A Guide to Global MBAs

Depending on where you choose to study, you may be able to specialise throughout your degree. This specialisation can influence the way in which your career progresses after you have graduated. Specialisations might include:

• Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• International Marketing
• Global Supply Chain Management
• Business Across Cultures
• Consultancy

If your degree requires you to write a dissertation or submit a final major research project, this will give you the opportunity to further research a favoured area of global business.

The accreditation of an MBA is internationally standardised. This means that no matter where you choose to study for your degree, you will be awarded a Master of Business Administration. The only element of your award that could change is the specific title, such as Global MBA, or MBA in Finance.

Some degrees may be accredited or approved by professional bodies of business and management. These might include the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), or the Association of MBAs (AMBA).

The duration of a global MBA will depend on where you choose to study. It might also be influenced by the country in which your institution is located. Generally, an MBA will take up to three years when studied full-time, and could take up to eight years when studied part-time. An MBA is time intensive, but can help you to achieve your career goals earlier than you would if you were to rely on work experience.

An MBA is generally studied as a final degree, so further study does not tend to be common. However, if you do wish to continue your studies, this could be in the form of a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), a different masters degree, or a graduate diploma or certificate.

The entry requirements for a global MBA will depend on where you choose to study. Due to the nature of the course, different institutions will have different entry requirements. Some universities might require you to sit an entrance exam, where others might rely on your undergraduate degree results.

Some universities might prefer you to have studied certain subjects, such as international business, and others might require you to have a certain amount of work experience. It is possible that institutions in certain countries might require you to provide results from a GRE or GMAT test. Your institution will be able to provide you with more information about this, as not all universities require the same things.

You should check each institution to see what entry requirements they have for their global MBA programmes

• UK – 7.0 IELTS, 2:1 undergraduate degree, work experience may be required
• US – 3.0 GPA, GRE/GMAT may be required

Tuition fees for international students are not fixed. This means that they can vary greatly from institution to institution. You should make sure that you are aware of how much your course will cost you.

Sometimes students on MBA courses will have financial help from their workplace to complete their degree. Speak to your employer about this if you think that an MBA would lead to company progression, as well as personal progression.

You may be eligible for a scholarship or funding. This could be awarded by your institution, or by a separate funding body. For more information, visit our scholarships and funding section.

Global MBA graduates will generally have an idea of their career path when they apply for the degree. You might wish to progress in your current career, for example moving from middle management to senior management. You might also wish to change your career path completely, and studying a global MBA will allow you to make this transition. Gaining an MBA is also a great way of displaying your global business expertise to international companies, as it is an award that is recognised around the world as a sign of high quality education.