In recent years there has been an increase in the range of specialist MBA programs being offered by Business Schools around the world, with MBA programs available in industry specific topics such as IT, film, law, tourism, hospitality, sports management, the public sector and healthcare management.
So is this a good thing or does it detract from the prestige of the original MBA program aimed at being a general management qualification?
It is true that specialist MBA programs are often associated with second tier Business Schools and that it is a good way for these institutions to differentiate themselves without taking on the big boys directly. However, specialist MBA programs have their place and if they meet the demand of a certain type of student then they should not be discounted.
The obvious drawback of a specialist MBA program is that it potentially niches you to just one industry, but if you are certain of your chosen career path then why not tailor your MBA program?
In fact some advocates of Specialist MBA programs would argue that a three year specialist MBA program offers students a more in-depth experience by giving students much of the general business skill-set associated with an MBA while also allowing students another specialist area in which they can put their new skills into practice immediately.
Many business schools combine general and specialist business topics in their MBA programs. For example Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University, UK offers a generalist MBA combined with specialist subjects such as real estate management, e-Business, IT, public sector management and tourism management
Here are some examples of specialist MBA programs offered worldwide:
Nottingham University School of Business, UK
- Corporate Social Responsibility MBA
- Entrepreneurship MBA
- Finance MBA
- Healthcare Management MBA
Florida Tech, University Online, USA
- Accounting MBA
- Finance MBA
- Healthcare Management MBA
- IT MBA
- Internet Marketing MBA
- Marketing MBA
Frankfurt School of Management, Germany
- Finance MBA
- International Hospital & Healthcare Management MBA
Boston University School of Management, USA
- MBA in Public and Non-profit Management
- MBA in Healthcare
Indian Institute of Commerce and Trade, Lucknow, (Distance Learning)
- MBA Foreign Trade
- MBA Marketing
- MBA Tourism
- MBA Software Marketing
- MBA IT