, yet people with 2.2s are accepted into them.

An MBA is about two main things: people with experience interacting in class and learning about ways of running a business. Look at the line Smurfit use when describing who should apply for an MBA.


http://www.smurfitschool.ie/mbaprogrammes/full-timemba/

How exactly do you see an undergrad with no experience or career suiting such a class? They will be wasting their own money, wasting an opportunity to get a more useful qualification and wasting the time/money of the people in the class who actually are meant to be there.

Also, most employers would see an undergrad doing an MBA straight after college as unusual. It is putting the cart before the horse. In interviews you will be on the backfoot as you'll be faced with questions as to why you made such a decision. There are lots of better options for an undergrad wishing to study Graduate Business courses.

I would argue that they fulfill a specific need in the mba. that of a new bright eyed enthusiastic intelligent person who hasnt learned the limitations of the real world yet and can offer a different prospective on the things being learned.

Now I am sure I only think this because while i do have work experience I consider myself as having zero experience when it comes to an mba because the area I want to go into is so different to the one I have experience in

also I dont see a problem with people with no experience wanting to learn about things like entrepreneurship which some mbas specialize in. trust me if I could find a course of the same quality as the entrepreneurship track in mits mba or the joined computer science and mba course in ucla I would take them in a second as they would be far cheaper and probably far easier to get into but I havn't been able to find them (no joke if you know of any courses that might suit I would love to be made aware of them)

parker kent

I think you are viewing this through your undergraduate eyes. An undergrad should not be doing an MBA. Your "bright eyed" line is just not true. They'll go in there with zero practical knowledge of how to run a business and will probably just píss off those who have worked in business.

PeakOutput

parker kent wrote: »

I think you are viewing this through your undergraduate eyes. An undergrad should not be doing an MBA. Your "bright eyed" line is just not true. They'll go in there with zero practical knowledge of how to run a business and will probably just píss off those who have worked in business.

man there was even too many typos in my last post even for my liking, some of them are corrected.

ye you might be right but if they served no purpose I dont think the top courses would consistently let them in when they have more then enough professionals applying for spots but you could be right

parker kent

PeakOutput wrote: »

man there was even too many typos in my last post even for my liking, some of them are corrected.

ye you might be right but if they served no purpose I dont think the top courses would consistently let them in when they have more then enough professionals applying for spots but you could be right

I think UCD in general are just taking as many applicants as possible. A bit sad really that the bar to entry is being lowered to make money.

PeakOutput

parker kent wrote: »

I think UCD in general are just taking as many applicants as possible. A bit sad really that the bar to entry is being lowered to make money.

I agree with that and that was one of the main criticisms that the ex lecturers I was talking about made basically if you can afford it you will get in

MBA

Interesting discussion...

Can I just clarify, that the Smurfit MBA does NOT consider applicants with no post-degree professional experience nor takes in anybody who wants to pay for it -I know this from a good source...

Toplink

Considering doing the Smurfit Exec MBA in September. I see they have an open day next week.

Have any of you had any experience of getting your employer to pay(fully or partially) for your fees? I am looking to go this route as I wouldn't be able to finance it otherwise.

I work/live in Galway so would have to make the trek up on Fridays and back Saturday which I don't mind. Is this a 6 week block per semester?

steve9859

I have done an MBA at one of the big two Irish schools quite recently, and I just have one contribution:

DO NOT DO AN MBA IN IRELAND!!!!!! IMO I made a really bad call.

They are of zero value outside of Ireland. In my experience they are unrecognized as decent MBAs (despite the top 100 ranking) and most people, even in London, haven't even heard of them.

Their alumni networks are simply crap in comparison to British schools. And for 30 grand you want post MBA support as well as just the education

They may be of some value if you definately want to stay in Ireland, in which case go to UCD ad they at least make sone effort at tying up with Irish industry. But to spend 30 grand on a course that is only recognized domestically when there might not be any domestic market to get a job in when you graduate seems like a poor investment. Go to the UK to get yourself more options. The costs of MBAs are generally the same everywhere - you will just have to factor in accommodation costs.

Toplink

Thanks for feedback Steve,

My situation would limit me to an Irish MBA unless I did it distance learn. Also I do intend staying in the current company that I am in (for now anyway). I would see the MBA as a vital tool for getting up the ladder within the company I am in or indeed if I ever decide to set my own company. I am in a technical role at present.

You'd rate UCD higher then Smurfit school so?

I would do it through NUI Galway except its closed till 2012.

Pandoras Twist

Toplink wrote: »

You'd rate UCD higher then Smurfit school so?

UCD MBA is Smurfit isn't it?

steve9859

Toplink wrote: »

Thanks for feedback Steve,

My situation would limit me to an Irish MBA unless I did it distance learn. Also I do intend staying in the current company that I am in (for now anyway). I would see the MBA as a vital tool for getting up the ladder within the company I am in or indeed if I ever decide to set my own company. I am in a technical role at present.

You'd rate UCD higher then Smurfit school so?

I would do it through NUI Galway except its closed till 2012.

Ah, OK. If it is for internal career progression it is a little different. It is the education that you want, and the piece of paper saying you have an MBA. The college therefore is of slightly less relevance. I would say though that 30k is a lot for just the education - far better value for money would probably be a professional qualification or masters in the appropriate field. The advantage of the MBA though, over for example an ACA, is that it is done and dusted in a year.

For the €30k you really expect access to properly functioning alumni networks, career support, industry links etc to help you make a career change or move up the ladder. It is this aspect where the Irish schools are really weak internationally and crap value for money.

If you just want top quality academics I would go Trinity - smaller class sizes, more access to professors, and much higher ranked in the Eduniversal rankings, a global peer ranking by business school deans that focusses purely on the academics and quality of research work rather than the other things that feed into the other rankings (such as infrastructure, post MBA support, % of people with jobs after graduation etc). it is 30th in the world in this ranking and top in Ireland. The new head of the business school is also an entrepreneur, and I believe there is a major focus in the MBA on entrepreneurial and business start up skills, with business plan projects and work with enterprise Ireland. That might fit in with maybe starting yoriu own business one day

UCD however has far better infrastructure, post MBA career support, access to Irish industry (including better opportunity for placement after the MBA), and is therefore probably better value for your €30k. if you are going back to you current company, then that is of less relevance though.

For anyone else looking to change career, I'd say again, my opinion is that you are far better off going outside of Ireland to study

(and yes, UCD is Smurfit, sorry)

SmurfitMBA

Hello all,

My name is Brian Marrinan and I am the MBA Careers Manager here at the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.

I came across this thread and thought it might be useful for me to perhaps clarify officially some of the points made.

Firstly, the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School is exclusively a post-experience programme. You need an absolute minimum of three years experience to come on board the programme. Normally, that is post-graduation from a degree, however, we do accept people without a primary degree but they will need more experience to compensate.

Perhaps the confusion on this is because a number of American programmes don't have the same conditions and some people do go on to their MBA directly post graduation. However, that's much rarer in Europe and never with Smurfit.

Secondly, there has been quite a bit of discussion around the rankings, costs etc. Rankings certainly aren't the best way to pick a programme as it does very much come down to the individual and what suits them as an individual. However, what they do is show the quality is being adhered to and we're maintaining best practice standards. For that reason, Smurfit are very proud to be the only programme in Ireland which has been able to get, maintain and improve on these rankings over the past ten years.

What we are also incredibly proud of is that we have the three main international accreditations in Equis (the European standard), AACSB (the American standard) and AMBA (UK based MBA specific accreditation). To put it in perspective, out of more than 3900 registered business schools worldwide, we're one of less than 50 that has all three accreditations.

@Steve9859, I do think it's a little unfair to tarnish the Smurfit MBA simply because you had a bad experience with the Trinity MBA. We have a much larger alumni network and put more emphasis on the careers and personal and professional development side, shown by having a dedicated MBA careers office which no other Irish programme does. We're very proud of the reputation our brand has abroad, with individuals from last years class in places such as UK, Switzerland, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Africa, the USA, Canada, Aruba and Haiti.

Choosing an MBA is a big decision. Any investment of that much money needs consideration. The nature of the accreditations and rankings is that they are all based on student and alumni feedback. It does nothing to help us if we accept people who we know we will not be able to help, so it's a major factor for us. If we feel a different school is better suited to you, I will, and I have done this in the past a number of times, use my contacts to put you in touch with the most relevant schools internationally.

If you are exploring doing an MBA and would like to learn more, we perform "1-2-1" sessions on the Smurfit Campus in Blackrock as well as in the IFSC. At the 1-2-1 we will spend 30 minutes with you to see whether an MBA is the right choice for you right now and answer any questions you may have about it. These sessions can be booked on the Smurfit website, www.smurfitschool.com. We also have an open evening on Tuesday (14th June) in the Clarion Hotel in the IFSC from 6.30-8.30pm. Come along and I'd be happy to have a chat.

Regards,

Brian.