Business Careers--Master's in Business Administration Degree (MBA)
Moving from a Psychology degree to an MBA
An MBA is a Master's in Business Administration. It is an internationally-recognized advanced degree that gives an individual specific credentials to be a leader of organizations in both the public and private sectors. In an MBA program you will broaden your skills in areas like management, critical thinking, leadership, communication, and problem-solving. Many schools offer concentrations in popular areas of business administration to help students strengthen specialized career skills. Traditional MBA specializations include finance, marketing, accounting, and international business, with additional options emerging in information technology management, healthcare leadership, and entrepreneurship. In addition, you can specialize your MBA in various areas (e.g., health care, sports management). One major advantage to getting an MBA is that it allows to you network with others in the business community.
To be admitted to an MBA program will need to have a Bachelor's degree (of course, your degree in psychology will suffice) and you will be requred to have taken specific courses (e.g., Economics). It usually requires 2 years of graduate school to complete an MBA program (often including an internship), although there are accelerated 1-year programs (some of these are online). Typically, tuition is paid by the student. An MBA offers greater job opportunities and greater salary than a Bachelor’s degree. It should be noted that an MBA is not limited to the business world, but can be beneficial for those seeking a degree in other areas (e.g., government). It is important to note that many MBA programs would like you to have some work experience before applying. In addition to apply to an MBA program you typically need to take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
One final point for clarification. You might hear about Executive MBA (EMBA) programs . These are part-time programs, and are designed for professionals with several years of managerial experience.
Salary Information
payscale.com lists the average yearly income for an MBA at $85,000.
Click here to read about obtaining an MBA with a liberal arts degree.
To learn more about applying to an MBA program check out the following from the Economist:
How to Apply to Business School
Click here to read important steps for a career in Business with an MBA or PhD..
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Click on the links below to read about other Business careers that only require a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology:
Business Careers--Human Resource Management
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