An MBA or an MSc?

For someone who has just started their search for an MBA or an MSc course, the differences and the purpose can be puzzling.

Career-start vs. Career-change programmes

An MSc is essentially career-start programme, while an MBA is considered a career-change or a career enhancement programme. In terms of work experience, MSc programmes are primarily pre-experience qualifications and MBA programmes are post experience qualifications. This difference is more so in mainland Europe where MSc programmes form a part of basic educational qualification than in the US or UK. While graduates who complete their bachelor's degree or those completing professional education can straightaway pursue an MSc, this is usually not the case for an MBA, which generally requires minimum three years, and ideally at least five years of work experience.

As a result, the average age of MSc cohort tends to be much less than compared to the average age of a typical MBA class which tends to be anywhere from 27 to 37.

Both are taught postgraduate degrees with a project or a dissertation.

Both the MSc and the MBA in the UK are "taught" postgraduate degrees, involving lectures, examination, and a short project. The programmes usually are 12 months in duration. There are also research MSc programmes, which require a longer project or set of projects, and to be undertaken full-time. The MSc degree should not be confused with the MSci offered by UK institutions. MSci is an extended undergraduate degree intended to better prepare students for postgraduate study; often demanded by universities as a requirement for entry into their Ph.D. programmes.

An MBA broadens the participant's horizons and widens skill sets. It enhances the capacity for strategic thinking while improving the potential for climbing higher up the ladder of management in private, public or nonprofit sectors. In contrast, although an MSc in Management will provide a similar learning experience, but on much smaller scale. This difference can be attributed to the experience factor as well as to the intrinsic nature of learning from sharing experiences and the demand for each type of programme.

Diversity and the Experience Factor

The diversity of each class in terms of age, geographical location, cultural and educational backgrounds matters more in a MBA than in an MSc programme. Because MBAs are meant for those with work experience, the courses are designed to get the maximum learning for all the students through collective sharing of experiences. Most MBAs compels each student to move away from their own experience track and facilitates learning from a wider perspective; by sharing with the group. This is why course administrators are more selective in who is admitted to the MBA than when selecting students for MScs. Neither this level of experience nor diversity is deemed necessary for the typical MSc class intake yet the MSc should not be taken for granted as the course specialisation can be rigorous and demanding, just like an MBA.

Student Expectations

The participants in an MBA programme appreciate more, and expect more from their peers than do the career start peers in an MSc. The varying levels of professional experience, technical expertise and business exposure in a typical MBA batch enrich the learning experience for each individual participant. Neither this variety nor the high level of expectation is present in a typical MSc batch.

Networking opportunities

Because they have been in the world of work longer-in a business, the public sector or a nonprofit organisation,- the MBA students value the professional networking opportunities within a diverse group from all over the world.

Entry requirements

To compare entry requirements let us look at an MBA and an MSc offered by the Cass Business School, City University in London.

For the Cass MBA, the entry requirements include a good university degree or appropriate professional qualification, or at least six years relevant business experience together with a minimum of three years full-time post qualifying work experience. A well-balanced score (minimum 600) in the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and a minimum, well balanced IELTS score of 7.0 if English is not your first language. As an indication of the GMAT scores of your peers, the class average for recent intake is 640. TOEFL may be waived if you have worked or studied in an English-speaking country for at least a year. The Cass MBA application also requires two supporting references from suitable sources.

In contrast, the Cass MSc application requires a good Bachelors degree, usually a UK 2.1 or above or the equivalent from an overseas institution. Students who have not previously studied in English will need a well balanced IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in writing or TOEFL scores of 107, 263 or 627 in the internet based, computer based or paper based tests respectively. Applicants also need two references, one of which must be an academic reference. Work experience is not required.

Course content, delivery and learning outcomes

The learning outcomes differ between MBAs and MScs.

The MBA programme aims to bring together vast amount of experience coupled with a well integrated programme which enables mastery of business knowledge in a wide range of areas. The MBA programme is delivered with greater emphasis on widening the student's business perspective and strategic thinking while enabling a higher level of practice based learning.

When compared with MBAs, most MScs also tend to be far more academically rigorous-a term generally not associated with an MBA syllabus. There is also greater emphasis on developing of soft skills and on professional development in an MBA course

For example, the Cass MBA course comprises the Core General Management Programme includes four Blocks- Information, Global Business Environment, Management and Policy-two Commercial Projects that provide real life learning experiences, Electives that offer different pathways for specialisation and the Business Mastery Project. Throughout the year, the school runs a programme of professional development workshops and seminars aimed at strengthening soft skills which are in demanded in the job market. MBA Networking events also run throughout the year.

In contrast, the Cass MSc in Management is a more academically rigorous degree which also enables developing real world knowledge and skills in key areas of modern management. It has been designed to integrate highly practical elements to help graduates go on to lower to middle management positions in a diverse range of sectors.

The course commences with Foundations of Management workshop followed by eight core modules of Accounting and finance, Corporate Governance, Principles of Marketing, Operations & Information Management, Organisational Behaviour & HRM, Strategy & Business Policy, Advanced Practice of Management and Quantitative Methods. They can then choose one pathway from among Marketing, Internal Auditing, Entrepreneurship and Generalist management.

All students also study the Research Project Skills module.

Tuition fees

The differences in tuition fees reflect the differences between two courses. The more time and resource intensive, highly tailored design and delivery of the MBA is justified by a higher fee. For the Cass MSc in Management, the tuition fees for the 2009– 2010 is £17,000 while the Cass MBA fees amount to £29,000 for the next intake.

Finally...

Whether you should pursue an MSc or an MBA depends on where you are in your career, what are you trying to achieve and what are your various priorities and limitations such as financing of the study etc. If you are just completing your bachelor's degree or professional qualification, or have less than three years of post qualifying work experience, then the MSc is your best choice. But if you have worked for more than three years, and have the money then the MBA offers you better prospects and delivers better value for your future