MBA - Does where you get your MBA really matter?

tevion

I want to do an MBA next year, part-time.
Having a look at the various colleges, and the only one I can really afford, is the MBA in IBAT, which is accredited by the University of Wales.
It costs 3500 per year, compared to others which are 7000-15000 per year.
I'm just wondering if I get an MBA in IBAT, will it be worth a lot less than one from DIT or DCU if I was going for a job interview?
Or is it a complete waste of time, as potential employers wont recognise it?

cerebus

tevion wrote: »

I'm just wondering if I get an MBA in IBAT, will it be worth a lot less than one from DIT or DCU if I was going for a job interview?
Or is it a complete waste of time, as potential employers wont recognise it?

Employer perception of an MBA is worth thinking about - there is a reason why UCD's Smurfit School can charge ~€30k for their fulltime MBA. The economic value is driven by students access to the powerful alumni network, quality professors, good recruiting opportunities, etc. Good recruiting opportunities are a result of the way employers look at the Smurfit MBA program - so perception does matter.

What you learn in an MBA curriculum isn't rocket science, so the educational content you get from IBAT's MBA will be very close to the content you get from any other MBA. The question is whether it will provide you with any competitive advantage/differentiation in your career.

Have you a target role/sector in mind? For example, if you want to get into IBanking in London an IBAT MBA might not be the best choice. However, if you are focused on finding an opportunity in Ireland it might not be the worst choice.

You could try to quantify how useful an IBAT MBA might be in a few ways. One very easy thing to do is to reach out to people who are working in roles or companies that you think you would find interesting. Ask them for advice - frame it as a conversation where you are looking for help from someone who has been successful in finding a job that you are interested in, and ask them if they think the IBAT MBA will add any value to you in terms of fit for those kinds of roles/companies. LinkedIn is a great way to identify people for this sort of exercise.

tevion

@cerebus
thanks for the very helpful and informative reply.
I would be looking for a career change and to further my career prospects and to stay in Ireland after I finish it, so thats why I am considering the IBAT MBA.
The main reason that its my No. 1 choice is the cost, at 3500 per year, its a lot cheaper than the others, and I cant afford to pay anymore.
If the content is pretty much the same, I guess it could be an ok option.

rivermonkey

i'm pretty much in similar situation considering MBA's. all other MBA programmes in Ireland unaffordable.
most participants in very expensive MBA programmes do one of the following:
*employer covers cost and you sign a multi-year employment or refund committment
*borrow from bank or bank of mum & dad

I dont have a corporate employer and dont want more debts... so IBAT is attractive..
I would agree with cerebus about employability factor from more prestigious MBA's. My main motive though is to learn more about business for my own current and future business activities, so could fit the bill.

blucey

MBA is ALL about reputation. Much better, imho, to take longer and do say the OU than some of the others

ramblingcelt

I did my MBA a few years ago and went abroad to Belgium.

In hindsight:
The course was excellent
Great mix of nationalities
Loved Belgium
Fees were lower than here
The reputation and rankings were excellent

But back here in Ireland no one cared as the network of alumni, the people you can call on in business, were primarily based on mainland Europe. Thus companies prefer a good business school in the Market in which they operate.

I have no regrets, great time and value for money. Learned lots and will prob go back to Belgium or the Netherlands where my MBA is most valued.

Reputation, quality of education, mix of students, specialisations and accreditations, alumni network in your value calculations. Make sure the MBA is actually what your career needs.

godtabh

Was it through English?

ramblingcelt

Yes, most MBAs are as English is seen as the language of business, until Madarin takes over! :-)

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